What I Instructed My Daughters to do in return if their Husbands slapped them – Emir Sanusi
The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has reiterated his position on domestic violence, stating that he has instructed his daughters to retaliate if their husbands ever slap them.
Sanusi made this statement on Monday during the National Dialogue Conference on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevention from an Islamic Perspective. The event, titled “Islamic Teachings and Community Collaboration for Ending Gender-Based Violence,” was organized by the Centre for Islamic Civilization and Interfaith Dialogue (CICID) at Bayero University Kano, in partnership with the Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC), with support from the Ford Foundation.
The Emir shared that he always advises his daughters before their marriages not to return to him with complaints of being slapped unless they have first defended themselves.
Sanusi also revealed alarming statistics, noting that 45% of cases over a five-year period across nine Kano Shariah courts were related to domestic violence, including wife-beating. His research into family law uncovered the severe nature of these cases, with women suffering broken limbs, lost teeth, and other serious injuries inflicted by their husbands.
He said: “You can interpret certain verses to justify light beating, but in reality, no one adheres to the rules of restraint. What we witness are cases of severe violence where women are beaten, punched, and kicked. My research in Kano’s Shariah courts revealed that not one case involved ‘light beating.’ Instead, women suffered extreme harm, including broken bones and teeth.”
The Emir emphasised that all forms of domestic violence, including physical abuse, are explicitly prohibited in Islam.
“Beating your wife, daughter, or any woman is haram (forbidden). Violence against another human being violates their basic dignity. We must teach our daughters not to tolerate it and educate our sons that it is unacceptable.
“If my daughters are ever slapped by their husbands, they know I expect them to slap back. I did not send my daughters to be abused. If you dislike her, send her back to me, but do not raise your hand against her.”
Earlier, Dr. Hassan Karofi, Director of Partnerships and Strategic Communications, outlined the conference’s objectives.
The event aimed to leverage Islamic teachings to promote the prevention of GBV in Northern Nigeria through the Muslim Opinion Leaders for Gender-Based Violence Prevention Project (MOLS4GBV).
Karofi explained: “This initiative leverages the influence of religious leaders to challenge harmful cultural norms and promote justice and protection for women.
“By aligning Islamic principles with modern GBV prevention strategies, the conference seeks to foster dialogue and actionable solutions among faith-based organizations, youth groups, traditional leaders, and government bodies.”
The event, held in conjunction with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, highlighted justice, dignity, and the protection of women as core principles of Islamic teachings.
