No one should be forced into Islam – Sultan

The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has said nobody 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 in Abuja, where he stressed that conversion to Islam must be based on an individual’s free will.

‘There is no compulsion in religion’

Abubakar said Muslims should not compel anyone to convert to Islam, 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 on their own free will because Almighty Allah said there is no compulsion in religion.”

The Sultan’s comments came amid recurring concerns over religious intolerance and tensions between adherents of different faiths in Nigeria.

He has also called on Christians and Muslims to refrain from insulting one another, stressing that mutual respect was necessary for peaceful coexistence.

Sultan calls for religious tolerance

Speaking in Abuja at the International Conference on National Security for Socio-economic Development organised 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 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 Muslims nor Christians should consider themselves superior to the other, stressing that all people were equal before God.

Oloyede seeks dual education

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

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

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

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

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

NSCIA speaks on Hajj

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

He also cautioned against government sponsorship of people who could not afford to undertake the pilgrimage.

The comments by the NSCIA leadership touched on religious tolerance, education and the participation of Muslims in national affairs.