A Sermon Presented at the National Mosque in Abuja, Nigeria,on the sixteenth day of Jumada al-Awwal 1447 AH / corresponding to the seventh day of November 2025 AD by Professor Dr Ilyas Osman
Praise be to Allah, who made Nigeria’s formation as a modern state returnable to the colonial integration process of 1914, followed by independence in 1960, then transformed it into a republic, with a historically rich background of diverse civilisations and imperial influences that contributed to shaping the Nigerian nation’s identity and structure. And may peace and blessings be upon the noblest of messengers, our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.
I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.
To proceed (in this sermon):
O people, our beloved state of Nigeria is currently facing a test unlike any other across all its geopolitical zones: banditry in the North-West, terrorism in the North-East, separatist violence in the South-East, armed extremism in the Niger Delta, and gang wars in the South-South and South-West. Allah Almighty says: “Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of people have earned, that He may let them taste some of what they did, perhaps they will return.” (Qur’an, 30:41)
And the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said: Five for five; when a people break their covenant, their enemies supersede them; when they judge not by what Allah has revealed, poverty spreads among them; when they fail to manifest chastity, death spreads among them; when they shortchange measures, they withhold production and suffer famine; when they fail to pay zakat, the rain is withheld from them. (Reported by Abdullah ibn Abbas, graded sound by Al-Albani)
Brethren in faith, there is consensus that the current violence in Nigeria is primarily caused by extremist groups such as Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Fulani militias, and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). These groups have perpetrated systematic atrocities affecting both Muslims and Christians, disturbing public security and stability, reducing citizens’ willingness to travel by road, eroding people’s trust in their government, and contributing to shortages of foodstuffs.
The situation now, which includes violence against communities in Nigeria, including Muslims, has become complex and often characterised by a multiplicity of narratives and contradictions. According to recent reports and analyses, Nigerian Muslims are indeed affected by ongoing violence, but the context and the terms used to describe these events vary greatly. There are divergent narratives about whether the violence constitutes genocide targeting Christians or Muslims specifically. Some reports, from organisations concerned with preventing genocide, describe the violence as genocidal against Christians, pointing to the killing of thousands of Christians in 2025. Conversely, Nigerian officials and analysts view the situation as more complex, with criminal, ethnic, and also Muslim communities affected. It is clear that Muslims in the areas controlled by jihadist groups and armed gangs face massacres, kidnappings, and forced displacement, which has produced an environment of insecurity, mass displacement, and psychological trauma, affecting both Muslims and Christians in many affected areas.
Reports portraying violence as solely targeting Christians are met with accounts indicating direct harm to Muslim communities as well. The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, said: “By the One in whose hand is my soul, the world will not end until a time comes when the killer does not know of what he was killed, nor the slain why he was killed.” They asked, “How will that be?” He said: “Masses of afflictions; the killer and the slain are in Hell.” (Reported by Muslim)
O people, the President of the United States, Donald Trump, said he might send American forces to Nigeria to stop what he described as the wide-scale killings of Christians in the country. He accused the Nigerian government of failing to protect Christians from Islamist extremist groups, threatening that if Nigeria does not take action, American forces may intervene “with full force” to eliminate the terrorists responsible. He ordered the U.S. military to be prepared for possible military action, including deploying forces or conducting airstrikes, citing the killings of Christians in support of this potential intervention. The American administration also re-listed Nigeria on the “List of Countries of Particular Concern” regarding religious freedom violations, which Trump used to justify his threats. We tell Trump that the comparison between Israeli actions against Palestinians and the current situation between Muslims and Christians in Nigeria involves a context that is different, more complex, and narrated by multiple storylines. The Israeli actions against Palestinians have been described by many as including genocide—mass killings, forced displacement, starvation, and humanitarian sieges, especially in Gaza—widely regarded as genocide. Those actions included deliberate violence against civilians and a heavy toll of Palestinian victims, including children and religious figures. World leaders condemned these acts publicly and urged political and economic intervention to stop the violence against Palestinians. In contrast, Trump’s description of genocide against Nigerian Christians is demonstrably false. He colluded with the Israelis to inflict great harm on Palestinians, so how dare he accuse Muslims of committing genocide against Christians with blood on his hands from innocent Palestinian civilians?
The truth is that violence in Nigeria affects everyone without exception, arising from the entanglement of religious, ethnic, political, and regional factors.
I say this, and I seek forgiveness from Allah for myself and you from all sins; seek His forgiveness; indeed, He is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Second Sermon
Praise be to Allah, enough is Allah’s praise, and may the blessings and peace be upon the chosen Prophet and his family and those who follow him in righteousness until the Day of Judgment; and thereafter—
O Muslims, some of the essential recommendations for Nigerian authorities in dealing with the issue of violence include:
Establish agencies and peace-building commissions at the state level, as in the states of Plateau, Kaduna, and Adamawa. These bodies focus on addressing community conflicts by strengthening local peace committees, promoting education for peace, establishing early warning systems, facilitating mediation, and implementing restorative justice, thereby addressing violence at its roots within communities.
Implement comprehensive national policies to prevent and counter violent extremism, focusing on prevention, respect for human rights, building community resilience, countering extremist rhetoric, and strategic communication, within coordinated federal efforts.
Strengthen mechanisms for dialogue and comprehensive mediation that include stakeholders, traditional leaders, and civil society organisations to promote reconciliation, empower communities to own the peace process, and resolve conflicts peacefully.
Reform and strengthen the security sector to improve capabilities, develop community policing, enhance intelligence sharing, and build trust between security forces and local communities for better response to violence and prevention of escalation.
Enact laws to protect children, alongside public awareness campaigns and community education programs to prevent violence against vulnerable groups such as children, including support for family courts and family counselling services.
Address structural weaknesses such as pervasive insecurity, aggravated grievances, and flaws in the criminal justice system to reduce the spread of weapons and the impulses toward violent self-defence.
Together, these measures—from building peace at the local level, to a strong national framework, to security sector reform, to laws protecting the vulnerable, and to addressing root social and economic causes—constitute a comprehensive approach recommended to the Nigerian authorities to combat violence effectively.
And this is my statement. I seek Allah’s forgiveness for myself and for you from every sin; seek His forgiveness; indeed, He is the All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
