By Muyid Deen Suleman, GNA
Kumasi Aug. 13, GNA – The Diaspora Zongo Youth (DZY) group has called on Muslim leaders to remember their profound religious obligations as the inheritors of the Holy Prophet Muhammad.
The group emphasised that through the diligent emulation of the Holy Prophet’s life and complete adherence to his practices, the Muslim Ummah could significantly foster religious tolerance throughout the country.
A joint statement signed by Mr. Farouk Muniru and Mr. Al-Asbat Sidi, public relations officials of the group, expressed profound dismay at the evident misunderstanding between Mallam Maswud Abdullah, an Imam, and Sheikh Arimeyaw, the spokesperson for the Office of the National Chief Imam.
The group further noted with utmost dismay and heartbreak the recent blasphemous comments against the Holy Prophet of Islam made by a pastor named Daniel on his TikTok page, comments that subsequently ignited the disagreement.
“The blasphemous comments made by Pastor Daniel have sparked heated religious tension across the country, instigating fear and panic, an action which constitutes a clear breach of Ghana’s Public Order Act,” the group added.
The pastor’s comments provoked Mallam Maswud Abdullah, a respected Imam and scholar, to respond emotionally to the pastor’s conduct by citing Quran 5:33 (Surah Al-Ma’idah), which explicitly outlines the punishments for those who utter such blasphemous statements against Allah and His messenger.
The group, however, observed that Mallam Maswud’s response was met with strong disapproval by Sheikh Arimeyaw, the spokesperson of the National Chief Imam, who subsequently called for Mallam Maswud’s arrest, controversially labeling him a threat to national security.
The group asserted that it was imperative to recognize that the authority to administer punishment, particularly in a state governed by Islamic jurisprudence, is solely vested in authorized bodies, not individuals; a distinction of which Mallam Maswud Abdullah ought to have reminded the public.
They further added that, since Ghana was a secular state, the pastor in question should be reported to the appropriate law enforcement agencies, and, according to their records, Mallam Maswud has since corrected his statement in that regard and issued a public apology to that effect.
According to the group, Mr. Arimeyaw’s call for Mallam Maswud’s arrest constituted a clear violation of Quran 49:6 (Surah Al-Hujurat).
The scripture unequivocally states: “O you who believe! If a Fasiq comes to you with any news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance, and afterward, you become regretful for what you have done.”
The group, therefore, unequivocally demanded Sheikh Arimeyaw’s immediate dismissal from the Office of the National Chief Imam, citing his display of gross incompetence in his capacity as the spokesperson for the National Chief Imam.
The Diaspora Zongo Youth is, therefore, urgently calling on Ghana’s law enforcement agencies to immediately effect the arrest of Pastor Daniel, compelling him to substantiate the grounds for his unprovoked attack on the Islamic religion.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Benjamin Mensah