Shun Innovations Unaligned with Scripture, Cleric Warns Muslims
…as Alfa AbdulHammed Lamidi of Sawere Journeys to Eternity
By the eighth day after a burial, the noise of condolence visits has softened, but remembrance grows deeper. It is a day when family, friends and the wider community gather not only to mourn but to reflect — to offer prayers that rise like a collective breath for the soul of the departed. Such was the atmosphere at the eighth-day burial prayers held in honour of Alhaji AbdulHammed Lamidi (a.k.a. Adisa), a man whose life resonated far beyond the circle of his immediate family.
From the early hours of the day, streams of people arrived quietly, their steps measured and their voices hushed by reverence. Elders exchanged solemn greetings, while younger attendees stood attentively, absorbing both the grief and the grace that marked the occasion. It was not simply a ritual gathering; it was a convergence of memory, faith and gratitude for a life well lived.
All 19 Muslim communities in the Iseyin Kingdom, within the Iseyin Local Government Area of Oyo State, were represented at the event.
Delivering the sermon, the Lahadan of Ijemba, Sheikh Alhaji AbdulMuhmeen Salisu, stated that extensive preaching was unnecessary considering the calibre of the cleric and the depth of Islamic knowledge within the family from which the late Sheikh AbdulHammed Lamidi emerged. He reminded Muslims, particularly those left behind, to exercise caution by avoiding societal practices not rooted in the Holy Qur’an.
He urged Muslims to shun all innovations not supported by scripture, warning that such practices could derail believers from Islamic injunctions.
Sheikh Salisu gave this advice during his sermon at the eighth-day Friday prayer organised in honour of the late Sheikh AbdulHammed Adisa, the head of Ile Sawere and Ratibi of the Ansar-ud-Deen Mosque in Iseyin.
He further cautioned Muslims against excessive attachment to worldly favouritism, specifically advising the family of Ile Sawere in the Ijemba community not to allow worldly pursuits to supersede their Islamic faith, but to remain shining examples of their beliefs.
The cleric referenced several antecedents of the family, noting that they have long been regarded as exemplary and worthy of emulation. He added that the family possess vast Islamic knowledge, from which many clerics have emerged.
“E má ṣe jẹ́ kí okùnkùn èṣè gba ìmànì yín jẹ,” he cautioned.
Sheikh Salisu observed that some Muslims now engage in social dealings not stipulated in the Qur’an, warning that such practices could negatively affect their journey to eternity.
In a chat at the event, High Chief Isiaka Oladimeji Fasasi, the Bale of Ijemba in Iseyin Local Government Area, described the late AbdulHammed Lamidi as a virtuous and compassionate man who devoted his productive years to caring for children during their formative stages.
“He was soft-minded and gentle to the core. Although he lived outside the community for several years, he returned unchanged, remaining the same gentleman until his death. He was the family head and Ratibi of the Ansar-ud-Deen Mosque he attended,” he said.
Despite the large turnout, some of the deceased’s children expressed the view that their father deserved even greater recognition.
“At 97 years, our father lived well. While the right observance is to fulfil prayers for the deceased, our father deserves to be celebrated on a much larger scale, involving more people. We shall celebrate him again in grand style,” they unanimously declared.
Offering a differing perspective, one of Baba’s grandsons, Mr Abdulmalik Olufunso, noted that the Qur’an’s silence on specific rituals invites varying interpretation and called for discernment in aligning practices with Islamic principles.
“Let us celebrate life’s milestones with mindful joy, recognising that worship in Islam is not confined solely to explicit texts but extends to acts reflecting Allah’s attributes of mercy, wisdom and unity.
Celebrating the dead may have no spiritual benefit, but it is not haram in Islam,” he affirmed.
PA AbdulHammed Lamidi (also known as Adisa), who died on Wednesday, 10 December 2025, at the age of 97, was the father of the late veteran journalist, Mr Funso Liadi Muraina. Mr Muraina passed away 15 years ago and worked with The Punch newspaper. He later served as the Political Editor of ThisDay newspaper in Abuja.
May their souls rest in peace.
