Wonderful! Unity in diversity

King David of Bible times is recorded in Psalm 133:1 as saying: “how good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!” Indeed, peace is so essential for us and those we live with that the Bible mentions the word 429 times in the King James version.

Islam, another very dominant religion in Ghana and the world at large, has its primary significance as the making of peace.

In fact, the religion stands for peace between man and his Creator, man and his fellow beings and between different religions and communities.

When a Muslim meets another, the greeting is“Peace”.

It is not surprising, therefore, that true adherents of Christianity and Islam would always seek peaceful coexistence with their neighbours, because they see peace to be the primary responsibility of true worshippers of God.

The Daily Graphic has followed with keen interest over the years, the enthusiasm that many leaders from all the religious faiths in the country have put in to ensure harmony, tolerance and peaceful coexistence of people from different religious persuasions.

That attribute was on display last Sunday when the Chief Iman visited the Christ the King Parish on Easter Sunday to worship with the congregation.

The Daily Graphic highly commends the National Chief Imam for such a gesture, which is rightly being hailed by many.

We note an earlier visit to the National Chief Imam by Archbishop Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle and recommend such reciprocal visits by our religious leaders.

It is on this note that we commend members of the clergy such as Prophet Nakoa Ansah Jamson of Israel King of the Jews Church, who consistently joins our Muslim brothers to celebrate festivals such as Eid.

These are acts we implore all to emulate as the most atrocious crimes that man has committed against his fellow man have been committed in the name of religion.

And what is religion if it cannot ensure a peaceful and developed world! Interestingly, adherents of Islam and Christianity revere same religious leaders and/or prophets and take inspiration from them; whether it is Jesus or Issa, Moses or Musa, Abraham or Ibrahim.

The Chief Imam’s visit is also significant in that the day of the visit marked a very significant feast in Christendom, Easter, which marks the resurrection of Christ; an event that gave the religion its foundation.

The visit is also momentous, because on a day that some fundamentalists were visiting mayhem and atrocities on innocent Christians observing Easter in churches, a Muslim head and cleric was promoting peaceful coexistence among different faiths.

This is what adherents of various religions should emulate.

After all, what is religion if it is not to ensure the development and tranquillity of societies?

Ghana as a country should be inspired by these acts from our religious leaders so that leadership at all levels and in all areas of life will seek peace for accelerated development to be possible.

We, however, reason that peaceful coexistence would not be achieved if politicians, civil servants, traditional leaders and opinion leaders do not do away with big egos. Society must also avoid the situation where some think they are always right and others are perpetually wrong, with people looking at issues from a single source.

We must again do away with distortions of other people’s views and gossip, and respect even those with whom we differ.

There will always be differences of opinion, but we need to be able to disagree in love, be humble to accept our shortcomings, brood over our losses and celebrate our achievements together.
In our diversity, we can unite to make Ghana greater and stronger.

The Daily Graphic takes this opportunity to wish the national cheif Imam, Alhaji Dr Sheikh Nuhu Sharabutu, a happy 100th birthday anniversary.