The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has expressed deep concern over the rising cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Kano State, calling for stricter penalties for offenders while emphasizing that no true Muslim beats his wife.
Speaking at his palace on Monday, July 21, during a courtesy visit by representatives from the development Research and Project Center (DRPC) and the Center for Islamic Civilization and Interfaith Dialogue (CICID) of Bayero University, Sanusi condemned the increasing incidents of rape and domestic violence, which he described as disturbing and unacceptable.
“I never believe in beating women, and those who do are not doing so with the intention of reforming them,” the Emir stated. “What we see today is serious beating and injuring of women in the name of correction.
Islam respects and dignifies women more than any other religion. Anyone who beats and injures his wife is not a good person. I did not say this—Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said it. It is those who do not read that don’t know.”
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Sanusi noted that Islamic clerics and Imams have a significant role to play in reshaping societal attitudes and eradicating GBV in Muslim communities. He urged them to use their platforms to promote non-violence and respect for women as taught by Islam.
The visit by DRPC and CICID was part of an advocacy initiative under a Ford Foundation-funded project aimed at mentoring Muslim Opinion Leaders (MOLs) to combat GBV in Muslim-dominated northern Nigerian states.
The Emir praised the project as timely and necessary, calling on the team to help revive the Kano State Family Law Draft, which he said contains vital legal measures for addressing GBV.
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“All the legal frameworks needed are already available in our Islamic jurisprudence books. All that is required is to collate and present them as a draft that can be used to safeguard families and protect women,” he added.
Recalling his academic research, Sanusi revealed that his PhD thesis focused on the codification of Islamic family law, during which he studied nine Shari’a courts in Kano over five years. The findings, he said, showed a troubling pattern of GBV across the state.
“As a result, I have instructed all my district and village heads that anyone found guilty of beating his wife risks losing his traditional title,” the monarch warned.