As the A Rayappan matter evolves, it brings to mind one Norlinda who made a comment entitled If you love your partner, you'll convert .

She held the higher ground vis--vis the Quran which implies conversion in marriage, mindful that the only universal agreement with Islamic authorities is that the scriptures are immutable and not subject to modification and read with the Sunnah - the life conduct of the Prophet. Taken as a moral compass by the observant, you have an all-encompassing guide in such matters.

Norlinda appeared to be an observant. A true observant who is aware of the life of the Prophet and the nuances of the scriptures, may not view the world the same way a non-Muslim does. The thrust of her letter was that conversion is the litmus test for true love and the observant has no alternative. Religion has to be reconciled before love and compassion fluxion taken into consideration.

The thrust of her detractors is that love and compassion drive a relationship and freedom of religion is inherent and available under the secular constitution without explanation or apology. Both held their ground in their respective spheres but the reality in Malaysia is that Islam is a key issue in interfaith relationships - the secular nature of the constitution notwithstanding.

To avoid missteps, more has to be done than rallying public opinion in forums or relying on experts with the propensity to appease and portray such views selectively.

The point I'm making is that non-Muslims in particular should educate themselves not selectively, but on all aspects of the Quran and life conduct of the Prophet. It is not such an ambiguous document that one can't hope to decipher on his own.

Of course then, you can expect the issue of interpretation to arise. You see, the non-literalist observant will insist that only experts are able to interpret the sacred document but the literalist will argue that all forms of language have a human characteristic, hence he is able to objectively decipher the language of the document himself.

With secular and Islamic forces parrying in close proximity, such scholarship is imperative for non-Muslims, especially for couples embarking on interfaith relationships involving Islam as it will serve to clarify the route to convergence or divergence one way or the other.