Obama's Advisor Interacts With Ghana's National Chief Imam In DC

National Chief Imam Delivering A Sermon At The Yankasa Islamic Centerin New York Last Week

The Special Advisor to President Obama on Islamic Affairs, Mr. Rashad Hussein has commended the National Chief Imam, His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Osman Nuhu Sharubutu and the entire leadership of the Ghanaian Muslim sects for living in peace and harmony, in spite of their diverse ideological opinions.

He stated that, what excites the U.S. government is the fact that, in spite the existing differences in their rank and file, nobody challenges or seems to rival the authority of the National Chief Imam. He therefore urged the Ghanaian Muslims to keep up this enviable trait as a shinning example for the rest of the Africa and the Muslim world at large.

Mr. Hussein made this remarks at a special meeting with the National Chief Imam and his seven-member entourage at the states department in Washington DC, during his recent visit to the United States.

The historic meeting was attended by some senior U.S. government officials at the states department, including special representative to the Muslim Communities, Farah Pandith, Ambassador Suzan Johnson, a senior policy advisor and Ambassador at large on the international religious freedom and Ambassador Teteilbaum, the immediate past U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, who is now the Assistant Secretary on Breau of African Affairs Desk.

On his part, the National Chief Imam's entourage to the meeting includes, Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim, Chairman of SONSETFUND & ICODEHS, Chief Alhaji Abdul Kadir Tahir, President of the Council of Zango Chiefs and Chief of Dagomba of greater Accra, and Alhaji Khuzaimah Osman, Personal Assistant to the Imam and executive secretary of IPASEC & SONSUTFUND, among others.

The two weeks trip offered the Chief Imam opportunities to interact with the African American, and Arab American Muslims in Chicago, New York, New Jersey and Washington DC. He led prayers in many mosques, where the central theme of his sermons and lectures revolved around, peace and tolerance between Muslims and non-Muslims, as decreed by Allah and his messenger, Muhammad (S.A.W.). He also condemned the recent Boston Bombing, which coincidently happened during his visit to the United States, and declared as diametrically opposed to the Islamic code of ethics.

Many religious analysts are with the opinion that, the charismatic and crowd pulling effect of the National Chief Imam is as a result of his meek sense of demeanor-characterized by, the Sufi-Islam's philosophical concept of; piety, humility, generosity, magnanimity, kindness, forgiveness and tolerance, that are all found in his personality.