The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has debunked widespread misconceptions about Jihad, stressing that it has nothing to do with killing but rather with striving to be the best in life.
At the launch of Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum, a book by former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, the Sultan also insisted that Islamism in Nigeria is not about political control but good governance.
“Islamism is not aimed at seizing power at any particular forum. Islam is after good governance in society,” he said.
On Jihad, he was unequivocal: “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. Jihad is not to kill a non-Muslim; that’s a wrong notion people have been airing out for decades.”
He further cautioned against extremism, declaring, “You cannot be an extremist and then claim to be a good Muslim. Islam abhors extremism.”
The Sultan urged unity across Nigeria’s divides while commending General Irabor for sharing his insights in the new book.
