The Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN) has officially announced its Vice President, Sheikh Dr. Bashir Aliyu Umar, as the new president of the council, following the recent passing of its former president, Sheikh Abdul Rasheed Hadiyatullah, on Monday.
The announcement was made in a statement signed by the Secretary General of SCSN, Malam Nafiu Baba Ahmed, who described the death of Sheikh Hadiyatullah as “a great loss not only to the Council but to the entire Muslim Ummah in Nigeria and beyond.”
While offering prayers for Allah (SWT) to forgive the late president’s shortcomings and grant him Jannatul Firdaus (paradise), Malam Nafiu Baba Ahmed also noted that Dr. Bashir’s appointment was made “in accordance with the constitution and established procedures of the Council.”
The statement further elaborated on the decision: “The Vice President, Sheikh Dr. Bashir Aliyu Umar OON, has been unanimously confirmed as the new President of the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria..We express our full confidence in Sheikh Dr. Bashir Aliyu Umar’s leadership, scholarship, and unwavering commitment to the ideals of Shari’ah and justice. The position of Vice President will be announced in due course, In Shaa Allah. We seek the continuous prayers and support of the Ummah as the Council continues its mission of upholding and promoting Islamic principles across Nigeria.”
The newly appointed president, Dr. Bashir Umar, is a well-respected figure in Nigeria’s Islamic academic and financial circles. He holds a Ph.D. in Hadith and Islamic Studies from the Islamic University of Madinah and has contributed his expertise to numerous committees related to Shari’ah and Islamic banking, both within Nigeria and internationally. His roles have included serving on the Shari’ah Advisory Committee of Stanbic IBTC Bank and the Council of Experts on Islamic Banking of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
