The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has called for harsher punishments for men who engage in domestic violence, declaring that such behavior is both un-Islamic and unacceptable in any society.
Speaking at his palace in Kano on Monday, July 21, during a visit from representatives of the Development Research and Project Centre (dRPC) and Bayero University’s Center for Islamic Civilization and Interfaith Dialogue (CICID), the respected monarch expressed deep concern over the growing trend of gender-based violence in northern Nigeria.
The advocacy visit, supported by the Ford Foundation, was part of a broader campaign to mentor Muslim Opinion Leaders (MOLs) and mobilize faith-based strategies to combat gender-based violence (GBV) in predominantly Muslim communities.
Sanusi didn't mince words as he addressed the issue:
“I have never supported beating women, and I never will. Those who beat their wives aren't doing it to correct them—they're harming them. That’s not what Islam teaches.”
The Emir emphasized that Islam has elevated and dignified the status of women far more than most people realize, stressing that many who commit abuse in the name of religion simply lack understanding of its true teachings.
“Anyone who lays a hand on his wife to injure her is not just a bad husband; he is not a good Muslim,” Sanusi added. “The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) himself warned against this behavior. Ignorance of the religion is no excuse.”
Backing his stance with academic insight, the Emir referenced his doctoral thesis, which focused on codifying Islamic family law. He revealed that during his research, he studied nine Shari’a courts in Kano over five years, and the findings exposed an alarming rate of domestic abuse in the region.
“This issue is more serious than many realize. That’s why I’ve warned all my district and village heads, anyone caught beating his wife risks losing his traditional title.”
Sanusi also threw his weight behind reviving the Kano State Family Law Draft, a proposed legal framework to address GBV through a blend of Islamic jurisprudence and modern advocacy.
He noted, “The legal tools we need already exist within Islamic texts. What’s needed now is to organize and codify them into actionable laws that can protect our women and children.”
