Leader of Alhusuuna-Wal-Jammah condemns Boko Haram

Sheikh Muniru Abdallah Tawfiq, Leader of the Alhusuuna-Wal-Jammah, on Monday described the activities of Boko Haram, the Nigerian armed insurgency group as un-Islamic.

He condemned the recent abduction of school girls by the body and asked Muslims to pray to Allah to soften their hearts to release the children and abandon their evil activities.

Sheikh Tawfiq who was addressing Eid-Ul-Fitr prayers, after the month-long Ramadan also spoke against the conflict between Israel and Gaza, which he said, had led to a number of deaths.

He said Allah should protect and guide leaders of the two sides in making the right decisions to save lives.

Sheikh Tawfiq called for Allah’s blessings and guidance for Ghana and its growth from strength to strength, peace, stability, unity and harmony.

He urged Muslims and Ghanaians to deepen their spiritual beliefs strengthen moral values and re-commit their hearts and minds, to activities and actions that demonstrate the true benefits of their faith.

Mr Mahama Ayariga, Minister of Youth and Sports who spoke on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama said this year’s Eid should be used to reflect on events around at home and abroad.

He said on a daily basis “we rise to a more turbulent world with new threats and sources of individual and collective insecurity that transcends borders, race, gender and socio-economic class."

Mr Mahama said a couple of months ago a Malaysian flight went missing and every effort to trace it has been unsuccessful and a few days ago, suspected rebels shot down another Malaysian aircraft in Ukrainian airspace.

He said many lives have been lost to these incidents and “as we speak, our brothers and sisters in Palestine and Israel are rising up daily to intense violence and loss of lives and property."

President Mahama said these developments mark a new page of individual, regional and global insecurity, which calls for a spiritual awakening and prayers and the time to reflect on how religion can be a force for peace.