Stop Calling Friday ‘Black Friday’, It Is A Holy Day For Muslims — Kano Hisbah Board Writes Cool FM On Black Friday Sales

By Seun Adeuyi

Ahead of a “Black Friday Sales” expected to be conducted today in Kano State, the Kano Hisbah has reportedly written a notice to Cool FM, demanding that they stop calling Friday ‘Black Friday’.

breakingTimes reports that the Kano State Hisbah Corps is a religious police force in Nigeria’s Kano state responsible for the enforcement of Sharia.

Black Friday is an informal name for the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the United States, which is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. The term is used worldwide to mean a day for promotional sales where goods are sold at discounted prices.

However, in a letter signed by Principal Executive Officer II, Abubakar Ali, on behalf of the Commander-General, Hisbah stated that Friday is regarded as a holy day in Islam and tagging it as ‘black’ is derogatory and would not be condoned.

The letter titled, ‘Letter of Introduction’ reads in part, “I am directed to write and notify you that the office is in receipt of a complaint for the conduct of ‘Black Friday Sales’ on November 27, 2020.

Majority of Kano residents are Muslims and they consider Friday a holy day, according to the Sharia Police.

The notice stated that Hisbah corps will be “around for surveillance purposes” with a view of maintaining peace, harmony and stability in the state. 

See letter below:

Hisbah is Islamic police operating in many states in the North. It has been accused of several human rights abuses.

It is known for accosting vehicles transporting alcoholic beverages and does not allow such vehicles to pass through the state.

Sheik Aminu Daurawa, Hisbah’s Commander General, had said over 12 million bottles of beer were destroyed in 800 operations executed in seven years.

Only the National Broadcasting Commission has the power to sanction a radio station especially in matters that relate to broadcasting, according to the NBC Act.