By Philip Agbodza
The National Chief Imam of Ghana, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, has urged all Islamic communities in Ghana to enhance and enforce the payment culture of Zakat as part of their religious duty and as an act of worship.
In a message at the fourth National Muslim Conference in Accra, Sheikh Sharabutu called on all Imams and Muslims, as well as wealthy individuals, corporate bodies, and businesses owned by Muslims in Ghana, to direct their Zakat payments to the Zakat Fund of Ghana.
“Now that we have established our own self-governing body to manage our affairs, let us know that this breakthrough will be meaningless if we do not enhance and enforce the Zakat culture among us as our religious duty and as an act of worship,” he said.
This, he believes, will not only fulfill their religious duty but also strengthen their self-governing body responsible for managing Islamic affairs in the country. “I therefore call on all Imams and Muslims, as well as wealth individuals, corporate bodies, and businesses owned by Muslims in Ghana, to direct their Zakat-to-Zakat fund of Ghana,” he added.
Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, stressed in a message the significance of Zakat payments in supporting National Muslim Conference activities. “One major way we support activities of the National Muslim Conference is to emulate the sharing example of prophet Muhammad by paying our Zakat into the Zakat fund to enable it provides the needed financial support towards the implementation,” Dr Bawumia said.
On the upcoming election, Dr Bawumia also appealed to Muslim communities to ensure peace before and after the December 7 polls. “Fellow Muslim, as we approach the election in December this year, I wish to call on all Ghanaians, including Muslim communities, to relent in our collective effort to ensure and guarantee our dear nation peace and unity,” he added.
The meeting was honoured by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, and leaders and representatives of various Muslim stakeholders.
