Muslim cleric calls gov’t to declare stance on Hijab wearing in Ghana

The deputy national Chief Imam of the Ahlul-Sunna Wajamaa, Sheik Mohammed Kamil, has called on government to declare its stance on the wearing of the Islamic veil, popularly called Hijab, by women in Ghana.

Sheik Mohammed Kamil, the deputy national Chief Imam of the Ahlul-Sunna Wajamaa, has pressed on government to declare its stance on issues relating to the wearing of the Islamic veil, popularly called Hijab, by women in Ghana.

He claims, female Muslims who put on Hijab are being harassed by authorities in some schools and other state agencies.

Sheik Kamil said Ghana is a peaceful country and such acts could mar the peaceful coexistence between Muslims and Christians in the country, and called on people to eschew from such stereotyping female Muslims who attire the Hijab.

There have been several agitations and disagreements by the Muslim community in Ghana regarding the ban on Hijab in some schools and state agencies.

Members of the Muslim community in Kumasi took to social media to express their disagreement on the issue following a recent announcement by the Parkoso Community Day Senior High School in the Ashanti Region, to ban the wearing of the Hijab. In his Eid message, Sheik Kamil urged the president to speak out on the issue:

“These days, what is going on in Ghana, we are not happy about it. It is about our females who wear the Hijab to schools and other Government institutions.

I think they are now being harassed for wearing Hijab. I don’t think it is a good practice, because they have to be tolerant to Islam, to the Muslims and to our daughters.

That is our religion. You cannot take us out of the religion, so they should exercise restraint, if not we are not going to sit peacefully with them. Ghana is a peaceful country and we need peace,” he emphasized.

Sheik Kamil said the Mahama-led administration boldly came out to speak on the issue and there was finality on it. He, therefore, pressed on the current administration to also come out and speak on the matter to bring finality to the issue.

“When John Mahama was in power, he came out and spoke about this matter so we want this government to come out and let his people know that Ghana is a secular country and is not for Christians, so they can’t control us; they can’t ask us to do what they want. We are Muslims, we will stay Muslims, we will die Muslims,” he remarked.

The Muslim cleric indicated that leadership of the Muslim community have raised this issue with the Peace Council, but some authorities are still harassing Muslim females who wear the Hijab despite the council’s intervention on the matter.