The funeral rite (adua) for the late Upper East Region Chief Imam, Sheikh Imam Tahir Mohammed Saeed, was held at the Bolgatanga Mobile Park on Sunday.
The day (March 13), happened to be the day he had penciled down, while alive for the launch of the Constitution of the Tijanniyya Muslim Council of which he was the national chairman, a family source said.
Adorned in colorful garments, and from across the country and the sub region, Muslims converged on the Upper East Regional capital in their numbers , to celebrate the life of the Islamic scholar who is much remembered for peaceful coexistence among humankind, humanitarian services and his passion for both secular and Islamic education.
Among the crowd was the Upper East Regional Minister, Stephen Yakubu, who represented the government and other dignitaries from other political parties and faiths, who saw the late Imam Tahir as a personality that transcended religious differences.
The ceremony was characterised by the Qur’anic recitation, supplications by the Muslim community to Allah, the exalted, to forgive him his shortcomings and grant him Al-janatul Firdaus (paradise) for a successful life, with furtherprayers to Allah for the family to have the fortitude to bear with the pain.
They also offered prayers for the continuous peace and stability of the nation and the entire humanity.
Mr Yakubu said the “region was dear to the heart of Imam Tahir” adding that upon assumption of office as the regional minister, the late Imam Tahir paid a courtesy call on him, and expressed the need for deeper collaboration between the Office of the regional chief Imam and the Regional Coordinating Council for the development of the region.
He said Imam Tahir believed in peaceful co-existence and religious tolerance, adding that both Muslims and non-Muslims and persons from all political parties had come to mourn with the family and to bid farewell to the departed renowned scholar.
He presented a donation from the government and party officials amounting to Gh¢19,000 to the family.
A group of Muslim scholars who studied at the feet of the late regional chief Imam described him as great scholar who braced himself to learn the religion and to impact society.
They credited the late Imam Tahir for working tirelessly with other scholars to establish both Arabic and English schools in the Municipality, training and installing Imams in remote rural communities across the region.
The Imam Tahir, who died in his late 80s, hailed from Bongo District.
His uncle Saeed, brought him to the Bolgatanga Municipality to study the Quran and Islamic Religion under the tutelage of Abdul-Samad Mazankano, a Muslim scholar, while helping him in his animal hide trade.
He soon grew up to become a scholar himself, having travelled farther to add to his knowledge, meet with great scholars of the religion, with studies at Al-Azher University in Cairo, Egypt. He was widely travelled and learned.
He left behind four wives: Hajia Hawa, Hajia Sheitu, Hajia Sukeina, Hajia Fawzia with 17 sons and daughters, 47 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
BY SALIFU ABDUL-RAHAMAN
