Muslim community advised to co-operate to flush out notorious groups

Kumasi, Nov 24, GNA- An appeal has been made to the Muslim community including Islamic clerics and opinion leaders to co-operate with the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to flush out notorious groups, describing themselves as 'Al-Queda and Talaban' threatening the peace of people in the Kumasi metropolis.

Alhaji Hamidu Chodi, the acting Ashanti Regional Director of the Ghana broadcasting Corporation (GBC), who made the appeal, observed that the harassment of residents by the groups, were impacting negatively on Islam since "they are groups wrongly perceived by some members of the public as coming solely from the Muslim community".

Alhaji Chodi was speaking at a programme organised by the Ashanti region branch of the Supreme Council for Islamic Call in Kumasi on Sunday to mark the end of the "Tabsir".

Tabsir is the recitation and translation of the Quran during the 30-day fasting period of Muslims designed to give Muslims a greater insight into teaching of the Quran and how to judiciously apply them in their daily activities and for the benefit of society.

"Islam implies peace and it will, therefore, amount to undermining its values if it is allowed to be used to create panic and conflicts by self-styled groups", he noted.

Alhaji Chodi suggested the setting up of an Islamic education fund to which all resourceful Muslims should contribute funds that would be used in supporting the education of Muslim children especially the brilliant but needy ones.

Sheikh Mohammed Salah, Ashanti Regional President of the Supreme Council for Islamic Call, said the impact Ramadan has on Muslims and the broader society may come to nought if Muslims failed to utilise the lessons learnt during the fasting to transform their own lives and society for the better.

He, therefore, advised Muslims to let obedience, laws of the land, tolerance and self-restraint reflect more in all their activities, workplaces and within the family.

Sheikh Salah said in its efforts at salvaging the Muslim communities from their under-development, the Council had established a school complex at Sepe-Buokrom to cater for basic education and vocational skill training.