Muslims asked to strengthen faith in self-sacrifice

A Deputy Missionary and Ameer of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Maulvi Naeem Ahmad Cheema, has urged Muslims to strengthen their faith in the Islamic tenet of self-sacrifice.

He said Islam placed emphasis on self-sacrifice and submission to the will of God in order to obtain Allah’s favours.

According to him, whatever form of physical sacrifice one offered to God was only symbolic, and that what was acceptable to God was the belief in Allah’s oneness and the abstinence from sin and unrighteous conduct.

Sermon

Delivering a sermon at a congregational prayer service of Ahmadi Muslims to mark this year’s Eid ul-Adha at Ashongman in Accra yesterday, Maulvi Cheema also entreated Muslims to follow the mandate given to Prophet Ibrahim, which included pilgrimage to the Holy Ka’aba in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

"The annual gathering of millions of Muslims from all walks of life at the Ka’aba bears irrefutable testimony to the fulfilment of this prophecy made in the Holy Quran," he added.

Maulvi Cheema said the rewards Prophet Ibrahim received as a result of the sacrifices he made indicated that nations and people who made sacrifices would make progress.

He, therefore, admonished Ghanaians and the government to make the necessary sacrifices for sustainable peace and prosperity of the country.

Persecution

Maulvi Cheema lamented the persecution of Ahmadi Muslims, Christians and other religious minorities in certain parts of the world.

He called on the international community, as well as human rights groups to take action against the perpetrators of those crimes to ensure religious harmony in the world.

The deputy Ameer further advised Ahmadi Muslims in Ghana to live by the tenets of the Holy Quran, especially on the prophetic injunction of love for country, and to refrain from actions that undermined the interests of Ghana.

Prayers

Maulvi  Cheema prayed for peace and unity for the country.

Some of the Ahmadi Muslims who spoke to the Daily Graphic after the prayers, thanked Allah for seeing them through the year and expressed the hope that Allah would accept their sacrifices and shower blessings and favours upon them in the coming years.