The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has said nobody should be compelled to embrace Islam, stressing the need for Muslims to respect the rights and freedom of people of other faiths.
He stated this while addressing the NSCIA General Assembly held at the National Mosque in Abuja.
The Sultan said Islam does not support compulsion in matters of faith, noting that people should be allowed to make their religious choices freely.
“We do not intend to force anybody to join Islam,” he said.
“But we have seen how many people have been joining Islam of their own free will because Almighty Allah said there is no compulsion in religion.”
Also speaking, the Secretary-General of the NSCIA, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, called on Muslim parents to ensure that their children acquire both Islamic and Western education.
Oloyede also advocated greater participation by Muslims in the media and employment sectors, urging Muslim leaders to ensure that qualified members of the community are given consideration for key positions.
“The most educationally disadvantaged states are Muslim states,” he said.
“The current generation must be sound in both Islamic and Western education.”
He also questioned the continued involvement of the government in the organisation of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, arguing that its role should be restricted to facilitating the exercise.
Oloyede cautioned against the use of public resources to sponsor people who could not afford the pilgrimage.
The Sultan’s latest call for religious tolerance came weeks after he urged Christians and Muslims to refrain from making provocative or insulting remarks against one another, stressing that mutual respect was necessary for peaceful coexistence.
He made the appeal in Abuja at the International Conference on National Security for Socio-economic Development, organised by Jama’atu Izalatil Bidiah wa Iqamatis Sunnah (JIBWIS Nigeria) in collaboration with the Muslim World League of Saudi Arabia.
“We must be honest with ourselves that Christians can stop insulting Muslims,” he said.
“Muslims can stop insulting Christians. And that’s how we live in peace.”
The Sultan said neither Christians nor Muslims should regard themselves as superior to one another, maintaining that all people are equal before God.
