Are malaysiakini readers still bickering about Arabic/Islamic greetings? My response is - go get a life. Here in the United Arab Emirates, locals are always pleased when a westerner tries to be polite and use local greetings such as 'Assalamualaikum' or uses 'Allah' instead of 'God'.

They don't get angry, unlike some Malays. (I am reminded of a western lecturer at the International Islamic University in Petaling Jaya who had a complaint lodged against him by some administrator who was infuriated by the westerner's use of "peace be upon you".) What kind of university management is that? Indeed, one might ask, "What kind of country is that?" And people like that administrator are usually the ones who accuse Americans of arrogance.

The more exclusionary, arrogant and unfriendly Islam is made to look, the more it is hated and denigrated by non-Muslims. To those purists who spend their free time reciting 'Allahs' and 'PBUHs', and dictating speeches to the rest of us, I would suggest visiting Oman and the UAE to learn something about civility and graciousness.