Sir, I have just listened to the Labour peer, Lord Ahmed, make a trenchant criticism of the award of a knighthood to the writer Salman Rushdie (report, June 19 ), in the course of which he asserted that it was insulting to Islam and to Muslim feelings and brought Islam into contempt.

What undermines Islam are edicts to kill people because their writings offend Islamic beliefs. What brings Islam into contempt is the killing of women for breaching a code of family honour; deeds carried out in its name that include the killing and maiming of people in Tube trains simply because they are part of a society that tolerates many and conflicting views; and plots to kill people because they frequent nightclubs.

Salman Rushdie was awarded a knighthood for his services to literature, not because he wrote a book that some see as critical of Islam. That Lord Ahmed aligns himself with these antilibertarians confirms the view that Islam is a crucible of intolerance and oppression.

BRIAN ROSE-SMITH, London

Sir, As UnderSecretary for the Middle East in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office I negotiated with the Iranian authorities in Tehran in 1993 to have the fatwa placed on Salman Rushdie lifted. These talks paved the way for Robin Cook’s resolution of the problem a few years later.

The issue was always the right of freedom of expression in this country. For Lord Ahmed to make his attack on the honour as being “divisive” only calls in question his own fitness for a place in the House of Lords.

SIR MICHAEL BURTON, London, SW6

Sir, Did the genius who recommended Salman Rushdie for a knighthood not realise the offence that it would cause to the Muslim world after The Satanic Verses debacle or was this calculated? And exactly why did he get a knighthood – he has done nothing for Britain other than cost the taxpayer a fortune in police protection for writing a book the majority never read?

P. CRESSWELL, Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh

Sir, As a Muslim who does not necessarily agree with the views expressed by Salman Rushdie through his literary works, I would like to remind my co-religionists that the inclusion of Rushdie in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list is a British domestic issue. Moreover, one of the main reasons for conferring this title has been his contribution to the literary world, especially his work Midnight Children, not specifically for The Satanic Verses.

Freedom of expression comes with a heavy price, allowing Rushdie the right to express his views, no matter how insensitive towards Islam or other religions they may be. Any incitement to violence in the name of religion must be countered effectively by the authorities and the moderate Muslim leadership in Britain and abroad. DR

SHAAZ MAHBOOB, Hillingdon, Middx

Sir, Sir Salman has inflamed religious opinion with a book which only seems to be read by devout Muslims. He has also stated his dislike for England and lives mainly in America. Why exactly has this man been honoured?

JOHN CLEMENTS, Surrey

Sir, Many fundamentalist believers strongly resent criticism about their belief systems, hence the old blasphemy laws. Such criticism might be regarded as insensitive if the religious kept their beliefs to themselves and made no attempt to persuade others of their “truth”, sometimes with suggestions of eternal damnation.

If believers insist on trying to convert others, they have no moral right to resent trenchant criticism of the belief system they are advocating.

DOUGLAS KEDGE, Sonning Common, Oxon

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