A leading Islamic cleric and National Chairman of the Council of Ulama, Ibrahim Jalingo, has stirred intense controversy after publicly endorsing the death penalty for individuals who renounce Islam, claiming it is supported by the Qur’an.
In a Facebook post on Thursday, Jalingo defended a Hadith that prescribes death for apostates, dismissing critics who challenge its validity as suffering from “compound ignorance.”
Responding to what he called fabricated arguments aimed at discrediting Hadith literature, Jalingo quoted the contentious narration: “Whoever changes his religion, kill him” and insisted it aligns with Islamic teachings.
He accused those questioning the Hadith of lacking proper religious understanding.
“The Qur’an is a revelation from Allah, and so is the Hadith,” Jalingo wrote.
“Often, the Qur’an addresses matters briefly, while the Hadith comes to elaborate. This Hadith does not contradict the Qur’an—it reinforces it.”
Citing verses from the Qur’an—Surah At-Tawbah (9:5), Surah Al-Baqarah (2:193), and Surah An-Nisa’ (4:89 and 4:91)—Jalingo argued that Islamic scripture calls for severe consequences for apostasy and polytheism, including death in certain contexts.
He also claimed that the oft-quoted verse promoting religious freedom, “There is no compulsion in religion” (Qur’an 2:256), had been abrogated by later revelations.
In a particularly inflammatory remark, Jalingo launched a personal attack on his critics, likening them to “prostitutes and effeminate men,” while praising his supporters for upholding “true” Islamic principles.
His comments have since gone viral, drawing both applause from hardline followers and widespread condemnation from other Muslim scholars, civil society actors, and human rights advocates.
