KADUNA – The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General, Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, yesterday, in Kaduna, inaugurated a Fatwa Committee to advise Muslims on whether it was right to eat with fork or spoons.

“It (fatwa committee) will look into areas of modern times and Islam. It would be saddled with interpreting, for example whether it is Islamically right to eat with fork, spoon or not,’’ the JNI Public Relations Officer, Mallam Umar Zaria, explained after the inauguration.

Altogether, 13 committees were set up by the Sultan, with northern emirs as their chairmen.

Speaking during the ceremony, the Sultan said that the purpose of setting up the  standing committees was to ensure unity among the various Muslim groups in the country.

His words: “The work of Islam should be taken seriously, as our religion has problems and we should fight towards embracing peace and unity amongst ourselves to achieve what has been there before.

“I urge the appointees to tighten their seat belts as they accept this  task to serve in the different committees, and make sure that you discharge you duties diligently.’’

The Secretary-General of JNI, Dr. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu in his speech also said that the JNI had gone a long way in propagating the ideals of Islam, unity of the Ummah as well as protecting the overall interests of Muslims in the country since its inception in 1961.

“In order to achieve the enormous aims and objectives of the JNI, the organization carefully studied the happenings locally and globally and formerly formed 11 standing committees, headed by our distinguished emirs, with a representative from each of the states of the federation including Abuja.

The 13 Standing Committees are respectively chaired by the following: Central Fatwa Committee headed by Sheikh Sheriff Ibrahim Saleh; Central Da’awah and Mobilization Committee.

Saleh is globally acclaimed Islamic Scholar, with deep knowledge of Islamic laws

Other committees include, Central Education and Youth Development headed by the Emir of Yauri, Dr. Zayyanu Muhammad Abdullahi and Central International and Hajj Affairs committee headed by the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Muhammad Mera.

Others include, the Central Finance and Investment committee headed by Ambassador Ibrahim Yerima Abdullahi; Central Establishment and Disciplinary committee headed by the Emir of Birnin Gwari, Alhaji Zubair Jibril Maigwari II; Central Research and Planning committee headed by the Emir of Kazaure, Alhaji Najib Hussaini Adamu and the Central Health Committee headed by Etsu Shonga, Dr. Halilu N. Yahaya.