The Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria on Sunday threatened that Muslims would rather go to war than give up on the current move by the Central Bank of Nigeria to promote Islamic banks in the country.

The SCSN also warned Christian clerics to stop disturbing Muslims, whom it said had received enough abuses since the controversial banking system came to the front burner of national discourse.

Vowing that Muslims would defend the implementation of the Islamic banking system (also known as non-interest banking), “with the last drop of their blood,” the council also urged the Federal Government to call Christian leaders to order.

The SCSN President, Dr. Ibrahim Datti Ahmad, read a statement issued at the end of a meeting of the council to journalists at the Arewa House, Kaduna.

The council said, “Jaiz bank has come to be and there is nothing they (Christian leaders) can do about it and if we have to go to war on this, we’ll go to war.

“Let those wearing cassocks stop disturbing our peace. Gentlemen (journalists), being peaceful doesn’t mean we are cowards. We warn them to stop disturbing our peace if they want us to live together in Nigeria. Everybody can go his way; we don’t have to live together. We can’t live under people dictating to us how we should live our lives even within the laws of the country.

“Whatever they call themselves, whether archbishops, priests or whatever they are, let them stop disturbing our lives. We have had enough; let the government warn them because these abuses are enough. We have been patient but there is a limit to what we can take. On this Jaiz bank, there is no going back. Everything has been done according to the law.

“We’ll meet fire with fire if they make the Jaiz bank impossible. Let them leave us alone. If they want us to live in Nigeria peacefully as we want to do, then let them respect our rights as we concede to them their own rights.”

It added that if Christians wanted a bank to serve their interest, they were free to ask the CBN for one instead of opposing the proposed Islamic banking which “is operational in the United Kingdom and other Christian-dominated countries.”

The council added that the Jaiz bank had assured that it would commence operations in Nigeria in September with three branches in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano.

The SCSN said,“We are very happy that with a lot of efforts Jaiz bank has now become a reality. The company owning Jaiz has assured us that the bank is coming in September and they have assured us that they will be starting with three branches in three towns, namely Abuja, Kaduna and Kano.

“And they will continue to open the branches rapidly thereafter. We are also aware of the amount of noise and nonsense we hear from the Christian leaders, some of whom are so ignorant.

“They think they can blackmail the government, the CBN or the Muslim ummah to abandon the project. We want to assure them that nothing can stop the Jaiz bank from coming into being because it’s being brought in according to the laws of Nigeria. There is nothing illegal about it.

“If they have a Christian bank that they want to establish, they have the freedom to bring it to the CBN and if they can prove their case, a Christian bank will be opened.

“We, the Muslims of this country, are fed up and tired of the vituperations of the CAN (Christian Association of Nigeria). They feel they can dictate to the Muslims, even on how we should live our lives.

“And we are warning the government not to listen to them because there is a limit to the amount of nonsense we can take. We are the majority in this country, whether the Christians like it or not.

http://punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201107252441462

christians and muslims can neva live togeda, pls divided dis gat-dem country now!

talk true:

The Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria on Sunday threatened that Muslims would rather go to war than give up on the current move by the Central Bank of Nigeria to promote Islamic banks in the country.

The SCSN also warned Christian clerics to stop disturbing Muslims, whom it said had received enough abuses since the controversial banking system came to the front burner of national discourse.

Vowing that Muslims would defend the implementation of the Islamic banking system (also known as non-interest banking), “with the last drop of their blood,” the council also urged the Federal Government to call Christian leaders to order.

The SCSN President, Dr. Ibrahim Datti Ahmad, read a statement issued at the end of a meeting of the council to journalists at the Arewa House, Kaduna.

The council said, “Jaiz bank has come to be and there is nothing they (Christian leaders) can do about it and if we have to go to war on this, we’ll go to war.

“Let those wearing cassocks stop disturbing our peace. Gentlemen (journalists), being peaceful doesn’t mean we are cowards. We warn them to stop disturbing our peace if they want us to live together in Nigeria. Everybody can go his way; we don’t have to live together. We can’t live under people dictating to us how we should live our lives even within the laws of the country.

“Whatever they call themselves, whether archbishops, priests or whatever they are, let them stop disturbing our lives. We have had enough; let the government warn them because these abuses are enough. We have been patient but there is a limit to what we can take. On this Jaiz bank, there is no going back. Everything has been done according to the law.

“We’ll meet fire with fire if they make the Jaiz bank impossible. Let them leave us alone. If they want us to live in Nigeria peacefully as we want to do, then let them respect our rights as we concede to them their own rights.”

It added that if Christians wanted a bank to serve their interest, they were free to ask the CBN for one instead of opposing the proposed Islamic banking which “is operational in the United Kingdom and other Christian-dominated countries.”

The council added that the Jaiz bank had assured that it would commence operations in Nigeria in September with three branches in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano.

The SCSN said,“We are very happy that with a lot of efforts Jaiz bank has now become a reality. The company owning Jaiz has assured us that the bank is coming in September and they have assured us that they will be starting with three branches in three towns, namely Abuja, Kaduna and Kano.

“And they will continue to open the branches rapidly thereafter. We are also aware of the amount of noise and nonsense we hear from the Christian leaders, some of whom are so ignorant.

“They think they can blackmail the government, the CBN or the Muslim ummah to abandon the project. We want to assure them that nothing can stop the Jaiz bank from coming into being because it’s being brought in according to the laws of Nigeria. There is nothing illegal about it.

“If they have a Christian bank that they want to establish, they have the freedom to bring it to the CBN and if they can prove their case, a Christian bank will be opened.

“We, the Muslims of this country, are fed up and tired of the vituperations of the CAN (Christian Association of Nigeria). They feel they can dictate to the Muslims, even on how we should live our lives.

“And we are warning the government not to listen to them because there is a limit to the amount of nonsense we can take. We are the majority in this country, whether the Christians like it or not.

http://punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201107252441462

Can you people help us now to divide this country. You people vowed that PIB will never work because it will not favour you. Now that Islamic Banking will not favour some people, why are we enforcing it? Let this country divide now because we are quiet does not mean you have the monopoly of violence or whatever. We are watching

"pot calling kettle black" who is more dictating in this country?

i believe this banking is allowed now, more trouble will start later!

did CAN help to ease the situation? who starting talking about jaiz bank not helping nigeria? seriously some people expected the supreme council to cosign with CAN or remain silent, what is true is that jaiz bank will not go away, it is here today, it was here over 5 years ago, nothing that anyone can do about it, it seems it is CAN who do not want the peace

Islamic banking is not a bad idea, as long as we can attract some of dat Arab oil money into Nigeria via Islamic banking. Islam is a way of life and not going anywhere. We welcome Islam but not violence and more violence. Reject radicalism.

ohhh, u want a Bank the manager will be a suicide bomber.

Later they will tell us that Islam is a religion of peace. . . . . Crazy violent animals. . . . .That being said, the CAN is a very stupid body, all the are doing is promoting fear mongering and ignorance. The CAN president is a fool. People should focus on the merits and de-merits of Islamic banking instead of wasting time selling fear and discord. . . . .Muslims constitute at least half of the Nigerian population and they have the right to bank according to the tenets of Islam as not as it is not unconstitutional. . . .

Bliss4Lyfe:

Islamic banking is not a bad idea, as long as we can attract some of dat Arab oil money into Nigeria via Islamic banking. Islam is a way of life and not going anywhere. We welcome Islam but not violence and more violence. Reject radicalism.

thank you, the future is bright indeed