General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor William F. Kumuyi, has met with the Grand Imam of Pakistan and Imam of the historic Badshahi Mosque, Sheikh Muhammad AbdulKhabeer Azad, in Lahore, during the former’s ongoing visit to the country for the Global Crusade with Kumuyi (GCK).
Kumuyi arrived in Pakistan in September 2026 as part of the GCK programme, which is focused on Christian evangelism and outreach. The encounter with Sheikh Azad has attracted attention because it brought together prominent leaders from Nigeria’s Christian community and Pakistan’s Muslim religious establishment. Contemporary reports confirm that the meeting took place at the historic Badshahi Mosque in Lahore.
Sheikh Muhammad AbdulKhabeer Azad is a prominent Pakistani Islamic scholar and religious leader. He serves as the Khateeb and Imam of the Badshahi Mosque and chairs Pakistan’s Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee. He has also been identified in international religious forums as Chairman of the Pakistan Ulema Council.
The Badshahi Mosque, where Sheikh Azad serves, is one of Lahore’s most historic Islamic landmarks. Its significance gives the meeting an additional dimension, as Kumuyi’s visit took place within an important religious setting in a predominantly Muslim country.
The title Imam generally refers to a Muslim leader who leads congregational prayers and may provide religious instruction and guidance. In Sheikh Azad’s case, his public responsibilities extend beyond the mosque, with his activities including religious leadership, national religious discussions and interfaith engagement.
Sheikh Azad has previously been involved in initiatives promoting interfaith dialogue and religious harmony. In April 2026, Pakistan’s Punjab Auqaf Department reported his participation in an Interfaith Harmony and Religious Tolerance Conference at the Badshahi Mosque, attended by representatives of Christian, Hindu and Sikh communities.
His involvement in interfaith engagement has also been documented by the European Union Delegation in Pakistan. In a report on an interfaith and intrafaith roundtable in Lahore, the EU delegation identified Azad as Chairman of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee and Khateeb Imam of the Badshahi Mosque, while noting his emphasis on interfaith harmony.
The significance of Kumuyi’s visit therefore extends beyond a courtesy call between religious leaders. It represents an encounter between two figures from different faith traditions at a time when questions of religious tolerance, peaceful coexistence and dialogue remain important themes in Pakistan’s public life.
For Kumuyi, the meeting forms part of his broader engagement during his Pakistan visit. His stated purpose for coming to the country has been to share the love of God with the Pakistani people through the GCK outreach, while appreciating the reception he has received from people and hosts in the country.
Reports of the meeting describe the interaction as cordial and focused on engagement between the two religious figures.
The encounter also fits into a wider pattern of Christian-Muslim engagement associated with Sheikh Azad and the Badshahi Mosque. In February 2026, a Christian delegation participated in a joint iftar at the mosque, with Azad welcoming Christian leaders and speaking about interfaith harmony and coexistence.
For Kumuyi, whose ministry began with a small Bible study fellowship in Lagos and developed into an international Christian movement, the Pakistan visit represents another stage in his decades-long programme of global evangelistic outreach.
The Deeper Christian Life Ministry continues to describe biblical teaching, Christian living and the proclamation of the Gospel as central elements of its mission.
From Lagos to Lahore, Kumuyi’s Pakistan visit has now produced an encounter that goes beyond the traditional boundaries of a Christian evangelistic programme.
His meeting with Sheikh Muhammad AbdulKhabeer Azad at the Badshahi Mosque places the Nigerian pastor in a historic setting alongside one of Pakistan’s prominent Muslim religious leaders, creating a notable moment of interfaith contact, dialogue and mutual engagement.
