Renowned Muslim Scholars React To Abduction Of School Girls In Chibok

Renowned Muslim scholars across the world have continued to add their voices to the abduction of over two hundreds Nigerian girls inside their school in Chibok, Borno State, northeastern-Nigeria.

No fewer than 276 students of Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State were kidnapped from their beds by Islamist terror group Boko Haram on 14 of April, 2014.

The faces of the young girls held captive by Islamist militants have fueled anger and shock around the world and raised questions about why more Muslim leaders have not come forward in their defence.
The CEO of the Cairo-based Karama group, Hibaaq Osman, while speaking to VOANEWS, joined his voice to those who feel there has not been enough "noise" in the Muslim community.

"There are absolutely statements here and there, but in terms of really up in arms and going into the streets, we have not seen that,” said Osman.

 * Muslim scholars have condemned Boko Haram's claim of fighting for Islam
Her comments came after Boko Haram militants released a video of more than 100 of the captured girls, looking sad and frightened.
Osman is of the opinion that why there have little action taken against the incident could be because the victims are girls who were trying to get an education.

"If we look at women's rights, in general, there is not only just in the Islamic communities, but in many communities, you have major problems with women's rights and people react more slower," she said.

During the past five years, Boko Haram has terrorized Nigeria with dozens of brutal, deadly attacks. The group says it is fighting to establish strict Islamic law in the country's north.

Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on American-Islamic Relations opined that the school girls abduction in Nigeria has changed the international Muslim community.

"The kidnapping of the schoolgirls really woke up the world, and woke up quite honestly the Muslim community, as well, to what's going on there.

 "You have seen Muslim scholars, Muslim organizations and institutions around the world condemning Boko Haram and its actions,” said Hooper.

Hooper stated further that the militants are trying to "hijack" Islamic religion to advance their cause, saying Islam does not promote or support terrorism.