Sheikh Sani Tukur Jangebe, the Chief Imam of the Muslims Foundation Mosque and the Zamfara State Commissioner for Religious Affairs
Islamic clerics disagree on mob killing of Sokoto student over alleged blasphemy
Chief Imam of the Muslims Foundation Mosque and the Zamfara State Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Sheikh Sani Tukur Jangebe, has disagreed with the position of another cleric over the mob killing of Miss Deborah Samuel Yakubu, a 200-level female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education (SSCOED), as he condemned the act.
The Imam while delivering his Friday sermon in Gusau, noted that even the Prophet Mohammed (SAW) was insulted and humiliated during his lifetime, yet he did not order the assassination of his foes.
Sheikh Sani Tukur Jangebe’s position sharply contrasts with that earlier declared by the Deputy Chief Imam of Abuja’s National Mosque, Professor Ibrahim Maqari, who, Friday, backed the mob killing of Miss Deborah, insisting that Muslims should not be blamed for harming those who insulted the Prophet.
“It should be known to everyone that we the Muslims have some redlines beyond which MUST NOT be crossed. The dignity of the Prophet (PBUH) is at the forefront of the redlines.
“If our grievances are not properly addressed, then we should not be criticized for addressing them ourselves,” Professor Ibrahim Maqari had posted on his Twitter account in reaction to the killing of the Sokoto school student.
However, delivering his Friday sermon in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, Sheikh Jangebe added that it was wrong for any Muslim to make such regulations, claiming that Allah did not authorise such rulings in Islam.
Meanwhile, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has appealed to all those involved in the demonstration in Sokoto state to “calm down and allow peace to reign”.
There are reports the protest on Saturday degenerated into violence.
MURIC’s advice was contained in a terse, three-paragraph statement issued by its director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, on Saturday afternoon, in reaction to the riots in parts of Sokoto State over the arrest by police of suspected perpetrators of the mob killing of a female student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education (SSCOED), Thursday.
“MURIC salutes Governor Aminu Tambuwal, His Eminence the Sultan and the good people of Sokoto. This is not the time to be divided in the state, rather it is the time to unite and work for peace. What happened on Thursday should bring the people of Sokoto together and unite them with the governor and the Sultan.
“As the seat of the caliphate, we must always ensure that Sokoto State is peaceful. The state must be allowed to develop both spiritually and economically.
“We therefore appeal to all demonstrators to disperse. We must allow our hardworking governor to serve us in peace. Please go home peacefully and return to your lawful duties.
“The Ummah as a whole from Yenagoa to Kaura Namoda and from Lagos to Jigawa has tons of love and immeasurable respect for Sultan Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar. We demand same from the Muslim youths in Sokoto State. We therefore urge the youths to leave the streets and return peacefully to their homes as their grievances are being addressed by our amiable governor.”
