The Nasrul-Lahi-li Fathi Society of Nigeria has raised alarm over what it described as a rising pattern of misusing Qur’anic verses and prophetic traditions to defend discrimination and violence against women and girls, calling the trend dangerous, misleading, and contrary to Islamic teachings.
The organisation issued the caution on Wednesday as part of events marking the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence.
It noted that many forms of abuse carried out under the guise of religion stem from harmful cultural practices, ignorance, and extremist interpretations rather than from authentic Islamic principles.
According to NASFAT in a statement shared with The PUNCH, Islam upholds justice, dignity and compassion for all people, emphasising that no Qur’anic verse or hadith endorses the subjugation of women.
The Society highlighted several common misconceptions used to justify harmful behaviour, including the narrative that Hawwā’ (Eve) caused Adam’s fall, the false belief that killing non-Muslims results in “72 virgins,” and the misuse of verses on polygyny and marital disagreements.
NASFAT also criticised the misinterpretation of inheritance texts, the hadith on women’s so-called “deficiency,” and the story of Prophet Yūsuf, noting that such teachings are often taken out of context to sustain patriarchal practices.
According to NASFAT, Prophet Muḥammad (Peace Be Upon Him) treated women with honour, rejected injustice, and exemplified kindness—values that are incompatible with gender-based violence.
“Abuse does not come from Islam. It comes from cultural attitudes, ignorance, and the deliberate twisting of religious texts,” the organisation said.
To curb harmful interpretations and reduce gender-based violence, NASFAT urged religious leaders, institutions, families, and community authorities to take deliberate action, including promoting accurate Islamic teachings on the rights and dignity of women.
It further advised stakeholders to avoid relying on unverified narrations and cultural myths in their sermons, and to provide proper contextual explanations when addressing sensitive religious materials.
The Society also called for gender-based violence education to be incorporated into mosque activities, encouraged raising boys and girls with equal respect, and stressed the importance of reporting domestic violence as a criminal act.
NASFAT appealed to Muslims around the world to uphold justice and safeguard women from every form of harm.
