Religious leaders urged to unite the country

Fijai, (W/R), Oct. 10, GNA - Madam Betty Busumtwi-Sam, Deputy Western Regional Minister, on Sunday called on religious leaders to use the pulpit to preach peace in order to unite the country. She made the call at the 19th Annual Western Regional Conference of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission at Fijai near Takoradi. The conference was under the theme: "Curbing Indiscipline in the World - The Role of Religion". Madam Busumtwi-Sam said it was unfortunate that some religious leaders had abandoned their divine calling and were engaging in divisive politics.

She said all religions, including Christianity and Islam, had roles to play in the country's development and so they should try as much as possible to make their religions relevant to the needs of the country. Madam Busumtwi-Sam said indiscipline should not be allowed to become the order of the day and expressed dismay about the attitude of some people who insulted government officials in public. She urged those involved in the practice to put a stop to it. Madam Busumtwi-Sam commended the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Ghana, for its contribution towards the development of the region and the country as a whole.

She urged the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission to complement government's efforts by constructing more schools in the hinterlands. Madam Busumtwi-Sam asked Muslims to revisit Islamic teachings and virtues and hold fast to them to promote discipline. Maulvi Dr Wahab Adam, Ameer and Missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Ghana, said in Islam, discipline was considered to be so crucial to the development of the individual and society that it had been made an integral part of worship.

He said it would be true to say that indiscipline was the root of all the problems facing the country today. Maulvi Adam said; "It is the exercise of good judgment, the deliberate and conscious effort to eschew all base tendencies and stamp his nobility as a human being on all his or her utterances and deeds, which constitute discipline". He said: "The chaos of indiscipline descends upon society when people refuse to recognize divine authority and the authority of the state, without just cause".

Maulvi Adam said if people decided to do whatever was convenient to them without considering the rights of others, they did not only go against the laws of the state but also against Divine Laws. He called for the urgent arrest of indiscipline to save the nation from self-destruction. He led the congregation in prayers for the unity, peace, progress and prosperity of the nation. 10 Oct. 10