Prof. Buniyamin Ayinde, the chief imam of the University of Benin Central Mosque, has cautioned Muslims against resuming actions that can negate the good deeds of the final 29 days of Ramadan.
During a lecture on Friday in Benin to conclude the Islamic month of Ramadan, Ayinde issued the warning.
Prior to the Eid-el-Fitri celebration, the Chief Imam led a Muslim congregation in a two-rakat supererogatory prayer.
The cleric reminded the gathering that fasting is a sacrifice; hence the period is always used to offer supplications to Almighty Allah.
According to him, whoever chooses to move close to Allah, He will in return make such persons close to Him too.
“Being a Muslim entails sincerity, trustworthiness and integrity. Therefore, we need to exhibit these characteristics everywhere we are, either at the workplace, at home or in the public.
“Let’s follow the commandments of Allah and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad in whatever we do.
“We should not destroy the goodwill we have with Allah during the last one month.
“We should not return to sinful acts that will destroy the good deeds of the last 30 days,” said the Chief Imam.
Even when mistakenly sinned, the Islamic leader said Muslims needed to be remorseful and seek forgiveness in Allah.
Let’s be remorseful in sin. We should not be shameless about forbidden things.
“Let’s run away from the shameful act,” he added.
Ayinde, who is also a deputy vice-chancellor at the UNIBEN advised the Muslim brotherhood to attach less importance to the world and the luxury therein.
He said certainly, everybody would leave the world one day and whatever was acquired in it would be left behind.
“Do not let us attach too much importance to this world. Let’s be reminded that we will leave one day. Let’s live in this world as a stranger.
“We have worked, we have sacrificed, and we have fasted as commended by Allah, let’s not transgress in order not to destroy what we have laboured for,” he concluded.
Over 1 billion Muslims across the world today end the 29 days of Ramadan, a critical component of the five pillars of Islam.