The Sultan of Sokoto and President-Generation of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Dr. Mohammad Sa’ad Abubakar has decried the raging controversy over Hijab.

He said Hijab simply means decent dressing for Muslim women and is a part and parcel of Islam.

Abubakar spoke in Lagos on Saturday during the fifth National Convention of Muslim Public Affairs Centre with the theme, “Public Trust and Accountability”.

The Sultan, who is the Chairman of the two-day event, said he could not decipher why the issue of Hijab would be so controversial to the extent that female Muslims who adorn Hijab would be ‘molested.’

He spoke against the backdrop of the raging controversy over the denial of a University of Ilorin law student, Miss Amasa Firdaus from being called to bar last week for refusing to remove her Hijab worn under her wig.

Represented by a member of NSCIA and Wazirin of Katsina, Prof. Sanni Abubakar Lugga, the Sultan said Hijab is not only a mode of dressing in Islam only, but it is also an accepted mode of dressing in Christianity and Judaism.

He stressed that Muslims are peace-loving and they should be allowed to practise their religion as stipulated by Allah and as contained in the traditions of Prophet Mohammad.

He said: “His Eminence wonders while Hijab has now become a controversial issue. Hijab simply means decent dressing, decent dressing by the females. So why should decent dressing be a problem? The Hijab is just an Arabic word. In English it means decent dressing.

“His Eminence has asked Nigerians to reflect and see that this is not only an Islamic mode of dressing but a Christian mode of dressing. It is also a Judaism mode of dressing and it is a dressing for every decent woman. It is a dressing for any woman who wants to preserve her chastity in public.

“Secondly, the Nigerian Constitution is absolutely clear. Why should Nigerian Muslims be molested and even denied their own right? The Appeal Court ruling in Ilorin is there, the Appeal Court in Lagos and also the High Court all delivered judgement in favour of Hijab.

“Justice Alooma, the former CJN, Justice Bukalchuwa and other senior Justices in Nigeria wear their Hijab and then the wig on top of it. The Nigeria Judicial Council (NJC), the Highest body in the judiciary has not said, ‘no, they should stop’, which means the Nigerian constitution allows the Hijab, the Nigerian Courts through these three judgments have allowed the Hijab and the NJC through these senior judges has allowed the Hijab.

“Why will a legal school refuse our sister’s induction into the judiciary simply because she is wearing Hijab? Is the law school saying they are above the NJC, they are above the Nigerian constitution, they are above these three senior courts?”

On the theme of the convention, the Sultan said accountability leads to public trust and Nigerian leaders would earn public trust if they are accountable. He tasked Nigerians at all levels both in public and private lives to embrace accountability.

At the convention, three Nigerians, including the former Attorney-General and Minster of Justice, Chief Bola Ajibola, JAMB Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede and Hon. Sikiru Oshinowo of Lagos House of Assembly were honoured with the MPAC's Nigeria Muslim Achievement Award (NMAA). (Daily Trust)

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