Deputy Chief Imam of the National Mosque, Professor Ibrahim Maqari has said that those killed by kidnappers and bandits will go to paradise.
Maqari reportedly said this during Ramadan’s tafsir in Abuja. Stressing that Islam forbids Muslims to pay money as ransom to enemies they are at war with, the Islamic cleric stated that the money will continue to be used by criminals as long as it is paid.
He said refusing to meet the demands of kidnappers would inevitably turn them into losers who wasted their money to feed the captive, wasted their bullets in killing them and wasted their time, he asserted.
“But he (the criminal) has been made aware that the money is never going to be paid and the one who is killed (the victim) is going to paradise,” he said.
He added;
“Since Allah (SWT) has forbidden the payment of money to an enemy who is at war with you, in order not to empower them to continue to fight you, then contributing money as ransom for the release of kidnapped persons, is haram (prohibited).
“But he (the criminal) has been made aware that the money is never going to be paid and the one who is killed (the victim) is going to paradise.
“But as long as people will continue to give a ransom to secure the release of their loved ones, the recipients of the money will continue to use.”