Serve nation, obey laws to prove loyalty to God — Islamic Cleric

The Greater Accra Regional Missionary of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Maulvi Chaudhry Masroor Ahmad Muzaffar, has urged Muslims to demonstrate their love for the country by serving the nation and obeying its laws, describing patriotism as a core Islamic virtue.

That, he said, was because true faith demanded loyalty, peaceful citizenship and active contribution to national development.

He was speaking in Accra at the 30th Annual Greater Accra Regional Conference of the Mission last Sunday.

“Muslims living in any country must prove themselves as the most loyal and peace-loving citizens, with no tolerance for rebellion or disorder.

“The Prophet also stated Muslims must live peacefully in the countries they reside in to be obedient, kind, and loyal.

They should not only follow the laws of the land, but also contribute positively to its progress,” he said. 

The conference, held on the theme, “ The true expression of love for one’s country: an Islamic virtue” aimed to deepen faith, educate members on doctrine, and build communal bonds. 
It equally provided spiritual renewal through worship, lectures, and discussion and offered guidance on moral living.

The event also created a platform for networking and service.

Holy Prophet’s example

Drawing on the life of Prophet Muhammad, Maulvi Muzaffar recounted the Prophet’s deep affection for both Mecca and Medina despite persecution and exile, emphasising that he forgave his adversaries when he re-entered Mecca in victory.

“The Holy Prophet declared his love for his homeland even when he was driven out. His example shows that love for one’s country is part of faith,” the cleric said.

He added that obedience to national authorities was inseparable from obedience to God and His Messenger.

Quoting the Qur’anic injunction to “obey Allah, obey His Messenger and those in authority among you,” he said, strengthening government institutions and fulfilling civic responsibilities were practical proofs of patriotism, especially for the youth.

The Islamic Cleric praised the sacrifices of Ahmadi Muslim doctors, teachers and engineers who, since the 1970s, have served communities across the country under the Nusrat Jahan initiative, describing them as models of selfless national service.

He also paid tribute to the late Abdul Wahab Adam, former Ameer of the Ghana Mission, for his role in promoting peace and justice.

“Islam commands loyalty and gratitude to the government under which you live,” he stated, urging Ghanaian Ahmadis to uphold righteousness through civic duty and law-abiding conduct.

Social media ills

The National Tabligh Secretary and President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission’s Kasoa Zone, Nasir Ahmed Bonsu, warned that unchecked social media use was endangering faith, morals and mental health.

Addressing the Mission’s conference on the theme, “Safeguarding Our Well-being Against the Dangers of Social Media in Contemporary Times,” he cited global statistics showing average screen time now exceeds seven hours daily, with 70 per cent spent on social media.

He cautioned that delayed or missed prayers because of online distractions amounted to shirk (associating partners with God), and that immodest content, cyberbullying, blackmail, identity theft and AI-generated deepfakes were eroding decency and privacy. 

“Let us be guided by the screen time we spend and allow our children to understand. Just like we may restrict our children in the kind of friends they pick in the real world, know the sites our children are visiting, and every content the child consumes comes into contact with must be carefully screened,” Alhaji Bonsu said.

Quoting the Khalifa of the worldwide Ahmadiyya Community, he advised women to restrict outreach (tabligh) online to other females, and called for discipline, Qur’anic guidance and self-restraint to protect families from these escalating digital dangers.

The Greater Accra Regional President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Alhaji Adam Kofi Yamoah, stressed that true believers must seek spiritual knowledge beyond routine prayers.

Citing the Qur’an, he said those “endowed with understanding” rise at night to worship and commune with Allah, proving that the learned and the ignorant were never equal.