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| Imam Rashid |
A LEADING Member of
the Tijaniya Muslim Community in Tamale, Sheihu Salawatia Rashid Hussein
popularly known as Imam Rashid has vehemently rubbished media reports that he
led a section of his people to spark up the recent destructive violence between
the Tijaniyas and the Ahlu-Sunna/Ambariya Muslims divide in the metropolis.
Imam Rahid who is also
a retired officer of the Ghana Armed Force said he was innocent of the
accusation and described the media reports as “completely false and malicious
attempts being orchestrated to taint his hard won reputation as a peace
broker”.
Speaking at a Press Conference organised at his
residence in Tamale, Imam Rashid said “On Monday 20th of
August 2012, there were reports in some sections of the media
that Sheihu Salawatia (Imam Rashid) attacked the Ambariyya Mosque at a time
congregational prayer was going on. What we have all read in the press is a
complete diversion of what happened and I would like to make a humble request of
your precious time to enable me take you through the whole matter. I know that
all of you would like to hear my side of the incident and not only that but
also the truth of the matter. I wish to state categorically that I did not
attack the Ambariyya Mosque as reported. As a Muslim, especially of my stature,
I know the mosque is the house of Allah, and will never attempt or venture to
attack my fellow Muslim, let alone attacking a mosque. It is never true. I was
invited to the conclusion of the Interpretation of the Quran (Tafsir) 2012 at
Aboabo. In the last five years or so I have participated in the event each time
I am invited. When the occasion ended, some of the congregants decided to
accompany me home as has always been the practice. We sang joyfully praising
Allah and the Holy Prophet Mohammed. Let me add that, this was not an organised
procession. Earlier on, before I left home for the occasion, I had telephone
calls informing me about road closures or barricades to deny me the right to
pass through Saksaka to Aboabo. I spoke to Sheikh Al Hussein who was the
convener of the function about the information I had. He told me he had
received similar information and had informed the Police about it. We got to
Aboabo safely and the ceremony ended successfully. Our journey back home was
peaceful; it was full of glee, pomp and pageantry as we praised Allah (SWT) and
chanted praises to the Prophet of Islam (SAW) and His Household. This again is
a normal practice because it was the same day we celebrated the Eid ul-Fitr.
Our happiness and joy was interrupted as we had to stop at approximately100
metres away to the main Ambariyya Mosque due to gunshots coming from the
direction of the mosque; this disruption took between half a minute or so after
which we continued. When we were close to the Ambariyya Mosque, there were
stone throwing from the opposite side of the Mosque across the road but the
assailants bolted after doing that. By the Grace of Allah no person was hurt,
and we continued our journey smoothly to my residence. I was informed later
that some of the people who accompanied me home were ambushed and assaulted.
These were innocent people who were victimised because they belonged to the
Tijaniya sect.
The
Imam nevertheless commended the security agencies for their swift interventions
and constant patrolling of the Tamale Metropolis ever since the incidence
occurred.
However,
Imam Rashid who traced the antagonism or misunderstanding between the Tijaniyas
and Ambariya Ahlu-Sunnas to way back 1960s, disputed another media reports that
the dissension between the two sects was about the interpretation of the Quran.
According
to him, the main bone of contention was that the Ambariyya Ahlu-Sunna for the
past 40 years or so had persistently accused the Tijaniyya Sect of corrupting
Islam and practicing it wrongly, and consequently, condemned the Tijaniyya sect
to hell. Contesting that, “One of the most commonly quoted Hadith by the
Ambariya Ahlu Sunnah scholars, which is their basis for condemning the
Tijaniyya sect turns out to be a fabricated Hadith; and not only that, that
particular Hadith in question is not found in the most authentic Hadiths
(Books) which are six in number”.
The
Tijaniya Leader further explained that “I did the Mubahala holding the Quran
and on each occasion I had more than 600 individuals, men and women, children
and adults that witnessed the process. I invoked the curse of Allah on myself
not to see the end of Ramadan if what I am preaching is a lie and challenged
the other disputing parties who are always in the lead to condemn the Tijanniya
Practice of Islam to also do the Mubahala so that Allah (SWT) will settle the
matter between us once and for all. At this moment in time that I stand before
you to brief you on the truth about the matter, we are yet to see any Ulamah
(Clergy) coming forward to also inform his congregation that what they are also
preaching is the truth”.
He
passionately appealed to the security agencies, to intensify their
investigations into the incident and publish their findings in order to clear
his name and to also safeguard his hard won prestige, reputation and gifted
talent which he said was at stake.
It would be recalled that tensions sparked up
between the two main Islamic groups in Tamale, the Tijaniyas and the Ambariya
Ahlu-Sunnas on the final day celebration of this year’s Ramadan after some
derogatory remarks and attacks were launched by one of the sects on a local
radio station prompting reprisal attack from the opposite site. The incidence
led to firing of guns, burning of motorbikes, road blocks, attacks on two radio
stations and assaults on innocent people. It took the Security agencies to
bring the situation under control.
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