“As provoked by Donald Trump’s declaration of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, I am pleading with all Muslims to remain calm and focus on maintaining peace around the globe.”

The renowned Ghanaian Islamic scholar made the call in a Citi News interview on the sidelines at the 4th annual Mawlid of the Prophet of Islam organized in Tamale by the Bamba Islamic Institute, under the auspices of Masjidul Qudwah.

He presented a paper on the topic, “The humanity legacies of the Prophet of Islam for the welfare of Muslims.”

Dr. Sibaway Zakaria commended the United Nations (UN) majority’s rejection of Donald Trump’s declaration which attracted global condemnation and protests in some Muslim nations.

“We need to show maturity, decorum and show some form of ability not to go blow for blow but to do things are acceptable. Look at what the UN did concerning that particular declaration of Jerusalem as the capital. They have voted against the issue and the majority of nations have decried what Trump has done.”

“That one alone sounds a warning to Trump. It means that the world is behind Palestinians because the world is looking at the issue of justice.”

Dr. Zakaria advised Donald Trump to apply wisdom and diplomacy in handling the age long land dispute between Palestinians and Israelis saying, “Perhaps it is for Trump and his allies to understand that if you have power at a point in time don’t misuse that power. Don’t think because you have power what you want must happen.”

“Power keeps on rotating. Power may leave your hand just as power left some people hands before you now have power.”

He also implored Muslims to promote gender equality by not treating women as infidels.

Dr. Zakaria underscored the need for Muslims to promote cleanliness in their communities in line with the humanity legacies of the Prophet of Islam.

A senior lecturer at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Sheikh Dr. Al-Hussain Haazic Zakaria in a presentation on the topic, “Application of prophetic vision to the challenges of contemporary Islamic leadership,” admonished Muslims to choose leaders with vision and passion for socioeconomic development.

He stressed the need for Muslims to live exemplary lifestyles that will attract non Muslims to join Islam.

Dr. Al-Hussain Zakaria encouraged Muslim parents and guardians to nurture the youth to be responsible citizens.

Other speakers highlighted the significance of the humanity legacies of the Prophet of Islam.

The Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed appealed to Islamic Clerics to intensity their prayers for national cohesion.

He warned trouble makers in Dagbon to stop making inflammatory comments on Tamale based local radio stations.

Salifu Saeed reaffirmed government’s determination to bring to finality, the protected chieftaincy dispute between the Abudu and Andani royals in the Dagbon traditional area.

He disclosed government’s intention to recruit 3,000 Arabic Instructors in 2018 to promote circular education.

Spiritual leader and chief Imam of Masjidul Qudwa, Sheikh Amin Bamba prayed for the nation’s prosperity.

He condemned lateness to events christened, “African time,” which according to him, has affected the continent’s development.

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The detentions came hours after the new committee, headed by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was formed by royal decree.

Those detained were not named.

BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says Prince Mohammed is moving to consolidate his growing power while spearheading a reform programme.

It is not clear what those detained are suspected of. However, Saudi broadcaster Al-Arabiya said fresh investigations had been launched into the 2009 Jeddah floods and the outbreak of the Mers virus which emerged in Saudi Arabia in 2012.

The new anti-corruption committee has the power to issue arrest warrants and travel bans, the state-owned Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

Separately, the heads of the Saudi National Guard and the navy were replaced in a series of high-profile sackings.

SPA said King Salman had dismissed National Guard minister Prince Miteb bin Abdullah and navy commander Admiral Abdullah bin Sultan bin Mohammed Al-Sultan.

No official explanation was given for their removal.

Prince Miteb, son of the late King Abdullah, was once seen as a contender for the throne and was the last member of Abdullah’s branch of the family at the highest echelons of Saudi government.

Our correspondent says Prince Mohammed, who already serves as defence minister, now has nominal control over all the country’s security forces.

Prince Mohammed recently said the return of “moderate Islam” was key to his plans to modernise Saudi Arabia.

Addressing an economic conference in Riyadh, he vowed to “eradicate the remnants of extremism very soon”.

Last year, Prince Mohammed unveiled a wide-ranging plan to bring social and economic change to the oil-dependent kingdom.

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Source: BBC

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Tuesday’s guilty verdict for Basuki Tjahaja Purnama comes amid concern about the growing influence of Islamist groups, who organized mass rallies during a tumultuous election campaign that ended with Purnama losing his bid for another term as governor.

President Joko Widodo was an ally of Purnama, an ethnic-Chinese Christian who is popularly known as “Ahok”, and the verdict will be a setback for a government that has sought to quell radical groups and soothe investors’ concerns that the country’s secular values were at risk.

As thousands of supporters and opponents waited outside, the head judge of the Jakarta court, Dwiarso Budi Santiarto, said Purnama was “found to have legitimately and convincingly conducted a criminal act of blasphemy, and because of that we have imposed two years of imprisonment”.

Purnama told the court he would appeal.

Charles Santiago, chairman of the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights (APHR), a grouping of regional lawmakers overseeing rights issues, said: “Indonesia was thought to be a regional leader in terms of democracy and openness. This decision places that position in jeopardy and raises concerns about Indonesia’s future as an open, tolerant, diverse society.”

The United Nations’ Bangkok Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in a tweet said: “We are concerned by jail sentence for Jakarta governor for alleged blasphemy against Islam. We call on Indonesia to review blasphemy law.”

WEEPING SUPPORTERS

Purnama was taken to an East Jakarta prison after the verdict and his lawyer Tommy Sihotang said he would remain there despite his appeal process unless a higher court suspended it.

Shocked and angry supporters, some weeping openly, gathered outside the prison, vowing not to leave the area until he was released, while others expressed their shock on social media.

Some lay down outside the jail blocking traffic, others shook the barbed-wire topped fence of the prison, while some chanted “destroy FPI”, referring to the Islamic Defenders Front, a hardline group behind many of the protests against Purnama.

“They sentenced him because they were pressured by the masses. That is unfair,” Purnama supporter Andreas Budi said.

But Novel Bamukmin, a leader of the Jakarta chapter of FPI, said the group objected to the sentence “because it was still far from what we had expected.”

President Widodo urged all parties to respect the court verdict as well as Purnama’s decision to appeal.

Home affairs minister Tjahjo Kumolo said Purnama’s deputy would take over in the interim.

Thousands of police were deployed in case clashes broke out, but there was no sign of any violence after the verdict.

Prosecutors had called for a suspended one-year jail sentence on charges of hate speech. The maximum sentence is four years in prison for hate speech and five years for blasphemy.

Hardline Islamist groups had called for the maximum penalty possible over comments by Purnama that they said were insulting to the Islamic holy book, the Koran.

While on a work trip last year, Purnama said political rivals were deceiving people by using a verse in the Koran to say Muslims should not be led by a non-Muslim.

An incorrectly subtitled video of his comments later went viral, helping spark huge demonstrations that ultimately resulted in him being brought to trial.

Purnama denied wrongdoing, though he apologized for the comments made to residents in an outlying Jakarta district.

Purnama lost his bid for re-election to a Muslim rival, Anies Baswedan, in an April run-off after the most divisive and religiously charged election in recent years. He is due to hand over to Baswedan in October.

If Purnama’s appeal fails, he would be prevented from holding public office under Indonesian law because the offense carries a maximum penalty of five years, said Simon Butt of the Centre for Asian and Pacific Law at the University of Sydney.

Song Seng Wun, regional economist at CIMB Private Banking, said that the verdict was “not a huge shock” to investors because most blasphemy cases in Indonesia end in convictions.

“Going forward, race and religion will continue to be played out and be used by politicians for whatever agenda that they have,” Song said, adding significant capital outflow was only likely if there was a deterioration of law and order.

Rights groups fear Islamist hardliners are in the ascendancy in a country where most Muslims practise a moderate form of Islam and which is home to sizeable communities of Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, and people who adhere to traditional beliefs.

Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch described the verdict as “a huge setback” for Indonesia’s record of tolerance and for minorities.

Widodo’s government said this week it would take legal steps to disband Hizb ut-Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), a group that seeks to establish an Islamic caliphate, because its activities were creating social tensions and threatening security.

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Source: Reuters

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According to Kaakie, she had been silent on the music scene because she needed time to concentrate on her education. She has successfully completed her degree programme in nursing and is back to prove that she is the best female dancehall artiste, hence the title Ronaldo.

“While they (the other musicians) were busy making so much noise I watched and laughed behind the scenes. I’ve done over 10 new studio jobs and didn’t even know which to drop first. But I finally settled on #Ronaldo. I dribble their thoughts like Cristiano Ronaldo and I am very matchless on the scene with full dominance on the scene,” she said.

She added that while she was away she heard people comparing her to babies “yet  those babies with their noise couldn’t even go beyond Nsawam.”

Kaakie seems to be back with a bang and her comments are set to cause a stir in the dancehall fraternity as she brags that she is the “female dancehall nonpareil in Africa and my fan base keeps spreading like cancer – I do classic songs that are ageless so I have no time to worry about toddlers. So much love for my music – the numbers keep multiplying from Gabon, Gambia, Zambia, Kenya, Ivory Coast, Cameroun, Nigeria and even Mauritius. I’m very busy, I’m on another level now. They ain’t seen anything yet!”

Kaakie’s single is yet to hit the radio, but it’s already buzzing on various social media platforms and has seen a lot of downloads.

Listen to the song below:

By: Kojo Akoto Boateng/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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