The National Chairman of the Council of Ulama, Dr. Ibrahim Jalingo, has sparked nationwide debate following a public statement in which he endorsed the death penalty for anyone who renounces Islam.
In a post shared on his official Facebook page Thursday, Jalingo defended a Hadith that prescribes capital punishment for apostates, insisting it aligns with the Qur’an and Islamic jurisprudence.
His statement directly challenged critics who argue that the Hadith in question contradicts verses of the Qur’an that advocate for freedom of religion.
Jalingo’s message was both theological and combative, targeting what he called “fabricators” of misinformation about Islamic texts. He argued that Hadith, like the Qur’an, is a form of divine revelation, and accused detractors of spreading “compound ignorance.”
Quoting the Hadith, “Whoever changes his religion, kill him,” Jalingo insisted the directive is not only authentic but also reinforced by verses from the Qur’an, including Surah At-Tawbah and Surah An-Nisa’, which address the treatment of polytheists and apostates in specific historical contexts.
He further claimed that the often-cited verse, “There is no compulsion in religion,” has been abrogated by later verses and Hadith, a position that is likely to draw sharp criticism from both progressive Islamic scholars and human rights activists.
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In his post, Jalingo did not mince words, launching personal attacks on his critics and likening their arguments to those of “prostitutes and effeminate men.”
The comments have gone viral online, drawing both strong support and fierce condemnation.
While some religious conservatives applauded Jalingo’s uncompromising stance, others have raised concerns about the implications for religious freedom and interfaith harmony in Nigeria.
The Council of Ulama has yet to release an official clarification or respond to the growing backlash.