I would like to respond to SeeKayEs ( [#1]Why non-Muslims fear Islam[/#] , Feb 7), although I do not profess to be an expert in areas concerning religion generally.

I am not surprised the Arabs themselves are "shocked" on the khalwat laws existing, let alone being abused, in this country.

A cursory understanding of the term khalwat , in the context of the Prophet's (s.a.w.) experience. When he was alone, tired or overcome by worldly affairs and the gruesome experience of "wars", he used to have solitary moments to seek solace in the "proximity" of the Almighty! Hence, khalwat , a good and beautiful or positive word in the Koranic context, has now been distorted to be used in a negative way, in another situation concerning "desires" (connoting lust) between a man wanting a woman.

Although it is this desire or lust ( nafsu ) we seek to punish, we have also to tamper it with the general will of the Creator in terms of procreation, i.e. the purpose of the universe. So, it is natural for any growing lad or lady anxious of a possible partner, to meet somewhere in an ambience of confidentiality or privacy to see if the "stars" match! This is the normal situation that has been distorted to give a bad or negative connotation of an otherwise beautiful Koranic meaning of "proximity" ( khalwat ).

To me, the distortion began by the promulgation of the administration of Islamic Law Enactment in the various states by making some of the moral or ethical laws of religion to be a punishable crimes of Syariah law - e.g. khalwat , non-fasting, non-attendance of Friday prayers or consuming liquor, etc. to be enforced by the state. Maybe the Sultan of each state, through the British, wanted to maintain control of this offence through this specific law.

These are "offences" (if at all) not of a temporal value, but more to do with acts of piety or worship, which are purely personal. It is completely wrong, to me, to give such "powers" to man who wants to police morality - mere morals who will "abuse" powers not knowing what power is actually about (even judges sometimes misconstrue "power").

I agree and truly sympathise with the fears and anxieties expressed by non-Muslims who have been given the wrong side of the picture through distortion by people who lust for power. The ordinary so-called secular laws, eg. the Penal Code, have provided adequate safeguards that go beyond those petty Syariah law "criminal" offences; there are already general punishments for indecent behaviour or exposure, sexual harassment and molestation, drunken behaviour in public, outraging of modesty, rape, etc. So any further policing in the moral sphere will create more confusion! Hence, we see a confused state of mind prevailing now.