The Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Mohammed Saad Abubakar, on Saturday called on the adherents of the Islamic religion to seek knowledge about people of other faiths to promote peaceful co-existence in the country.
Abubakar, who stated this in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital during the 10th Annual Usman Danfodiyo Lecture, also admonished Muslims to acquire “knowledge about words of God and work with them to become better human beings.”
The Sultan said the purpose of the annual Usman Danfodiyo lecture was to encourage Muslims to acquire knowledge and share such to strengthen Islam.
“Sokoto Caliphate was founded on knowledge and not on illiteracy hence it is an obligation on all Muslims to seek knowledge, bequeath such to their children, and spread the right knowledge about Islam to check the trend of fake news,” he added.
He said the choice of Ilorin for the lecture was done deliberately to demonstrate that Muslims are “one big family.”
“Why Ilorin, somebody may ask that question. It is because we are one family and it is important to share knowledge and educate people across the globe,” he said
“We are here to educate ourselves about what our forefathers did to strengthen Islam. They didn’t bring Islam to the world, they followed the words of God and strengthened it,” he added.
Sultan who praised the choice of the guest lecturer, Dr Zakir AbdulKarim Naik from Malaysia, described him as an international scholar of repute and urged the attendees to share the knowledge acquired and work with the words of God.
“It is one thing to hear the word of God, it’s another thing to work with it. I’m asking us to work with the words of God so that we can become better human beings,” he said.
Meanwhile, during the event, a special prayer was offered for the peaceful co-existence of the country.
Among personalities at the event include, the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, the representative of the State governor, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Justice AbdulLateef Kamaldeen who is also the grand Kadi of the state, and Dr Zakir AbdulKarim Naik who delivered the 10th annual Usman Danfodiyo’s lecture.
The prayer which was led by the Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Mohammed Bashir Salihu, formed the major highlight of the 10th Annual Usman Danfodiyo Lecture.
Naik, a Malaysian national, spoke on the topic: “The Concept of God in Major World Religions.’
The Secretary General of NSCIA, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, Professors Badamas Yusuf, Abubakar Aliagan, the Mutawali of Ilorin, Dr Alimi AbdulRazaq, and the Zanna of Ilorin, Mr Yusuf Sagaya were also in attendance.
The Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheikh Mohammed Bashir Salihu, led others in praying to God to prosper Nigeria and restore peace to the troubled parts of the country.
Hammed Shittu in Ilorin
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