Sultan of Sokoto reacts to hijab ban, blasts Nigerian Law School

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?”