Monday, October 5, 2026 -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.
He urged Muslims to respect the rights and freedoms of
people of other faiths.
He spoke at the NSCIA General Assembly at the National
Mosque, Abuja, where he stressed that conversion must come from a person's free
will.
He said the council does not intend to force anybody to join
Islam, and that many people have been joining on their own because Almighty
Allah said there is no compulsion in religion.
His position comes amid recurring worries over religious
intolerance and tension between faiths in the country.
In recent weeks, he has also called on Christians and
Muslims to stop insulting one another, saying mutual respect is key to living
in peace.
Speaking at a national security conference in Abuja
organised by JIBWIS Nigeria with the Muslim World League of Saudi Arabia, he
said Christians can stop insulting Muslims and Muslims can stop insulting
Christians.
He said neither group should see itself as superior, since
all people are equal before God.
Meanwhile, the NSCIA Secretary-General, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede,
urged Muslim parents to make sure their children get both Islamic and Western
education.
He said the current generation must be sound in both to
contribute to national development, and noted that the most educationally
disadvantaged states are Muslim states.
He also called for more qualified Muslims in the media and
in employment, and asked Muslim leaders to make sure competent members of the
community are considered for key positions.
On Hajj, Oloyede questioned why government is still involved
in organising the pilgrimage, saying its role should mostly be to facilitate
it.
He also warned against government sponsoring people who
cannot afford to go.
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