A prominent Kano Islamic scholar, Sheikh Alaramma Hadi Inuwa Maihula Sanka, has criticised the Kano State Government’s mass marriage programme, describing it as “Haram” and calling on the government to discontinue the initiative.
Maihula made his position known during an interview with journalists in Kano on Tuesday evening, arguing that marriage, like other major religious obligations, depends on an individual’s ability and financial capacity.
He said Islam does not require people who lack the means to get married, just as Zakat and Hajj are not obligatory on those who cannot afford them.
“Marriage, Zakat and Hajj are never made obligatory on anyone unless they have the means,” he said, citing teachings from the Qur’an, particularly Suratul Nur, as well as Hadith narrated by Imams Bukhari and Muslim.
The scholar also questioned the use of public funds by state governments to organise or finance special marriage programmes, describing such expenditure as religiously unacceptable.
He said government resources should instead be directed towards pressing social needs, including healthcare, potable water and the payment of outstanding entitlements to vulnerable workers.
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“Kano city does not have enough hospitals, there are not enough qualified doctors, there is no potable drinking water, and pensioners have not all been settled,” he said.
Scholar Faults Kano Government for Neglecting Key Sectors
Maihula further criticised the concentration of specialist healthcare facilities in Kano metropolis, noting that residents from distant local government areas are often forced to travel to the city to access medical treatment.
He specifically mentioned Gwarzo, Takai and Tsanyawa, questioning why similar healthcare facilities could not be established in those communities.
“Since Gwarzo, Takai or Tsanyawa, the community has been coming to Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, and this hospital was built in 1928. Why can’t a similar hospital be built in Takai, Tsanyawa or Gwarzo?” he asked.
The Islamic scholar also warned that government-sponsored marriages could create additional financial obligations for the state if beneficiaries have children and subsequently require further assistance.
He urged governments to focus instead on empowering widows and other vulnerable women through vocational training, entrepreneurship programmes and other sustainable livelihood initiatives.
Maihula called on the Kano State Government and other states considering similar programmes to reconsider the initiative and redirect public resources towards programmes that would help beneficiaries become economically self-reliant.
He maintained that enabling women to earn sustainable incomes would provide more lasting benefits than one-off marriage interventions.
The Kano State Government had organised a mass wedding involving about 1,500 couples as part of efforts to support low-income families and promote social stability.
It was the second mass wedding organised by the administration of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.