The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has urged Nigerians to respect religious freedom, declaring that Islam does not permit anyone to be forced to convert to the religion.
The Sultan, who is the President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, made the call on Thursday at the council’s General Assembly held at the National Mosque in Abuja.
He said Muslims should be allowed to practise their religion without hindrance while respecting the rights and freedoms of people of other faiths.
“What we need in this country and anywhere else is for us, as Muslims, to be allowed to practise our religion without hindrance,” he said.
Abubakar stressed that conversion to Islam should be voluntary, noting that people who embraced the religion of their own free will should be supported in practising their faith.
“We do not intend to force anybody to join Islam. But we have seen how many people have been joining Islam on their own free will because Almighty Allah said there is no compulsion in religion,” he said.
The Sultan also urged Muslims to remain united and contribute to addressing the challenges confronting Nigeria and the wider world.
He described the General Assembly as an opportunity for Muslim leaders from across the country to exchange ideas and strengthen their relationships after about seven years without a full meeting.
Although the council had continued to hold expanded General Purpose Committee meetings, he said some decisions and engagements required a properly constituted General Assembly.
Abubakar attributed the prolonged gap partly to financial constraints, noting that the council had sought support to sustain its activities and responsibilities to the Muslim community.
He said the prevailing challenges in Nigeria and other parts of the world made the meeting particularly important, urging Muslims to take a more active role in issues affecting their faith and welfare.
The Sultan also called for humility and equality among Muslims, stressing that piety, rather than social status, was the true measure of a person's worth.
“The best amongst us is he who is most pious,” he said.
He further encouraged Muslims to serve humanity in whatever capacity they could, noting that meaningful contributions did not always require public recognition.
Speaking at the assembly, the NSCIA Secretary-General, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, called on Muslim parents to ensure their children received both Islamic and Western education.
Oloyede said the Muslim community needed to pay greater attention to education, particularly in states facing significant educational disadvantages.
“The most educationally disadvantaged states are Muslim states. The current generation must be sound in both Islamic and Western education,” he said.
The former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board also urged Muslims to establish media platforms and institutions that could increase their representation in public discourse.
He raised concerns about the community's representation in employment, calling on Muslim political leaders to ensure that qualified candidates were considered for positions of responsibility.
Oloyede said Muslims should demonstrate competence and excellence in their respective roles to contribute meaningfully to national development.
On Hajj, he questioned the continued involvement of government in organising the pilgrimage, arguing that its role should focus on facilitating the exercise.
He also cautioned against sponsoring people for Hajj when they lacked the financial means to sustain themselves afterwards, noting that the pilgrimage was not compulsory for those who could not afford it.
The NSCIA Deputy Secretary-General, Prof. Salisu Shehu, also called for unity among Muslims, urging those occupying positions of responsibility to demonstrate integrity, prudence and commitment to national development.
Shehu cited Oloyede’s service at JAMB as an example of the standard of performance Muslims should strive to uphold in public office.
He said Nigerians who discharged their responsibilities diligently and responsibly would contribute to a better society.
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