* Prestigious role connects millions of Yoruba-speaking Muslims to Arafah’s message
A Nigerian Islamic scholar, Shaykh Idris Abdul Kareem Siddeeq, has etched his name in history after being appointed by Saudi Arabia’s Presidency of Religious Affairs at the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque as the official Yoruba translator of the 2026 Arafah Khutbah.
The appointment marks a significant milestone for the Yoruba-speaking Muslim community worldwide, as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia continues to broaden access to one of Islam’s most important annual sermons through multilingual translations.
This year’s Arafah Khutbah was delivered by His Eminence, Shaykh Ali Al-Hudhaify, Imam and Khateeb of the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, from Masjid Namirah on the sacred plains of Arafah during Hajj 2026.
Muslim News gathered that the sermon was translated into 35 languages, including Hausa and Yoruba, underscoring the growing recognition of African languages in global Islamic communication and outreach.
As millions of Muslims around the world listened to the sermon, Shaykh Idris faithfully rendered the message from Arabic into Yoruba, enabling Yoruba-speaking Muslims to directly engage with the spiritual guidance and teachings contained in the historic address.
The inclusion of Yoruba among the selected languages reflects the growing global recognition of a language spoken by millions across Nigeria, West Africa and the diaspora. Yoruba joined English, Hausa, Malay and several other international languages approved for the translation of the sermon.
With the 2025 edition marking the first official translation of the Arafah Khutbah into Yoruba, Shaykh Idris became only the second scholar entrusted with the prestigious responsibility.
From Ilorin to the global stage
A native of Ilorin, Kwara State, Shaykh Idris Abdul Kareem Siddeeq began his educational journey at Zumuratul Adabiyyah, one of the foremost Islamic institutions associated with the legacy of the late Shaykh Kamaluddeen Al-Adabiy.
He later proceeded to Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt, where he graduated from the Faculty of Shari’ah.
His pursuit of excellence in Qur’anic studies led him to obtain Ijazah in the ten minor and major Qira’at of the Noble Qur’an — a rare distinction attained by only a select number of scholars worldwide.
Widely known as Abu Ibraheem, Shaykh Idris is the founder of Al Mahir bil Qur’an for Qur’an Memorisation and Qira’at Studies in Gerewu, Ilorin, Kwara State.
Over the years, he has emerged as one of the foremost promoters and revivers of the sciences of Qira’at and Riwayat in Yorubaland, mentoring hundreds of students and scholars across Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Niger Republic and beyond.
He currently serves as a researcher at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he continues to contribute to Islamic scholarship and Qur’anic studies.
Scholarship, humility and service
Beyond his academic accomplishments, Shaykh Idris is admired by students and colleagues for his humility, patience and dedication to teaching.
Many of his students describe him as a scholar who combines deep knowledge with a sincere commitment to nurturing future generations of Qur’an scholars.
His appointment by Saudi Arabia’s Presidency of Religious Affairs has been widely celebrated by Islamic scholars and Yoruba-speaking Muslims, who view the recognition as both a personal honour and a testament to the growing contribution of Nigerian scholars to global Islamic scholarship.
For many observers, the moment represents more than a translation assignment. It reflects the increasing visibility of Yoruba Muslims within the international Islamic community and highlights the important role African scholars continue to play in preserving and transmitting Islamic knowledge.
As the echoes of the Arafah Khutbah reached millions of listeners across the world, Shaykh Idris Abdul Kareem Siddeeq stood as a bridge between the sacred message delivered from Arafah and countless Yoruba-speaking Muslims eager to receive it in their native language.
His historic role in the 2026 Arafah Khutbah translation serves as a powerful reminder that Nigerian scholars continue to make meaningful contributions to the global Muslim community through scholarship, service and dedication to the preservation of Islamic knowledge.
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