Ahmadiyya in Ghana

De Ahmadiyya Muslim community be de second largest group of Islam insyd Ghana after Sunni Islam. De early rise of de community insyd Ghana can be traced through a sequence of events beginning roughly at de same time as de birth of de Ahmadiyya movement insyd 1889 insyd British India. Na e be during de early period of de Second Caliphate dat de first missionary, Abdul Rahim Nayyar be sent to what then be de Crown colony of Gold Coast insyd 1921 upon invitation from Sunni Muslims insyd Saltpond. Having established de movement insyd de country, Nayyar leave den be replaced by de first permanent missionary, Al Hajj Fadl-ul-Rahman Hakim insyd 1922. 

De Pew Research Center estimate de total number of Ahmadis insyd Ghana at 635,000 people, wey represent roughly 16.5% of Ghana ein Muslim population, den roughly 2.5% of Ghana ein population as a whole. De estimate disputed due to de alleged undercounting of Muslims insyd Ghana (including Ahmadis), de Ahmadiyya Muslim Community estimate a population of two million Ghanaian Ahmadis.

## History

### Establishment

De introduction of de Ahmadiyya Muslim Community insyd Ghana can be traced to a sequence of events, commencing several years prior to de establishment of de Community insyd 1889 insyd British India. Although, there be reports of small number of Muslims insyd southern Ghana insyd de early 19th century, Islam be said to have properly commenced insyd de region insyd 1885, among de Fante people. Roughly a decade prior to dis, insyd 1872, during perhaps de third Anglo-Ashanti war, a northern Muslim cleric Abu Bakr arrive insyd southern Ghana to administer de spiritual needs of Muslim Nigerian Hausa soldiers brought by de British colonialists. Insyd 1885, he convert two people who are regarded as de founding fathers of Islam among de Fante people; namely Benjamin Sam and Mahdi Appah. Both formerly be Christians. Sam be a Methodist evangelist den a trader who initially brought ein friend Appah from Paganism to Christianity. De conversion of Sam be said to have been influenced through a vision den of Appah as a consequence of de fulfilment of ein prayer.

Islam grow rapidly among de Fante people. Starting from Ekrofol, Sam self-designated einself as ein Imam, den quickly built a community of 500 Fante Muslims across southern Ghana. At times, Muslim clerics from de northern regions continue to supervise de growing, but nascent group of Muslims insyd southern Ghana. Insyd July 1896, a secular Muslim school be opened insyd Ekrofol, den Appah be appointed as ein manager. However, de northern clerics expressed strong disapproval of a secular-leaning school. Despite dis, de school prospered plus governmental assistance until 1908 when e be infected by Guinea worm disease den attendance soon dropped. As a convert from Christianity, Sam taught customs, brought from Christianity, dat sometimes be considered un-Islamic. Dis be a major cause of disagreement between him den ein friend Appah. As a result, Appah left Ekrofol. Sam die soon after, insyd de same year de disease struck de school. Appah once again return to Ekrofol den continue to propagate Islam among de Fante people.

De first contact plus Ahmadiyya insyd Ghana perhaps fi be attributed to a consequence of Sam ein cousin wey dream of white men dem call "Muslims", plus whom he dey pray. E be believed by converts say de only people wey pray as Muslims be de northern Hausa. However, a resident insyd Saltpond, originally from Nigeria, inform de presence of de Indian-origin Ahmadiyya movement insyd Nigeria. Soon, thru de *Review of Religions*, de Fante Muslims under de leadership of Appah make contact plus de caliph, Mirza Bashir-ud-Din Mahmud Ahmad, insyd Qadian, India. De Muslims no longer be interested to remain under de spiritual guidance of de northern Ghanaians anaa Hausa Muslims. De caliph send Al-Hajj Abdul Rahim Nayyar wey sail from London to Freetown, insyd Sierra Leone. After a short stay he arrive on 28 February 1921 to Saltpond, Ghana.wey he start dey preach insyd de first week of March 1921. Following a lecture, de Fante community "believe der den then", following wich dem hold an oath of allegiance. Insyd de history of de Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Mahdi Appah be regarded as de first Ghanaian to become an Ahmadi Muslim. Despite resistance from northern clerics, de Fante Muslims convert *en masse*, giving immediate rise to de Ahmadiyya movement insyd Ghana.

Having established de Ahmadiyya movement insyd Ghana, Nayyar leave within a month for Lagos, insyd Nigeria, before dem return again insyd fall of 1921. Nayyar leave de colony once again insyd 1922 den be replaced by Al Hajj Fadl-ul-Rahman Hakim, as de first permanent missionary to Ghana. Insyd 1923, Hakim start an elementary school insyd Saltpond. Further primary schools be opened insyd a number of oda towns den villages, such as insyd Mumford den Potsin, all insyd de coastal regions. By 1927, de Community numbered 3,000 across forty localities insyd de southern regions den de Ashanti Empire. Insyd 1927, an increased missionary outlook be adopted, which facilitated ein spread among the Fante people in the south, the Wala people in the north, and de Ashanti people insyd between. Insyd 1929, Hakim leave de colony, only to return again insyd 1933, for anoda two years. According to Samwini, de rapid expansion posed a threat to de very existence of Christianity den de Sunni order insyd de country.

### Early twentieth century
Leading up to de 1950s, de presence of de Ahmadiyya movement strongly be felt throughout modern Ghana, wey stretch from de coastal towns, through to Kumasi, den up to Wa insyd de Upper West region den sana among de Dagbon regions insyd de northeast.

From de very beginning, de Ahmadiyya movement adopt Western-style education system den at de same time advocate for Islamic curriculum. Insyd 1928, de Community request de colonial government for permission to build a mosque den a secondary school insyd Kumasi. However, de government reject de application, on de basis say der already exist a Muslim mosque den a school insyd de region. De following year, dem send anoda letter plus over 400 signatures from Asante members of de Community. Plus small number of Muslims being admitted to public schools, de Community petition de government, insyd 1931, to select Muslim members give de government ein board of education. Dem wrep anoda letter insyd 1946 to de Chief Commission of Ashanti, dey argue say dem dey afford Christians chaw most rights den privileges. E no be til 1950 wey de colonial government first give permission to establish an Ahmadiyya school insyd de Ashanti Empire. Dem found de T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School insyd Kumasi on January 50, 1950.

## References


## External links

* Alfazl Qadian, India issues March, April, May, 1921

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