Ere Asalatu defends singing Christian hymn in church

Popular Islamic singer AbdulKabir Alayande, known as Ere Asalatu, has addressed criticism regarding his performance of a Christian hymn during a church service. The controversy arose after social media clips showed him singing the hymn, ‘Jesus is the only true friend.’

In an interview on Biola Adebayo’s podcast, Alayande explained that the Jesus mentioned in the song is the same figure recognized in Islam as Prophet Issa, the son of Mariam. He argued that Islam does not teach Muslims to oppose Jesus and noted that Prophet Muhammed did not deny him.

Alayande stated that while he initially intended to remain silent, he decided to respond to the questions. He expressed gratitude to certain Islamic leaders who contacted him privately to encourage him to continue his work, describing them as intelligent individuals who understand the Quran deeply. He also noted that criticism has helped him identify areas for personal improvement.