The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has reiterated his position on domestic violence, asserting that he has advised his daughters to respond if their husbands ever strike them.
The respected figure noted that beating a woman, young or old, is ‘haram’ (forbidden); hence, he asked his daughters to retaliate if their husbands ever raised their hands to maltreat them.
Sanusi made this declaration on Monday during the National Dialogue Conference on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention from an Islamic perspective.
The conference, titled “Islamic Teachings and Community Collaboration for Ending Gender-Based Violence,” was organized by the Centre for Islamic Civilization and Interfaith Dialogue (CICID) at Bayero University Kano, in partnership with the Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC), with support from the Ford Foundation.
The Emir emphasized that he consistently cautions his daughters prior to their marriages that they should not approach him with complaints of being struck unless they have taken measures to defend themselves.
Sanusi also presented alarming statistics, indicating that 45% of cases in nine Kano Shariah courts over a five-year period were related to domestic violence, including instances of wife-beating.
His investigation into family law underscored the gravity of these situations, revealing that women have endured broken bones, lost teeth, and other serious injuries inflicted by their partners.
The Kano Emir said: “You can interpret certain verses to justify light beating, but in reality, no one adheres to the rules of restraint. What we witness are cases of severe violence where women are beaten, punched, and kicked. My research in Kano’s Shariah courts revealed that not one case involved ‘light beating.’ Instead, women suffered extreme harm, including broken bones and teeth.”
The Kano Emir emphasized that any form of domestic violence, including beating, is explicitly prohibited in Islam.
“Beating your wife, daughter, or any woman is haram (forbidden). Violence against another human being violates their basic dignity. We must teach our daughters not to tolerate it and educate our sons that it is unacceptable.
“If my daughters are ever slapped by their husbands, they know I expect them to slap back. I did not send my daughters to be abused. If you dislike her, send her back to me, but do not raise your hand against her,” Sanusi said.
In his speech earlier, Dr. Hassan Karofi, Director of Partnerships and Strategic Communications, outlined the goals of the conference.
The event aimed to use Islamic teachings to advocate for the prevention of GBV in Northern Nigeria through the Muslim Opinion Leaders for Gender-Based Violence Prevention Project (MOLS4GBV).
Karofi explained: “This initiative leverages the influence of religious leaders to challenge harmful cultural norms and promote justice and protection for women. By aligning Islamic principles with modern GBV prevention strategies, the conference seeks to foster dialogue and actionable solutions among faith-based organizations, youth groups, traditional leaders, and government bodies.”
The event, coinciding with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, emphasized justice, dignity, and the safeguarding of women as central tenets of Islamic teachings.
