I refer to the letter ' Islam not confined to personal worship ’ by Ms Rafidah Mokhtar. In her letter she attempts to address three issues: the opposition towards the banning of entertainment outlets during the fasting month; the Jais debacle; and eating halal.

Failure to comply to the wishes of PAS does not equate to Islamophobia and I fail to understand the author’s simplistic argument linking the banning of entertainment outlets during the fasting month to resentment towards the governance of Muslims.

It is especially during the holy month of Ramadan that Muslims must be reasonable, rational and considerate to others in the practice of their faith. It is tempting to impose the same conditions for Muslims to non-Muslims in demonstration of religious zeal.

In my opinion, the proposal to ban the operation of entertainment outlets for a month was wisely withdrawn. Who will compensate the businesses for the loss of income as a result of closing for a month? It may be true that the major business owners would be able to absorb a month of no revenue but who will pay the salaries of the workers and provide for their families? It is unlikely that they will be employed for that duration.

I ask Rafidah: are the Muslim majority in Kedah the main clientele for these 300 nightspots? She certainly implies it to be so. Each individual Muslim has the responsibility to be disciplined in the practice of their faith.

Are we children that we need to get all manner of temptations out of our sight to enable us to continue fasting? Are our discipline and faith so weak? Please don’t take it out on our non-Muslim brothers and sisters.

Ramadan should not be an opportunity to demonstrate your personal faith by depriving others of their livelihood. It is also not a time to impose your own values onto others, especially those not of your faith. Just because you are the majority does not mean you ignore the rights of others. Might is not right.

On the Jais incident, overzealous behaviour and the apparent lack of respect for the sanctity of non-Muslim religious places brought on the problems currently faced by the department. Jais or any religious body for that matter do not merit unthinking obedience by all and they must learn to be accountable for their actions.

To date, they have not produced the original complaint, a warrant which provided them with the authority to inspect the premises, and the evidence proving that proselytisation and the conversion of Muslims occurred at the premises.

On the other hand, if Jais’ actions are valid and proven justified with the necessary evidence, then the law provides guidance as to what needs to be done.

However, if past incidences have anything to go by and the fact that this event was in fact a fundraising dinner, this raid will be another unfortunate incident where a government religious body has been duped by persons of paranoid and overzealous nature similar to what happened with the Perak mufti in 2006 (who had then claimed a church had converted over 100,000 Muslims).

Ms Rafidah also had issues with Mariam Mokhtar’s article regarding ‘halal’. The misrepresentation by Rafidah of the article on the issue of halal does Mariam an injustice. The concept of halal was neither the issue nor being questioned by the author. Obsession was the point of her article.

Like many Malay Muslims in Malaysia, I have been the recipient of lists of products allegedly found to be non-halal. These lists are usually generated by religious groups who give little or no explanation of the methodology used to demonstrate their claims.

Interestingly, the allegations have often one thing in common: the presence of pork products. If any of the lists are to be believed wholesale, three quarters of items contained within the typical Malaysian Muslim household would be deemed non-halal.

This would include items such as chocolate, coffee drinks, paint brushes, peanut butter, toothpaste, milk, clothing, sauces and cordial beverages. These lists can be very long and it seems that the shadow of the pig falls on everything.

I was told of a recent incident whereupon a Chinese pau seller was forced to move his stall away from a common food court area after threats of violence were made by a group of Malaysian Muslims.

The steam from the pau (none were pork based) was deemed by the latter to be non-halal. Isn’t this and the lists mentioned an example of an obsession? At what point does being careful become paranoia and obsession? Rather than gaining enlightenment, certain groups of Muslims in Malaysia seem to fall deeper into a well of ignorance of their own making.

I find Ms Rafidah’s assertion that Islam as practiced in Indonesia and “the culture there is not considered as the gold standard of Islamic practice” to be an embarrassing and insulting statement. This holier than thou attitude is not the mark of a good practicing Muslim.

Unfortunately, by our own actions and words, we are fully capable of painting a bleak picture of Islam to others. We often expect and demand that others understand Islam and accept us. It appears to be a struggle for us to make a sincere effort to learn the faith of others and to accept them.

Ms Rafidah rightly points out that Islam is a way of life. I suggest that we start living it the way the Prophet espoused: in peace, harmony, acceptance and celebration of diversity, and with the enlightenment of knowledge.