Eid confusion for Ghana Muslims

By Umaru Amadu

ACCRA, Ghana 

As the world prepares to celebrate Eid al-Fitr to mark the end of Ramadan, Ghanaians are debating the day the festival will be observed.

Traditionally, the Ghanaian Muslim community depended on the sighting of the new crescent moon to start the celebration the following day.

However, for the past several years, a committee set up by the office of the chief imam has been announcing the date for the celebration. Known as the Hilal Committee, it calculates and announces the beginning and end of Ramadan as well as Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice). 

This year's announcement has however been met with public protest, particularly on social media. This follows the committee's announcement last week that this year's Eid would be observed on Saturday.

The Committee proceeds this way in order to give the government sufficient time to the government to declare a holiday.

The government in a statement thus declared the following Monday a public holiday. In Ghana, holidays are declared on Mondays when they fall on the weekend. 

Shortly after the announcement, a popular Islamic theologian and television host, Sheik Ishaaq Nuamah addressed a forum where he chastised the Hilal Committee for taking what he terms, "an ignorant decision". Citing relevant portions of Hadith (sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad) to back his statement, Nuamah said the announcement had "no basis in this religion".

"We are the only country in the sub-region that is doing this un-Islamic practice" he observed.

"If Thursday, we see the moon and you hear of people praying Eid anywhere, go and join them. Don't wait for Saturday," the popular cleric said. 

His call sparked a huge debate on Ghanaian traditional and social media with support divided between the Hilal Committee and the cleric. 

Subsequently, the chairman of the committee, Sheik Mohammed Gedel issued a statement in which he accused the cleric of engaging in uninformed announcements.

"If Sheik Nuamah is saying we cannot postpone the Eid, then he should swallow back his words because the Prophet [Muhammad] indeed postponed Eid, therefore our Saturday Eid will be accepted by Allah," Gedel said, also citing Hadith. 

He urged the preacher not to instigate the public against the National Chief Imam Sheik Nuhu Sharubutu. 

The spokesman of the chief Imam, Ahmed Nortey, has meanwhile confirmed to Anadolu Agency in an interview that Ghana's official day for Eid was Saturday.