Gumi Advocates Public Funding for Marriage Under Shariah

Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, an Islamic cleric, defended the use of public funds to facilitate marriages in states governed by Shariah law, describing it as a legitimate aspect of responsible governance. In a statement shared on Facebook on Thursday, Gumi argued that in societies where prostitution, fornication, adultery, and promiscuity are prohibited by both religious and state laws, governments have a duty to assist individuals in need of marriage.

He stated that in Shariah law-driven states, public funds should be used to support women who exceed the available pool of eligible men or young individuals in urgent need of marriage. Gumi's remarks followed a mass wedding ceremony organized by the Kano State Hisbah Board last Friday, which was part of the state government's social intervention program aimed at supporting vulnerable couples and alleviating the financial burden of marriage.