Fruitful Living
Sanitation, Hygiene, and the Morality of Public Space: Reclaiming Ghana’s Civic Virtue Through Faith and Policy (Part III)
C. The Hypocrisy of Private Purity
A peculiar Ghanaian paradox persists: homes may gleam while streets fester in waste. This dual morality—private cleanliness coexisting with public neglect—reveals a fractured civic conscience. The Prophet (peace be upon him) condemned hypocrisy in all forms:
“The signs of a hypocrite are three: when he speaks, he lies; when he promises, he breaks it; and when he is entrusted, he betrays the trust.” (Sahih Bukhari, 33)
To claim faith while ignoring public hygiene is a moral contradiction. True purity must be seamless within and without—private and public.
IV. Policy, Governance, and the Enforcement Gap
While faith and moral education are foundational, institutional frameworks remain crucial. Ghana’s repeated sanitation failures reflect systemic governance lapses. The Qur’an advocates justice and order in leadership:
“Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice.” (Qur’an 4:58)
The implementation gap between policy and practice reveals both administrative weakness and civic apathy.
A. The Limitations of Top-Down Policy
Policies such as the National Sanitation Day were driven by political symbolism rather than sustained behavioral change. As Gyimah-Boadi and Asare (2021) argue, Ghana’s governance often suffers from a lack of local ownership and citizen participation.
True transformation must stem from maslahah ʿāmmah (public good)—a key principle of Islamic governance. Policies succeed when communities perceive them as moral imperatives, not bureaucratic orders. The Qur’an calls for mutual cooperation:
“And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.” (Qur’an 5:2)
Government, civil society, and religious institutions must therefore collaborate in nurturing civic virtue and environmental discipline.
B. The Failure of Local Enforcement
Local assemblies (MMDAs) are entrusted with enforcing sanitation by-laws, yet their power is often undermined by corruption, selective enforcement, and political interference. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“Each of you is a shepherd, and each of you will be asked about his flock.” (Sahih Bukhari, 893)
Leaders, therefore, bear direct accountability for environmental decay in their jurisdictions. The absence of consistent enforcement erodes moral will. Public trust will only return when the law is applied with fairness, free from political favoritism.
C. The Deficit of Civic Education
Sanitation education must move beyond posters and slogans to become part of moral formation. The National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) and Ministry of Education should embed sanitation ethics in curricula from primary to tertiary levels, linking hygiene to spirituality and civic responsibility.
As the Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“The seeking of knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim.” (Ibn Majah, Hadith 224)
Thus, sanitation knowledge, understood as protection of life and community, is itself a religious duty. Children must grow up seeing cleanliness as both ʿibādah and patriotism, nurturing a generation for whom civic morality is instinctive.
V. A Call to Action: Reclaiming Our Civic Virtue
The Qur’an commands believers to:
“Enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong.” (Qur’an 3:104)
This is not limited to theological debate but extends to practical morality: keeping streets clean, protecting rivers, and preventing public harm. The path to a clean Ghana lies in reviving civic virtue through faith-based leadership and community action.
By Imam Alhaji Saeed
Abdulai, the Author
Fruitful Living
The Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah: The Islamic framework for addressing contemporary social challenges
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds. We send peace and blessings upon the noble Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), his family, his companions, and all those who stand for justice until the Day of Judgment.
Introduction
We live in an era of rapid social transformation. Technological advancement, urbanization, changing family structures, health crises, unemployment, moral decadence, drug abuse, cybercrime, and weakening social bonds have created enormous challenges for Muslim communities across the world. The Muslim Ummah in Ghana is not immune to these realities.
Islam is not merely a religion of rituals. Islam provides guidance for every aspect of life— spiritual, social, economic, educational, political and health-related.
Allah said in the holy Quran “We have neglected nothing in the Book.” (Qur’an 6:38).
Before discussing the practical challenges facing our communities today, it is important to understand that Islamic law was revealed to achieve specific objectives known as Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah (The Higher Objectives of Islamic Law).
The great scholar, Imam Abu Ishaq al-Shatibi, explained that all Islamic laws aim at securing benefit (Maslahah) and preventing harm (Mafsadah).
The scholars have summarized these objectives into five fundamental necessities known as:
Hifz ad-Din (Protection of Religion)
Islam seeks to preserve faith, worship, Islamic identity and moral values.
Allah said, “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me.”
(Qur’an 51:56)
Therefore, strengthening Islamic education, supporting the mosque, preserving family values, and protecting the next generation from immoral influences are all means of preserving the Islamic religion identity.
Today, social media abuse, drug addiction, pornography, cybercrime, and moral decay threaten the faith of many Muslim youth. The Muslim Ummah must equip itself with sound Islamic knowledge to preserve its religious identity.
Hifz an-Nafs (Protection of Life)
One of the greatest objectives of Islam is the preservation of human life.”And do not kill yourselves. Indeed, Allah is Most Merciful to you.” (Qur’an 4:29)
This objective forms the basis for:
• Public health programmes
• Vaccination campaigns
• NHIS registration
• Hospital care
• Disease prevention
• Environmental sanitation
• Road safety
• Maternal and child healthcare
Every effort to save lives is an act of worship.
“Whoever saves a life, it is as though he has saved all mankind.” (Qur’an 5:32)
Hifz al-‘Aql (Protection of Intellect) ( part 2)
Islam seeks to protect the human mind because the intellect distinguishes human beings from other creatures.
Allah repeatedly commands: “Will you not then use your reason?” (Repeated throughout the Qur’an)
This objective requires:
• Quality education
• Literacy
• Critical thinking
• Professional development
• Protection from drugs and intoxicants
The growing menace of narcotics, alcohol abuse, cyber fraud, and gambling among some youth threatens the intellect and future of our communities.
By • Imam Alhaji Saeed Abdulai, the Author
Throughout the Old Testament, God’s presence was associated with a particular location the Tabernacle and later the Temple. These sacred places represented the meeting point between heaven and earth.
But Pentecost changed everything
When the wind and fire entered the house where the disciples were gathered, God was revealing a new reality. His presence would no longer be confined to a building made by human hands.
The Temple was no longer merely a structure in Jerusalem.
The Temple had become a community of believers.
Every follower of Jesus would now become a dwelling place of God through the Holy Spirit.
This was a revolutionary truth. The overlap between heaven and earth was no longer limited to one geographical location. Wherever believers gathered and wherever the Spirit dwelt, God’s presence was manifested.
As the Apostle Paul later wrote: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16).
Gods desire to dwell with his people
From the very beginning, God’s desire has always been to live among His people.
We see this desire in:
- The Garden of Eden
- The Tabernacle
- The Temple
Yet sin continually created separation between God and humanity. A holy God could not fully dwell among a sinful people without judgment.
But Jesus made a way.
Through His death and resurrection, Jesus dealt with the problem of sin once and for all.
John beautifully describes this truth: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
Because of Christ’s redemptive work on the cross, our sins are forgiven and we are reconciled to God. The Holy Spirit can now live within believers, making us the new temple of God.
To be continued!
Stay blessed!
Please note that the preaching programme on Sunny 88.7 FM – Tuesdays at 5:30 am has been temporarily put on hold. However, please continue to join us on Asempa 94.7 FM – Sundays at 5:30 am and YFM 107.9 – Sundays at 6:30 am for our Radio Bible Study, as well as on Sunny 88.7 FM every Sunday at 3:30 pm for Hymns and Their Stories.
By Rev. Dr Joyce Aryee
