Islam stands for peace and harmony - Imam Hindi

Accra, Dec.14 GNA - Imam Yahya Hindi, an Islamic Scholar from the United States, on Tuesday said people who resorted to extremism and terrorism did not understand the virtues of the Islamic religion, which was peace and harmony.

He said this when he paid a courtesy call on the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu at his residence in Accra to strengthen the relationship between Muslims in the two countries. Imam Hindi, who is also a Member of the Judiciary Council of Shariah Scholars Association of North America, would be in the country for a week.

He is expected to lead the Friday prayers at the Al-Aziz Mosque at Burma Camp as well as appear on GTV Breakfast show and Aqeedah, an Islamic weekly talk show.

He called on Muslims to use dialogue as their main bargaining chip rather than taking the laws into their own hands. He said poverty; militarism and racism were the three main enemies of the world that divided the people.

Imam Hindi called for the empowerment of the Muslim women and girls for total development of their communities. Sheikh Yahya Ameen, National Co-ordinator of the Office of the National Chief Imam, in response thanked Imam Hindi and expressed the hope that the visit would consolidate the bond between the peoples in the two countries.

He said Muslims should be able to present a better image to the world and fight poverty and HIV/AIDS rather than indulging in violence which had become a stereotype against them.

Earlier, Imam Hindi called on Sheikh Umar Ibrahim, Director of the Islamic Research Centre, where they discussed the promotion of the Islamic religion in the country. Muslims asked to eschew divisiveness Kumasi, Dec.14, GNA - Mallam Issah Osei, Leader of the Muslim Mobile Preachers Association, has called on Muslims to eschew divisiveness and work together to promote Islam in the country. He said the religion was not developing as expected due to misunderstanding, the lack of unity and cooperation among Muslim leaders and organisations.

Mallam Issah was speaking to newsmen in Kumasi on Sunday during a fundraising rally organised by the Association towards the sponsoring of its radio and television programmes and school projects at Mowire in the Kwabre district in Ashanti.

He said the adoption of foreign cultures by Muslim youth had affected the development of Islam and reminded Muslims of the warning of Prophet Mohammed that believers in the faith, should be wary of worldly things that could lead them astray.

Mallam Issah urged Muslims to hold fast to the religion so that they would not fall into temptation.

He appealed to Muslims and their leaders to tolerate the opinions of believers of other religions.

Mallam Issah said: "When there is unity, we can organise ourselves to teach the word of God and the traditions of the Prophet Mohammed without any conflict".

Sheikh Ahmed Nkrumah, a teacher at Asanteman Islamic Secondary School in Kumasi, appealed to Muslims to be tolerant, disciplined and worship Allah truthfully and ensure absolute peace in their communities.