Dr Patricia Martinez (' Get back to the real issue

', Jan 5) has every right to be miffed. But I would like to say to her that Yamin Cheng (' Of Islamic studies and Islamic state ', Jan 4) did not deserve the courtesy of a reply.

In matters of religion it is really unfortunate that proponents will seek their own comfort zones to take refuge when threatened with the truth that might contradict or put to test their belief or faith. For some, seeking refuge means discrediting the source, as in the case of academics like Martinez.

A person like Cheng relies on undermining the credibility of a proponent of an issue. So, it really would be playing into his hand when an academic responds to his foibles.

If Cheng was an academic, then it would have been unnecessary to undermine a person's credibility. That modus operandi is for ordinary street vagabonds like me.

All that Cheng needed to do was to put forward his or her points, however, ridiculous it might seem.

On that note I suggest that Yamin cannot possibly belong to the academic fraternity and, therefore, does not deserve an academic defence.