KADUNA — THE Sultan of Sokoto-led Jamaatu Nasril Islam (JNI), yesterday ruled out of order the fatwa issued against Isioma Daniel, the ThisDay reporter by the Zamfara State Government, saying a meeting of the body’s fatwa committee had been summoned to take a decision on issues arising from the publication which triggered the Kaduna mayhem.

The novelist, Salman Rushdie, who himself was sentenced to death via fatwa in 1989 following the publication of his book, The Satanic Verses, has urged the "tolerant Muslim majority" to deplore acts of violence committed in the name of Islam.

And President Olusegun Obasannjo in Kaduna, yesterday for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation there, expressed concern over the extensive use of locally made guns in the Kaduna riots, and vowed that the perpetrators must not be allowed to get away with their crime.

In disowning the fatwa by the Zamfara State Government, the JNI, through its Rapid Response Committee said the state had no right to pronounce fatwa. It said that it wanted "to alert Muslim Ummah that the only body that can issue fatwa is the Jamaatu Nasril Islam and the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (SCIA), both of which are being headed by His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto and the recognised spiritual leader of the Muslims in the country. The fatwa committee of that body has been directed by the Sultan in his letter of 22nd November, 2002 numbered SC3/SEC/023/VOL.XIX/SS8 to meet and look into the issue for consideration and decision. The fatwa committee which comprises members from all the 36 states of the federation and Abuja shall soon meet.

"The Zamfara State Government has no authority to issue fatwa and the fatwa issued by it should be ignored," it stated.

The JNI also directed individuals issuing personal opinions likely to cause further breach of peace to desist, adding that "the issue of the journalist and the paper involved which published it shall be determined later though their apology is noted." The religious body regretted the riots in Kaduna and Abuja, blaming them on the negligence of government.

"The JNI felt so disappointed for the negligence exercised by the authority which delayed prompt action against the blasphemous and provocative publication against the person of the Holy Prophet knowing truly well the sensitivity and gravity of such an action to the Muslims the world over," it said.

The group urged local leaders of both Christianity and Islam to take urgent steps to enlighten their followers on the tenets of their religions both of which do not condone any act of thuggery, vandalism, killing and maiming of lives. It was the above principle behind the minds of the leaders of the two religions which informed the foundation of Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) under the leadership of His eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto and CAN leader, Dr. Sunday Mbang, the body which has been working tirelessly to create peaceful co-existence between the followers of the two religions," JNI stated.

lRushdie preaches peace

Novelist, Salman Rushdie urged the "tolerant Muslim majority" to deplore acts of violence committed in the name of Islam, citing recent incidents in Nigeria and Egypt, in a New York Times opinion piece, Wednesday. Rushdie noted the death sentence issued against prominent Iranian academic, Hashem Aghajari for his criticism of mullahs running Iran despite his "impeccable Islamist credentials." "At least in Iran the students are demonstrating," wrote Rushdie, who became the target of a fatwa, or Islamic decree for his death, declared by Iran’s then Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989, after his book, The Satanic Verses was declared blasphemous to the Prophet Mohammed. At one point Iran offered rewards totalling $2 million for his death. Rushdie, a British citizen, born in Bombay, India to a Muslim family, subsequently spent some 10 years in hiding in Britain, during which his wife divorced him, with the British government spending some one million pounds ($1.6 million) a year to protect him from would-be Muslim assassins.

lObasanjo alarmed over local guns

However, President Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed concern over the extensive use of locally made guns in last week’s riots in Kaduna, vowing that perpetrators must never be allowed to get away with their crime again. Addressing a cross-section of traditional rulers, religious and opinion leaders at State House, Kano, after a tour of the affected areas in the city yesterday, President Obasanjo noted that the ugly trend must be confronted.

Said he: "This time around, we are seeing a new pattern, a pattern of extensive use of locally made guns."

He pointed out that although locally manufactured weapons were used in previous riots, they were never on the scale of the latest clashes. "That is the new menace that has to be confronted," he said.

President Obasanjo observed that from what he had read, heard and seen, of the riots, they were a mixture of religious, politics and poverty. This situation has to be confronted. Those responsible anywhere, anyhow, should they always do this and get away with it? I will say no," he said.

The President regretted that measures put in place to check crises in the state after the 2000 incidents did not yield results.

"From what I have heard, read and seen, it appears that all measures that have been taken by the state and traditional rulers and religious leaders down the line to prevent this kind of crisis did not yield results.

"Somehow, somewhere, somewhat, these diseases have not been eradicated but only curtailed," he stated.

President Obasanjo, who was accompanied on the tour by the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Tafa Balogun, some General Officers Commanding (GOCs) and service chiefs decried the level of destruction of people's lives and investments during the clashes.

He remarked that security agents had now been mandated to do everything necessary to fish out the culprits and their sponsors.

President Obasanjo informed his audience that he was in Kaduna to listen to them and hear their suggestions on what the Federal Government could do to have lasting peace in the state.

Earlier in his address at the occasion, the state Governor, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi, pointed out that there were parts of the state capital which constituted security risk not only to the state but also to the country at large. "It is our determination, Mr. President to actually confront the perpetrators or those who feel that they are above the law in these particular areas. People, who seem to be out of control of their parents, out of control of any reason, at the slightest incident, they wreak havoc on innocent people in our state," he said.

Alhaji Makarfi reminded the President that there were states in the country which required more in terms of security because of their nature. He noted that Kaduna State would need the assistance of the Federal Government to stem the ugly incidents in the state.

While this story does confirm that MUSLIMS DO HAVE LEADERS, contrary to another posting on this website, there is yet another problem.

Not even the Sultan of Sokoto, who is unelected, and not recognised by the constitution should be able to issue death sentences on anybody.

Tell us this:-

Whose authority is greater, the Sultan of Sokoto or The the Supreme Court of Nigeria? In other words can the Supreme Court revoke a Fatwa by the Sultan? Can the Sultan pardon someone (a muslim?) sentenced by the courts

Thanks for this posting but I cannot help noticing the contradictions in the JNI statement. While ruling as out of order the fatwa issued by the deputy governor, it has nowhere condemn the DG for doing so. It states that the fatwa committee had been summoned to take a decision on the issue....

"The fatwa committee of that body has been directed by the Sultan in
his letter of 22nd November, 2002 numbered SC3/SEC/023/VOL.XIX/SS8 to meet and look into the issue for consideration and decision. The fatwa committee which comprises members from all the 36 states of the federation and Abuja shall soon meet."

The big question is why do they have a fatwa committee in place, I note from the article that the committee already exist before this incident. Who gave them the right to have a committee that would decide who lives and who should die.

"The Zamfara State Government has no authority to issue fatwa and the fatwa issued by it should be ignored," it stated"

Is the sultan just asserting his authority here?

'The JNI also directed individuals issuing personal opinions likely to cause further breach of peace to desist, adding that "the issue of the journalist and the paper involved which published it shall be determined later though their apology is noted." The religious body regretted the riots in Kaduna and Abuja, blaming them on the negligence of government.'

This is one area I agree with the statement, the government should be blame for not arresting all those leaders who justify the riots. The government should be blame for the lack of education of these people, who do not understand that freedom of expression belongs to everyone. The government should take the blame for allowing a religious group to believe they can do what they like and when they like and feel justified at taking another man's life in the name of religion.
What more is there to determine on the publication that has not been said?

"The group urged local leaders of both Christianity and Islam to take urgent steps to enlighten their followers on the tenets of their religions both of which do not condone any act of thuggery, vandalism, killing and maiming of lives..........."

So pleeeeease tell me how come there is a fatwa committee meeting on this and why has there not been an outright condemnation of the killings by the JNI.

What about an apology to the nations for the innocent lives lost in the name of Islam?