Emir Sanusi preached on belief in God and the need for Muslims to accept their destiny for good or for bad
A sermon delivered by the reinstated Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, at the Muslim congregational prayers on Friday has generated controversy in the state.
Leading the prayers for the first time since his reinstatement on 24 May, Mr Sanusi, in a thinly veiled criticism of his rival, Aminu Ado Bayero, said it is wrong for a Muslim ruler not to accept whatever fate befalls him as the will of God,
Governor Abba Yusuf reinstated Mr Sanusi after the state House of Assembly controlled by the New Nigeria People Party (NNPP) repealed the state Emirate Council Law 2019, scrapping the five emirates system and dethroning their emirs.
The law was passed under the administration of former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, who in 2020 removed Mr Sanusi and split his emirate into five.
However, Mr Ado-Bayero rejected his own removal as the Emir of Kano after an ally obtained an interim order from the Federal High Court in a suit challenging the repeal of the 2019 law.
Mr Ado-Bayero returned to Kano on 25 May, a day after Mr Sanusi was formally reinstated, and moved into a mini palace of the emirate while Mr Sanusi was installed in the main palace, Gidan Rumfa.
"No one can ask God for an explanation on any issue", Mr Sanusi said, in an apparent reference to Mr Ado-Bayero, who he did not mention by name while leading the Friday congregational prayers at the city's central mosque.
Mr Sanusi preached on belief in God and the need for Muslims to accept their destiny for good or for bad. He also spoke on the importance of prayers and supplications in the month of Dhul Hijjah - the month Muslims observe Edel-Kabir.
"Whoever believes that Allah alone gives everything must take his decision wholeheartedly without contemplation. No one asks Allah's reasons for anything.
"We were told that whoever does not accept that destiny is from Allah his belief is not complete. One should be thankful in good and bad situations. We must believe that whatever happens to us is predestined and what we couldn't have is also from God.
"We are fast approaching Dhul Hijjah, which is very beneficial, and we must observe supplications these days," Mr Sanusi said.
Controversy over sermon
Several residents in the state and beyond have been reacting to the sermon.
A former state Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Muaz Magaji, accused Mr Sanusi of using the pulpit to attack Mr Ado-Bayero.
Mr Magaji, who served in the administration of Mr Ganduje, said the sermon was at variance with the teachings of Islam "because the message and intention were twisted and self-serving.
"The pulpit is sacred, therefore, it's wrong to use it sarcastically against anyone", Mr Magaji said in a series of Facebook posts on the sermon.
"The genesis of the problem centred on politicising the Emirship title as being
institutionalised by SLS (Sanusi Lamido Sanusi). Now, he is setting a (bad) precedent for Islamic clerics to be twisting the divine teaching to attack each other.
"Why didn't SLS accept this as a destiny when he was removed (as emir) and later became Khalifa (of the Tijjjaniyya sect), questioning God's decision? Does that mean he did not accept the destiny? Perhaps his wish was granted as a trial for refusing to accept his own destiny", Mr Magaji added.
Another Facebook user, Adam Muhammed, also cautioned Mr Sanusi against using the pulpit to promote his cause.
He quoted a companion of Prophet Muhammad, Abu Hurairah, to fault Mr Sanusi.
"Hadith No. 252 Ibnu Maja, Narrated Abu Hurairah, the Prophet Muhammad says 'whoever learns knowledge that is sought for the sake of Allah, but learns it only to gain some worldly benefit, will not smell the fragrance of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection"'
He said the statement "is a strong critique for anyone using any platform for the propagation of knowledge, such as Friday sermons, for personal gain or to elevate their own cause or status rather than to sincerely guide and benefit the community for the sake of Allah.
"The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) teaches that knowledge should be pursued with pure intentions to please Allah, not for worldly benefits such as status or power.
"Using Friday sermons, a significant platform meant to educate and spiritually uplift the community, for personal gain is a serious misdeed. The hadith warns that those who seek knowledge or use their position primarily for selfish motives will be deprived of the blessings of the afterlife, symbolised by not being able to smell the fragrance of Paradise. This indicates a severe spiritual loss and highlights the importance of sincerity (Ikhlas) in all actions, especially in religious duties.
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"Friday sermons should be a time for genuine teaching and reflection, aimed at fostering piety, moral behaviour, and community unity. When an individual exploits this time for personal benefit, it undermines the sanctity and true purpose of the sermon.
"The ultimate success for a believer is not in achieving personal status or material gains but in attaining Allah's pleasure and a place in Paradise. This hadith is a reminder for anyone in a position of influence to introspect and ensure their intentions are aligned with the principles of Islam, prioritising spiritual and ethical goals over personal gain", Mr Muhammed wrote.
Another Facebook commentator, Nasir Sayyadi-Fagge, posted a photo of Mr Sanusi in a handshake with a white lady and said: "someone who wrestled his way into the palace at 2:00 am midnight is the one delivering sermons asking people to believe in destiny".
"What Khalifa did today at the Friday prayer was innuendo, not Friday sermon", another Facebook user, Yakuba Musa-Yakuba, said.
