The article, 'What Islamic state?,' ( Aug 9) by your columnist Salbiah Ahmad has prompted this letter.

The modern concept of statehood is from the West and in many Muslim countries all over the world, the leaders of a particular country, upon achieving independence from their former Western colonialists masters, adopted this practice of government. Malaysia is an example.

This Western concept of Statehood was a result of the power struggle between the rulers of European countries and the church in Rome. This practice, which is today known as secularism, is unknown to Islam.

From the days of Prophet Muhammad until the fall of the last Muslim caliphate in Turkey, the system of governance was, Islamic in nature. Even in the old Sultanate of Malacca.

For your columnist to claim otherwise in her article is an insult to Muslims.