Islamic Scholar Cautions Students Against Wasteful ‘Signing-Out’ Shirt Tradition

The Grand Imam of the Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology (OYSCATECH), Igboora, Imam Alli Ismail Adebayo, has urged graduating students to avoid extravagance and un-Islamic practices associated with the increasingly popular “signing-out” shirt tradition observed at the end of examinations.

In a statement titled “Extravagance or Celebrations? An Islamic Perspective on Signing-Out Shirt Traditions,” the Islamic scholar said while Islam permits believers to celebrate lawful achievements, such celebrations should be guided by the principles of moderation, gratitude and modesty.

According to the cleric, completing one’s studies is a blessing deserving of thanksgiving to Allah, stressing that Islam does not forbid expressions of joy over academic success.

He cited verses from the Qur’an, including Qur’an 10:58 and Qur’an 14:7, to support the position that Muslims are encouraged to rejoice in Allah’s blessings and express gratitude for His favours.

However, Imam Adebayo warned that the practice of purchasing white shirts solely for classmates to sign and then discarding them could amount to isrāf (extravagance) and tabdhīr (wastefulness), both of which are prohibited in Islam.

He referenced Qur’an 7:31, which cautions believers against extravagance, and Qur’an 17:26–27, where wastefulness is strongly condemned.

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According to him, if the shirts are rendered unusable or thrown away after the celebration, such actions become blameworthy because they involve the unnecessary destruction of property.

The cleric explained that where the clothing remains usable after being signed and the activity does not involve unnecessary spending, the level of concern is reduced, although he maintained that Muslims should still avoid adopting customs that offer little meaningful benefit.

Imam Adebayo also cautioned against blindly imitating social trends without considering their compatibility with Islamic values.

Quoting a saying of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), he said Muslims should be mindful of practices that encourage extravagance, vanity or behaviour inconsistent with Islamic teachings.

He further reminded students that wealth is a trust from Allah and that every individual would be accountable for how they acquire and spend their resources.

The scholar also emphasised the importance of modesty during graduation celebrations, warning against activities that promote indecent messages, inappropriate drawings, free mixing between male and female students or other forms of behaviour prohibited in Islam.

Drawing on the opinions of renowned Islamic scholars, including Ibn Kathir, Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn al-Qayyim, and Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymin, Imam Adebayo noted that customs are generally permissible unless they involve sin, wastefulness or conflict with Islamic principles.

He explained that celebrations become objectionable when they encourage showing off, excessive spending or neglect of religious obligations.

The cleric outlined circumstances under which the signing-out tradition could be considered permissible, saying it would be acceptable if students merely exchanged congratulatory messages, avoided offensive words or images, ensured the shirts remained usable and refrained from unlawful interactions or extravagant spending.

Conversely, he said the practice becomes discouraged if it is pursued simply to imitate fashionable trends or encourage vanity, and prohibited where it involves destroying clothing, indecent content, unlawful interaction between the sexes, or activities such as immoral entertainment and other acts forbidden under Islamic law.

Imam Adebayo encouraged graduating students to adopt more meaningful ways of celebrating the completion of their studies, urging them to prioritise gratitude to Allah, moderation and responsible use of resources.

He concluded by praying for divine guidance for students and the wider Muslim community, stressing that genuine celebrations should reflect faith, gratitude and good character rather than temporary social trends.

This version is written in a conventional newspaper style, presenting the cleric’s views objectively while maintaining readability and journalistic balance.

Islamic Scholar Cautions Students Against Wasteful ‘Signing-Out’ Shirt Tradition

MPAC Condemns Appeal Court’s ISI Hijab Verdict, Backs Supreme Court Challenge

The Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) has condemned the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal, Ibadan, which overturned an earlier High Court ruling affirming the right of female Muslim students at the International School, University of Ibadan (ISI) to wear the hijab as part of their school uniform.

The group described the majority judgment as a direct assault on the constitutional right to freedom of religion and warned that the decision could set a dangerous precedent for schools across Nigeria.

The Court of Appeal, in a split decision delivered on Friday by a three-member panel, set aside the May 22, 2024, judgment of the Oyo State High Court, which had upheld the rights of 11 Muslim female students to wear the hijab in school.

The appellate court ruled that ISI should be regarded as a private institution because it does not receive government subventions directly. Based on that finding, the court held that the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in Lagos State Government & Ors v. Asiyat AbdulKareem & Ors, which recognised the right of Muslim students to wear the hijab in public schools, does not automatically extend to ISI.

The court also ruled that the affected students voluntarily accepted the school’s code of conduct at the point of admission and had therefore waived their right to insist on wearing the hijab while attending the institution.

Despite dismissing the students’ principal claims, the Court of Appeal upheld the High Court’s finding that confining the students to the school library for between three and four hours because they wore the hijab amounted to a violation of their fundamental rights. However, the appellate court reduced the damages awarded to each student from ₦1 million to ₦200,000.

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Justice Fadawu Umar, who delivered the dissenting judgment, disagreed with the majority, holding that the appeal lacked merit and that the constitutional rights of the students remained intact.

Reacting to the judgment, MPAC said the ruling was not a neutral resolution of a school dress-code dispute but a significant setback for religious freedom in Nigeria.

In a statement signed by its Executive Chairman, Disu Kamor, the organisation argued that the majority judgment was legally flawed and inconsistent with Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees every Nigerian the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including the freedom to manifest and practise one’s faith.

According to MPAC, those constitutional protections cannot be determined by whether a school receives government funding.

The organisation maintained that the rights guaranteed under the Constitution belong to every Nigerian regardless of age and should not be lost simply because a student attends a particular school.

MPAC further argued that classifying ISI as a private school solely because it does not receive government subventions amounts to “a bookkeeping test masquerading as constitutional analysis.”

It insisted that ISI remains, in every material respect, an institution established and administered under the authority of the University of Ibadan, a federal government-owned university operating on public land and under public academic supervision.

The group warned that the judgment could create a legal precedent allowing private and faith-based schools to adopt discriminatory dress code policies against Muslim students.

MPAC also faulted what it described as an internal contradiction in the Court of Appeal’s judgment.

According to the organisation, it is difficult to reconcile the court’s conclusion that preventing the students from wearing the hijab did not violate their constitutional rights while simultaneously affirming that confining them to the library for wearing the hijab amounted to a breach of their rights.

It argued that the apparent inconsistency strengthens the case for the matter to be reviewed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

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The organisation further maintained that the Court of Appeal departed from the Supreme Court’s decision in Lagos State Government & Ors v. Asiyat AbdulKareem & Ors, describing the apex court’s judgment as a landmark affirmation of Muslim female students’ constitutional right to wear the hijab in educational institutions.

According to MPAC, restricting the application of that precedent only to publicly funded schools weakens its constitutional significance and could encourage discriminatory policies in private educational institutions across the country.

The group commended Justice Fadawu Umar for his dissenting judgment, saying he correctly recognised that the appeal lacked merit and that the students’ constitutional rights remained enforceable.

MPAC also threw its weight behind the decision of the ISI Muslim Parents Forum (ISIMPF) and the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) to challenge the Court of Appeal’s decision at the Supreme Court.

It urged the Court of Appeal to expeditiously hear and grant the pending application for a stay of execution to preserve the status quo while the appeal is determined by the apex court.

The organisation appealed to affected students and their parents to remain calm and allow the judicial process to take its course.

Beyond the litigation, MPAC called on the National Assembly to enact legislation affirming that the constitutional right to religious freedom, including the right to wear religious attire, applies equally in both public and private schools.

It also urged the Federal Ministry of Education and state education authorities to introduce regulations preventing schools from implementing dress code policies that discriminate against students on the basis of religion.

The ISI hijab case has continued to generate nationwide debate over the balance between institutional autonomy and the constitutional protection of fundamental rights. With MURIC, ISIMPF, and other stakeholders already indicating plans to approach the Supreme Court, the case is expected to shape future jurisprudence on religious freedom, school policies and students’ rights in Nigeria.

MPAC Condemns Appeal Court’s ISI Hijab Verdict, Backs Supreme Court Challenge

13 Women, 12 Men Arrested as Kebbi Hisbah Cracks Down on Immoral Activities in Hotel

Operation part of ongoing push to enforce Shariah moral codes and curb social vices in northwestern Nigeria

BIRNIN KEBBI, Nigeria – Operatives of the Kebbi State Hisbah Board have arrested 25 youths — comprising 13 women and 12 men — during a targeted raid on a hotel in Argungu, as part of an intensified campaign against alleged immoral activities and social vices in the state.

The raid, which took place on July 3, 2026, was carried out under the authority of the state’s Ministry of Religious Affairs. It forms part of a broader enforcement drive to promote moral values, ensure public decency, and curb conduct deemed contrary to Shariah principles in the northwestern state.

In a statement released to journalists in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday, the Director of Shariah at the Kebbi Hisbah Board, Sirajo Kamba, confirmed the operation and its outcomes.

“On July 3, the Kebbi Hisbah Board carried out a raid at a hotel in Argungu and successfully apprehended 25 suspects allegedly involved in immoral activities,” Kamba said.

“Those arrested include 12 males and 13 females.”

Kamba emphasized that the operation was not only about enforcing religious codes but also about public safety, noting that hotels sometimes serve as hideouts for criminal elements beyond moral infractions.

“The raid in the hotel seeks to ensure the safety of people, as hotels can also serve as a hiding place for criminal elements,” he added.

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The director assured that the board would conduct a comprehensive investigation in line with the law, and that any suspect found culpable would face the appropriate legal process. He pledged that justice would be served after due diligence.

“We will carry out a thorough investigation in line with the law. Anyone found culpable will be subjected to the appropriate legal process,” Kamba stated.

The arrests have reignited public debate over the role and reach of Hisbah agencies in northern Nigeria, where similar operations have been conducted in recent months. In March 2026, the Kano State Hisbah Board carried out comparable raids that led to arrests and fines. In a separate development earlier this month, Kano Hisbah operatives also arrested a man for allegedly attempting to traffic two girls for domestic work abroad.

Kebbi State, like several other states in Nigeria’s northwest, operates a Shariah legal system alongside the secular courts, with the Hisbah board empowered to enforce moral and religious codes. Critics have occasionally raised concerns over due process and individual rights, but board officials insist all actions are taken within the bounds of the law.

As of the time of filing this report, the identities of the arrested individuals have not been released, and it remains unclear whether they have been granted legal representation or bail. The board has not disclosed the exact charges that will be filed, though sources suggest they may include immorality, public nuisance, and violation of Shariah provisions on social conduct.

The Argungu hotel raid marks one of the largest such operations in Kebbi this year, and observers are watching to see whether it signals a more aggressive phase of moral policing ahead of upcoming local events and festivities.

13 Women, 12 Men Arrested as Kebbi Hisbah Cracks Down on Immoral Activities in Hotel