The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has urged Nigerian Muslims to unite and protect their right to practise Islam without hindrance.
He made the call on Thursday at the General Assembly of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, held at the National Mosque, Abuja.
The Sultan said the gathering was significant, coming about seven years after the council’s last General Assembly.
He said the meeting offered Muslim leaders from across the country an opportunity to exchange ideas and strengthen their bonds as “one big family of Islam.”
The Sultan explained that although the council had continued to hold expanded General Purpose Committee meetings, some decisions and engagements required a properly constituted General Assembly.
“All of you are aware why we didn’t hold General Assembly for some few years. But we’ve been holding expanded General Purpose Committee meetings,” he said.
He attributed the delay partly to financial constraints, saying the council had sought assistance to enable it to continue fulfilling its responsibilities to the Muslim Ummah.
The Sultan said the assembly came at a critical period, given the challenges confronting Nigeria and the wider world.
“It is coming at a time when we should be attentive, we should be a little more conscious because we all know the situation in the country, the situation in the world, and we Muslims have a lot of roles to play,” he said.
He urged Muslims not to remain passive when issues affecting their faith and welfare arise.
According to him, Muslims should engage constructively to protect their religious interests while respecting the rights of others.
“What we need in this country and anywhere else is for us, as Muslims, to be allowed to practise our religion without hindrance,” he said.
The Sultan stressed that Islam did not support coercion in matters of faith.
“We do not intend to force anybody to join Islam. 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,” he said.
He also urged Muslims to support those who voluntarily embrace Islam and assist them in practising their faith.
The Sultan called for humility and equality among Muslims, stressing that all people were equal before Almighty Allah.
“The best amongst us is he who is most pious,” he said.
He further encouraged Muslim leaders and members of the Ummah to continue serving humanity, whether publicly or quietly.
He said acts of service did not need publicity or recognition to be valuable, noting that some of the most meaningful contributions to Islam and society were carried out quietly.
The Sultan commended Muslim leaders and members of the Ummah for their contributions to the development of Islam and society.
He said their efforts, whether publicly acknowledged or carried out privately, were known to Almighty Allah.
The Sultan thanked delegates for attending the assembly, expressing confidence that the gathering would produce meaningful deliberations and renew the Muslim community’s commitment to advancing the Ummah.
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