Financial Analyst, Sydney Casely-Hayford says Islamist group, Boko Haram, projects the weakness in Islam as a religion.
According to him, the continuous silence of the Muslim cleric to rebuke and condemn the activities of Boko Haram is an indication of the subtle acceptance of the group.
‘’… This Boko Haram has brought fundamentally to bear, the weakness in Islam as a religion to control its insurgents and its fundamentals,’’ he said on The Big Issue on Saturday.
Mr. Casley-Hayford said, he is yet to publicly hear any influential Muslim figure say the actions of the Boko Haram group are non-Islam.
‘’I have not heard so far one single high ranking, respected Muslim cleric [in Ghana] stand up and say [the activities of Boko Haram] is totally non-Muslim activity; this is not what Islam is all about,’’ he said.
He admonished Islamic leaders to come out, confront and condemn what is going on because, ‘’You [Islamic Leaders] need to hold a big stage and say so clearly so that we all understand that you are against what is going on.’’
He further noted that the activities of Boko Haram ‘’seems’’ to be accepted subtly be everyone.
Boko Haram is a Nigerian militant Islamist group – which has caused havoc in Africa’s most populous country through a series of bombings, assassinations and abductions. They are fighting to overthrow the government and create an Islamic state.
The group is based in the northeast of Nigeria and they do not believe in western education and westernization.
The group recently abducted over 200 schoolgirls from a secondary school in Nigeria and has since threatened to sell them.
Speaking on Citi FM’s news and political analysis programme, Mr. Casley-Hayford said Boko Haram is also a clear indication that ‘’‘Political Islam’ is moving the religion’s agenda rather than the other way round’’.
He mentioned that there is a need to clarify what proper Islam is from the fundamental dysfunctional Islam and ‘’… I cannot accept that there is such a religion that says that women should not be educated.’’
By: Evans Effah/citifmonline.com/Ghana