Saudi-born cleric Sheikh Assim Al Hakeem arrived in Nigeria on Friday, triggering a wave of outrage due to his long record of extremist teachings. His ideology promotes an uncompromising version of Sharia law and openly encourages violence against non-Muslims who refuse to convert, pay Islamic taxation, or submit to Sharia governance.
He has been banned from speaking at UK universities since 2012 after authorities flagged his radical positions as dangerous. His worldview stands in sharp contrast to Saudi Arabia’s recent efforts under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to curb hardline religious rhetoric.
A YouTube video posted on April 1, 2020 — now approaching 87,000 views — captures many of his most controversial teachings. In the video, Sheikh Hakeem instructs Muslims to prepare over the next 40 to 50 years to expand Islamic dominance across the world. According to him, non-Muslims globally would be given only three options: accept Islam, pay Jizyah taxes, or obey public Sharia restrictions. Refusal, he said, could justify armed warfare, enslavement, loss of land, and subjugation.
He explained the type of jihad he believes Muslims should eventually carry out:
“The other type of Jihad is the one that everyone is trying to hide. It is the Jihad of pursuing, running after; and this Jihad was in the time of the Prophet, but this Jihad cannot be accomplished, cannot take place unless the state (number) of the Muslims is strong. If we don’t have a strong Muslim country, who can they pursue or attack? Just stay where you are and try to fix yourself, enrich your people with Islamic knowledge, and Iman.”
According to him, the purpose of this jihad is to force non-Muslims into compliance:
“It is for Da’wah. Jihad is only for Da’wah, and that is why when Muslims go and conquer the adjacent country, what do we do? We kill them all? No. The prophet says, the first thing you do is to call them to Islam, if they accept it, you leave them… If they refuse, then tell them that ‘Allah obliged upon you to pay taxation’… Jizyah is not taken from women and children; it is only taken from men who work and can produce. And in return… we’ll protect you… But, the ruling is for Sharia… If they refuse, then we have to fight (demonstrates the slaughter sign); and if we fight you, then we capture you, you’ll become our slaves, and we’ll take your land…”
He added that this vision might only be possible decades from now:
“Maybe in the coming 40 to 50 years when Muslims become strong… and they’re focused Islamically.”
In Nigeria, Sheikh Hakeem was hosted as a keynote speaker at an event organised by 1Ummah Islamic Organisation, which lists billionaire Aliko Dangote among its supporters. Former minister Isa Pantami and several respected clerics also featured on the programme. The Lagos sessions held on November 15 and 16, with another planned for Abuja on November 22.
His visit has raised serious concerns given the ongoing attacks on Christians in Nigeria and the country’s recent listing by the United States as a Country of Particular Concern due to religious persecution. Nigerian authorities have remained silent on the ease with which a preacher with such extremist views gained entry into the country.