The Charge d’affaire at the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Accra, Saed Al-Bakr, on behalf of the Custodian of the two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdul-Aziz Al –Saud, made the presentation at the residence of the Ambassador in Accra.

He said Ghana and Saudi Arabia had enjoyed cordial relations dating back to the 1960s, adding that the bond had grown from strength to strength over the years.

According to him, it had been the practice of the Saudi government to reach out to muslims, especially during Ramadan, with gifts of dates for them to break their fast, in line with the practice of the Holy Prophet of Islam, Mohammed,  who endorsed breaking of fast with dates due to its spiritual and health benefits.

Mr Al-Bakr commended muslims for their endurance during this period and urged them to pray for Allah’s blessings of peace and prosperity for citizens of both countries.

Appreciation

The Supervisor of muslim scholars of the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs Endowment, Calls and Guidance in Ghana, Dr Abass Shamsudeen Ibrahim, thanked the Saudi Arabia government for its continuous support to the muslim community in the country.

He said the date palm continues to be the symbol of the bond of friendship between the people of Ghana and Saudi Arabia, adding that “the date has impacted in the hearts of muslims in Ghana and serves as a connecting nerve between the people of the two countries”, making reference to the Holy Qur’an which says that whoever assists a fellow muslim to break his fast will deeply be rewarded by Allah.

Present at the event were a representative of the Saudi Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Sheikh Osama Al-Nugaimishi, among others.