Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau ignored the world when they demanded he release the 250 christian girls he kidnapped until Muslim leaders stepped in to condemn him starting with Saudi Arabia grand mufti.
Saudi Arabia’s grand mufti, the top religious authority in the birthplace of Islam, has condemned Nigeria’s Boko Haram as a group “set up to smear the image of Islam” and condemned its kidnapping of over 200 schoolgirls.
Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Sheikh said the radical movement, which says it wants to establish a “pure” Islamic state in Nigeria, was “misguided” and should be “shown their wrong path and be made to reject it.”
His remarks came as religious leaders in the Muslim world, who often do not comment on militant violence, joined in denouncing Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau for saying Allah had told him to sell off the kidnapped girls as forced brides.
Boko Haram militants kidnapped some 250 girls on April 14 from a secondary school in Chibok village, near the Cameroon border, while they took exams. Fifty have since escaped. There are signs that the pressure from the world’s Muslim leaders will bring about the release of those still being held.
In the past most of the Muslim world has been silent when the extremist did violent things many behind the scenes were applauding. That is changing with the recognition that they are also the targets of the extremist and if they are silent it will only be a matter of time until they come for them.
Hopefully this will continue and will be the strongest asset we have in the war against the terrorist.
Until next time be safe.
Phil
