HIS forehead wrinkled, Zainun Kamal's eyes narrowed to a squint. Verbal provocation from Muhammad Thalib—his debate opponent from the Indonesian Mujahidin Council (MMI)—almost made him lose his composure. "We ask that you repent if your argument is shown to be flawed," said Thalib, opening the discussion in the public debate sponsored by the Jakarta campus of the State Islamic University (UIN), last Thursday.

Zainun repli