When the Kano State governor was caught on video receiving bribe in dollars, Sharia laws and their enforcement agents (Hisbah) went mute and was switched off. Recently when Buhari’s soon-to-be daughter-in-law dressed in an Islamically inappropriate wedding outfit, Sharia law got an immediate amendment. The enforcers made an announcement that should go into the Guinness Book of Record. They banned those posting images of the damsel wearing the dress on social media and the internet generally. This is a microcosm of what happens in most Islamic countries and communities where Sharia is practiced. At the highest level where Sharia is practiced, you will find the Saudi Arabia crown prince and custodian of the Islamic religion ordering the murder of a journalist. You will find wealthy Muslim men marrying underaged girls from very poor families in North Africa and other extremely poor regions. The list of infidelious acts currently happening will create a bestselling unholy book. The irony is that the perpetrators are the legislators. This irony reminds me of Fela Anikulapo Kuti’s song that says …suffer suffer for world, enjoy for heaven. In this song, he concludes that Imam na gbaladun which summarizes what the elite in Islamic societies enjoys and the masses suffer. We are again reminded of this truth by the response of the Sharia law enforcers to the wedding dress of Buhari’s soon-to-be daughter-in-law.

Sharia law is Islam’s legal system. It is derived from both the Koran, Islam’s central text, and fatwas – the rulings of Islamic scholars according to the BBC. Sharia literally means “the clear, well-trodden path to water”. Sharia law acts as a code for living that all Muslims should adhere to, including prayers, fasting, and donations to the poor. It aims to help Muslims understand how they should lead every aspect of their lives according to God’s wishes. Sharia can inform every aspect of daily life for a Muslim. Sharia law divides offenses into two general categories: “hadd” offenses, which are serious crimes with set penalties, and “tazir” crimes, where the punishment is left to the discretion of the judge. Hadd offenses include theft, which can be punishable by amputating the offender’s hand, and adultery, which can carry the penalty of death by stoning. The United Nations has spoken out against death by stoning, saying it “constitutes torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and is thus clearly prohibited”. Apostasy, or leaving the faith, is a very controversial issue in the Muslim world and experts say most scholars believe it is punishable by death. Like any legal system, Sharia is complex, and its practice is entirely reliant on the quality and training of experts. Herein lies the problem in Nigeria. In a country where those who insult or say uncomplimentary things about Buhari or state governors have been sentenced to jail, it is easy for a law system like the Sharia law to be abused.

 Islamic clerics like Sheikh Gumi who doubles as an Islamic scholar including Malam Nasir El Rufai muddies the water even more. Gumi has become the de facto spokesman and negotiator for Bandits. These Bandits who continue to steal, kill and destroy have been given red-carpetlike reception by Islamic governors while poor citizens of their states get the full weight of Sharia law. From the Zamfara State lawmaker and former governor Ahmad Sani Yerima who introduced Sharia law into Nigeria that became an extreme upgrade of the penal code to Buhari’s daughter-in-law, Sharia law has demonstrated partiality and selectivity in its interpretation and enforcement. The hallmark of most peaceful and prosperous communities and nations is equity and justice. Those who break the law regardless of their social or economic standing are made to face the full weight of the law. From what is happening in Islamic societies like Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Northern Nigeria states where Sharia is practiced, one can say Sharia law tends to promote sacred cows who are above the law. When these sacred cows like the crown prince of Saudi Arabia and Muhammadu Buhari have political powers, it creates a dictatorial regime as we are experiencing in Nigeria where press freedom and other liberties will soon become extinct if nothing is done about it.

 Ata Ukuta, Editor – www.towncryyers.com