It’s time to get rid of the ‘lizard-in-the-hole’ customs causing division between Muslims

THE daughter of Ebrahim Rasool, the ex-ambassador to the US, married a Hindu man who converted to Islam. The Nikah (marriage ceremony) had a combined Islamic-Hindu theme.

Many Muslims have objected to this. Mr Rasool responded by lambasting the gossip (Fietna) of the public and pointed to the customs (Urf) Muslims themselves have absorbed into Islam like Roza and exchanging rings.

The Prophet said in a Hadith: “You will certainly follow the ways of those who came before you (Christians and Jews) span by span, cubit by cubit (in minor customs), to the extent that if they entered the hole of a lizard, you will enter it too (in major customs).”

Of course, the Prophet allowed many customs such as slavery, retaliation, blood money, booty obtained from war, etc, which complied with the philosophy of realism and the principles of sustainability and practicality.

But he also banned many customs such as female infanticide, sexual immorality, etc, which contradicted the principles of justice and equity.

I agree with Ebrahim Rasool that the Muslims are hypocritical, but for different reasons.

He mention Roza and exchanging rings. I can add white weddings and birthday celebrations too. But these are the “span by span” customs.

The “lizard in the hole” customs which large sections of the Muslims around the world practice are female genital mutilation, honour killings, Plato’s doctrine of the philosopherking (authoritarianism of the scholar and the king), Plotinus’s mysticism (Sufi’ism), etc.

So its time to get rid of all these “lizard in the hole” customs which are leading to the division, torture and deaths of millions of Muslims around the world instead of worrying about a “span by span” mixed Muslim-Hindu reception.

NAUSHAD OMAR Athlone