The Sultan of Sokoto and President of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Sa’ad Abubakar, has called on Muslims to use a proper understanding of their faith as the foundation for building peace and reconciliation, arguing that true adherence to Islamic teaching produces disciplined and enlightened individuals who transform hostility into cooperation rather than deepening divisions.
The Sultan, represented by the President of the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria, Rasak Oladejo, delivered the message at the inauguration of a new mosque built to mark Asiwaju Khamis Badmus’ 80th birthday in Osogbo, urging Muslims to invest in genuine religious understanding as the surest path to becoming constructive members of society.
“True religious understanding should produce disciplined, compassionate and enlightened Muslims who build peace and not destroy it. 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 Sultan said.
The National Missioner of the Ansar-u-Deen Society, Sheikh Abdulrahman Ahmad, used the occasion to argue that the mosque had been reduced from its original comprehensive role in Muslim society to merely a place of daily prayers, describing this narrowing as a significant cause of the difficulties facing Muslim communities globally.
He recalled that the Prophet’s mosque in Madinah was designed to serve simultaneously as a school, library, court of law, mini parliament, hospital, and information center, and argued that restoring the mosque to this multifunctional role was essential for Muslim development and unity.
The event was attended by Islamic leaders from across the South-West, captains of industry, traditional rulers including the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, the Aragbiji of Iragbiji, Oba Abdulrosheed Olabomi, and former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
