Grand Mufti Sumaworo Appreciates U.S. Ambassador for Recognizing Muslim Community
Grand Mufti Sumaworo (second from right) with U.S Amb. McCarthy and other delegates at the U.S. Embassy near Monrovia
Abubakar Sumaworo, Grand Mufti of the Supreme Council of Fatwa in Liberia, and his delegation have met with the United States Ambassador to Liberia, Ambassador Michael A. McCarthy.
The meeting was made possible through an invitation of the Ambassador at the US Embassy near Monrovia as part of his meeting with major stakeholders in the country since he started his diplomatic mission in Liberia.
Mufti Abubakar Sumaworo expressed gratitude to the US Embassy for recognizing the Muslim community as part of his broad-based meeting with stakeholders in the country; something he said will go a long way in enhancing the relationship between the US Government and the people of Liberia.
Mufti Sumaworo reiterated the Liberian Muslim community’s commitment to peace and religious harmony in the country despite the challenges facing the Muslim community; maintaining that the Muslims in Liberia believe in moderation and do not accept violence in the resolution of their disenchantment with the government.
“Our prophet Mohammed encouraged us to embrace the diversity of all mankind irrespective of their religion, color or ethnicity and discouraged all forms of violence, and we continue to teach this doctrine of peace in all Islamic schools in the country,” Mufti Sumaworo said.
He appealed to the US Government for its continued support to the government and people of Liberia to ensure the growth and development of the country, adding, "It is our moral obligation to seek support for the country in these challenging social, economic problems facing the country amidst the devastating coronavirus."
Sumaworo named religious discrimination and the continued land dispute in the country as major conflict-sensitive areas that the US Government should help the Liberian Government in resolving.
He urged the U.S government to join the Muslims in Liberia to request two Islamic holidays.
Sumaworo indicated that Muslims in Liberia will not use violence in obtaining their religious holidays, but will continue to engage the government diplomatically and its partners as a means for peacefully acquiring their rights as prescribed by law.
He disclosed that schools continue to deny Muslim Students their religious rights by scheduling test and others exams on Eid days; something that normally places Muslim students in situation of deciding between their education and their religious rights making reference to recent West African Examination schedule by the Ministry of Education.
Sumaworo pleaded with the US Government to support Islamic Schools across the country by helping them provide quality education to the future generation of the country in order to prepare them for the governance of the country.
He maintained that Muslim Schools are in great need for the US Government assistance to the educational sector of the country including support in the area of training Imams and religious leaders across the country.
On the issue of the called for War Crimes Court in Liberia, Mufti Sumaworo called for justice to be accorded to the victims of the Civil War and called for the review of the TRC report and subsequent implementation.
Ambassador McCarthy explained that people in many countries used religions and tribes to cause disharmony by splitting the people at their advantage.
He named the level of religious tolerance in the Republic of Eritrea as an example of how Muslims and Christians can live in harmony side by side without conflict.
Ambassador McCarthy promised to look into the Mufti’s request for support to Islamic Schools across the country indicating that the Embassy provides textbooks to the Ministry of Education and see the possibility of extending that to other institutions.
He praised the Mufti for being moderate in his advocacy for Islamic Holidays by asking for Schools and others to allow Muslims to the opportunity to observe their religious holidays pending a decision on the provision of Islamic Holidays by law.
Ambassador McCarthy told the Mufti to encourage the Muslim Community to take the Coronavirus vaccine and prevent themselves from infection by following the health protocols.