No one should be forced to join Islam – Sultan

The Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs of Nigeria, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has said that no one should be forced to embrace Islam, urging Muslims to respect the rights and freedoms of people of other faiths.

The Sultan spoke at the NSCIA General Assembly held at the National Mosque, Abuja, where he stressed that conversion to Islam must be based on the free will of the individual.

“There is no compulsion in religion”

Abubakar said Muslims should not force anyone to convert to Islam, stressing that people should be allowed to freely make their religious choices.

“We do not intend to force anyone to adhere to Islam,” he said.

“But we saw how many people joined Islam of their own free will because Almighty Allah said there is no compulsion in religion.”

The Sultan’s comments came against a backdrop of recurring concerns about religious intolerance and tensions between adherents of different faiths in Nigeria.

He also called on Christians and Muslims to refrain from insulting each other, stressing that mutual respect is necessary for peaceful coexistence.

The sultan calls for religious tolerance

Speaking in Abuja at the International Conference on National Security for Socio-Economic Development organized by Jama’atu Izalatil Bidiah wa Iqamatis Sunnah in collaboration with the Muslim World League of Saudi Arabia, Abubakar urged adherents of both faiths to promote tolerance.

“We need to be honest with ourselves about whether Christians can stop insulting Muslims,” he said.

“Muslims can stop insulting Christians. And this is how we live in peace.”

The Sultan said that neither Muslims nor Christians should consider themselves superior to others, stressing that all people are equal before God.

Oloyede seeks dual education

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of NSCIA, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, has called on Muslim parents to ensure that their children receive both Islamic and Western education.

Oloyede said the current generation needs to acquire knowledge in both systems to effectively contribute to national development.

“The most educationally disadvantaged states are the Muslim states,” he said.

“The current generation must be solid in both Islamic and Western education.”

He also called for greater representation of qualified Muslims in the media and the workforce, urging Muslim leaders to ensure that competent members of the community are considered for key positions.

The NSCIA talks about the Hajj

During the annual Hajj pilgrimage, Oloyede questioned the government’s continued involvement in organizing the exercise, arguing that the government’s role should be largely limited to facilitating the pilgrimage.

He also warned against government sponsorship of people who cannot afford to undertake the pilgrimage.

Comments from NSCIA leadership touched on religious tolerance, education and Muslim participation in national affairs.