Eric Opoku Must Apologize For �Insulting� Muslims � Mustapha Hamid

Mustapha Hamid, an Islamic scholar and lecturer at the Department of Religion and Human Values at the University of Cape Coast, has described and condemned as insulting the recent comments by the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Eric Opoku, suggesting that Muslims who support the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), are not true Muslims.

Mr. Opoku incurred the wrath of Muslims who belong to the NPP, after he said the Quran frowned on Muslims getting close to an Elephant which is the symbol of the NPP.

Quoting a chapter in the Quran, Mr. Opoku said any Muslim who associates with an elephant is not authentic.

But Mr. Hamid, who also doubles as Spokesperson for NPP Flagbearer, Nana Akufo-Addo, has rubbished the Regional Minister’s claim, describing it as ignorant and “a measure of how low the politics of the governing National Democratic Congress has stooped”.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Hamid said, “It’s just crass banality and the kind of silliness to engulf the political culture of this country. Instead of them to bring on reasoned arguments that will move forward the lives of the people, look at the kind of pedestrian things they go around telling us.”

The Islamic scholar is also of the view the Regional Minster’s comments hold no weight because the context in which the elephant was mentioned in the Quran many years ago, is not relevant today.

“How can you imagine that a document that was written and revealed to the prophet over 1,400 years ago was going to be talking about things that you can remotely connect to political parties in the 21st century? Does it make sense?”

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Muslims are insulted

Mr. Hamid further intimated that many Muslims feel insulted by Mr. Opoku’s comments because the he was twisted the Quran to score political points.

“Mind you, the Regional Chief Imam, Ashanti Region, has already come out to condemn him and to put this thing in perspective and that must be very worrying to the NDC because many Muslims feel very insulted that he is using our scripture and twisting it for cheap political gain.”

“For Eric Opoku to insult the sanctity of the Quaran by seeking to twist things that are not in it for political gain is an insult. In proper religious context, we should call it sacrilegious,” he added.

He must apologize

Mr. Hamid thus believes that the only course of action left is for Mr. Opoku to apologize to Muslims for his comments.

“I think that the way that we should go about it now is for him to apologize to the Muslim population for seeking to desecrate their holy scripture.”