Muslims in Liberia are calling on President George M. Weah to intervene into an internal wrangling between the country’s National Muslim Council and the National Imam Council of Sheik Ali Krayee.
It can be recalled prior to the celebration of the feast marking the end of this year holy month of Ramadan, Muslims in Liberia were in disunity as to when was the exact date to celebrate.
For some Muslims, they followed the instruction of the Chief Imam of the Republic of Liberia, Sheik Ali Krayee who said it was advisable to celebrate on Friday, June 15, 2018; while others followed the direction of the National Muslim Council of Grand Mufti, Sheikh Abubakar M.D. Sumaworo who chose Thursday, June 14, 2018 to celebrate as well.
These conflicting dates have since created strong disunity within the Islamic community of Liberia as Muslims loyal to both groups finds it difficult to intermingle.
But in a release issued in Monrovia Tuesday by the National Muslim Council, the group called on President Weah to support the Muslim Council’s Constitutional Assembly- which is aimed at resolving the constitutional crisis and promoting unity among Muslims in Liberia to curb the situation.
“The National Muslim Council of Liberia has expressed thanks and appreciations to President George Manneh Weah for his humanitarian and continued sense of responsibility extended to the Islamic Community during the just ended holy month of Ramadan. The Muslim Council commented that the distribution of several hundred bags of staple food of Rice, Cash, Fish and the sponsorship of 30 pilgrims to perform the holy pilgrimage this year including the breaking of fast at His Excellency’s Jamaica Resorts by over 400 Muslims were very timely,” the released mentioned.
Signed by the Secretary-General of the National Muslim Council, Sheikh Akibu Sheriff, the release had it that, the National Muslim Council feels disappointed about the way in which this year Ramadan was celebrated and is calling on Muslims in Liberia not be deterred about the incident.
“The National Muslim Council of Liberia is, therefore, calling on all members of the Islamic Community to remain calm and law abiding in accordance with the teaching and practices of Islam and must avoid tendencies that may portray extremism, tribalism and ethnic hegemony,” the release concluded.
