Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nazri Abdul Aziz call for non-Muslims to desist from commenting on Islamic matters is a timely one, especially in the light of the comments made by all and sundry on the Islamic Family Law.

These are matters that only the adherents of the religion have a right to discuss and not for others to pass judgment. The syariah has to be looked at in the context of the religion as a whole in order to understand and appreciate it before non-Muslims call it discriminatory.

It is the same way that atheists cannot comment on what they see as contradictory in the non- Muslim belief system and their secular rights. For instance, to an outsider, one would see it as a contradiction in terms to be a Hindu and a human right's activist.

How can a Brahmin woman claim equality and not pray at the wayside shrine? This may seem hypocritical but to a Brahmin, the wayside deity does not belong to the Hindu pantheon and she therefore cannot worship a deity of the lower order.

Similarly how does a low-caste woman claim equality and rights and at the same time accept her dharma? This list of apparent contradictions can go on and on.

One can also ask how can one be a devout Catholic divorcee and accept women's rights or how can a Protestant believe in God when man has to reform the religion.

There will be no end to this debate if one looks at it from outside the belief systems. One can only understand this if one follows the faith and has a full understanding of its teaching. So let each have his or her own way and let's respect this.