Iganga, Uganda: Uganda’s top Muslim leaders have strongly rejected claims that Islam permits kidnapping for ransom and the killing of captives, describing such assertions as false, dangerous and contrary to the teachings of the Holy Quran.
The condemnation follows the circulation of video clips in which two convicts in the 2018 kidnap and murder of businesswoman Susan Magara allegedly claimed that the crime was carried out as part of a religious obligation.
Speaking during the burial of Hajjat Rukia Ndibaise at Nakalama Trading Centre in Iganga District on Friday, Deputy Mufti Sheikh Muhammad Ali Waiswa dismissed the claims as a deliberate distortion of Islamic teachings.
The late Hajjat Ndibaise was the mother of Dr. Sheikh Hassan Muhammad Mwaita, the UMSC General Assembly representative for Iganga Muslim District.
“Islam does not sanction kidnapping, extortion or the unlawful killing of captives. The Mufti’s Office is soon writing a protest letter to the authorities questioning the motives of those behind the circulation of the videos,” Sheikh Waiswa said.
He called on security agencies to investigate the source and circulation of the videos, warning that they risk fuelling religious hatred and undermining peaceful coexistence.
“We also intend to offer special prayers asking Allah to expose those behind these attempts to spread hatred and damage religious harmony in our country,” he added.
The Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) National Chairperson, Prof. Dr. Muhammadi Lubega Kisambira, also condemned attempts to associate the brutal murder with Islam.
“We are not denying that Muslims commit crimes, but linking the high-profile murder of the late Susan Magara to the Islamic faith poses many questions,” Prof. Kisambira said.
He questioned the circumstances surrounding the presentation of the convicted suspects, including their appearance in what he described as new Islamic attire during sentencing.
The remarks come days after the High Court convicted Hajara Nakandi, Abbas Musa Buwembo and seven others over the kidnapping and murder of Magara, who was abducted in February 2018 before being killed despite her family paying part of the ransom demanded by her captors.
The Muslim leaders stressed that Islamic teachings on warfare and the treatment of captives cannot be interpreted to justify criminal acts such as kidnapping civilians for financial gain.
“The Quran and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad emphasise justice, prohibit the taking of innocent life and require humane treatment of captives. Ransom or release of captives in the context of legitimate warfare is discussed within specific legal and ethical rules and cannot be equated with criminal kidnapping for profit,” the leaders said.
They further urged Muslims and the wider public not to accept statements made by convicted criminals as authentic interpretations of Islam, particularly where those individuals lack recognised Islamic scholarly authority.
The position was echoed by Dr. Sheikh Hussein Muhammad Bbowa, the Busoga Regional Assistant to the Mufti, and Sheikh Sinan Muwanika, the Kadhi of Iganga Muslim District.
Background
Susan Magara, a cashier and administrator at her family’s business, was abducted in Kampala on February 7, 2018. Her family paid part of the ransom demanded by the kidnappers, but her body was later recovered in Kitiko, Wakiso District. The case became one of Uganda’s most high-profile kidnapping and murder cases, prompting nationwide concern over organised crime and public security.
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