From the vantage point of Saudi Arabia, where I followed the proceedings with reverent attention and a tinge of longing, the edge of the pre-Ramadan gathering in Abuja acquired a quiet, urgent resonance. The speech, delivered by Sheikh Dr. Bashir Aliyu Umar, OON, President of the Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN), unfolds as both spiritual exhortation and pragmatic charter. It is a document of faith pressed against the margins of national life, a testament to how religious leadership seeks to guide a plural society through the tremors of modernity. The speaker’s voice is measured, deliberate, but inexorably insistent on justice, equity, and the sovereignty of conscience within the bounds of constitutional order.
A Framing Invocation and the Call to Purpose
Bismillāhir-Raḥmānir-Raḥīm opens the address, an invocation that immediately situates the discourse within a frame of sacred obligation. The opening phrases of Hamd frame the gathering as a collective return to righteousness and guidance. The assembly is described not as a routine convening but as a sacred trust and strategic responsibility: the Council’s mandate is to provide religious guidance, moral leadership, and principled engagement on issues affecting both the Muslim Ummah and the Nigerian nation. The aim is not merely to observe Ramadan’s threshold but to align spiritual preparation with clarity of thought and action.
The president welcomes participants as partners in guiding and reforming the Ummah, a phrasing that signals humility and resolve. The emphasis on reforming the Ummah “as a divine and national responsibility” presages the fusion of sacred duty with civic obligation that threads through the entire address. The prelude to the substantive sections is thus a call to partake in a broader project: to articulate a just, inclusive, and resilient public life within a constitutional framework.
Highlights of Key Activities Undertaken Since the Last Ramadan
The discourse situates the Council within a space of steady, principled intervention, guided by hikmah (wisdom), restraint, and the Maqāid al-Sharī‘ah (the higher objectives of Shariah). The array of concerns is wide, spanning justice, peace, constitutionalism, and national cohesion. It is a portrait of a body that refuses to be a mere voice in the wilderness, instead positioning itself at the fulcrum of policy and conscience.
- a) Nigeria’s Tax Reform Initiatives
The Council’s intervention during the legislative process on tax reform bills is presented as a defence of the marginalised. The speech asserts that alterations to the bills by the executive have grave socio-economic implications for ordinary Nigerians, particularly the vulnerable. The principle invoked is justice—an Islamic obligation to mitigate hardship and prevent undue burdens. The argument is not anti-reform but pro-fairness: fiscal policy must be equitable, humane, and socially responsible, with forensic accountability demanded of the National Assembly.
- b) Insecurity and Peacebuilding
Security is treated as a moral issue. The Council advocates Sulh (peaceful reconciliation) as a core pillar of non-kinetic peacebuilding and presents data illustrating the disproportionate impact of insecurity on Muslim communities. Yet the condemnation of terrorism is unequivocal; every life is sacred, and the state bears a divine and constitutional duty to protect lives, property, and dignity without discrimination. The emphasis is on institutionalised peaceful means and addressing root causes through principled engagement.
- c) Countering Dangerous Propaganda
The speech rejects the “Christian genocide” narrative as a harmful misrepresentation. The Council presents data showing Muslims are significantly affected by violence, while condemning all forms of violence. The rhetoric is a plea for honesty, balance, and responsibility in public discourse to avert mistrust and polarisation. It is a call to principled dialogue in a volatile information environment.
- d) Threats of Foreign Intervention and Religious Freedom
The Council cautions against foreign interference and defends Nigeria’s sovereignty. The speech asserts that the Muslim Ummah’s rights are constitutionally guaranteed and non-negotiable, including the freedom to practise religion, within a shared national compact. The rejection of foreign bases on Nigerian soil is explicit.
- e) On Politics
With direct political bite, the Council calls for the removal of the INEC Chairman amid concerns about integrity and credibility. The framing is that elections must be credible, conducted under conditions that preserve public trust. The Council’s stance is a warning against legitimising elections conducted under a cloud of compromised integrity.
- f) The Plight of Palestine
The Council’s stance is unequivocally supportive of justice for the Palestinians and critical of the genocide in Gaza, while lamenting a perceived global conspiracy of silence. The address anchors the stance in moral seriousness and humanitarian concern, noting Nigeria’s representations at the United Nations General Assembly.
- g) National Budget and Fiscal Stewardship
The Council voices concerns about poor budget implementation, mis-prioritisation, and underfunding of critical institutions. The commitment is to fiscal responsibility and people-centred development, with ongoing engagement with Parliament to ensure budgets reflect national vulnerabilities and social needs.
- h) Justice, Equity, and Federal Appointments
The Council raises concerns about systemic inequities in federal appointments, noting that a majority is perceived to favour Christians. The argument sits within constitutional equity and Federal Character principles, calling for redress, fairness, and inclusive governance to preserve national cohesion.
- i) Shariah Implementation
The Council reaffirms that Shariah is a constitutional right for Muslims, backed by the Nigerian Constitution. The address condemns plots to remove Shariah provisions from constitutional amendments and reiterates that Islam is Shariah, with no intention to abridge others’ rights. The right of Muslim-majority states to apply Shariah as a matter of right is emphasised, alongside a commitment to peaceful coexistence and mutual respect.
- j) Unity of the Ummah
A milestone highlighted is the Council’s role in convening major Islamic organisations from across Nigeria to confront shared challenges: insecurity, economic hardship, ethnic polarisation, deviant ideologies, and unregulated social media conduct. The First Northern Ulama Summit and the First Southern Ulama Summit are presented as turning points for unity, alignment, and resolve across regions. The moral is a call to solidarity in addressing common threats and opportunities.
- k) Halal Economy and Islamic Investments
The Council offers clarifications on the Halal economy and Islamic finance, cautioning against unhealthy competition claimed by some Christian groups that might hamper national development. The argument is that Halal investments are ethical and inclusive, with Western examples—UK and US—validating the broader utility of Islamic finance instruments. The Sukuk bond is cited as a tangible success, funding infrastructure and benefiting the wider economy.
- l) Other Strategic Engagements
The closing portion notes ongoing engagement with the Executive and Legislative branches, robust media activity, and public briefings on critical national and moral issues. The overarching message is steadfast commitment to the Ummah’s welfare, constitutional rights, justice, unity, and Nigeria’s stability and progress.
State of the Nation and the Council’s Stand
Nigeria stands at a critical crossroads: insecurity, loss of life, economic hardship, erosion of public trust, social anxiety, inflation, unemployment, and rising taxation. The Council speaks with moral clarity about the risks of inaction and the danger of exploiting identity politics for political or economic gain. The stance is thorough and emphatic: taxation must not impose unjust hardship; terrorism must be confronted through security and reconciliation; the “Christian genocide” narrative is rejected for its potential to deepen division; foreign interference must be resisted; the INEC process must be credible; Gaza must receive humanitarian relief and justice; budget processes must be transparent and responsive to vulnerabilities; federal appointments require fairness and adherence to constitutional principles; Shariah remains a constitutional right; Halal economy and Islamic finance must be accessible to all Nigerians.
Ramadan Tafseer: Messages to Ulama
A further set of statements is addressed to Ulama for Ramadan Tafseer. The Council calls on Islamic organisations and Ulama to guide the Ummah with high scholarly and ethical standards, pursue moral reform and unity, avoid ethnic or tribal appeals, and lead prayers for robust leadership that upholds justice. The messages stress repentance, supplication, spiritual renewal, and social responsibility, including prudent use of social media, participation in Continuous Voter Registration, and voting conscientiously. The exhortations conclude with calls to pray for righteous leadership and to remind those in authority of their responsibilities—govern with justice, accountability, and fear of Allah. Quoted Qur’anic verses and Hadith anchors shape the moral case.
Closing Reflections and Communal Hopes
The closing lines re-affirm a hopeful horizon: Ramadan as a season for mercy, justice, and peace; Nigeria’s renewal through faithful leadership and civic virtue; and the wish to witness Ramadan in good health and security. The final blessing and Salaam bookend a speech that speaks to both the soul and the state.
A Personal Assessment: Faith, Governance, and the Promise of Inclusion
In reflecting on the speech from my distance, there is a palpable tension between spiritual aspiration and the stubborn realities of governance. The SCSN’s articulation—insisting on Shariah rights within constitutional order, advocating for justice and equity across religious lines, and urging unity in the face of sectarian risk—reads as a manifesto for a mature, plural polity where religion informs civic virtue rather than hardens into faction. The emphasis on Sulh and peaceful reconciliation as strategic tools suggests an awareness that non-violent paths to stability are not mere concessions but essential foundations for lasting reform.
Moreover, the speech’s apparatus of accountability—demanding public hearings on tax reform, calling for removal of a controversial INEC Chairman, and urging comprehensive forensic reviews of laws—signals a readiness to engage with institutions in ways that blend piety with procedural exactitude. The call for a credible budget, equitable appointments, and the expansion of Halal finance positions Nigeria’s religious leadership as a guardian of inclusive economic opportunity, not a clerical enclave separate from the market.
There is, however, a striking delicacy in balancing assertive moral stances with a genuine appeal for cohesion. The language acknowledges Nigeria’s diversity as a strength, a thread the speaker insists must be sewn tighter through mutual respect rather than coercion. It is a philosophy that recognises the power of religious authority to shape public life while learning to coexist with constitutional pluralism and secular governance. The speech does not pretend that faith alone will rescue a country from the frictions of modern sovereignty; instead, it posits faith as a moral compass that guides policy, dialogue, and collective action.
Finally, the personal frame—my absence from Abuja, my watching from afar, and my access to the speech—adds a layer of intimate distance and responsibility. It is a reminder that in our interconnected age, voices can travel across borders even when bodies remain elsewhere. The narrative I have crafted from these pages honours the text’s gravity while foregrounding the human longing to be present, to contribute, and to be part of the ongoing work of building a just and compassionate society.
