The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has cautioned Muslims against misinterpreting the concept of jihad, stressing that it does not mean killing non-Muslims but striving for excellence in all endeavours.

The monarch made the remarks on Thursday in Abuja during the public presentation of “Scars: Nigeria’s Journey and the Boko Haram Conundrum”, a book authored by former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor (rtd).

Speaking at the event, the Sultan, who also serves as Chairman of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, lamented that the term jihad has long been distorted by extremists and misrepresented in public discourse.

“Jihad is not to kill a non-Muslim. Jihad means to strive — to be a good Muslim, a good Christian, a good farmer, or a good engineer. The notion that it means killing non-Muslims has been wrongly propagated for decades,” he said.

He emphasized that Islam, guided by the Qur’an, Hadith, and scholarly consensus, condemns extremism in all its forms.

“You cannot be an extremist and claim to be a good Muslim,” he added.

The Sultan further clarified that Islam is not about seizing political power, but about upholding justice, accountability, and good governance.

He urged Nigerians to refrain from making divisive religious or ethnic statements, calling instead for unity and mutual respect.

“We must come together as one family with different backgrounds to forge ahead and make this country better,” he said.

The Sultan also commended Gen. Irabor for documenting his experiences in the fight against insecurity, describing the book as a valuable contribution to Nigeria’s ongoing national security dialogue.