I am astounded at the logic and reasons given in the letter Let Muslim converts choose again .

As Umran Kadir had pointed out in his letter , people do not take it lightly when they convert, particularly when it concerns marriage. In fact, ask a layman and he will tell you that it causes a deep fear in most of us even to think of conversion into Islam. While Abdul Rahman chooses to see conveniently the ramifications of one renouncing Islam, he does not want to see the hurt and

pain it causes when one leaves the family and loved ones to embrace Islam.

When we marry, religion, to most of us, plays a dominant role as we seek God as a witness to it. But when we decide to go our separate ways, we do not seek God's presence, do we? When a couple gets married, it is their understanding that they are going to remain with each other for life.

However, for various reasons, when the same couple decides to go their separate ways, why should we encumber their future life with religion? Divorces happen among people of all faiths and it is very demeaning to insist that someone hang on to a belief which was used as way to a matrimonial partnership.

With the severance of that partnership, the parties should be allowed to move on with their lives. If it is true that a religion would not allow the leaving of its faith, even in the context of a couple's separation, then that religion must be able to prevent divorces and make sure that the couple would live happy ever after.

When a religion cannot keep the parties together, then it cannot or shouldn't be used to encumber the freedom of two parties to move on with their lives.