By; MOHAMMED KAWU, Bauchi.
The Senate, Nigerian upper-most legislative chamber has been cautioned over a bill now before it that seeks to give equal inheritance to males and females heirs.
A renowned Islamic Scholar, Sheik Dahiru Usman Bauchi said that the attempt by the Senate to pass the bill goes contrary to the provisions of Islam as regards inheritance between males and females.
Sheik Dahiru Usman Bauchi, who explained that Islamic provision has given a male heir higher percentage over his female counterpart, said that Senate and all those in authority should tread with caution when dealing with issues that will touch the religious sensibilities of Nigerians.
Usman, Wednesday in Bauchi warned that any Muslim member of the Senate who back the attempt to change a divine law contained in the Qur’an is doing so at his own peril.
The Islamic scholar said that the attempt to give same share of inheritance to males and females heirs in Nigeria is an infringement on the Islamic rights of Nigerian Muslims as was enshrined in the Qur’an.
He said, “Since there is a law which guarantees the freedom of religion, our Islamic laws must not be tampered with. Giving a double female share to a male Heir in an inheritance was prescribed by Allah in the Qur’an.
“Anybody who thought that it is an attempt to shortchange women is only ignorant. Islam is the only religion that awards inheritance to women and guarantees them rights. In other religions and cultures, what is left by a deceased belongs to the eldest male child”.
According to him, if the Senate will attempt to temper with any religious law in Nigeria, it should first scrap the constitutional provision which guarantees freedom of religion.
He called on Muslims to reject any attempt by their elected representatives to tamper with any Islamic law in whatever guise, and should cut relationship with them, recall them or reject them at the polls when the time comes.
Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi also advised the Federal Government to take strong measures to curb the incidences of diversion of relief materials meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
