Mohammed Yusuf (Boko Haram)

For other people named Mohammad Yousuf, see Mohammad Yousuf (disambiguation).

Mohammed Yusuf (29 January 1970 – 30 July 2009), also known as Ustaz Mohammed Yusuf, was a Nigerian Muslim sect leader. He was born in Girgir village, in Jakusko, present day Yobe State, Nigeria.[1] He founded the militant Islamist group Boko Haram in 2002 and was its spiritual leader until he was killed in the 2009 Boko Haram uprising.[2] The group's official name is "Jama'atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda'awati wal-Jihad", which in Arabic means "People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad".[3] Yusuf is a Salafi.[4]

Beliefs

According to the University of California at Santa Cruz's Paul Lubeck, Yusuf received instruction in Salafism and was strongly influenced by Ibn Taymiyyah.[5]

In a 2009 BBC interview, Yusuf stated his belief that the concept of a spherical Earth is contrary to Islamic teaching and should be rejected, along with Darwinian evolution, and the concept of rain originating from water evaporated by the sun.[6] In the interview he said:

"There are prominent Islamic preachers who have seen and understood that the present Western-style education is mixed with issues that run contrary to our beliefs in Islam," he said.

"Like rain. We believe it is a creation of God rather than an evaporation caused by the sun that condenses and becomes rain.

"Like saying the world is a sphere. If it runs contrary to the teachings of Allah, we reject it. We also reject the theory of Darwinism."

Personal life

Yusuf had four wives and 12 children.[7]

Nigerian academic Hussain Zakaria told BBC News that the controversial cleric had a graduate education, spoke proficient English, lived a lavish lifestyle and drove a Mercedes-Benz.[6]

Death

Following the July 2009 Boko Haram uprising, the Nigerian military captured Yusuf in his parents-in-law's house and handed him over to the Nigerian police force.[8] The police then summarily executed him in public view outside the police headquarters in Maiduguri.[9][10][11] Police officials initially claimed that either Yusuf was shot while trying to escape or died of wounds he sustained during a gunbattle with the military.[10][11]

References

  1. ↑ "West African Militancy and Violence", page 74
  2. ↑ Boko Haram: The Emerging Jihadist Threat in West Africa - Background, Anti-Defamation League, December 12, 2011.
  3. ↑ "Who are Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamists?". BBC News. 26 August 2011.
  4. ↑ Dowd, Robert A. (2015-07-01). Christianity, Islam, and Liberal Democracy: Lessons from Sub-Saharan Africa. Oxford University Press. p. 102. ISBN 9780190225216.
  5. ↑ Johnson, Toni (2011-12-27). "Backgrounder - Boko Haram". www.cfr.org. Council of Foreign Relations. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
  6. 1 2 "Nigeria's 'Taliban' enigma". BBC News. 28 July 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-28.
  7. ↑ "Nigeria sect head dies in custody". BBC News. BBC. 2009-07-31. Retrieved May 25, 2012.
  8. ↑ "Nigeria row over militant killing". BBC News. 31 July 2009. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  9. ↑ Adam Nossiter & David D. Kirkpatrick (May 7, 2014). "Abduction of Girls an Act Not Even Al Qaeda Can Condone". The New York Times. Retrieved 2014-05-08.
  10. 1 2 Human Rights Watch (11 October 2012). Spiraling Violence: Boko Haram Attacks and Security Force Abuses in Nigeria. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
  11. 1 2 "Video shows Nigeria 'executions'". Al Jazeera. 9 February 2010. Retrieved 27 June 2015.

External links

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