Eid Mubarak to Muslims!

 The Ghanaian Times expresses great gratitude to Allah for guiding and guarding Muslims all over the globe to bring 30 days of fasting, usually referred to as the fast of Ramadan, to a successful end.

Ramadan is the ninth month on the Islamic calendar, a holy month observed by Muslims worldwide, characterised by fasting from dawn to sunset, increased prayer, and reflection, commemorating the revela­tion of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam (SAW).

We particularly congratulate Muslims in the country on ful­filling this feat, which is one of the five pillars of Islam: Barka da sallah; Eid Mabarak!!

The Five Pillars of Islam are the fundamental practices that form the foundation of Muslim life, and they are the declara­tion of faith (Shahada), prayer (Salah), almsgiving (Zakat), fasting (Sawm), and pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj).

Ramadan therefore is, to a large extent, an obligation to be fulfilled for its benefits, includ­ing spiritual growth through in­creased devotion and reflection, physical health improvements through fasting, and enhanced mental well-being by promoting self-discipline and empathy.

As usual, the Eid-ul-Fitr, a one-day festival, is organised to mark the end of the fast of Ramadan.

This year’s national obser­vance of Eid-ul-Fitr took place at the Independence Square in Accra on Monday, March 31, led by the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu.

Joining the national celebra­tion and given the opportunity to speak, President John Dramani Mahama raised issues of national concern.

Among them is his admoni­tion to Muslims.

His call for enhanced toler­ance among Christians, Muslims and other religious sects so that the country would continue to be the worthy example for others is apt.

Even though the country is blessed with strong religious tol­erance, there is the need to use relevant platforms like Eid-ul- Fitr to remind the whole country of the tolerance phenomenon.

Such reminders would help to make different religious adher­ents that in spite of their diverse beliefs, they need tolerance to co-exist in one place as children of the same Supreme Being they all consider as their object of worship.

Elsewhere, religious intoler­ance has disintegrated societies to the extent that lives contin­ued to be lost and maimed and citizens have fled the lands of their birth.

This obviously disturbs the peace of the people and certainly prevents them from undertak­ing any appreciable social and economic ventures.

This means the people living in an environment of religious intolerance cannot have any meaningful lives.

Therefore, as President Mahama has said, the peaceful co-existence among the various religious groups in the country is a blessing which must be cher­ished and guarded religiously.

His advice to factions in the Bawku conflict to give peace a chance also deserves particular attention, because the attacks the conflict springs on the people at various times affect even non-na­tives like teachers and other professionals working in the area however innocent they are.

The persistent conflict in the area does not only affect sustain­able development there but also undermines the peace and tran­quillity across the whole country, as well as national development.

Therefore, while it is the hope of every Ghanaian that the reli­gious tolerance would always be sustained in the country, the end of the Bawku conflict is also of grave national concern.

Let Eid-ul-Fitr remind us all about the need for peace and tol­erance for national development