Emir Sanusi II spoke out against domestic violence, urging women to defend themselves. At a Gender-Based Violence conference, he revealed advising his daughters to retaliate if their husbands ever slapped them. He emphasized that domestic abuse, including physical violence, is forbidden in Islam and must be condemned.
Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II, the 16th Emir of Kano, has publicly reiterated his strong opposition to domestic violence, sharing a personal stance on how he has advised his daughters. Speaking at the National Dialogue Conference on Gender-Based Violence Prevention at Bayero University Kano, Sanusi emphasized that he instructed his daughters to retaliate if their husbands ever slapped them. He stressed that women should defend themselves against abuse, citing that he consistently advises his daughters to take steps to protect themselves before considering reporting such incidents.
Sanusi highlighted troubling statistics, noting that 45% of cases in Kano's Shariah courts over the past five years involved domestic violence, with women suffering serious injuries such as broken bones and teeth due to spousal abuse. The Emir emphasized that no form of domestic violence, including physical abuse, is justifiable in Islam. He clarified that while some may interpret certain teachings as permitting light beating, the reality often involves extreme violence, which contradicts Islamic teachings on human dignity and respect.
Sanusi concluded by affirming that if his daughters were ever slapped by their husbands, he expected them to respond in kind, adding that no woman should tolerate such abuse. The conference focused on leveraging Islamic principles to combat gender-based violence and reinforced the importance of justice, dignity, and the protection of women.
