It is not against the Muslim faith for a pastor to lay his hands on a Muslim and pray for him, spokesperson for the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, has communicated.
The Islamic scholar has said those criticising the Vice President for visiting churches for pastors to lay their hands on him are getting it wrong since the gesture only amplifies the cordiality between people in the Islamic and Christian faiths.
For Dr. Bawumia, Sheikh Armiyawo says he is only playing a political tactic to secure votes from people of the Christian faith considering the obviousness of him not emerging victorious at the elections, should all Muslims in the country even vote for him.
Like the Vice President, the National Chief Imam’s spokesperson has indicated that politicians of the Christian faith also visit the Chief Imam for prayers, and that, he believes, does not make them less of Christians.
“…and like all the politicians do, they do come to Muslims. And some of them will come to the chief [Imam] and request prayer from him. So he lays hands on politicians. He lays his hand on politicians and he’s in the pictures. Muslim and Christian politicians have come, they squat and give their heads to the chief to hold and pray. It’s because of how they see him. But it doesn’t make them less Christians,” he said on Accra-based GH One TV.
According to him, the gesture “is within the interfaith and empathetic engagement” adding that the Vice President is “also a politician. I’m not a politician and I want all those who are listening to me, I’m not doing politics, I mean, he’s a Muslim, but he’s doing political tactics to cut across. To be on one side. Every corner.”
He explained that the reason, apart from depicting the unity between Muslims and Christians, is a tactic for the NPP flag bearer to secure some votes from the other divide.
“Dr. Bawumia knows that even if all Muslims in this country vote for him he will not win elections. True or false? True! If all Muslims should vote for Bawumia, because of the statistics we have,… so, politically, it doesn’t make sense to be on one side so he is doing politics and people must view him from the angle of his political strategy to be able to get the votes from every corner,” he added.
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