• Oloyede urges Islamic, Western education for Muslims, slams Hajj sponsorship

In a move that could end misinterpretations, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has stressed that Islam does not support coercion in matters of faith, and that no one should be forced to embrace the religion.

The monarch, who was addressing the NSCIA General Assembly at the National Mosque in Abuja yesterday, emphasised that Muslims should be allowed to practice their religion without hindrance while respecting the rights and freedoms of people of other faiths.

The Sultan stressed that Muslims have no intention of forcing anyone to convert to Islam, adding that those who embrace the religion should do so willingly.  He further called on Muslims to remain united and conscious of their responsibilities, given the challenges confronting Nigeria and the wider world.

He urged Muslim leaders and members of the Ummah to continue serving humanity, whether publicly or quietly, noting that acts of service need not be publicised to be valuable.

Also speaking, the NSCIA Secretary-General, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, has charged Muslim leaders and parents to ensure that children receive both Islamic and Western education, describing the two forms of learning as important to preparing the younger generation for contemporary society.

Oloyede stressed that the Muslim community needed to pay greater attention to education, particularly in states with pronounced educational disadvantage.

On Hajj, Oloyede questioned the government’s continued involvement in organising the pilgrimage, arguing that it should focus on facilitating the exercise.

Cautioning against sponsoring people for Hajj only to return to economic hardship, he stressed that Hajj is not compulsory for anyone without the financial means to undertake the pilgrimage.