Sultan of Sokoto, Dr. Mohammad Sa’ad Abubakar has reacted to the raging controversy over Hijab.
He decried the controversy, stating that Hijab simply meant decent dressing for Muslim women and was part and parcel of Islam.
Speaking in Lagos on Saturday during the fifth National Convention of
Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) he stressed that Muslims were
peace- loving, therefore, should be allowed to practise their religion
as stipulated by Allah and as contained in the traditions of Prophet
Mohammad.
UNILORIN graduate, Miss Amasa Firdaus was denied from being called to
bar last week for refusing to remove her Hijab worn under her wig.
Represented by a member of NSCIA and Wazirin of Katsina, Prof. Sanni
Abubakar Lugga, the Sultan said Hijab was not only a mode of dressing in
Islam only but was also an accepted mode of dressing in Christianity
and Judaism.
He further asked why the Law school would stop a sister from wearing Hijab wondering if the legal school was higher than NJC.
He said, “His eminence wonders while Hijab has now become a
controversial issue. Hijab simply means decent dressing, decent dressing
by the females. So why should decent dressing be a problem? The Hijab
is just an Arabic word. In English it means decent dressing.
“His Eminence has asked Nigerians to reflect and see that this is not
only an Islamic mode of dressing but a Christian mode of dressing. It
is also a Judaism mode of dressing and it is a dressing for every decent
woman. It is a dressing for any woman who wants to preserve her
chastity in public.
“Secondly, in Nigerian constitution it is absolutely clear. Why
should Nigerian Muslims be molested and even denied their own right? The
Appeal Court ruling in Ilorin is there, the Appeal Court in Lagos and
also the High Court all delivered judgement in favour of Hijab.
“Justice Alooma, the former CJN, Justice Bukalchuwa and other Senior
Justices in Nigeria wear their Hijab and then the wig on top of it. The
Nigeria Judicial Council (NJC), the Highest body in the judiciary has
not said, ‘no, they should stop’ which means the Nigerian constitution
allows the Hijab, the Nigerian Courts through these three judgements
have allowed the Hijab and the NJC through these senior judges has
allowed the Hijab.
“Why will a legal school refuse our sister’s induction into the
judiciary simply because she is wearing Hijab? Is the law school saying
they are above the NJC, they are above the Nigerian constitution, they
are above these three senior courts?”