.... whiles Muslims in Gaza are being murdered…
“This year's Ramadan is especially trying for our brothers here in Ghana and we have decided to support them with an additional offering of Rice and Sugar to be distributed among the community.”
The above quote is from the “Israel in Ghana” facebook page which from a reliable source is being run by the Israel embassy in Ghana or their agents in Ghana.
How trying is this year’s Ramadan for us in Ghana and what do they understand by the word “trying”? I kept asking myself if indeed they know what that word means.
What is more “trying” than what Israel is subjecting our brothers and sisters in this holy month of Ramadan in Gaza.
As I write this piece over 120 civilian lives have been murdered by Israel in Gaza. As for those with life threatening injuries we have lost count of them and it’s not as if the bombings has stopped or will stop anytime soon because the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the Jewish state has hit more than 1,000 targets during its four-day-old offensive against Gaza, and that "there are still more to go", and that "No international pressure will prevent us from acting with all power,"
Whiles the United Nations says Israel could be violating the laws of war by bombing Palestinian homes in Gaza, and Muslims and non Muslims alike have all condemned what is happening in Gaza with series of demonstrations at various Israeli embassies worldwide, our Muslim leaders in Ghana are shamefully in bed with the Israeli embassy in Ghana by receiving a donation of 3 bags of rice and sugar for a “trying” Ramadan in Ghana. What an insult!
Our leaders had the best opportunity to protest and tell the Israelis straight in the face that those brothers and sisters in Gaza need these stuffs more than we do but unfortunately blew the chance and shot themselves in the foot without even knowing. Imam Sheikh Hajj Umar thanked the embassy and stated that “they have embraced the Israeli embassy with open arms and with great friendship. He said that the Holy Quran demands that we accept all man as one.”
And Spokesperson for the chief Imam of Ghana, Ahmed Nii Nortey spoke of the commitment that Ambassador Bar-li has shown to the humanitarian needs of the people of Ghana and the great work that she has achieved during her time here as ambassador. He said that there is a need for strong and clear voice to show how much the Embassy of Israel in Ghana is welcomed and appreciated and that he hopes the Embassy stays for many decades to come. Very unfortunate comments coming from our leaders at these trying times for our brothers and sisters in Gaza just for being given hand outs from Israeli embassy in Ghana, disgraceful indeed.
Our leaders teach us to follow the holy Quran and Hadiths but are they following it themselves as they instructed us to do? Didn’t the Holy Quran say “innamal mu'minuna ikhwatun” and that Muslims are brothers to each other? How about the hadith that says "A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor. No one is saying we shouldn’t associate ourselves with other religion or country or certain groups of people but it’s morally wrong to dine with a person who is bombing and killing your brothers at the same time.
Aren’t these same leaders those who stand on the pulpit and pray for the brothers in Gaza? If this is not hypocrisy and double standard then I don’t know what it is. This shouldn't even be about religion or creed, this should be about humanity.
It’s high time the youth stood up and be counted, we need to register our protest against this disgraceful act by those leaders, demand accountability from them and put pressure on them to return those bags of rice and sugar and voice their anger at what is happening in Gaza!!!
FAUZAN SHAMSUDEEN
fauzan@zangofm.com
+44 793090 2028
Picture: Clerics receiving donations from Isreali representative in Accra
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