My brother Kofi has written a well planned article and I say bravo. This is a Ghanaian who is patriotic, matured and well versed in what he is talking about. Islam is not arabic but the prophet's language was used since no on ... read full comment
My brother Kofi has written a well planned article and I say bravo. This is a Ghanaian who is patriotic, matured and well versed in what he is talking about. Islam is not arabic but the prophet's language was used since no one would expect him to speak different language then. I am very pleased with the article and in conclusion there will never be Boko Haram in Ghana because it is unislamic, barbaric and against all tenets of Islam. Thank u so much and Ramadan Karim
IDRIS PACAS 9 years ago
Congrats!
But the problem is with the writer listing tribes as sects of Islam:Shia, Sufi, Alawiya, the Wahhabis of Saudi Arabia, the Drudes, Kharijite Islam, Nation of Islam, Muslim Brotherhood, Mawdahvism, Zikri, and a host ... read full comment
Congrats!
But the problem is with the writer listing tribes as sects of Islam:Shia, Sufi, Alawiya, the Wahhabis of Saudi Arabia, the Drudes, Kharijite Islam, Nation of Islam, Muslim Brotherhood, Mawdahvism, Zikri, and a host of others.
Logically, the place where people live affect their way of dressing, eating, speaking etc.The wars fought in Gulf (eg, Iraq-Iran) are not Muslims against Muslims, but tribe against tribe. The main causes of such wars as we are still seeing in Iraq are tribal and not purely religious.
Several reasons exist for God asking Muslims to worship in Arabic. And maintaining the Holy Book in that language eliminates distortion associated with liberal translation and synonymy.
Kofi Amenyo 9 years ago
Idris, thanks for joining the discussion.
For my mixing Islamic organisations with strands of Islam, see Kofi Amponsah's interesting and detailed contribution bellow and my response to him.
Your second argument is one t ... read full comment
Idris, thanks for joining the discussion.
For my mixing Islamic organisations with strands of Islam, see Kofi Amponsah's interesting and detailed contribution bellow and my response to him.
Your second argument is one that is often raised by Muslims - that those fights are not really religious but tribal, mere quest for power, etc. But I am glad you said "not purely religious" which makes me see that you also believe there is a religious element in it. And, surely, Islam in the past has also fought purely religious wars like the process of the Shia establishing itself as a brand of the faith.
Your third point is difficult to debate. It is too much a matter of faith and belief. But, yes, practically, if a piece of scripture is maintained in one language, distortions associated with translations may be avoided. The price is that many of the faithful will not be able to read the one language text.
Kofi Amponsah 9 years ago
Kofi you are right on these issues and especially with the last paragraph. Growing up in Ghana, one dared not hand a Quran to a non-Muslim friend. Luckily, that is being addressed today. You see the Quran in various major lan ... read full comment
Kofi you are right on these issues and especially with the last paragraph. Growing up in Ghana, one dared not hand a Quran to a non-Muslim friend. Luckily, that is being addressed today. You see the Quran in various major languages. The original Arabic scripture remains unchanged; thus any inaccuracies in the translations remain the responsibility of the translator.
Then again; it is there now on different platforms - internet, Google play, youtube, etc that are accessible to all irrespective of faith. That's why today's Muslim should equip himself with facts and be tolerant to debate. You can't just say: My Mallam said; so that's it. Noo. Other discerning people like Kofi Amenyo are observing, reading and asking difficult questions.
IDRIS PACAS 9 years ago
Ever since its compilation, The Quran like the Bible is a book. It is sold in shops. How can an author force somebody (reader) to handle a book s/he buys from a shop?
The need to spiritually purity oneself before touching ... read full comment
Ever since its compilation, The Quran like the Bible is a book. It is sold in shops. How can an author force somebody (reader) to handle a book s/he buys from a shop?
The need to spiritually purity oneself before touching the Quran is only binding on Muslims.
Not anybody is allowed to translate the Quran. How will somebody who's not seen the original determine inaccuracies in the translated version?
Differentiate individual differences/behaviours from religious issues. If Qurans were few among Muslims, why should they give some to non-Muslims who wouldn't/couldn't read them?
Kofi Amponsah 9 years ago
No Idris, I'm not saying anything different. What I meant was that in the past, it was difficult to hand over a copy of the Quran to a non-Muslim due to misunderstandings. I don't know your age and generation but in the days ... read full comment
No Idris, I'm not saying anything different. What I meant was that in the past, it was difficult to hand over a copy of the Quran to a non-Muslim due to misunderstandings. I don't know your age and generation but in the days when Quran lessons were given on tablets (Allo in Hausa) few copies of the Quran are available. So, it's not about one's ability to buy it or not. In those days Quran was not readily available to non Muslims and in any case, many of them had no reason to own one cos they could not read the Arabic anyway. Sure, I agree that spiritual purification is limited to muslims; but that is the misunderstanding cos Muslims then felt non Muslims also needed to purify themselves before handling it. Which was why they won't give it to them.
Regarding the translations, what I meant was that, the original Arabic texts of the Quran are unchanged. However, translators could translate into different languages. Therefore any inaccuracies in the translated versions are the responsibilities of the translators. Of course, linguistic differences could lead to different lexicology. That's why the original Arabic one will always be there to fall back to. Indeed, there are different English translations of the Quran by different people. I don't know who reserves the right to translate the Quran. But fact is, if two Dagomba clerics living in two different parts of the world translate the Quran into Dagbaani, you are bound to find differences in the Dagbani Quraan.
I hope I'm clear on this. Sorry, I wasn't making any wild claims that can't be found around us.
IDRIS PACAS 9 years ago
The tribal wars fought between Asantes and Fantes are similar to those fought and/or still being fought in the Gulf. I maintain that little link exists between those wars and Islam. You tagging it as Muslims against Muslims i ... read full comment
The tribal wars fought between Asantes and Fantes are similar to those fought and/or still being fought in the Gulf. I maintain that little link exists between those wars and Islam. You tagging it as Muslims against Muslims is my problem. When World War I broke out in Europe, did we termed it as Christians against Christians?
The past Islamic wars were/are entirely different from the wars being fought today. Today's wars are those fought for artificial boundaries, material wealth etc. The Islamic wars were fought because Muslims were not allowed to practice Islam and nothing else. Men and women from the different tribes who were Muslims all joined the fight.
Fighting to establish religious freedom is common to all the religions. What eventually happened to Jesus?
Religion is an issue of necessity. Those who intend being Muslims or who're Muslims MUST learn to recite the basics. The basics, and not a mastery of the Holy Book, is the key. The Mallams are there to preach and explain the rest.
The need to have time to learn and/or listen to the learned is part of the religion. Learning, even if with difficult, to understand the message from the original source is better than doing it from duplicated sources where the original meaning will be lost avoidably.
Kofi Amenyo 9 years ago
Note that the point I was trying to make about these wars of Muslim against Muslim is to say that they are just like the Christian wars of Christian against Christian. The point of your contention, I took it, was whether they ... read full comment
Note that the point I was trying to make about these wars of Muslim against Muslim is to say that they are just like the Christian wars of Christian against Christian. The point of your contention, I took it, was whether they were wars caused by religious differences. And your point is that they were tribal wars (fought in the name of religion?).
Now, Idris, even if I grant you that these are tribal wars, it is still one Muslim fighting another Muslim. The two tribes fighting each other were all followers of Islam and the force of the religion they believe in did not prevent them from fighting each other. This is true whether the two World Wars were described as Christian against Christian or not. How we describe one war or another war does not change what actually happened on the ground.
Perhaps you're trying to say that I describe the sectarian wars as Muslim against Muslim but I will not describe the World Wars as Christian against Christian. But you will be jumping the gun because I never talked about the World Wars. And you can see, implicit in my write up, that Christians also fought against other Christians - LIKE MUSLIMS HAVE DONE AND ARE STILL DOING TODAY!
You wrote:
"The past Islamic wars were/are entirely different from the wars being fought today. Today's wars are those fought for artificial boundaries, material wealth etc."
The historical record does not support you. Even the past Islamic wars were also fought for boundaries (all boundaries are artificial) and for material wealth, power, etc.
You also wrote:
"The Islamic wars were fought because Muslims were not allowed to practice Islam and nothing else."
Even your fellow Muslims will not agree with you on this. Islam fought wars to establish itself and to be able to practise the faith. Islam still fought wars EVEN AFTER they had gotten the space to practise their faith without hinder. Are you trying to argue that Islam was spread beyond the Arabic Peninsular ONLY through peaceful means?
Idris, if two sets of people go to war against each other and both are shouting Alla Akbar as they kill each other, you cannot cleanly divorce the deeds from the belief systems that the doers hold. This goes for Christianity too.
The problem is the attempt to hold Islam (or any religious dogma for that matter) as having a pure and ideal form that is detached and far above the actions of the followers of that faith. But this is a difficult position to hold.
The other point about the language of God will take us to discussions that will make this too long.
C.Y. ANDY-K 9 years ago
Kofi,
First of all, let me commend you for your usual erudite write up. Classy, I'd say.
Secondly, I like your succinct rebuttal of Idris esp. that on the wars they fought in the past to spread Islam, acquire territory, ... read full comment
Kofi,
First of all, let me commend you for your usual erudite write up. Classy, I'd say.
Secondly, I like your succinct rebuttal of Idris esp. that on the wars they fought in the past to spread Islam, acquire territory, plunder for loot and slaves, etc. They even disregarded the injunction of Mohammed to leave the Ethiopians alone and invaded them, forcing them to abandon their kingdom where Eritrea is today. He is simply trying to project some of the illusions and rhetorical ethics (Marimba Ani) that the defenders of Islam also use to camouflage their actions, which are completely deviant from their proclaimed beliefs and utterances. We enter the realm of confidence mechanisms or distracting gimmicks.
How can he say Shiites and Sunnis are different tribes of Islam? And all the others you listed? What's his definition of "tribe"? The Persian Shiites are not even Arabs like the Iraqi Shiites.
Btw, many Ghanaians, including myself, knew about the divisions in Islam before we traveled overseas. The Ahmadiyya Movt is big in Ghana and our headmaster allowed one of their leaders to even speak to us in sec. schl in Anloga around 1973.
In a way, he is right about the current Islamic conflicts and terrorism, not being religious, even though they loudly call on Allah when committing their atrocities, in replication of earlier epochs when their predecessors used to ravage Africa for slaves, loot and tributes. Islam is simply a farcical tool that have been adopted by the former Mujahadeens who were mostly socialists and communists, as I found out, to my surprise, from one refugee from N. Africa who supports the Fundamentalists. He painstakingly explained it to me and, I must admit, I developed more respect for his intellect than the black students in my methodology class who all chose the ecclesiastical knowledge over the scientific and other source of knowledge. He chose scientific knowledge and I questioned him after the tutorial why he a supporter of Fundamentalists did so. What he told me when I gained his confidence and he opened up was a revelation. I told him that the West wouldn't allow them to have their way though.
Andy-K
Mozato 9 years ago
Even at this very period of the holy Ramadan the "Boko Harams" in Lebanon are dropping bombs in Isreal. The truth must be told at all times, muslims are pretenders who profess to love God but they are not, in real sense. The ... read full comment
Even at this very period of the holy Ramadan the "Boko Harams" in Lebanon are dropping bombs in Isreal. The truth must be told at all times, muslims are pretenders who profess to love God but they are not, in real sense. They love their fellow sect members more than even the Allah who they proclaim to serve. What good can be said about a religion whose members refer to their follow beings of different beliefs as infidels.
Peace and love 9 years ago
Kofi,Iam so please with your article it is always my prayer that the Ghanaian Muslims will should stay away from the so call jihads.We have come a long way and this is the time people like you to involve the Ghanaian Muslims ... read full comment
Kofi,Iam so please with your article it is always my prayer that the Ghanaian Muslims will should stay away from the so call jihads.We have come a long way and this is the time people like you to involve the Ghanaian Muslims youth should stay away from extremist for better Ghana.
Ghana is the only home we got there is other home.God bless you.
Christian 9 years ago
A good, peaceful writing. Unpresumptuous.
A good, peaceful writing. Unpresumptuous.
Mahmoud 9 years ago
While some deists accepted revelation, most argued that revelation's restriction to small groups or even a single person limited its explanatory power. Moreover, many found the Christian revelations in particular to be contra ... read full comment
While some deists accepted revelation, most argued that revelation's restriction to small groups or even a single person limited its explanatory power. Moreover, many found the Christian revelations in particular to be contradictory and irreconcilable. According to these writers, revelation could reinforce the evidence for God's existence already apparent in the natural world, but more often it led to superstition among the masses. Most deists argued that priests had deliberately corrupted Christianity for their own gain by promoting the acceptance of miracles, unnecessary rituals, and illogical and dangerous doctrines (these accusations were typically referred to as "priestcraft"). The worst of these doctrines was original sin. By convincing people that they required a priest's help to overcome their innate sinfulness, deists argued, religious leaders had enslaved the human population. Deists therefore typically viewed themselves as intellectual liberators.[2]
Paine also argues that the Old Testament must be false because it depicts a tyrannical God. The "history of wickedness" pervading the Old Testament convinced Paine that it was simply another set of human-authored myths.[23] He deplores people's credulity: "Brought up in habits of superstition," he wrote, "people in general know not how much wickedness there is in this pretended word of God." Citing Numbers 31:13–47 as an example, in which Moses orders the slaughter of thousands of boys and women, and sanctions the rape of thousands of girls, at God's behest,[24] Paine calls the Bible a "book of lies, wickedness, and blasphemy; for what can be greater blasphemy than to ascribe the wickedness of man to the orders of the Almighty!"[25]
Atom Ant 9 years ago
Very interesting and informative article from a Spock-like commentator. "Peace and long life"
Very interesting and informative article from a Spock-like commentator. "Peace and long life"
Kofi Amenyo 9 years ago
V
Live long and prosper!
V
Live long and prosper!
Osei-cph 9 years ago
Kofi, thanx for your great article.
Anyway, I expected nothing less because you are such a gifted writer on Ghanaian life.
The veil is actually called mayafi and not mayasi.
Fasting in the European summer requires a lo ... read full comment
Kofi, thanx for your great article.
Anyway, I expected nothing less because you are such a gifted writer on Ghanaian life.
The veil is actually called mayafi and not mayasi.
Fasting in the European summer requires a lot of faith, especially for those of us who work at night.
We Ghanaian muslims while keeping the faith are certainly much more flexible than others.
For example I've met many muslims from other countries who do not understand why I should shave.
As we say in Ghana travel and see!!!
Personally, I do not think Baram Haram can happen in Ghana.
Stay blessed and thanks.
Kwesi 9 years ago
Thanks for the correction, Osei. It is, indeed, mayafi.
I flunked that. Na my fault. My friend Ibrahim here could readily have edited the work for me and corrected that and the other errors but I was in a hurry and sent i ... read full comment
Thanks for the correction, Osei. It is, indeed, mayafi.
I flunked that. Na my fault. My friend Ibrahim here could readily have edited the work for me and corrected that and the other errors but I was in a hurry and sent it away. Ooops.
Kofi Amponsah 9 years ago
I admire your quick acceptance of corrections, a mark of a person in a learned society. My worry now is, you were Kofi in the original piece, now you are Kwesi - just a typo? looool
I admire your quick acceptance of corrections, a mark of a person in a learned society. My worry now is, you were Kofi in the original piece, now you are Kwesi - just a typo? looool
Kofi Amenyo 9 years ago
Sorry for the distortion. It was just typo...
Sorry for the distortion. It was just typo...
Kofi Amponsah 9 years ago
A very interesting piece by author who comes across as someone that has grown up amongst Muslims and gained some fundamentals of the Muslim faith. Consequently, the article is mainly observational with opinions shrouded as fa ... read full comment
A very interesting piece by author who comes across as someone that has grown up amongst Muslims and gained some fundamentals of the Muslim faith. Consequently, the article is mainly observational with opinions shrouded as facts. Cultural practices have been fused as religion (a common error even amongst Muslims). As this may be used by others as factual reference some corrections (not denials) in the following ten-pointer would be appropriate. Yes, there are many variants of slam!
1. Muslims in Ghana have mainly been orthodox Sufi until the 90s (as you pointed out) when returnees of theological studies from Middle East began widespread propagation of the hard-line Islam of Wahabism paraded as Sunni. But, please note the correct meanings of the following terms. The term ‘zikir’ means remembrance or repeated recitation of prayers loudly or silently; so it is not a ‘type/form of Islam’. Nation of Islam and Muslim Brotherhood are not forms of Islam but organisations/groupings within Islam. Durood (not Drudes) means prayer, especially Durood Sharif which is recited each time the name of Prophet Mohammed (SAW) is mentioned.
2. The veil divides Muslims even in the West. Many Muslims believe veil to be cultural rather than religious. Obviously, Ghanaian Muslims have taken that view it is cultural and so could be copied within acceptable limits.
3. Ramadan is a mandatory Islamic practice; in fact, it is one of the five pillars of Islam. If you had referred from your donated Quran you would have noted at Quran 2 vs 183 where fasting was prescribed. So it is not done “because that is what they have always done and will continue to always do”. ‘Kyiriwia’ is an Akan word; the Hausa and Arabic words are respectively ‘Azumi’ and ‘Sawmu’ neither of which translates (nor transliterates) into ‘hate the sun’. Abrahamic religions largely are a question of dogma; thus prescriptions, rules and boundaries are not the preserve of Islam.
4. Muslims in the West do not face the ‘temptation’ to eat pork but rather the ‘risk’ of inadvertently eating pork (and I must add, drinking alcohol). It is worth of mention that almost all Halal meat in the UK (where I live) is from Switzerland where the animals are stunned before slaughter; this is in keeping with both UK legislation and Islamic religious requirements. The Jewish Kosher is the only UK practice that slaughters as Muslims do in Ghana; the Jews resist a call for stunning.
5. There is less likelihood of a child refusing to attend makaranta in Europe if there was one. The challenge is with proximity of learning centres to home and the inability of parents to travel long distances to send their kids after their night jobs (daily rat race and daily pressures of life). Nonetheless, many West African communities team up to open schools; others teach their children at home (I do). As mentioned later in your piece, Ghanaian Muslims coexist with their non-Muslim friends and neighbours. Therefore they would not suddenly in Europe call for segregation of sexes in school events like swimming. Indeed, we are used to sharing trotro with Apuskeleke and Mayaafi sitting side by side. Humanist teachings about the presence or otherwise of God, evolution, etc, affect not only Muslim kids but also other faiths that believe in creation and the oneness of God.
6. Married Muslim women in Ghana would not hug other men; this may not be misconstrued as a habit picked up abroad. Muslims do not celebrate funerals but will dance at parties (again depending on your form of Islam). Generally, drumming and dancing is part of Sufi Islam of which is Ghana’s National Chief Imam. In Birmingham, London, Manchester, etc, western music, hiplife, azonto are part of namings and weddings (I do not know where the author’s experiences apply to).
7. “Muslims do not take kindly to arguments and discussions that question their faith. They become aggressive”. A very well observed phenomenon. But it’s great you added that many well informed ones will debate. The handicap from one’s lack of knowledge and inability to discuss is what is being addressed via non-tolerance and aggression. The Holy Quran itself enjoins us to ‘ponder’ it (Quran 4 vs 82). Therefore ponder, investigate and debate is integral to Islam.
8. Sadly, you are confusing Islam as a religion and Arabic language/culture, and question what Ghanaian Muslims do with the religion. Wrong connotations! Surely, the Bible will not be revealed to Jesus in Twi. Ghanaian Muslims learn Arabic as a language to enable the interpretation of the Quran and Hadith. May I remind you that, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Kurdistan, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Brunei, Kazakhstan, Bosnia, etc, are circular Islamic countries whose native languages and cultures are not Arabic. Let’s not confuse the issues.
9. “Ok, it was not easy for a Christian guy to get a Muslim girlfriend but we all got along”. Tough luck, mate! But try harder and sharpen your tongue; just you won’t succeed in Ramadan.
10. Islam practiced in Ghana is NOT Islam Lite; rather there appears to be overzealousness in the versions of Islam you see in Europe. The religion is so simple. Muslims in Ghana practice medieval Islam, which, chronologically, is closer to the days and times of the Prophet (SAW) in orthodoxy. Other physical manifestations that have wrongly been assigned as Islam are really cultural (the veil, jalbaab, etc, that you mentioned) which do not invalidate one’s Islamic faith. They are associated with life generally in the Middle East – just look at the dress codes of Christian and Jewish Priests (long robes).
Thanks for your article and also the Ramadan wishes; you may pop in on Eid day if you are free. All the best
Bono 9 years ago
Kofi, your rejoinder is superb. Kudos!! By the way, I had a very sharp tongue during the mid-70's and we are blessed with four matured off-springs. I'm still in good terms with my Muslim in-laws
Kofi, your rejoinder is superb. Kudos!! By the way, I had a very sharp tongue during the mid-70's and we are blessed with four matured off-springs. I'm still in good terms with my Muslim in-laws
Dantankwa 9 years ago
Kofi, much as I enjoyed reading Amanyo's informative piece, I must say I like your input even more. Amanyo has written a very good article, but the issues you spent some time to clarify is quite instructive.
Kofi, much as I enjoyed reading Amanyo's informative piece, I must say I like your input even more. Amanyo has written a very good article, but the issues you spent some time to clarify is quite instructive.
Kofi Amenyo 9 years ago
Thanks for your "corrections". They are very well made and straight to the point in the tabulated form. I am sure other readers will also learn from it as I have.
A few comments and questions:
1. Good for the info abou ... read full comment
Thanks for your "corrections". They are very well made and straight to the point in the tabulated form. I am sure other readers will also learn from it as I have.
A few comments and questions:
1. Good for the info about Ghanaian Muslims being originally orthodox Sufi. Does it mean that there are now two brands of Islam in Ghana - Sufi and Wahabist Sunni? I take it you won't regard the Ahmadiya as "real" Muslims. I actually had a paragraph on the Ahmadiya in Ghana but removed it because the piece was getting too long for ghanaweb.
I should also say that it was a bit careless of me to have presented Nation of Islam and the Brotherhood as if they were strands of Islam at par with Sufism or Shiism. They are not.
3. Thanks for the proper words for the fast especially the Hausa one which my friend told me but I, somehow, managed to leave out of the piece...
8. Confusing Islam as a religion with Arab culture? This is a point that can be debated at length. I think all religion is culture. Every religion on earth emanates from a certain culture. Islam is no exception. I know as a practitioner of the religion, YOU will say it comes from Allah and so devoid of a particular culture. But that is a claim not a point of fact. Language is also one of the most essential elements of a culture. That Arabic is THE language of Islam (God) will make it difficult for you to divorce the religion from the culture that gave rise to it. What you said about all the other countries with large Muslim populations which are not Arabic is true. But these countries didn't originate Islam. They also inherited the religion from the Arabs on whose culture it is based (which you deny) and added their own cultural twist to it and made it their own. The same can be said of Ghana's Muslims too. But, in the end, they will have to refer to the Arabic language when they read the Quran (which must not be translated into other languages) and say some of their prayers. When they try to imitate the behaviour of the Holy Prophet and his Companions, they will be essentially imitating something that is Arabic culture. It cannot be otherwise since we are talking of human behaviour.
9. Well, tough luck for me indeed. Lol. Well, it was not because I never tried...
Thanks again.
Kofi Amponsah 9 years ago
I by no means thought you would come again to either say ‘thanks for your input’ or to debate further; which, in fact, is the beauty of intellectual debate. No one arrogates himself knowledge, so thanks.
1. Kofi, other s ... read full comment
I by no means thought you would come again to either say ‘thanks for your input’ or to debate further; which, in fact, is the beauty of intellectual debate. No one arrogates himself knowledge, so thanks.
1. Kofi, other strands of Islam you mentioned are in Ghana. Wahbism is the hard-line version off Sunni Islam. Although practicing Wahabism, Sunnis in Ghana do not want to be described as such.
By mid ‘90s there was a Shiia mosque on the Nima highway in Accra at a location called Konca near Accra Girls Sec Sch.
Also I, like many other orthodox Sufi Muslims in Ghana, recognise Ahmadiyah Muslims as true Muslims. I have worshipped in their mosques and found no differences in their act of worship (called ‘sallah’ in Hausa from Arabic word ‘salaat’). My recollection of Ahmadi rejection growing up in Ghana was when Sunni clerics refused to sit with Ahmadis in the Hilaal Committee (a joint august Ghanaian Muslim body that deliberates the likely dates for Ramadan fast, Eid, etc in order to advise Ghana government for a possible date for public holiday). You will be aware that Ahmadiyah strand of Islam originated from Pakistan. But where I live, young Pakistanis show complete lack of knowledge of it and older ones are quickly dismissive of it. Suffice to say Pakistanis are majority
8. The terms Arab & Arabic are generally used interchangeably to denote the language, culture, attitudes, characteristics, etc. I am not a student of theology nor am I a cleric. Admittedly, I may not be able to dissect the interrelationships between religion and language. But on the point raised, I was looking specifically to spoken/written Arabic as the language of the Quran. Yes, as a Muslim I believe Arabic is the language of worship (salaat) in Islam and also of heaven. My reference to culture is not overarching; I was not referring to the facets that constitute the total culture of a people, but rather the non-religious albeit acceptable practices like the dress code, veil, jalbaab, etc. Islam does not mandate the wearing of jalbaab. If having to learn Arabic in order to practise Islam is imitation, then I take your point. Otherwise, I maintain that whilst the Quran is written in Arabic, Islam as a religion is an entity on its own. And just like n Christianity, the Quran exists in different languages by several different translators. Only that the original Arabic version is readily available for linguistic cross referencing.
Thanks and Allah (God) knows best.
Kofi Amenyo 9 years ago
There was no way I wasn't going to come back when you made such relevant and interesting points.
Thanks for the explanation about the strands of Islam in Ghana now. Interesting that there is a Shia mosque in Ghana.
On ... read full comment
There was no way I wasn't going to come back when you made such relevant and interesting points.
Thanks for the explanation about the strands of Islam in Ghana now. Interesting that there is a Shia mosque in Ghana.
On the Ahmadiyah. Is it true that they are not allowed in the Holy City to do the Haj?
Someone reminds me that as a true Muslim, you may not take a loan to do the Haj because you don't have to involve yourself in interest bearing loans. What do you say?
I read your other post to mighty man and say I agree with you that we should concentrate on discussing the challenges of the Ghanaian Muslim in the West. That is what my piece is truly about.
Kofi Amponsah 9 years ago
Ahmadiya Muslims observe Hajj. As I said in my previous piece, I believe the only country where they phased persecution and fled was Pakistan. The late Emir of the Ahmadis, Maulvi Wahab Adam was an Alhaji. Remember that pilgr ... read full comment
Ahmadiya Muslims observe Hajj. As I said in my previous piece, I believe the only country where they phased persecution and fled was Pakistan. The late Emir of the Ahmadis, Maulvi Wahab Adam was an Alhaji. Remember that pilgrimage to the Holy City is one of the five pillars of Islam; they can't be stopped. In fact, the Meccan/Saudi authorities do no decide a Muslim or who is not. Purely from Islamic perspectives, they are only custodians of the Holy City; it belongs to all Muslims.
Islam frowns on interest payments but not profits. I am unsure how that translates into loans for pilgrimage ad would not want to speculate. But to forestall this in western economies like the UK, there are things like the Amaana accounts, ISAs, mortgages (or by extensions, loans) in traditional British banks, run purely on Islamic ethics.
Having said that, I live in a city full of Arab and Pakistani Muslims and it is not uncommon to find them bearing credit cards buying items on finance, taking normal interest-bearing loans, etc
Allah knows best
IDRIS PACAS 9 years ago
Great work!
Great work!
babs bkk 9 years ago
I HOPE OTHER COUNTRIES CAN LEARN FROM GHANA HOW TO COEXIST WITH EACH OTHER. GHANA IS A PEACEFUL NATION
I HOPE OTHER COUNTRIES CAN LEARN FROM GHANA HOW TO COEXIST WITH EACH OTHER. GHANA IS A PEACEFUL NATION
mohammed 9 years ago
Thanks kofi, I must say ive enjoyed reading your article and I think its always good one travels outside his or her domain to really know what is happening else where, you gave a lot of instances which I think its the reality ... read full comment
Thanks kofi, I must say ive enjoyed reading your article and I think its always good one travels outside his or her domain to really know what is happening else where, you gave a lot of instances which I think its the reality when you come to Ghana and I must confess am a muslim but its my first time of hearing or knowing some of the Islamic sects you mentioned in the article but one thing you have to know is despite all these sects all muslims and for that matter islam worship the say way, have the same five pillars and the holy book quran has remain as it since it was revealed to prophet mohammed p.b.u h in the period of 23years not even a letter unlike other faith. Bravo nice article and a good school of thought.
Kwesi 9 years ago
Mohammed,
It is really not true that the Holy Quran has remained as it was revealed to the Prophet.
Remember that in the beginning, the Quran was not in one book form as we have it now. It was supposed to be memorised ... read full comment
Mohammed,
It is really not true that the Holy Quran has remained as it was revealed to the Prophet.
Remember that in the beginning, the Quran was not in one book form as we have it now. It was supposed to be memorised by all and not really written down. When it was written down, parts of it were on scraps of paper, stones, tablets, etc. During the memorizing process, it was also influenced by the various dialects of the Arabic language.
It was not until after a few centuries that a powerful caliph ordered that all the various scraps of the Quran be compiled into one book. This was done and all versions deemed as incorrect were destroyed. Since that day that one Quran was compiled and accepted, Muslims have striven to keep it that way until today. It is that which has not changed. But nobody can say that that version was EXACTLY what was revealed to the Holy Prophet.
It is probably not.
RAZAK 9 years ago
The only religious scripture that has remained in it original form since it was revealed is HOLLY Quran. This has bee attested to by top christian leaders nad scholars worldwide.
The only religious scripture that has remained in it original form since it was revealed is HOLLY Quran. This has bee attested to by top christian leaders nad scholars worldwide.
mariam 8 years ago
The Holly book Qu'ran is never change even though we three to four type of islam but still we worship the same way pray together and memorize the same book.... we dont have new and old
The Holly book Qu'ran is never change even though we three to four type of islam but still we worship the same way pray together and memorize the same book.... we dont have new and old
Arthur Mark 9 years ago
This is a very good piece for all to read, especially our muslim brothers. Efo Kofi has said it all. Honsetly speaking, it is here in Europe that I got to know that there are many types of Islam. As a Marine Engineer workin ... read full comment
This is a very good piece for all to read, especially our muslim brothers. Efo Kofi has said it all. Honsetly speaking, it is here in Europe that I got to know that there are many types of Islam. As a Marine Engineer working in a Maltese flagship, full of muslims, it took me less than a few months to know that after all, there are divisions among this religion. But like the writer said, I wonder if our muslim brothers in Ghana know of this. Sometimes, I am inclined to believe that, our brothers are following a religion that they did not understand. Even among themselves, it is difficult for them to read and understand the Arabic, especially, the type used in the Koran.
I had a very hectic time on board that ship, and it had also given me the opportunity to know firsthand the hypocrisies of some of those who practise that religion. Whiles they are always quick to condemn Christians for imoral acts and behaviour, as they called it, they are also very quick to solicit my assistance to get them drink and prostitutes anytime we dock somewhere, with each warning me not to let others know. They hate to see me reading the bible, and had often promised me huge sums of money if only I convert to Islam. Summer times are the best period for them where they disguise themselves, go to nude beaches to watch naked women, come down and condemn it. Even though drinks are not allowed on board, there were always empty beer cans flaoting behind our ship.
There were times when we were in Libya with cargos and had to wait for a week or two for fuel and the rest. Though there were several mosques nearer to the ports, they never went there,instead they travelled far to pray in other mosques.
But one very good thing about it all is that, they always come together to fight a common enemy, regardless of which brand of Islam one practises.
It is not common for a muslim friend to take you to his house, more especially when he has girls. Even if he takes you, you will not see his wife nor any of his daughters. You would be given a place called "Marabuo" a detachemnet of the main house, specifically built for such purpose, where you would be served tea and the rest. The blacks complained that during prayers, they don´t allow their bodies to come in contact with theirs as has been the norm.
Looking at all of these things and many more, I think our muslim brothers are really practising a religion that they did not fully understand. They do not regard our brothers as true muslims, but for the sake of numbers and other interest, they are now building mosques all over the place,including children play grounds.
Hearts and souls should always be won by love and persuasions and not through force and violence.
Kofi Amponsah 9 years ago
Arthur Mark
Are you talking about the principles of the religion or the behaviours of its subscribers? There are bad nuts everywhere. Just as in Islam, there are christians that cheat, lie, commit adultery, kill, etc althoug ... read full comment
Arthur Mark
Are you talking about the principles of the religion or the behaviours of its subscribers? There are bad nuts everywhere. Just as in Islam, there are christians that cheat, lie, commit adultery, kill, etc although the religion forbids it. If a Muslim found him/herself in an only Christian business environment, he would find similar misgivings that do not sit well with the true principles of the Christian faith.
I think here the debate is on the principles rather than what practitioners chose to do, which are human shortcomings.
In Ghana, you don't have to go to a Muslim's house to see his wife and daughters; they are there with you in the streets, on buses, in schools, at malls, etc. Indeed, depending on which strand of Muslims you come into contact with in the West, you are unlikely to see their females.
Peace and love 9 years ago
Well says Mark. I asked a few Muslim friends here in eroupe why they don't eat pork and they all gave me different answers and some don't have aclue.
Well says Mark. I asked a few Muslim friends here in eroupe why they don't eat pork and they all gave me different answers and some don't have aclue.
Blaa Atta 9 years ago
Kofi Amenyo. you should know that there is only one Christianity, the same way there is one Islam. All Christians follow Christ. The fact that there are many denominations does not mean there are many Christianities as you wa ... read full comment
Kofi Amenyo. you should know that there is only one Christianity, the same way there is one Islam. All Christians follow Christ. The fact that there are many denominations does not mean there are many Christianities as you want us to believe. Islam has denominations too. There is the Shia and Sunni moslems all operating differently in the name of Islam
mighty man 9 years ago
iSLAM CONTINUES TO CONDONE TERRORISM. iT IS ONLY IN THIS RELIGION THAT ONE PRAYS WITH A PISTOL OR MACHETTI IN A SHEATH AROUND HIS WAIST. oYAA SURO OYAA.
iSLAM CONTINUES TO CONDONE TERRORISM. iT IS ONLY IN THIS RELIGION THAT ONE PRAYS WITH A PISTOL OR MACHETTI IN A SHEATH AROUND HIS WAIST. oYAA SURO OYAA.
Kofi Amponsah 9 years ago
Mighty Man
Won't it be great if you concentrate on the discussing the issues as raised (challenges of the Ghanaian Muslim in the West). Terrorism is a whole new issue and depending on your viewpoint and your understanding of ... read full comment
Mighty Man
Won't it be great if you concentrate on the discussing the issues as raised (challenges of the Ghanaian Muslim in the West). Terrorism is a whole new issue and depending on your viewpoint and your understanding of the West's foreign policy. Please let's discuss Ghana. Don't be diversionary.
In every religion where there are conflicts between sects and factions people arm themselves. Sikhs in India fought each other less than 20 years ago wit swards and machetes.
Mozato 9 years ago
You guys should stop pampering those pretenders who are intolerant to dissenting opinions. The WTC was razed down by the Al Quaida, a sister grouping of the Boko Harams in the middle East, and all moslems, both young and old ... read full comment
You guys should stop pampering those pretenders who are intolerant to dissenting opinions. The WTC was razed down by the Al Quaida, a sister grouping of the Boko Harams in the middle East, and all moslems, both young and old, across the globe took to the streets to jubilation in solidarity with that heartless militant group. Continue to give them space and you will one day suffer the same fate just as what happened to innocent prof Kofi Awonoo and his son in Kenya last year.
Asiwome 9 years ago
Afetor Amenyo, I wish that you would take time to study "ancestral worship", it is not animism.
Afetor Amenyo, I wish that you would take time to study "ancestral worship", it is not animism.
Kofi Amenyo 9 years ago
Oh, you prefer "ancestral worship". Well, not all of it is the worship of ancestors. But call it whatever you want to ... mele asiwome!
Oh, you prefer "ancestral worship". Well, not all of it is the worship of ancestors. But call it whatever you want to ... mele asiwome!
Rafiq A. Tschannen 9 years ago
The rest of the world (Muslim and other) could learn from Ghana a sense of tolerance to all forms of religion. May Allah bless Ghana!
The rest of the world (Muslim and other) could learn from Ghana a sense of tolerance to all forms of religion. May Allah bless Ghana!
Mamadou Diallo 9 years ago
Hello Koffi nice to read in your article about Ghanian Muslims I liked it , but in Africa from Senegal to Somalia Muslims are majority and thats clear Your estimate is like the Ethiopian goverment who said Muslims in Ethiopia ... read full comment
Hello Koffi nice to read in your article about Ghanian Muslims I liked it , but in Africa from Senegal to Somalia Muslims are majority and thats clear Your estimate is like the Ethiopian goverment who said Muslims in Ethiopia is 50% but reallity is that the muslims is 75 %' any way I say Ramadan Karim to all Ghanian brothers who are observing this holly month
Susie 9 years ago
Why is only ISLAM breeding followers who kill those who do not believe as they do?, burn other people's religious buildings? IN Syria and Iraq now ISIS are raping of Christian women,shooting some without hijabs, and placing h ... read full comment
Why is only ISLAM breeding followers who kill those who do not believe as they do?, burn other people's religious buildings? IN Syria and Iraq now ISIS are raping of Christian women,shooting some without hijabs, and placing high taxes on Christians in Muslim rebel taken towns, and stealing Christians belongings when forced to leave there homes in Iraq and Syria? Other religions teach peace and tolerance in their places of worships. What are they teaching in Mosques? The Middle East would be a safe place to live if only Christians and Jews were there, because these groups do not hate each other and want to kick each other out of the Middle East.
mariam 8 years ago
Please brothers and sister in islam dont argue with non muslim because of religion... we have only three type of islam and that is sunni, shia and ahmadiya the others he include are all tribes but how many type of christianit ... read full comment
Please brothers and sister in islam dont argue with non muslim because of religion... we have only three type of islam and that is sunni, shia and ahmadiya the others he include are all tribes but how many type of christianity do they have? More than 2000 others don't even know were they belong. How many holy places do they have some go to church on wenesdy some saturday sunday wake-up christian which type of religion is this....cant u c upon all what u guys say about islam is still the fastest growing religion in this world even pastors fathers are converting to islam and those are your prophets...
AMA 8 years ago
Mariam, who wants to be a muslim anyway??????????? Your women all they is to ti cover they head and sleeping with men,they full of Aids. Dirty ppl!
Mariam, who wants to be a muslim anyway??????????? Your women all they is to ti cover they head and sleeping with men,they full of Aids. Dirty ppl!
Kareem Ismaheel 7 years ago
muslims we are one, we perform our prayer 5time daily all over the world.we have 5 pillar while al muslim is fellow
muslims we are one, we perform our prayer 5time daily all over the world.we have 5 pillar while al muslim is fellow
My brother Kofi has written a well planned article and I say bravo. This is a Ghanaian who is patriotic, matured and well versed in what he is talking about. Islam is not arabic but the prophet's language was used since no on ...
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Congrats!
But the problem is with the writer listing tribes as sects of Islam:Shia, Sufi, Alawiya, the Wahhabis of Saudi Arabia, the Drudes, Kharijite Islam, Nation of Islam, Muslim Brotherhood, Mawdahvism, Zikri, and a host ...
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Idris, thanks for joining the discussion.
For my mixing Islamic organisations with strands of Islam, see Kofi Amponsah's interesting and detailed contribution bellow and my response to him.
Your second argument is one t ...
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Kofi you are right on these issues and especially with the last paragraph. Growing up in Ghana, one dared not hand a Quran to a non-Muslim friend. Luckily, that is being addressed today. You see the Quran in various major lan ...
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Ever since its compilation, The Quran like the Bible is a book. It is sold in shops. How can an author force somebody (reader) to handle a book s/he buys from a shop?
The need to spiritually purity oneself before touching ...
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No Idris, I'm not saying anything different. What I meant was that in the past, it was difficult to hand over a copy of the Quran to a non-Muslim due to misunderstandings. I don't know your age and generation but in the days ...
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The tribal wars fought between Asantes and Fantes are similar to those fought and/or still being fought in the Gulf. I maintain that little link exists between those wars and Islam. You tagging it as Muslims against Muslims i ...
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Note that the point I was trying to make about these wars of Muslim against Muslim is to say that they are just like the Christian wars of Christian against Christian. The point of your contention, I took it, was whether they ...
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Kofi,
First of all, let me commend you for your usual erudite write up. Classy, I'd say.
Secondly, I like your succinct rebuttal of Idris esp. that on the wars they fought in the past to spread Islam, acquire territory, ...
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Even at this very period of the holy Ramadan the "Boko Harams" in Lebanon are dropping bombs in Isreal. The truth must be told at all times, muslims are pretenders who profess to love God but they are not, in real sense. The ...
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Kofi,Iam so please with your article it is always my prayer that the Ghanaian Muslims will should stay away from the so call jihads.We have come a long way and this is the time people like you to involve the Ghanaian Muslims ...
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A good, peaceful writing. Unpresumptuous.
While some deists accepted revelation, most argued that revelation's restriction to small groups or even a single person limited its explanatory power. Moreover, many found the Christian revelations in particular to be contra ...
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Very interesting and informative article from a Spock-like commentator. "Peace and long life"
V
Live long and prosper!
Kofi, thanx for your great article.
Anyway, I expected nothing less because you are such a gifted writer on Ghanaian life.
The veil is actually called mayafi and not mayasi.
Fasting in the European summer requires a lo ...
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Thanks for the correction, Osei. It is, indeed, mayafi.
I flunked that. Na my fault. My friend Ibrahim here could readily have edited the work for me and corrected that and the other errors but I was in a hurry and sent i ...
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I admire your quick acceptance of corrections, a mark of a person in a learned society. My worry now is, you were Kofi in the original piece, now you are Kwesi - just a typo? looool
Sorry for the distortion. It was just typo...
A very interesting piece by author who comes across as someone that has grown up amongst Muslims and gained some fundamentals of the Muslim faith. Consequently, the article is mainly observational with opinions shrouded as fa ...
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Kofi, your rejoinder is superb. Kudos!! By the way, I had a very sharp tongue during the mid-70's and we are blessed with four matured off-springs. I'm still in good terms with my Muslim in-laws
Kofi, much as I enjoyed reading Amanyo's informative piece, I must say I like your input even more. Amanyo has written a very good article, but the issues you spent some time to clarify is quite instructive.
Thanks for your "corrections". They are very well made and straight to the point in the tabulated form. I am sure other readers will also learn from it as I have.
A few comments and questions:
1. Good for the info abou ...
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I by no means thought you would come again to either say ‘thanks for your input’ or to debate further; which, in fact, is the beauty of intellectual debate. No one arrogates himself knowledge, so thanks.
1. Kofi, other s ...
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There was no way I wasn't going to come back when you made such relevant and interesting points.
Thanks for the explanation about the strands of Islam in Ghana now. Interesting that there is a Shia mosque in Ghana.
On ...
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Ahmadiya Muslims observe Hajj. As I said in my previous piece, I believe the only country where they phased persecution and fled was Pakistan. The late Emir of the Ahmadis, Maulvi Wahab Adam was an Alhaji. Remember that pilgr ...
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Great work!
I HOPE OTHER COUNTRIES CAN LEARN FROM GHANA HOW TO COEXIST WITH EACH OTHER. GHANA IS A PEACEFUL NATION
Thanks kofi, I must say ive enjoyed reading your article and I think its always good one travels outside his or her domain to really know what is happening else where, you gave a lot of instances which I think its the reality ...
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Mohammed,
It is really not true that the Holy Quran has remained as it was revealed to the Prophet.
Remember that in the beginning, the Quran was not in one book form as we have it now. It was supposed to be memorised ...
read full comment
The only religious scripture that has remained in it original form since it was revealed is HOLLY Quran. This has bee attested to by top christian leaders nad scholars worldwide.
The Holly book Qu'ran is never change even though we three to four type of islam but still we worship the same way pray together and memorize the same book.... we dont have new and old
This is a very good piece for all to read, especially our muslim brothers. Efo Kofi has said it all. Honsetly speaking, it is here in Europe that I got to know that there are many types of Islam. As a Marine Engineer workin ...
read full comment
Arthur Mark
Are you talking about the principles of the religion or the behaviours of its subscribers? There are bad nuts everywhere. Just as in Islam, there are christians that cheat, lie, commit adultery, kill, etc althoug ...
read full comment
Well says Mark. I asked a few Muslim friends here in eroupe why they don't eat pork and they all gave me different answers and some don't have aclue.
Kofi Amenyo. you should know that there is only one Christianity, the same way there is one Islam. All Christians follow Christ. The fact that there are many denominations does not mean there are many Christianities as you wa ...
read full comment
iSLAM CONTINUES TO CONDONE TERRORISM. iT IS ONLY IN THIS RELIGION THAT ONE PRAYS WITH A PISTOL OR MACHETTI IN A SHEATH AROUND HIS WAIST. oYAA SURO OYAA.
Mighty Man
Won't it be great if you concentrate on the discussing the issues as raised (challenges of the Ghanaian Muslim in the West). Terrorism is a whole new issue and depending on your viewpoint and your understanding of ...
read full comment
You guys should stop pampering those pretenders who are intolerant to dissenting opinions. The WTC was razed down by the Al Quaida, a sister grouping of the Boko Harams in the middle East, and all moslems, both young and old ...
read full comment
Afetor Amenyo, I wish that you would take time to study "ancestral worship", it is not animism.
Oh, you prefer "ancestral worship". Well, not all of it is the worship of ancestors. But call it whatever you want to ... mele asiwome!
The rest of the world (Muslim and other) could learn from Ghana a sense of tolerance to all forms of religion. May Allah bless Ghana!
Hello Koffi nice to read in your article about Ghanian Muslims I liked it , but in Africa from Senegal to Somalia Muslims are majority and thats clear Your estimate is like the Ethiopian goverment who said Muslims in Ethiopia ...
read full comment
Why is only ISLAM breeding followers who kill those who do not believe as they do?, burn other people's religious buildings? IN Syria and Iraq now ISIS are raping of Christian women,shooting some without hijabs, and placing h ...
read full comment
Please brothers and sister in islam dont argue with non muslim because of religion... we have only three type of islam and that is sunni, shia and ahmadiya the others he include are all tribes but how many type of christianit ...
read full comment
Mariam, who wants to be a muslim anyway??????????? Your women all they is to ti cover they head and sleeping with men,they full of Aids. Dirty ppl!
muslims we are one, we perform our prayer 5time daily all over the world.we have 5 pillar while al muslim is fellow