This is in reply to the letter by Nazari Ismail, entitled Suicide bombings not against Islam .

In his letter, Nazari refers to edicts and fatwa by religious councils and scholars that freely absolve 'martyrdom fighters' of all guilt by taking literal quotes from religious texts that seem to justify their actions.

Why this blind adherence to the rulings from a council of men? In a matter so severe, involving the indiscriminate taking of innocent lives, they are basically saying that it is fine to kill, to maim, to destroy, to rip lives apart in the name of God and religion, and to do so with no stain of guilt on your soul how can anyone swallow this whole, with no question or doubt?

There has to be a line drawn somewhere, where a person has to take personal responsibility for his or her own actions. Not everything can laid at the door of religious edicts or council rulings.

At its heart, religion is the relationship between man and God; clerics and priests serve as interpreters and guides but they do not have the right or power to decide life and death for us.

In thinking about matters such as the killing of others, one has to listen to one's own heart in deciding what is right -not the opinions of others who have their own agendas at hand.

In doing so, should you still come to the conclusion that this form of 'martyrdom' is permissible, or even laudable, I sincerely doubt you hear God's voice at all.