Sultan Urges Religious Tolerance, Peaceful Coexistence

The spiritual leader of Nigerian Muslims, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, has issued a powerful call for religious tolerance and peaceful coexistence, emphasizing the transformative potential of true religious understanding. Speaking at the commissioning of a new central mosque in Osogbo, Osun State, the Sultan, represented by Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, urged Muslims to actively become agents of peace and national unity.

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Let me give my Muslim brothers and sisters some advice. Let us make efforts to understand our religion properly. True religious understanding should produce disciplined, compassionate and enlightened Muslims who build peace and not destroy it.

His message is particularly resonant in Nigeria, a nation often grappling with inter-religious tensions. The Sultan’s emphasis on internalizing religious teachings to foster discipline, compassion, and a commitment to building rather than destroying is a direct counter to extremist interpretations. He articulated a vision where religious understanding leads to transformed relationships—turning intolerance into friendship, hostility into love, and conflict into collaboration. This perspective highlights the role of faith not as a source of division, but as a catalyst for social cohesion and progress.

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Religion should transform us inwardly, turning intolerance into friendship, hostility into love and conflict into collaboration. In essence, we become agents of peace and reconciliation.

The commissioning of the Asiwaju Khamis Olatunde Badmus Central Mosque itself serves as a symbol of this message. The Sultan commended the initiative, noting that such edifices are not merely places of worship but also centers for community development and the advancement of humanity. This aligns with a broader understanding within Nigerian society, particularly among religious leaders, that religious institutions have a vital role to play in social welfare and education. The sermon by Grand Mufti of Ilorin Emirates, Sheikh Faruq Onikijipa, further reinforced this, cautioning the wealthy and those in authority about accountability for their stewardship, urging them to use their privileges for the betterment of humanity. This narrative of faith as a force for positive social impact and unity is a cornerstone of discourse among many Nigerian religious leaders.

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God will question the rich people regarding the source of their wealth and how they administer it. If they fail to provide good answer to the two questions, they will go to hell.