Jihad Means to Strive, Not to Kill — Sultan of Sokoto

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has clarified that jihad in Islam does not mean killing non-Muslims but striving for excellence in any chosen endeavor. He made the statement 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).

The Sultan, who also serves as Chairman of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, said the concept of jihad has been widely misrepresented. According to him, jihad means striving to be a good person in one’s faith and profession, whether as a Muslim, Christian, farmer, or engineer. He stressed that the notion of jihad as violence against non-Muslims has been wrongly propagated for decades.

He further explained that Islam, guided by the Qur’an, Hadith, and scholarly consensus, rejects all forms of extremism. “You cannot be an extremist and claim to be a good Muslim,” he said. The Sultan also dismissed claims that Islam is about seizing political power, noting that its true essence lies in promoting justice, good governance, and accountability.

Calling for national unity, he urged Nigerians to avoid divisive rhetoric on religion and insecurity. “We must come together as one family with different backgrounds to forge ahead and make this country better,” he said.

The Sultan commended Gen. Irabor for documenting his experiences in tackling insecurity, describing the book as a valuable contribution to Nigeria’s security discourse.