Sultan Says Nobody Should Be Forced to Become Muslim, Calls for Religious Respect

(Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar III. Photo by Vanguard News)

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.