Blasphemy: Cleric Condemns Jungle Justice, Says Sokoto Killers ‘Misunderstand Islam’…

An Islamic cleric, Raji Abdul-Ganiyy, has criticised the recent killing of a man in Sokoto on allegations of blaspheming against Prophet Muhammad, saying the act was due to a misunderstanding of the precepts of Islam.

Abdul-Ganiyy, who condemned the killings on Wednesday, said, “They are misunderstanding Islam, they are engaging in what we call jungle justice which is not known to Islam.”

According to the cleric, there is no verse in the Quran that instructs one to kill and it does not posit intolerance for blasphemy.

Lamenting the killing, he cited the murder of Deborah Samuel, a female student, who was similarly killed in Sokoto for alleged blasphemy.

The Secretary of the Nasrul-lahi-li Fathi Society of Nigeria (NASFAT) Mission Board noted that the practice of Islam should not be forcefully imposed on people but accepted willingly.

“People have to accept Islam out of conviction and if somebody chooses to renounce Islam, probably the person has a reason to do so,” Abdul-Ganiyy said.

According to him, the Quran does not in any way support a revenge mission over those who renounce or blaspheme against Islam.

The cleric lamented the surge of religious hypocrisy and urged religious followers to imbibe and emulate what was ministered to them at their gatherings.

An irate mob in Sokoto on Sunday killed a butcher, Usman Buda after he was accused of making blasphemous comments against Prophet Muhammad.

The Sokoto State Police Command confirmed the killing in a statement by its spokesperson, Ahmad Rufai.

He said the command received information on the incident and quickly swung into action. adding that the command had begun an investigation into the incident.