Accra, June 16, GNA – Alhaji Maulvi Mohammed Bin Salih, the Ameer of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Ghana, says the country cannot make any meaningful development unless the citizens are prepared to sacrifice for each other.
He said true sacrifice must be deeply rooted in the concepts of selflessness, obedience to God’s commands, and willingness to give up something valuable for the sake of God.
The Ameer said this in Accra at the celebration of Eid-Ul-Adha, a ritual animal sacrifice of Muslims that marks the story of Prophet Abraham and his wife Hajira.
The story, he said, signified the willingness of the two to practically sacrifice their son Ismail in obedience to God’s command.
He said God told Abraham that “instead of sacrificing your son, here is a ram, an animal that is what you should slaughter ass sacrifice.”
The Ameer said the gesture showed that God prohibited human slaughter as sacrifice.
Alhaji Salih stated that the culture of sacrifice cut across all the religious divides of the world as a means by which one could purify himself and strengthen his relationship with God.
“Sacrifice in Islam is closely tied to the ideas of faith, obedience, and selfishness.
“Without these elements, no act can be called sacrifice because sacrifice demonstrates our commitment to God and the well-being of our fellow human beings,” he said.
True sacrifice, he stressed, demanded that we prioritise our faith and submission to God over our worldly desires and attachments.
He called for peaceful, impending elections in the country and to avoid any acts that would disturb the peace and stability of the country.
The Ameer said elections should not lead to the death of any soul and called on all not to engage in activities that would mar the peace enjoyed by the country.
He led a prayer for peaceful elections ahead of the December 7 Presidential and Parliamentary elections.
GNA