A former presidential aide, Bashir Ahmad has argued that those responsible for the attacks that led to the death of scores in Plateau states were not Muslims and that their actions did not portray the teaching of Islam.
Making this argument in a statement released via his official X account, Ahmad argued that the religion does not teach harm toward others and does not condone destruction of any kind.
JomogNews reports that Ahmad who served as an aide to former president Muhammadu Buhari said that the atrocities committed in Jos are widely and totally condemned in Islam.
He wrote, “Islam is a religion of peace and compassion. It does not teach harm toward others, nor does it condone the destruction of any kind. The recent unfortunate events in Jos, which have led to a surge in unfortunate trends on this platform where Islam and Muslims are being targeted and attacked, are not representative of Islamic teachings. The atrocities committed in Jos are widely and totally condemned in Islam, and they are certainly not encouraged by Islamic teachings.
“It is a fact that there was nowhere even the perpetrators themselves linked what they committed to Islam or its teachings. Yet, many individuals on this platform have hastily associated these actions with the entire Islam, a religion followed by nearly two billion people around the world. This is unjust and also deepens the divide and misunderstanding among us.
“We all know that to overcome such decades-long conflicts in Jos and elsewhere, we must set our emotions aside, confront reality, and address the root causes fairly and justly. Generalizing and attacking a whole religion only serves to aggravate the tensions and will never be the solution. Again, Islam teaches us to coexist peacefully and to treat one another with respect and kindness.”
