**Ghana’s National Chief Imam, Shaikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, has called on citizens to embrace this year’s Eid Al Adha as a moment for genuine behavioural transformation, stressing that the values of the festival lose meaning without visible moral and social renewal. In a message delivered on Monday, May 25, 2026, he urged that the true essence of Eid Al Adha must extend beyond the ritual of sacrifice and be reflected in the conduct of individuals and society at large.
Quoting the Qur’an, Chapter 22 Verse 37, Shaikh Dr. Sharubutu reminded worshippers that Allah does not seek the flesh and blood of sacrificed animals, but rather the sincerity and piety behind the act. He encouraged Ghanaians to abandon negative attitudes and embrace values that strengthen the fabric of society. “The virtues of Eid are fruitless unless they have the capacity to guarantee attitudinal cleansing and moral ascendancy in our society,” he stated
Dr Sharubutu linked his appeal for behavioural change to the need for peaceful relations among different religious groups in the country. He described Eid Al Adha as a shared moral foundation among the Abrahamic faiths of Islam, Christianity and Judaism. According to him, the occasion traces its roots to the Divine instruction given to Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son, Ishmael, which he said remains a point of spiritual connection among the three religions.
He called on followers of the Abrahamic faiths in Ghana to deepen interfaith harmony and peaceful coexistence in the interest of national unity. “In the darkness of socio-religious adversity, interfaith harmony serves as the light that brightens the path to prosperity,” he said. The Chief Imam also addressed global tensions and conflicts, expressing concern about what he described as growing moral decline and violence in parts of the world.
He appealed for an end to atrocities linked to the war in Iran and other conflict areas, warning against what he termed supremacy-driven violence that undermines human dignity. Dr Sharubutu further urged world leaders to promote justice, reconciliation and peace in international relations instead of aggression and division.
Source: Mohammed Ali
