Time To Reflect

Yesterday marked the highpoint of the annual Hajj rituals in Saudi Arabia.

Today Muslims across the world are enjoined to slaughter animals not only as sacrifice, but also as food.

Muslims who slaughter the animals are asked to give a large percentage out as food to the needy and others.

Besides the spiritual benefit inherent in enacting the story of Abraham or Ibrahim and Ishmael, the giving out of meat as food to others rekindles the spirit of giving, which the two great faiths of Islam and Christianity uphold.

We salute Muslims across the world as they celebrate the festival of sacrifice and pray that God grants all of them bountiful blessings.

We call on Muslims who adhere to their religious obligation of sacrifice, which is the meaning of Eid El Adha, would reflect upon the state of their nation.

In Ghana today, there are many more persons who are unable to make ends meet than there were 10 years ago.

Many who buy sheep for the sacrifice annually might have to cook up stories for their kids because they have either lost their sources of livelihood or are unable to part with the little at their disposal for the purchase of animals. Schools are reopening soon and times are really hard.

We should as members of the two great faiths begin to audit certain developments in our country with a view to addressing them by engaging politicians at the helm.

We cannot afford to leave politicians to decide the destiny of the nation without posing questions to them about why the ship of state is listing.

We have been aloof for many years and the results have not inured to our interest.

Religion cannot be practiced when our country is thrown into economic turmoil, therein lies the importance of all of us showing interest in auditing certain anomalous situations in the country.

We do not agree with the stance that politics be left in the hands of those who have made it their occupation. It is true that we cannot all be Members of Parliament. We need a few of us to represent us in that august house and for one person to take decisions on our behalf as President.

We cannot, however, leave everything in their hands, especially when there are records of mismanagement of resources and glaring economic challenges, which are persistent.

We must be able to audit data and pose the appropriate questions with a view to arriving at answers which would remove doubts in our minds about glaring and avoidable shortcomings.

We have often heard people say cynically that some persons are playing politics when these people ask questions which seek to bring out critical facts which politicians would rather are confined to the bottom of carpets.

It is not for nothing that the Imams sermonize on contemporary issues when they mount the rostrum during the Friday congregational prayers.

Why are we in this current state today in spite of the natural and human resources at our disposal?

Even as we celebrate, let us ponder over the state of our nation. We wish our esteemed readers a fantastic Eid El Adha.

 

 

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