According to a Facebook post dated July 25, 2026, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has responded to Ibrahim Traoré’s declaration that Sharia law would never be permitted in Burkina Faso.
Gumi described the military leader as inexperienced and said he did not fully understand the issues at hand.
The Islamic cleric said Traoré, whom he identified as 38 years old, had little beyond military training. He argued that the Burkinabè leader was too inexperienced to properly understand the society he governs and also failed to grasp the realities of modern geopolitics.
Gumi further claimed that Traoré’s rejection of Sharia law had handed extremist groups a strong recruitment message. According to him, the remarks could make it easier for such groups to attract more fighters.
Earlier, Traoré had said during a nationwide broadcast that Burkina Faso would never adopt Sharia law. Although he is Muslim, he stressed that all citizens have the right to practice their religion and insisted that Sharia would not be introduced in the country.
The president also criticized Burkinabè students studying Sharia law in Saudi Arabia, saying they should instead have learned technological skills that could help develop Burkina Faso. Traoré warned the students to remain abroad, adding that they would not be allowed to return to the country.