By Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel in Chula Vista, California
Radical Islamists reportedly have this mantra: “First we will kill the Saturday people (the Jews), and then we will kill the Sunday people (the Christians).
On December 25, 2025—Christmas Day—the United States, under President Donald Trump, launched airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIS)-affiliated targets in northwestern Nigeria’s Sokoto state. Coordinated with the Nigerian government, the strikes hit camps linked to the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP), a Boko Haram splinter group.
Trump framed the action as a response to “radical Islamist” violence targeting Christians, which his administration has described as part of a broader “Christian genocide.” Supporters hailed it as a bold, overdue step and even an “amazing Christmas gift” to protect vulnerable communities.
Many observers, including some Trump critics, have expressed pride in the decision, noting that attacks on Christians in Nigeria have often intensified around Christmas for years. This pattern highlights a persistent security challenge in the country, where religious and ethnic tensions fuel violence in the north and Middle Belt.
A History of Christmas-Time Nigerian Violence Against Christians
Nigeria has seen recurring attacks during the holiday season, often attributed to Islamist militants like Boko Haram, ISWAP, or Fulani herders (sometimes labeled militants). Key incidents include:
2009–2010 — Ethnic-religious clashes in Jos (Plateau State) killed over 1,000 around Christmas.
2011 — Boko Haram bombed churches in Madalla (near Abuja), Jos, and elsewhere, killing at least 41 during services.
2012–2015 — Peak insurgency featured holiday attacks, including shootings and abductions in northeastern areas.
2018 — Fulani militants killed 16 Christian farmers in Plateau State over Christmas, displacing hundreds.
2020 — ISWAP killed 11 Christians in Borno State on Christmas Eve, releasing a video as a “message to Christians.”
2022 — Attacks in southern Kaduna killed around 40 Christians.
2023 — A major “Christmas massacre” in Plateau State saw Fulani militants raid over 20 villages from December 23–25, killing nearly 200 Christians, destroying churches, and displacing 20,000.
2024 — Attacks in Benue and Plateau States killed dozens around Christmas, with church burnings and kidnappings reported.
2025 — Warnings of planned attacks circulated before Christmas, with reports of at least 20 Christians killed in the Middle Belt in the days leading up to the holiday, amid ongoing fears in rural communities.
These incidents, documented by groups like the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), International Christian Concern, and others, underscore a deadly tradition that has claimed thousands of lives since the 2000s. While violence affects both Christians and Muslims, and motivations often blend religious, ethnic, and resource conflicts (e.g., farmer-herder disputes), attacks on Christian sites during holidays have drawn particular international attention.
The U.S. strikes targeted northwest areas where ISWAP and affiliates operate, though analysts note the region’s predominantly Muslim population and that militants often kill Muslims too. The operation reflects Trump’s prior warnings of potential intervention if Nigeria failed to curb violence against Christians, including redesignating the country as a “Country of Particular Concern” for religious freedom violations.
A Growing Global Condemnation of Political Islam
Amid these events, a notable shift has emerged among progressive, reformist, and moderate Muslim leaders worldwide. From 2023 onward, these voices have more openly condemned political Islam (or Islamism)—the ideology seeking coercive theocratic governance, supremacism, and authoritarian control—while distinguishing it from Islam as a personal faith.
This is not a rejection of Islam but a critique of its politicization by groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and hardline regimes. Key developments accelerating this momentum include:
State actions — In September 2025, Kenya designated the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization, aligning with Egypt, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and others. U.S. efforts under Trump to scrutinize Brotherhood branches have added pressure.
Failures of Islamist governance — Experiences in post-Arab Spring Egypt, Hamas-controlled Gaza, and Taliban Afghanistan have exposed incompatibilities with pluralism, prosperity, and freedoms, disillusioning many.
Prominent figures and groups leading this charge include:
Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser and the American Islamic Forum for Democracy (AIFD) — Jasser, a Syrian-American Navy veteran, calls Islamism a “theocratic” threat corrupting authentic Islam. In 2025, he appeared on platforms like Fox News, advocating separation of mosque and state, liberty, and countering Brotherhood influence.
Muslim Reform Movement (MRM) — Co-founded by Jasser, with activists like Asra Nomani and Raheel Raza, MRM’s 2015 Declaration rejects violent jihad, Islamic statism, and extremism. In 2025, it continues urging Muslims to reclaim Islam’s “respectful, merciful, and inclusive” core.
Other voices — Scholars like Khaled Abou El Fadl (UCLA) and groups like Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV) promote pluralism, justice, and human rights, rejecting authoritarian interpretations.
State-aligned “moderate Islam” efforts in the Gulf (e.g., UAE, Saudi Arabia) further oppose Brotherhood-style ideology.
Survey data supports that political Islam remains fringe. Recent Pew Research findings (updated through 2025) show large majorities in countries like Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Nigeria favor sharia as official law for Muslims (often in personal/family matters), but support for full theocratic imposition or violence is minority. In Indonesia and Turkey, Muslims prefer democracy over theocracy, with majorities believing their country can be both Muslim and democratic.
Why Does This Matter?
This rising internal condemnation views political Islam as a failed project—leading to repression (Iran, Taliban), violence (ISIS remnants, Hamas), and division. Reformers seek to reclaim Islam for personal piety, compassion, coexistence, and alignment with human rights and interfaith dialogue.
As 2025 events—from terrorist designations to public statements—show, the tide is turning. Muslims increasingly lead the fight against extremism, partnering globally against a shared threat. This offers hope for distinguishing faith from politicized distortions, fostering reform, freedom, and true spiritual essence over coercive power.
The world is slowly changing, with actions like the U.S. strikes and reformist voices signaling pushback against radical ideologies that have long exploited religious divisions.
Let us pray that these progressive Muslim movements succeed.
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Rabbi Dr. Michael Leo Samuel is spiritual leader of Temple Beth Shalom in Chula Vista, California.