The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has clarified that the concept of jihad in Islam does not translate to killing non-Muslims, but rather to striving for excellence in one’s chosen path.
The Sultan made this known on Thursday in Abuja during the public presentation of “Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum”, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd.)
Speaking at the event, the Sultan—who also chairs the Northern Traditional Rulers Council—said the term jihad has been widely misinterpreted for decades.
“Jihad is not to kill a non-Muslim. Jihad means to strive—to be a good Muslim, a good Christian, a good farmer, or a good engineer. The notion that it means killing non-Muslims has been wrongly propagated for decades,” he said.
He stressed that Islam, guided by the Qur’an, Hadith, and scholarly consensus, condemns extremism in all forms.
“You cannot be an extremist and claim to be a good Muslim,” he added.
The Sultan also refuted claims that Islam seeks to impose political dominance, explaining that the faith’s true essence lies in good governance, justice, and accountability.
“We must come together as one family with different backgrounds to forge ahead and make this country better,” he urged.
Commending Gen. Irabor, the Sultan praised the former defence chief for documenting his experiences in tackling insecurity, describing the book as a valuable contribution to Nigeria’s ongoing security and peacebuilding discourse.