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Religion of Tuesday, 16 August 2011

Source: Interfaith Ghana

Interfaith Ghana pays a courtesy call on National Chief Imam

Interfaith Ghana, a youth focused and eco-friendly organization which works to promote understanding between people from different faiths and backgrounds by engaging them in social action projects, has paid a courtesy call on the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Dr. Osman Nuhu Sharabutu at his residence in Fadama, Accra on Saturday 13th August, 2011.

The visit, which was the first of its kind by the group to any religious head in Ghana, was to discuss interfaith relations in Ghana and also the UK, which was represented by Ishaq Mahmood of the Manchester based organization, Kiswah Foundation, a network that promotes Islam through the arts.

Sheikh Nuhu Sharabutu indicated that he was well pleased with the group’s visit since one of his aims as a religious leader is to promote peace and unity amongst religions in Ghana towards national development by facilitating interfaith dialogue between various religious heads in the country.

He emphasized that he believes that all humans are descendants of Adam regardless of our religious orientations and as such must unite to promote peace, and encouraged religious leaders to create the platform for interfaith dialogue to drive development in Ghana.

On how he sees the future of interfaith relations in Ghana and the UK, the National Chief Imam intimated that the only thing he has is hope, especially when he sees young people and youth groups like Interfaith Ghana and Kiswah Foundation promote interfaith relations and he believes that generations to come would learn from the current crop of young people and take over the good work. He then prayed for the group and wished them well in all their endeavors since their mission was worth supporting.

Also present at the short discussion was Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, the Regional Manager, Islamic Educational Unit, and a notable presenter of Islamic programmes on national television, who on his part indicated that Islam is a religion of peace and that the doors of the office of the National Chief Imam are always opened to people and especially young people who are working to promote good interfaith relations in the country.

Kiswah Foundation, supported by Interfaith Ghana then presented a large framed painting of Islamic arts to the National Chief Imam.