Banditry, terrorism have no link with Islam – Clerics, others

By Lukman Olabiyi

Islamic scholars and clerics have declared that banditry and terrorism have nothing to do with Islam, urging Nigerians to reject attempts to associate criminal violence with the religion.

The scholars spoke at the 17th Annual Islamic International Conference organised by Daaru Na’im Academy for Shariah Sciences, Nigeria, where they unanimously condemned all acts that link Islam with crime, injustice and evil.

The four-day conference held in Lagos, themed “The Jurisprudence of the Sound Creed and Contemporary Challenges,” attracted more than 20,000 participants from within and outside Nigeria.

Discussions at the event focused on addressing contemporary challenges facing Muslim communities and promoting cohesion, while tackling issues such as extremism, moral decay and other social vices.

Participants warned that associating Islam with violent crimes not only misrepresents the religion but also fuels mistrust, prejudice and religious intolerance in the country.

The convener of the conference, Dr Imran AbdulMajeed Eleha, said the gathering was aimed at examining the importance of sound Islamic belief across African societies in view of evolving social practices and behaviours that contradict the principles of authentic Islamic creed.

“This challenge is further compounded by discourses hostile to the sound creed, propagated by groups that claim affiliation with Islam and the qiblah, yet remain far removed from the true methodology of Islam in belief and actions,” Eleha said.

Some of the guest speakers, including Professor Abdul Mojeed Alaro and the Grand Kadi of the Kwara State Sharia Court of Appeal, Justice Kamaldeen Abdulateef, called on Nigerians of all faiths to embrace religious tolerance, peaceful coexistence and mutual understanding.

They stressed that national unity is essential in addressing insecurity across the country.

Also speaking, the representative of the Saudi Arabian Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs, Dr Hamad Al-Wuhaybi, alongside the Deputy Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Mohammad Ali Wahiso, emphasised that Islam is founded on the principles of peace, justice and the sanctity of human life.

They maintained that acts of terrorism and banditry are completely at odds with Islamic teachings and should not be attributed to the religion under any guise.