The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has urged women to stand against domestic violence, emphasizing that no one should tolerate being abused by their spouse. Speaking at the National Dialogue Conference on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) organized by the Centre for Islamic Civilization and Interfaith Dialogue (CICID) at Bayero University, Kano, the monarch addressed the prevalence of wife beating and domestic violence in Shari’a courts.

Sanusi revealed that 45% of cases in nine Kano Shari’a courts over five years involved wife beating and domestic violence. He criticized the misuse of religious texts to justify abuse, pointing out that in reality, cases labeled as “light beating” often result in severe harm, such as broken limbs and knocked-out teeth.

“Beating Is Haram, Prohibited In Islam”

The Emir condemned gender-based violence as a violation of human dignity, urging both men and women to respect each other’s physical and emotional well-being. He declared that any form of beating is prohibited (haram) in Islam and must be eradicated from society.

Empowering Women To Resist Abuse

Sanusi shared his personal stance on domestic violence, stating that he advises his daughters to defend themselves if subjected to abuse. “If your husband slaps you, and you come home and tell me without slapping him back, I will slap you myself,” he said, emphasizing the need for women to assert their rights and for men to uphold respect within marriages.

The conference, themed “Islamic Teachings and Community Collaboration for Ending Gender-Based Violence,” was held in collaboration with the Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC) and supported by the Ford Foundation. The Emir stressed the importance of educating both genders to foster mutual respect and combat the societal normalization of violence against women.