I refer to the letter The Quran - re-opening the door to ijtihad by Umran Kadir.

I am very glad that there are those who can see the urgency of the need to re-interpret Islamic doctrines in the modern, contemporary context. Certainly advocating a 10th century view is not helpful and it needs our attention.

On the question of 'who' is to make such re-interpretation, my reply would be to create a special committee or task-force drawn up from the ranks of the 'ulama', scientists, economists and other such scholars.

Only such a diversified committee can provide a balanced and contemporary re-interpretation of Islam - that is consistent with both Islamic ideas and 'humanistic modernity'.

The issue is - will our Muslim politicians across the 'ummah', have the courage to set the ball rolling? One must remember that this is an issue that has to be addressed at the international level since the Muslim 'ummah' is spread out over the globe.

Perhaps our local politicians can begin first - if there is a political will to do so.

As to Mohd Adha's Syariah Law supercedes human rights , I find it absolutely ridiculous that some people insist on imposing their beliefs on others. As I have said many times before: people like Mohd Adha are free to believe whatever they want to believe.

That's their business. But they cannot and must not impose their beliefs on others. Let me publicly say it: there are many aspects of Syariah based on th 'ijtihad' of the 10th century which I find to be inadequate when faced with contemporary problems.

One such issue is the question of human rights and the freedom to choose a religion. Of what good is it to force someone to accept Islam on the pain of death? What crime has been committed? I do not accept apostasy to be a crime at all.

If apostasy is a crime, then what about hypocrisy? In this day and age, we should be skeptical of many of the unproven dogma of religion. Why should an apostate be charged as a criminal when those charging him/her cannot even prove scientifically the validity of their religious belief?

Has it ever occurred to people like Mohd Adha that many practicing scientists are either agnostics or atheists precisely because religious beliefs cannot be proven true scientifically?

In light of this, I totally reject calls to criminalise apostasy. We no longer live in the 7th century. Today the forces of modernity, humanism and globalisation has made it perfectly clear that everyone should be free to practice his or her religion of choice and that no compulsion be made on them.

Muslims have to make Islam more attractive if they want to reduce incidences of apostasy. They have no other choice.