Controversial Islamic scholar Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has said terrorism should not be linked to genuine Shari’a scholarship, arguing that authentic Islamic education does not promote violence or religious extremism.
In a Facebook post shared on July 29, 2026, Gumi stated that individuals widely associated with terrorism, including Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Mohammed Yusuf, Abubakar Shekau, and Bello Turji, were not trained Shari’a scholars or graduates of recognized Islamic universities.
He argued that extremism is fueled by superficial religious knowledge, making individuals more vulnerable to manipulation and radicalization. According to Gumi, conflicts in places such as Palestine and Syria can also be exploited by extremists to recruit people who lack a solid grounding in Islamic teachings.
Gumi stressed the need to distinguish authentic Islamic scholarship from politicized religious activism, maintaining that terrorism stems from ignorance, manipulation, and the distortion of religious teachings rather than Shari’a.
The cleric also reiterated his longstanding position on Nigeria’s security challenges, saying he has consistently condemned terrorism while advocating dialogue alongside military operations as part of a broader strategy to restore lasting peace and stability.
