Controversial Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has said terrorism should not be linked to genuine Shari’a scholarship, insisting that Islamic education does not encourage extremism.
In a Facebook post on 29 July 2026, Gumi said none of the principal figures linked to terrorism was a trained Shari’a scholar. He also said they were not graduates of recognised Islamic universities. Gumi named Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Mohammed Yusuf, Abubakar Shekau and Bello Turji. He argued that none of them had received formal training in Shari’a at recognised Islamic institutions.
According to Gumi, the greater danger comes from religious activism that is not grounded in sound knowledge of Shari’a. He said a shallow understanding of Islam makes individuals more vulnerable to manipulation and terrorism.
He added that such vulnerability could be exploited through attacks on Muslims or external influence. He cited the situations in Palestine and Syria as examples.
He stressed the need to distinguish authentic Islamic scholarship from politicised religious activism. He maintained that genuine knowledge of Shari’a does not produce terrorism. Instead, he said terrorism is fuelled by ignorance, manipulation and the distortion of religious teachings.
It is worthy to note that Gumi has consistently condemned terrorism in Nigeria. He has argued that insecurity cannot be addressed through military action alone, advocating dialogue as part of a broader strategy to restore peace.