G'day greg,

I was staying out of this, but I guess I can skirt around stupid comments, &c ... I understand taht another aspect of nail-trimming, in many Muslim traditions, concerns disposal of the clippings. I suspect this ultimately goes back to the same roots as you mentioned in your second posting (the witch/spell-casting aspect), but it may also be seen as parallel to the Biblical concept of the body as 'God's temple'.

I understand that many Muslims insist on gathering every single fragment of clipped nails and burying them ... as they are 'part of the body'. There are also dire tales of what will happen in the afterlife if you don't do so (... sounding more like pronouncements of Muhammad's wife - keeping the world tidy, than Muhammad himself ...?).

Regard(les)s,

Bob Bolton