Islamic council for development and humanitarian Services (ICODEHS)

The humanitarian

Islamic council for development and humanitarian Services (ICODEHS)

Press release

A new foundation is formed to promote Islamic knowledge in Ghana and Africa , says Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim

Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim, Chairman of Islamic Council for Development and Humanitarian Services (ICODEHS) has disclosed that a new foundation has been formed to promote the dissemination of Islamic knowledge in Ghana and Africa. The foundation was formed at an international conference of Islamic scholars’ hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco and attended by a three member Ghanaian delegation headed by Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim. The other members of the delegation from Ghana were Hajia Aida Jibirin and Hajia Salma Tahir both of them Ghanaian women Islamic preachers. Known as Mohammed Khamis Foundation, the foundation has its headquarters in Rabat morocco, with branch offices to be opened in African countries such as Senegal, Chad, Sudan, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, and Ghana. Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim said the foundation will recruit Islamic scholars to help spread the true meaning of Islam and wipe out misconceptions about the religion thereby stamping out extremism on the continent. Sheikh Ibrahim who is also a renowned Ghanaian author and Islamic scholar who has written many books on Islam for schools and general reading said the foundation will soon open offices after the current Ramadan fast period in all member countries including Ghana. The new offices will among other things offer support to Islamic preachers known in Arabic as duats and provide scholarships to needy Islamic students. He said another delegation from Ghana that visited Morocco at the same time for the annual Darul Assam meetings was also headed by the National Chief Imam Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu. The chief imam’s delegation also discussed issues meant to promote Islam in Africa and the world at large. Sheikh Ibrahim thanked the government of Morocco for organizing the meetings for the large delegations and the establishment of the foundation. He called on all Ghanaian Muslims to give their support to the initiative by the Kingdom of Morocco in order to promote healthy Islamic teachings learning and good behavior and practices in Ghana and Africa

Background to Islam in Africa

Africa was the first continent, outside of Arabia that Islam spread into in the early 7th century. Almost one-third of the world's Muslim population resides in the continent. Muslims crossed current Djibouti, Somalia and Eritrea to seek refuge in present-day Ethiopia though Most Muslims in Africa follow common traditions; the complexity of Islam in Africa is revealed in the various schools of thought, traditions, and voices in many African countries. African Islam is not static and is constantly being reshaped by prevalent social, economic, and political conditions. Generally Islam in Africa are often adapted to African cultural contexts and belief systems forming Africa's own orthodoxies.

It was estimated in 2002 that Muslims constitute 45% of the population of Africa. Islam has a large presence in North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Swahili Coast, and much of West Africa, with minority but significant immigrant populations in South Africa. In spite of the rapid development of Islam the religion is facing challenges through the upsurge of various Islamic groups some of who are engaged in activities such as extremism and terrorism considered to be anti Islam. It is therefore a welcome development for African Muslims to get together to save the situation as initiated in Morocco

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Accra, Ghana 20th June 2016