Nothing is more dangerous to Islam than to have apologetic, shallow-minded 'Muslims' who depend largely on books written by Orientalists and are given a public space to send a distorted image of Islam. A distorted image of Islam will divide the nation. It will create distrust and enmity. Fear and hatred.

The only reason Taliban and the so-called 'Islamic fundamentalists' have been given so much coverage in Malaysian media is to scare the non-Muslims of PAS' existence. As much as possible, the mullahs in Afghanistan are portrayed as power-crazy fundamentalists trying to drag back Afghanistan into the dark ages, to give the impression that the same thing will happen to Malaysia if the 'local mullahs' are voted to power.

Islamic knowledge and understanding have a tradition of being handed from a generation to generation. For anyone to hand down the knowledge of Islam, he or she must have a deep knowledge of religion, be pious, honest and of unquestionable integrity.

'In my opinion' and 'I think' carry no weight unless the speaker has the above qualities, much less the 'genuine Muslim intellectuals'.

Islam started 'technical writing' more than 1,400 years ago. Whatever opinions and concepts put forth quote from authoritative sources whose life histories were all well documented. Books on the exegesis of the Quran and the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad are adapted by different generations to for different times, but never deviate from the basic fundamentals put forth by those authoritative figures.

But sadly today, for the sake of political supremacy and a 'fistful of dollars more', Islam is put on a 'mega-sale'. On top of that, there are Muslims themselves leading lives that give Islam a bad image.

Where are the Muslims heading to in the new century?