The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has called for freedom for Muslims to practise their religion without compulsion.
Abubakar made the call on Thursday in Abuja at the Special Prayer for the Nation and 2026 General Assembly organised by the NSCIA.
The Sultan said Muslims had important roles to play in addressing challenges confronting the country and the world.
He urged Muslims not to remain passive in the face of developments that could negatively affect their religion and society.
According to him, Muslims should be allowed to practise their religion and faith freely, without infringing on the rights of others.
“All we need in this country and anywhere in this world is for us as Muslims to be allowed to practise our religion and our faith within us,” he said.
Abubakar stressed that Islam did not support forcing people to embrace the religion.
“We do not intend to bombard anyone. We do not intend to make people, by force, to join Islam,” he said.
He noted that many people had voluntarily embraced Islam and remained free to practise their faith.
The Sultan said the principle of freedom of religion was clearly recognised in Islam.
“Because we know that there is no compulsion in religion,” he said, adding that Muslims should continue to respect people of other faiths.
He explained that Muslims were committed to protecting and supporting those who voluntarily joined Islam.
According to him, such converts should be encouraged to become responsible and committed members of society.
“We are actively trying to always protect those who are joining us, to be the best that they can be in their lives,” he said.
Abubakar said Muslims should remain committed to worshipping Allah while avoiding the tendency to impose their beliefs on others.
He urged Muslims not to consider themselves superior to people of other faiths, stressing that piety ultimately remained known to Allah.
“We don’t want to be better than anybody else, because Allah knows that all of us are able to show Him the best amongst us, to see who is most pious,” he said.
The Sultan called on Muslims to remain united and committed to strengthening the Islamic community.
He said Muslims should regard themselves as one family and work together to protect their faith and promote peaceful coexistence.
“We are going to be a family of Islam. We are proud to be Muslims, and we will do everything we must do to protect ourselves and our deen,” he said.
Abubakar expressed confidence that Allah would continue to protect Islam and guide its followers in their affairs.
The Sultan also commended Prof. Is-haq Oloyede for his service as Secretary-General of the NSCIA and former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
He said Oloyede had successfully combined his responsibilities in the two positions and had contributed significantly to the development of the Islamic body.
“We are proud of what he did, and what he did not,” Abubakar said, stressing that Oloyede had demonstrated commitment to his responsibilities.
He appreciated members and guests who attended the special prayer organised by the NSCIA for Nigeria.
The Sultan said the prayer was organised to seek peace, dignity and progress for Nigeria and those working to promote peace in the country.
He expressed appreciation to all participants for their support and successful participation in the national prayer.
Abubakar also congratulated Nigerians on the country’s 66th Independence Anniversary, saying he was grateful that Nigeria had continued to exist as a nation.
“Today is October 1st, Independence Day of Nigeria. We’ve got independence since 66 years ago, and I’m really glad that we are still standing on our feet and celebrating the day we were born today,” he said.
He wished Nigerians a memorable Independence Day and prayed for continued peace and stability across the country.
The Sultan noted that the NSCIA General Assembly was being held after an interval of about seven years, describing its return as an important development for the council.
He expressed happiness over the gathering of Muslims from different parts of the country, saying the meeting provided an opportunity for members to reconnect as brothers and sisters.
Abubakar said the assembly would strengthen the unity within the Muslim community and expressed hope that participants would return to their various places as members of one united family of Islam.
