Retract And Apologize For Your ‘Blasphemous’ Words Or Else… – Chief Imam Warns Upper West Minister
The office of the Upper West Regional Chief Imam has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the Upper West Regional Minister, Charles Lwanga Puozuing, to retract and apologize for making what the Muslim leadership describe as “blasphemous” remarks about their religion.
According to a statement issued and signed by the Regional Executive Secretary at the Upper West Regional Chief Imam’s office, Abdul Rahman Ibrahim, the Minister was, on Thursday, March 27, officially invited to grace the Eid-ul-Fitr prayers but he “not only declined to attend but also failed to send a representative, an act that was received in silence by the Muslim community”.
However, the Minister, according to the statement, has “deeply hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community” as he’s been captured making disparaging comments about Islamic worship.
“I came to spend 4 years to better the lives of people. It takes only a religious fanatic to know the five daily Prayer times. It is only when you don’t have a proper work to do that you vividly remember that every 3 hours there is prayer time.
“It is only when you have time that you even realize that there is prayer time. When you have proper work to do, you even forget to pray. Or you combine all the five daily prayers and pray at a particular time, and God will understand”, the Minister is quoted as saying.
According to the Upper West Regional Chief Imam, “these words are not only blasphemous, disparaging, and provocative, but they strike at the heart of Islamic worship and identity. The five daily prayers (Salawat) is one of the pillars of Islam. It is neither permissible to abandon them nor to combine them arbitrarily without valid Shariah-complaint reasons (Which does not include proper work)”.
It is therefore on this note that the leadership of the Muslim community demands an immediate retraction and apology from the Minister.
“Failure to do so will compel the Muslim leadership to explore all appropriate and peaceful measures to safeguard the dignity of our faith, community, and leadership”, the Chief Imam warned.
Read full statement below:
Source: Ghmessenger.com
