As a Muslim, I strongly condemn the actions of Muslims in Beruwala, resulting in loss of life and the destruction of property. This happened because of ideological differences and a lack of knowledge of Islam itself.
Islam in Sri Lanka is at a transitional stage, as a result of the new knowledge Muslims have acquired with advanced technology, such as the Internet, and the greater awareness of those who have worked in Middle East countries and who have gained first-hand knowledge of Islamic practices.
Many un-Islamic practices, such as feasts and the sacrifice of animals in mosques for certain holy men, were practised for centuries because no one knew Islam properly, largely because of a lack of knowledge of the Arabic language.
Further, many non-Islamic practices were introduced to Sri Lanka by South Indian Muslims who have adopted practices from non-Muslims in India.
It is very difficult to change the established beliefs of the older generation Muslims and religious leaders and priests who make a living from these so-called un-Islamic rituals. As a result, they would not allow the true Islam to be practised for fear of losing their livelihood.
Blaming Middle East countries for this debacle is not right, simply because of the actions of some ignorant Muslims.
Shabir Zainudeen, Abu Dhabi, UAE |
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