For the past few weeks, I have noticed that some of Muslim readers were agitated by the writings of non-Muslims. Regrettably, the tone of some the responses from Muslim writers were threatening and intimidating too. I hope my response to such writings will be able to put matters in their proper perspective.

Today, we are unwittingly the citizens of an Islamic state, and like all concerned citizens, we need to air our views, with the hope that some of our Muslim brothers may have the patience to explain the truth of Islam.

Put yourselves in others shoes and imagine yourselves living in a state where Islam is not the official religion. Wouldn't you be concerned how the policies of the country might affect your lives? You would be airing your views, rightly or wrongly, to the various media to voice your concern.

Understanding of Islam is compounded by the fact that it comes in so many versions. In Malaysia, we have the Umnos and the PAS versions. Elsewhere, there are the Taliban, Indonesian, Turkish and the Middle Eastern versions. So which is the true version?

One Muslim I admire greatly is Yasser Arafat. He has gone to the Vatican City to visit the Pope and was even blessed by him. Every Christmas, he attends midnight mass at a church with Palestinian Christians.

Egypt hosted the Pope's visit last year and allowed him to celebrate mass in a stadium attended by Muslim and Christian Egyptians. Would we have done this?

On the extreme side, we have the type of Islam practised by Osama bin Laden who felt his faith allowed him to take another human life. So which is the true Islam?

Then there is Ling Liong Sik who adds to the confusion when he said that we are living in a secular Islamic state. Is there such a state?

Two months ago, the Singapore government banned headwear for Muslim schoolgirls. We made a ruckus over it. But what about Turkey that is predominantly Muslim but which has imposed an even wider ban on headwear for its women?

I was equally surprised to read in the NST ( March 10), Indonesian Ministry of Transport Agum Gumelar also bars females from wearing head scarves. Why did we launch a protest campaign against Singapore but not Turkey and Indonesia for their headwear ban?

Can we then blame non-Muslims for being confused and concerned over how Islam is being practised?

So to my Muslim friends who should encounter further writings from non-Muslim readers of malaysiakini , exercise patience and explain the religion to us. This is the way to propagate the religion and win friends.