A/R Chief Imam bans preaching in open places

The Ashanti Regional Chief Imam, Sheikh Abdul Mumin Haruun has called on the Ashanti Regional Police Command to halt all public preaching involving Muslim sects in Kumasi.

Sheikh Haruun says the police have been “directed to stop them from preaching with loudspeakers in lorry parks and open places to avert any fight among these sects.”

The Chief Imam was commenting on what transpired at Aboabo Number Two in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region where two Muslim sects clashed over some comments.

There was a clash between two Islamic sects, the Tijaniyya, and the Al-Sunna Muslim groups during the week in which two people were injured from machete attack and windscreens of two vehicles were smashed in the course of the violence.

The clash was said to have started as a result of an insult followers of the two sects traded on Facebook but some followers of the Al-Sunna youths allegedly identified and assaulted a young man they believed had been insulting their leader on Facebook.

This angered members of the Tijaniyya sect who reacted to the attack on their member resulting in the clash.

Speaking on Onua FM’s 'Yen Sempa' hosted by Kwame Karikari, the Ashanti Regional Chief Imam said they have also realized the two sects have their mosques closer, so the police have been alerted to ensure they do not preach with loud speakers. “They should preach inside. They should not preach outside too because this can bring political violence due to the elections”.

He said they had information that “they insult each other always through preaching, and that is dangerous.”

Sheikh Haruun promised they will meet the sects to resolve the issue.