Movies should not portray Islam in a bad light

Kumasi, Aug.24, GNA - The Ghana Muslim Students Association (GMSA) has cautioned the country's Movie industry against the production of films that depict Islam in bad light.

It said it was particularly not happy with movies like "Abodam Three and Four", "Aboa Konkontiba 1 and 2", and "Libya Akwantuo 1 and 2", as these movies were a deliberate misrepresentation of Islam. They seek "to portray that the Islamic religion encourages intolerance, oppression and violence", which is a complete fallacy This was contained in a statement jointly signed by Messrs Umar Ahmed and Mubarack Salis Mohammed, the National President and General Secretary of the Association, respectively, and issued in Kumasi on Monday.

The Association said "Islam appreciates peace and abhors indiscipline, violence and all social vices" that did not augur well for the progress of society.

The statement asked movie producers to make conscious efforts to study and to understand Islam, its beliefs and practices to enable them to project the religion in a more positive manner. This is the way to foster peaceful co-existence among the citizenry.

It expressed the hope that the organization of this year's Hajj would be smooth, efficient and effective so that pilgrims would undertake the religious duty without hitches. The statement proposed the institution of a permanent Hajj Secretariat that would be responsible for the management of Hajj in Ghana.