The death of nine persons at the end of a religious exercise is worrying. It prompts questions about whether Islamic clerics and the law enforcement agents should not consider restricting post-Ramadan fasting celebrations.
In our editorial commemorating the end of the annual religious exercise by Muslims, we did emphasise the importance of discipline in such celebrations: the level of indiscipline associated with the celebration is growing annually with the introduction of novelties.
Ramadan fasting is, after all, shrouded in discipline. It is therefore crazy and ironic when as part of celebrations, youth of the faith engage in activities which are not only un-Islamic but dangerous to their lives.
A few years ago, a a motor rider died between Caprice and Depot during the end of Ramadan celebration.
Many others have sustained very serious injuries in the name of celebrating Eid-ul-fitr over the years.
Such excessive celebrations, clerics have told us, are breaches of Islamic norms and must be avoided; the faith always prefers moderation in whatever believers do.
Indeed such celebrations have become synonymous with indiscipline as if the youth are just waiting for the fasting to end so they can hit the streets.
The religious exercise is supposed to cleanse the sins of the faithful.
Why then would they go and engage in the kind of activities which constitute a nuisance to others who do not belong to the religion?
Considering the circumstances under which the celebrants lost their lives, youthful exuberance cannot be ruled out as a principal factor.
The absence of parental care or even societal concern and action about post-Ramadan activities has not been helpful to the cause of Islam with the ignorant erroneously regarding the kind of unruliness seen during such celebrations as Islam compliant.
Today as we compose this commentary, bereaved families have been thrown into painful grief as a result of the Eid-ul-fitr celebration, a worrying reminder of their loss in the years to come.
We are constrained to point at the rising tide of indiscipline among the youth in our Zongo communities and how it would appear that elders and opinion leaders in these segments of the urban areas have given up any hope of rescuing these young men and women from imminent destruction.
What used to be restricted to Accra Central as Sallah celebration, which takes the form of a carnival has spread to others parts of the nation’s capital underpinned by indiscipline.
Today Nima, Darkuman and others all organize their versions of the carnival with indiscipline cutting across them.
The Accra Central carnival, which dates back to the colonial era, is organized by the old Accra Islamic families.
This is more organized and devoid of the level of indiscipline common to the other areas.
We call on the law enforcement agency to brainstorm with the Office of the National Chief Imam and the regional chief imams and other stakeholders over how to obviate future recurrence through enforceable restrictions.
May the souls of the departed rest in peace.