CONTEST!!!! / THE RICH CULTURE OF GHANAIAN MUSLIMS

There are over 100 ethnic groups in Ghana with diverse and unique cultures. Culture in itself is the way of life of a group of people within a specific geographical area at a particular point in time. Seeing the magnitude of this contest, I want to be a little culture bias myself by talking more of two main Islamic cultures that I have involved myself in. I am a Christian by birth. As a matter of fact, I am the son of Light House Pastor, but I have lived almost my entire life around Muslim friends. I love their rich culture and I have integrated most of them into my personal life. My roommate in Legon now is a Muslim and he makes me feel at home all the time @pandev. So, bear with me if I talk more of some of the cultures of Muslims in general and their relevance to my best of knowledge.

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Just like any other religion or ethnic group, culture ranges from both material and non-material. Material culture refers to the things we can see and touch like food and dresses. Whereas non-material culture includes abstract things like language and attitude. I have a very close friend called Mardiyah. The lady always dresses to represent the Islamic culture. The moment you see her dressing nothing should inform you that she is a proud Muslim.

Mardiyah and myself

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The main festivals that I know Muslims celebrate are the two Eid festivals. You can’t be a Muslim without partaking in these festivals.

Eid-Ul-Fitr

The word Eid means Festivity whereas the Fitr means breaking the fast. It celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of fasting. It falls on the 1st day of Shawwal, the tenth month on the Islamic calendar.
Typically, a Muslim wakes up relatively early in the morning, always before sunrise, takes a shower before the Fajr prayers. He or she then puts on new clothes; the best available. Also, it is forbidden to fast on the day of Eid. That is why it is recommended that one should have a small breakfast, preferably the date fruit, before the special Eid prayers.

My roommates have forced me to try the date fruit and I can attest to the fact that it's better than most fruits.

The prayers are performed in congregations and in open areas like parks, fields, or big mosques. No call to prayer is really required as normal prayers do. The prayer consists of two main units with an additional six raising of the hands to the ear while saying, Allahu Akbar.

The purpose of this culture of Muslims is to give thanks to Allah (God) for assistance during the fast and also to increase their spiritual commitment. It also promotes unity and love among Muslims and others which includes Christian.

EID-UL-ADHA

Personally, this is my favorite culture among all the Islamic cultures. You can already guess why? 😋🍖🍗. This festival means Festival of Sacrifice. It is celebrated by Muslims to commemorate the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son, Ismail. (Ishmael)

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Early in the morning after taking their bath and putting on the best garments, Muslims assemble for the Eid prayer where the Imam delivers the sermon and explains the purpose and significance of the festival. Worshippers return home to slaughter their animals. The animals to be sacrificed are brought before Eid day by those who can afford them. The animal should be free of any deformity whatsoever. The usual animals used include goats, sheep, and cows. The butcher says the required prayers before killing the animal.

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The meat is normally divided into three portions. One portion for the family, the other two for the poor and needy, and the final portion for friends and neighbors. If you ever find yourself in an Islamic community like mine, you will notice that Eid funds are also collected for the betterment of the community. Not only does the festival commemorate Ibrahim’s obedience, but it also marks the pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj). It is also a time when Muslims pray for faith.

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Living with people of completely different cultures is very helpful; It makes you appreciate the diverse culture in the country and in the world at large. This also breaks the culture barrier since both parties tend to learn and assimilate each other’s culture. Muslims are very nice people to live with. Don’t judge people before getting to know them.

If you understand the method, you will understand the madness.

Thank you very much @silencewan for this contest. I invite @jhayss and @realhavenn to partake in this contest. It's not too late.