The Sultan of Sokoto and Chairman of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has strongly rejected the widespread notion that Islam encourages the killing of non-Muslims in the name of Jihad.
Speaking in Abuja at the public presentation of the book, Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Lucky Irabor (retd.), the monarch said Jihad has been misinterpreted for decades.
“Jihad is not to kill a non-Muslim by a Muslim. Jihad means to strive, and in whatever you do in life, you strive to be the best you can be. You strive to be a good Muslim, you strive to be a good Christian, you strive to be a good farmer, or a good engineer. So, Jihad is not to kill a non-Muslim; that’s a wrong notion people have been airing out for decades,” he stated.
Naijaonpoint reports that the Sultan also addressed the misconception that Islamism is about seizing political power, stressing that Islam’s focus is on justice and good governance, not domination.
“Islamism is not aimed at seizing power at any particular forum. Islam is after good governance in society. President Goodluck Jonathan was President; we gave him 100 per cent support. Throughout his presidency, nobody said anything negative against him… So, Islamism is not what you think it is. It is not to seize power. We’re after good governance,” he explained.
The monarch further cautioned against extremism, noting that Islam has a clear code of conduct based on the Qur’an, the Hadith, and the consensus of Islamic scholars (Ulama).
“And these are written. So, we have a code of conduct; we have ways and means of life. Anybody coming outside these to say things that he really doesn’t know about is not for Islam because Islam abhors extremism. You cannot be an extremist and then claim to be a good Muslim,” he said.
He warned Nigerians to be cautious in their choice of words when discussing insecurity, urging unity and cooperation across religious and ethnic lines.
Misunderstood Positions
Recalling some past controversies, the Sultan said he was once accused of attacking former President Muhammadu Buhari’s second-term bid after delivering a lecture on Islam and leadership in 2019.
“After giving my talk, the following day, the papers carried it [that] I was aiming at President Buhari’s second term because I said things that a good Muslim should do as a leader and what he should not do,” the revered Islamic leader explained.
The Sultan of Sokoto urged Nigerians to work together as “one big family with different backgrounds,” stressing that unity is essential for building a better nation.
“So, let’s come closer as one big family… to make this country a better country, because there is nothing anybody can do,” he said.
The Sultan commended Gen Lucky Irabor for his service to the nation and for documenting his experiences in tackling insecurity through his new book, describing it as a valuable contribution to Nigeria’s collective memory.
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