Friday 6 May 2011

Grand Mufti of Ghana in the United Kingdom

National Chief Imam of Ghana
in The United Kingdom

Dr. Mozammel Haque

His Eminence the National Chief Imam of Ghana, Sheikh Dr. Osman Nuhu Sharubutu came to the Islamic Cultural Centre and performed his Friday Jumah prayer at the London Central Mosque last Friday, 22nd of April, 2011. After having lunch, the Chief Imam of Ghana met Dr. Ahmed al-Dubayan, the Director General of the Islamic Cultural Centre, London, who welcomed him saying in Arabic Ahlan wa Sahlan Marhaba to the Islamic Cultural Centre.

Sheikh Dr. Osmanu met with Director and staff

of Islamic Cultural Centre London
“It is my great pleasure to receive and welcome His Eminence the National Chief Imam of Ghana Sheikh Dr. Osman today for many reasons; one of the reasons, is whenever any scholar or any Mufti comes from any Muslim country or throughout the world he brings with him new knowledge and new experience. His presence with us is great addition to our experience and to our knowledge and I am sure, Insha Allah, Muslim community will benefit from your stay in this country.”

Dr. al-Dubayan said, “We need at this time to work together more than even before; everybody in his field, in his way to present the right image or the right picture of Islam which is the faith of tolerance, the faith of dialogue, and the faith of good relations between Muslims and non-Muslims.”

Tracing the history of Islam in West Africa in General and Ghana in particular, Dr. al-Dubayan said, “I am sure the history of Islam in Ghana, in West Africa has a lot of experience of this brilliant picture about Islam. I hope your speech tomorrow after Asr prayer (afternoon prayer) will be really invaluable speech, will really give very good spiritual benefit for Muslim and Muslimah, male and female who are going to attend Insha Allah tomorrow.”

The National Chief Imam of Ghana said we thank Almighty Allah for all the very valuable statements presented by the Director of the London Central Mosque, the most popular and the most representative mosque of the United Kingdom, Dr. Ahmad Al-Dubayan.

The Chief Imam also said we are very thankful for the warm reception that we received from the London Central Mosque. “You have really practically demonstrated by your deeds, by your reception, the perfect example of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said, the truly happiest heart of a believer of Islam is truly sincere Muslims should honour his guest and then you have proven this and you have received us with smile, with joy and thereafter you fed us so satisfactorily,” said the Chief Imam.

“The aims and objectives of our everyday life in Ghana are to establish educational institutions whereby several children would attend the privilege and opportunity to acquire knowledge,” said the Chief Imam of Ghana.

Chief Imam of Ghana led Asr Prayer and
Lectured at London Central Mosque
On Saturday, 23rd of April the National Chief Imam of Ghana gave a lively valuable lecture on the Unity of Muslim after leading the Asr prayer (afternoon prayer) at the London Central Mosque.

Earlier, the National Chief Imam of Ghana, Sheikh Dr. Osman, also attended an event jointly organised by the Christian Muslim Forum, the London Interfaith Centre and the Mosques & Imams National Advisory Board (MINAB) at the London Interfaith Centre at London on Monday 18th April for a round table discussion on the role of faith leaders to defuse intolerance, hate and twisted ideologies. Chief Imam of Ghana spoke on his experience in Ghana, and Africa.

Sheikh Dr. Osman came on a visit to the United Kingdom during this month of April to interact and meet with the Muslim Community leaders, other religious sects and government bodies for establishing deeper ties and relationship between the Ghanaian Muslims and British Muslims and promoting religious tolerance and understanding.

Sheikh Dr. Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu
His Eminence Sheikh Dr. Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu was born in Accra Old Fadama in mid-April, 1924 and studied first under his father, late Sheikh Nuhu Sharubutu and his uncle, late Sheikh Mohammed Mazawaje Abbas, who was the National Imam at that time. His parents taught him Qur’anic recitation and reading with the correct intonation as well as essay writing in Arabic.

In 1974, after lengthy debates and consultations among the country’s traditional Muslim and tribal chiefs, scholars and other religious leaders, it was agreed by consensus that Sheikh Osman should be appointed the Deputy National Imam of the Republic of Ghana. In 1993 Sheikh Dr. Osman was appointed the National Chief Imam of Ghana , succeeding his cousin, Sheikh Mukhtar Abbas, the then National Imam who was ill and physically weak.

Throughout his life, Sheikh Osman has a reputation for promoting Islamic education and encouraging the establishment of educational institutions. He has been involved in the establishment of institutions and organisations for providing services that address the humanitarian needs and empowerment of the Muslim youth in and outside Ghana. He personally sponsors over hundreds of needy Muslim children mostly from the disadvantaged and vulnerable Muslim communities in Ghana presently.

Sheikh Dr. Osman has, over the past 40 years, sponsored, established, built and run over 10 Islamic institutions that produced over 10 per cent of the current Islamic scholars in Ghana and in some neighbouring countries. These institutions are today run and managed by distinctive Islamic scholars all of whom have not known and not been taught by any other teacher or professor but him alone.

Sheikh Dr. Osman is currently financing a multi-million dollar educational complex at Kasoa central region with plans to replicate similar projects in other nine regions, it is learnt.

His mutual understanding, peaceful relationships and cooperation with other religions have culminated into him being a member of the National Peace Council of Ghana and twice (2006-7) been awarded by the President of the Republic of Ghana, John Agyekum Kufour (2000-08) as a member of the Star Award.

Owing to his degree of knowledge and experience, length of teaching, benevolent activities and his particular support for the needy he was in 2009 decorated and awarded a Doctorate Degree by the University of Ghana, Legon.

No comments: