Chief Imam, Mustapha Ibrahim among 500 global icons

The National Chief Imam, Dr Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu, and the Executive Chairman of the Islamic Council for Development and Humanitarian Services (ICODEHS), Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim, have been listed among the 2020 edition of the world’s 500 most influential Muslims.

The two Ghanaian Islamic scholars were recognised for their outstanding contribution to the promotion of peace, inter faith dialogue and humanitarian services.

This is the second time the National Chief Imam is being mentioned in the annual publication of the global Muslim influential personalities for his role in helping the disadvantaged and vulnerable communities in the country.

The list comprises the world’s most influential Muslim figures and takes an in-depth look at the religious and political figures in the international arena.

Prepared annually by the Jordan-based Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, the book notes that Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu and Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim’s humanitarian footprints have spread throughout Ghana and other West African countries.

The Chief Imam, who is also a member of the National Peace Council, was recognised for his contribution to education through the Sheikh Osmanu Nuhu Sharubutu Educational Trust (SONSET) and for working tirelessly to promote religious tolerance, an act that has endeared him to many for transcending beyond religious boundaries to be respected by all.

Influential personalities

The purpose of the global list of influential personalities is to ascertain the influence some Muslims have “on the global Islamic community and the rest of the world.”

It defines influence as “the power to make a change that will have a significant impact on the Muslim world”.

Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim also enters the global hall of fame list of influential Muslim personalities for his humanitarian services in helping to reduce high levels of poverty in the society and empowering the less privileged through his non-governmental organisation (NGO) ICODEHS, which he founded in 1996.

Sheikh Mustapha in an interview with the Daily Graphic said he was grateful to Allah for the recognition and pledged to do more for the communities.

“I am humbled and grateful to the Almighty Allah for the global recognition and I seek the support of all in deepening our humanitarian services to mankind”, he said.

Through the support of several partners such as the Kuwait Ministry of Endowments Award, the Kuwait Zakat House, the Dubai Charity, United Arab Emirates, Qatar Charity and the Abu Dhabi Red Crescent, Sheikh Mustapha has impacted several lives in all fields of human activity.

Humanitarian services

Through ICODEHS, Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim has so far built about four hundred schools and over a thousand mosques in various communities throughout the country.

He has also constructed seven clinics, seven orphanages, four vocational centres, seven houses for the needy, with a number of schools and mosques renovated.

ICODEHS has also constructed over 3,200 wells and three senior high schools, including the Suhum Girls Secondary School in the Eastern Region, ICODEHS Senior High School at Malshegu in the Northern Region and the ICODEHS Senior High School at Adentan in the Greater Accra Region.

He has also directed similar projects in other West African countries such as Nigeria, Sierra Leon, Togo, Benin, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea Conakry and Cote d’Ivoire.

Sheikh Mustapha Ibrahim is a widely sought after Islamic Scholar and prolific author of pedigree with about 20 books to his credit.

Classical education

He is among the very few African Islamic scholars who have had the benefits of both old traditional or classical Islamic training and the modern secular or western model.

President Kufuor in 2008 rewarded him with the champion of the Order of the Volta and President Mills also conferred on him the Grand Medal Award in 2010. He is also the proud recipient the National Chief Imam of Ghana Award.