The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has urged Muslims to avoid forcing people to accept Islam, stressing that the religion does not support coercion or forced conversion.
He called on Muslims to show the good values of their faith through their conduct, while promoting peaceful coexistence among people of different religious backgrounds.
The Sultan spoke on Monday at the closing ceremony of activities marking his 20th anniversary on the throne and the 13th Sheikh Usmanu Bin Fodiyo Week in Sokoto, Naija News reports.
Abubakar, who is also the President-General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, described himself as “a soldier of Islam and a soldier of peace”, saying much of his time as a traditional and religious leader was spent resolving conflicts in communities.
“Before I became Sultan here, I was a soldier. I am still a soldier, a soldier of Islam and a soldier of peace, because what I spend most of my time doing is bringing peace to communities,” he said.
He also urged Nigerians to draw lessons from the founding ideas and principles of the Sokoto Caliphate to promote good governance and address societal challenges.
According to him, the caliphate was built on good human relations, respect for human dignity and closeness to God, values he said gave society peace, strength, purpose and direction.
The Sultan maintained that these principles remained relevant despite the social, economic and political changes that had taken place over the years.
He blamed British colonial rule for introducing structures that continued to benefit the colonial system while making it difficult for Africans to overcome colonial thinking and values.
“Indeed, more so, because what replaced the caliphate was the British colonial rule, which was exploitative and subversive, even if subterranean. The nearly 60 years of this exploitative rule have had the misfortune of installing systems and structures that not only continue to benefit the colonial enterprise but also undermine our recovery from colonial morality and mentality,” he said.
Abubakar described the Sokoto Caliphate as proof that African scholars had the ability to build a society, government and economy based on the rule of law.
He said its history and legacy could provide useful lessons for Africa’s development and liberation.
The Sultan also called on Muslim scholars to promote the spirit of brotherhood taught by Prophet Muhammad and educate people on the caliphate’s role in bringing different ethnic groups together.
Meanwhile, Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State congratulated the Sultan on his 20 years on the throne, describing his reign as one marked by humility, unity, stability, religious tolerance and national cohesion.
Lawal said the Sultan’s advice and interventions had remained valuable in addressing Nigeria’s economic, social and security challenges.
He urged Islamic scholars, traditional rulers, community leaders and youth organisations to promote peaceful coexistence, discourage extremism and restore values such as honesty, compassion and respect for human life.
The governor added that lasting peace required more than security operations, stressing the need for quality education, economic opportunities, good moral values and community participation.
Similarly, Governor Ahmed Aliyu of Sokoto State, represented by his deputy, Idris Gobir, praised the Sultan’s contributions to religious tolerance, peaceful coexistence and national development.
Aliyu said the anniversary provided an opportunity to reflect on the intellectual heritage of the Sokoto Caliphate, particularly the teachings of Sheikh Usmanu Bin Fodiyo, Abdullahi Fodio and Sheikh Muhammad Bello on scholarship, moral reform, social responsibility, justice, accountability and good governance.
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