I refer to Arbibi Ashoy's letter, No reason to leave Islam . I find it very strange that he should ask for reasons for apostasy. In freedom of religion, one does not need any reason to embrace or leave any religion.

But if I am allowed to speculate, I would say on the reasons why people leave Islam is because of the way Islam grapples with a modern, industrialised society.

Gone are the days when we blindly subscribe to an unquestionable absolute truth. All ideas are scrutinised in light of modern knowledge and experience. Indeed, even the concept of God has been put under the microscope.

In the case of Islam, how does the Syariah of the 10th century adapt itself to the 21st century? Do we still believe that we can segregate the sexes? Do we still believe that adulterers should be stoned to death?

Do we have to accept that people of other faiths are condemned to an eternity in hell? Is it not deeds that matter most and not one's beliefs in ideas which cannot be materially proven? And what about Darwinian evolution? Where does that put God?

The questions can go on endlessly. But the ideas of modern skepticism armed, with the blades of modern science, have clearly torn apart the domain of religion. One must remember that the business of religion is not necessarily a rational one.

Likewise the decision to leave a religion is also not required to be rational. That's only fair.