The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has said Islam does not permit violence against women, warning that any traditional titleholder found guilty of wife-beating risks being stripped of his title.
Sanusi gave the warning on Monday, July 21, at his palace in Kano while receiving a delegation from the Development Research and Project Center (dRPC) and the Bayero University’s Center for Islamic Civilisation and Interfaith Dialogue (CICID).
The delegation was on an advocacy visit as part of a Ford Foundation-funded project mentoring Muslim Opinion Leaders to tackle Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in northern Nigeria.
“I never believe in beating women, and those who do, are not beating their wives with the intention of reforming them,” Sanusi said. “What we see today is even serious beating and injuring of women in name of reforming them.”
The emir, who holds a PhD in Islamic Studies and conducted a five-year study of nine Shari’a courts in Kano, described GBV as widespread and unacceptable.
“Islam has respected and dignified women more than any other religion, and all those seeking cover under it to abuse women do not even understand the religion,” he said.
“Whosoever beats and injures his wife is not a good person. I did not say this, it is the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who said it. It is those who do not read that don’t know.”
He called on religious leaders, especially Imams and clerics, to speak up and help change harmful attitudes. “All the legal frameworks needed are already on our Islamic jurisprudence books,” he noted, urging for the revival of the Kano State family law draft.
CICID Director, Dr. Taofeek Abubakar Hussain, told the emir, “Islam is full of justice and respect to women, but part of our culture promotes it.”
He explained that the project has engaged and trained clerics who are expected to use their platforms to speak out on the Islamic stance against GBV. “It is not part of our religion, as no religion protects the rights of women more than Islam,” he said.
Dr. Hussain also appealed for traditional leaders under the emirate to receive training on their responsibilities in responding to GBV. “Our aim is to use projects like this to tell people the Islamic position on GBV and how it could be reduced to the barest minimum.”
“We have partnership with main Imams in Kano and Kaduna and even other parts of the north. We believe in their influence and how that could help achieve the desired result,” he added.
