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The Chief Imam of Imo and Chairman of the League of Imams in the State, Sheikh Suleiman Njoku, has opened up on the challenges Muslim faithful are contending with in the South East, including their struggle to find partners.
The cleric made this known in a recent bare-it-all interview with The Punch, where he touched on various issues regarding practising Islam in the Christian-dominated region of the country.
Njoku said embracing Islam in an Igbo community has been a source of joy and gratitude to him, as the religion represents a comprehensive way of life that guides all aspects of human endeavour.
He noted that blending culture with religion, which can lead to deviation from Islamic teachings, is one significant challenge faced by Muslims in the East.
However, the Chief Imam said efforts are ongoing to educate the people and create awareness about the fundamental distinction between culture and religion.
According to him, there are various misconceptions by Igbos regarding Islam, and most of them were a result of the character and actions of certain criminal elements in the northern part of the country.
"Due to experiences with particular individuals in the northern part of the country who engage in harmful activities, our people have come to believe that such behaviour is what Islam advocates or encourages," he told the newspaper.
The cleric also debunked the insinuation that Igbo Muslims practice Islam solely because they receive money from the Arabs.
On discrimination suffered by Muslims in Igboland, Njoku said they manifest in various ways, most notably denial of employment and opportunity by the government.
He said once a recruiter sees a Muslim name on an application, they will remove such person from the list of job seekers and ask them to seek jobs in the North.
"Also, our ladies cannot wear hijabs because of the fear of attack. If they wear hijabs they will be called Boko-haram, but I usually tell them to shun any form of distraction and follow the commandment of God to rule their lives.
"The Igbo don’t like marrying Muslims, and they discourage anyone who wants to marry Muslims," he stated.
He, however, commended Governo Hope Uzodimma for showing exceptional support for the Muslim faithful in Imo State, as he sponsored 200 Muslims from the state to Mecca for the 2023 Hajj.