The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has declared that individuals who kill innocent people while shouting “Allahu Akbar” are acting against the teachings of Islam and will face divine punishment.
The Sultan made the remarks on Wednesday during the First Triennial Meeting of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) held in Abuja.
Speaking at the event, the respected Islamic leader stressed that terrorism, banditry, and violent attacks carried out in the name of religion should not be linked to Islam. According to him, criminals hiding under religious slogans are misrepresenting the faith and misleading the public.
The meeting was attended by the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Daniel Okoh, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
The Sultan urged Nigerians to stop describing criminals based on religion, insisting that evil acts should be called what they are without attaching religious identities to them.
According to him, “Let us get the narrative right. It is not about religion. Let us stop bringing religion into it. Let us call them what they are — criminals, terrorists, and bandits, not Muslim terrorists or Muslim bandits.”
He explained that the actions of violent groups are completely contrary to Islamic teachings, even if those responsible claim to be Muslims.
The Sultan also blamed ignorance and false religious teachings for the growing extremism in society. He warned that speaking Arabic or possessing limited religious knowledge does not qualify anyone as a genuine Islamic scholar.
He said many innocent people have been deceived by extremists who misuse religion to justify violence, adding that anyone who kills innocent citizens in the name of God would face severe consequences in the hereafter.
“Someone can go into a market, detonate explosives, kill innocent people and shout ‘Allahu Akbar.’ Yes, God is great, but such a person is heading to hell because Islam does not support the killing of innocent lives,” he stated.
The Sultan further called for increased literacy, proper religious education, and stronger interfaith cooperation to promote peace and unity across the country.
