By Ibrahim Muhammad
The Kano State Shura Council on Monday held a closed-door session with popular Islamic cleric, Malam Lawan Shu’aibu Abubakar, widely known as Triumph, over allegations of blasphemy leveled against him by five Islamic groups.
The meeting, held at the Department of State Services (DSS) office in Kano, was aimed at clarifying statements attributed to the cleric in viral videos said to contain comments deemed derogatory to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Present at the session were the Council Chairman, Wazirin Kano, Alhaji Sa’ad Shehu Gidado; the Secretary, Shehu Wada Sagagi; the DSS Director in Kano; and several prominent Islamic scholars who are members of the Council’s subcommittee investigating the matter.
The session commenced at exactly 11:39 a.m. with an opening prayer by Malam Abba Koki, followed by remarks from the Council Chairman, who outlined the purpose of the meeting.
“In September 2025, the government received a petition from five Islamic groups alleging that some teachings of the cleric amounted to blasphemy against the Prophet. The petition was referred to the Shura Council for investigation and recommendations,” Gidado explained.
He stressed that the session was not a trial but a fact-finding dialogue to be forwarded to the government for further action.
According to the Council, while nine issues were raised in the petition, four specific allegations backed by verifiable evidence were selected for deliberation. These included claims that the Prophet was born circumcised and with eyeliner (kwalli), that he had lice on his head, and that he visited the homes of married women, citing an instance involving Ummu Haramun, his aunt.
A video recording containing the alleged statements was played at 11:53 a.m., and by 12:09 p.m., Malam Triumph admitted ownership of the clips, saying, “They are all my submissions.”
However, when given the opportunity to respond, the cleric denied making the remarks in the manner they were presented.
“I said the Prophet was not born circumcised, nor with eyeliner or a cut navel. The claim that he was born circumcised is untrue—his uncle, Abdulmuttalib, circumcised him. There are books that confirm this,” he explained, citing several Islamic texts to support his position.
On the issue of eyeliner, he clarified, “I said even animals are born with eyeliner, but this cannot be associated with the Prophet, who is above all such attributes. Anything Allah bestows upon him is unique.”
During the deliberations, Sheikh Habibu Muhammad Dan Almajiri asked the cleric to name scholars who shared his views. Other members, including Sheikh Abdullahi Uwais, Malam Usman Makwarari, and Malam Mai Bushira, cautioned against utterances that could be easily misinterpreted by the public.
“People of Kano are very sensitive about matters concerning the Prophet. Even if your intention is pure, your words can cause misunderstanding. Please adopt a more careful approach in your preaching,” advised Mai Bushira.
Responding, Malam Triumph maintained that he was misunderstood, noting that earlier discussions with the Shari’a Commission had clarified his intentions.
“Some people did not watch the full clip but judged from short excerpts. I was misrepresented,” he said.
The Council Chairman reminded participants that the session was not a debate but a dialogue aimed at clarification.
In his closing remarks, Malam Triumph expressed gratitude to the Council and reaffirmed his commitment to peaceful preaching.
“Some people misinterpreted my statements and tried to incite the public. I believe in the Prophet and his teachings. To those who misunderstood my words, I ask for forgiveness—it was never intentional. I stand for peace and peaceful coexistence,” he said.
Sheikh Abdullahi Uwais Limanci concluded by advising the cleric and other preachers to be cautious with their words to avoid future controversies.
The meeting ended with a resolution that the Shura Council would submit its findings and recommendations to the Kano State Government for appropriate consideration.
