ASWAJ National Youth Ghana

Know Your Scholars 📍

Sheikh Bayan Basha, also known as Ibrahim Basha Iddris, is a renowned Ghanaian Islamic preacher and scholar. Sheikh Bayan is the current Northern Regional Imam of Ahlussunah Wal Jamaa-ASWAJ-Ghana

Early Life and Education:

Born in Kumasi, Ghana, in 1928, Sheikh Bayan began his Islamic education at Khairiya Islamic School in Takoradi, where he was taught by Hajj Shuab, a respected Dagomba Islamic scholar. He later moved to Kumasi to study under Sheikh Ahmad Nurideen.

Academic and Teaching Career:

After completing his studies, Sheikh Bayan taught at Anbariyya Islamic Institute in Tamale, where one of his notable students was Sheikh Saeed Abubakr Zakaria, who later became the leader of Anbariyya Islamic Institute. In 1969, Sheikh Bayan founded Nuriyya Islamic Institute in Tamale, which transformed traditional madrasas into Anglo-Arabic schools.

Contributions and Legacy: Sheikh Bayan is widely regarded as a pioneer in promoting Islamic education in Ghana. He played a significant role in establishing the Ghana Islamic Education Unit and transforming traditional Islamic schools into modern Anglo-Arabic institutions. His efforts have had a lasting impact on Islamic education in Ghana.

May Allah preserve him and increase him in knowledge….

A delegation from ASWAJ National Youth Ghana paid an important courtesy visit to the Second Deputy National Imam, Sheikh Mohammed Amin Osman, as part of our commitment to strengthening the bond between the youth and the leadership of the Jama’ah.
The meeting took place on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at Medie, and brought together representatives of the National Youth Executive alongside some regional imams.
Our primary purpose was to formally extend our heartfelt congratulations to Sheikh Mohammed Amin Osman on his election as the 2nd Deputy National Imam following the 16th National Representative Assembly Congress of the Ahlussunah Wal Jamaa-ASWAJ-Ghana. In addition, we performed our bay‘ah; the pledge of allegiance and loyalty, affirming our obedience, respect, and readiness to work under his guidance for the progress of the Jama’ah.
The meeting was spiritually uplifting and intellectually enriching. We engaged in warm and fruitful conversations on the current state and future direction of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamā‘ah in Ghana and Africa. The Imam shared deep insights on the challenges, responsibilities, and opportunities that lie ahead for the Jama’ah, especially for the youth who represent its strength and future.
Through the discussions, it became even more evident that our leaders and imams continue to make tremendous sacrifices; often unseen, to ensure that ASWAJ in Ghana embodies the values we, the youth, uphold and advocate for: accountability, servant leadership, unity, and selflessness. Their dedication serves as a powerful reminder of the responsibility we carry as youth to support, respect, and stand firmly behind them.
Sheikh Mohammed Amin Osman also used the opportunity to offer us heartfelt advice touching on our spiritual development, personal conduct, academic and professional lives, and our duty as committed members of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jamā‘ah. His words served as encouragement and a call to remain steadfast, disciplined, united, and actively engaged in service to the deen.
We left the meeting deeply inspired and more determined to contribute meaningfully to the work of ASWAJ across the country.
In shā’ Allāh, we are arranging a suitable later date to also pay a courtesy visit and perform our bay‘ah to the 1st Deputy National Imam. The proposed date will be communicated soon for your kind attention.
May Allah bless our imams, bless their families, increase them in wisdom, protect their efforts, strengthen the relationship among them, and continue to grant them patience, unity, and understanding.
Āmīn, Yā Hayyu Yā Qayyūm.

EDITORIAL
*Ahlussunna Wal Jama'a, Where Art Thou?
By Abubakar Garba Osuman

You organized a press conference to tell the world that your position is being threatened.

Your message has been heard far and wide; it has gone viral. Yet, I call it an echo chamber. You only want to hear yourself talk.

Could this be an ego trip, far removed from reality?

Now, there is a clarion call. Your children are being denied the right to pray and fast, the very religion you claim to uphold and which is central to your lives.

As I scribble this piece, your voice remains loudly silent on the issue.

What these children crave is not another press conference to fuel internal struggles. They need a conference that presses home their plight, the reality of religious discrimination in public schools funded by our (taxpayers’) money.

These young souls are devastated. They are calling on you to rescue them from the claws of some religious extremists who fail to appreciate the secular nature of our society.

These children will inherit the legacy you bequeath.

Which legacy, I ask?

The legacy of squabbles for power or that of preserving the sanctity of the pristine teachings of Islam?

Ahlussunna Wal Jama'a, silence at this moment is never an option.

Wake up to your responsibility and engage the government.

You possess a power you may not fully realize. The scholars and experts in every discipline are within your fold.

You stand for the Qur’an and the Sunnah. And that demands you also stand against aggression, in whatever form.

There can be no compromise when it comes to the religious freedom of our future leaders.

And it is important to note that, every Ghanaian Muslim is behind you in this worthy course.

Remember, the actions you take, or fail to take, will be judged by posterity, for better or for...

*The Aftermath of 16th NRC of ASWAJ: Be Patient With What They Will Say*
_By Abubakar Garba Osuman_

The long-awaited 16th National Representative Congress of Ahlussunna Wal Jama'a (ASWAJ) was held from November 13 to 16, 2025.

All items on the agenda were exhaustively addressed to the satisfaction of all present.

Major decisions were made, including—but not limited to—the adoption of the amended constitution, as well as the nomination, vetting, and subsequent election of the 1st and 2nd National Deputy Imams.

This feat is unmatched in the history of orthodox Muslims in Ghana.

It is not surprising that this development has attracted mixed feelings.

A large segment of the ASWAJ fraternity recognizes the significance of what was achieved.

However, skeptics (both within and without) dwell on the assumption that the entire enterprise was flawed.

Sadly, the denialists, oscillating at the periphery, see the exercise as an ugly confrontation with the 'establishment'.

Thus, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly are all in full play.

Nevertheless, for those familiar with the history, progress, and challenges of ASWAJ, the reactions following the Congress are not surprising.

Now, the leadership—especially the newly elected Deputy Imams—must focus on making ASWAJ’s relevance felt within the body politic of Muslims in the country.

It is important to note that people are expecting direction from ASWAJ in various aspects of their lives, including spiritual development, intellectual growth, and economic enhancement, among others.

Therefore, there should be a contest of ideas among all ASWAJ sub-committees aimed at pursuing the lofty objectives of the organization.

I will conclude by saying: _“be patient with whatever they will say"_ and be taking notes as we progress.

Thank you.
Wa jazaakumullaahu khairan.

ASWAJ National Youth Ghana wishes to congratulates Sheikh Mohammed Amin Osman for being elected as the 2nd national deputy imam of the Ahlussunah Wal Jamaa-ASWAJ-Ghana at the 16th National Representative Congress on November 16, 2025.

We pledge our individual as well as group loyalty and support to our newly elected leaders.