The Murrabi of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Murrabi Ghafur has called on Muslim students across the country to refrain from sheer sentimentality and remain faithful to the peaceful teachings of Islam.

Reacting to the Wesley Girls-GES brouhaha, Murrabi Ghafur revealed that Islam is a religion of peace and not one of hardship.

According to him, the Holy Quran permits students to be exempted from fasting if it has any possibility of giving them health complications.

He urged Muslim students and the broader Islam community to seek a better understanding into the motive behind the school’s decision and not haste to chastise them for discrimination.

“But with the directives of GES, it is okay. That is probably to make sure that people do not override religious sentiments in institutions. Because that can plunge the nation into chaos."

“You know, some of our Muslim brothers were so unhappy with it. But what we must also know is that you must first know your religion before you argue. You see, some of us are very sentimental with religion but we don’t even know the actuals of that religion."

Background

Two weeks ago, authorities at the Wesley Girls SHS were accused of preventing Muslim students from fasting during the Ramadan period.

A parent, Ishmael Zakaria Alhassan, on April 26, 2021, stormed the school’s premises to withdraw his daughter from school after receiving the reports.

Following this, the Ghana Education Service issued a directive to the school allow the students to partake in the ongoing Ramadan fast.

“The Ghana Education Service, therefore, directs authorities of Wesley Girls High School as well as any other school to allow any such student who wishes to fast for any religious reason to do so."

“The parents of such student are also directed to write to the school indicating that the school shall not be held liable for any health condition of the student as a result of the fast. Staff, students and the general public are to take note,” GES stated in a press release dated May 1, 2021.

The Methodist Church Ghana has rejected the order from GES.

In a statement released on Wednesday, May 4, 2021, the Church stated that it “cannot accede to the unilateral directive issued by the Ghana Education and Service.”

The church has entreated the GES to “respect the long-standing partnership between the government and mission schools.”