The Roman Catholic Church in Malaysia won the right to challenge the government’s ban on the right to use the word “Allah” to mean "God" outside of Islam when the High Court granted leave to the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, as the publisher of Catholic newspaper The Herald, in his application for a judicial review yesterday.
We fully supports the appropriate use of the term “Allah” outside of Islam by other religions, and the right of the Church to contest the ban by the Ministry of Home Affairs of its use in the courts.
However, we find the entire process of the Church having to go to Courts to seek a declaration for its rights to use the term “Allah”, a term which it has been using since before independence, an unnecessary and farcical process.
As highlighted incessantly over the past 3 years or more, this term has been used by religions other than Islam all over the world for decades, if not centuries. The term “Allah” has been used in Indonesia and the Middle East by Christians without prosecution or controversy, despite both being overwhelmingly Muslim-majority regions. For the Sikhs, the term “Allah” is used in their holy book since the founding of its faith. It has been proven beyond doubt that it is not a term specifically monopolised only by Muslims.
Hence the use of the term “Allah” by Christians and Sikhs are not meant in anyway to confuse Muslims nor are Muslims so easily confused by a term which has been widely used for centuries.
The DAP supports Islam as the religion of the Federation, as prescribed in the Federal Constitution and do not view the use of “Allah” by the other religions is in any way contrary to the above position. Even PAS spiritual advisor, Nik Aziz has openly declared that “Allah” is allowed for non-Muslims.
Therefore we would like to call upon the new Minister of Home Affairs, Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein under the new administration led by Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak to drop the Ministry's objections to the use of the term “Allah” in Christian and Sikh publications with immediate effect, especially when these publications are only specifically circulated to their respective members.
The Minister should adopt the mantra of the new Prime Minister, “One Malaysia: People First, Performance Now” to avoid further delays in the process, unnecessarily dragging the matter through the courts while creating tensions within the religious community. By immeidately rescinding all decrees banning the use of “Allah” and the use of the national language in non-Muslim religious newsletters, he will be taking a major step towards fostering greater goodwill among all communities to achieve the ultimate goal of “One Malaysia”.
(Note: Former BN leader, Tan Sri Leo Moggie has also come out with a statement to support the Church's cause. Thanks Elaine for the prompt.)
12 comments:
UMNO must change totally its "rusty image". Even its logo must change.Get rid of the useless "rusty keris" and replace with a symbol that reflects a real ONE MELAYU !! Our cultural, social, educational and political environment have changed drastically and UMNO must "overhaul" its vision and mission to face new challenges. Our needs and aspirations are now totally different from 50 years ago. We are now living in a very complex and sophisticated world and we must adjust accordingly. Our hopes and expectations are very high and we expect UMNO leaders to be more focus and transparent in carrying out their responsibilities. They must be seen at all times to have the highest integrity of the first order or else UMNO will failed miserably to get the respect due from the Malays.
LET THERE BE NO FIGHT OVER NAME
God (whatever be His other holy names) is nobody's monopoly
Unless God is the God for all
Otherwise He's not God at all
So let man, over His name, not fall into any folly
(C) Samuel Goh Kim Eng - 270409
http://MotivationInMotion.blogspot.com
Mon. 27th Apr. 2009.
umno really must apologize to all Malaysians for creating unnecessary tensions over this issue.
Turning a non issue into a national issue just to hangs on to power is really despicable.
Let the people preach whatever they like in peace.
...er...sorry to be an ignoramus here possibly, but since we are all agreed that "Allah" is one of the infinite number of names exclusively belonging to an Almighty God, shouldn't the final decision as to which of God's children can or cannot use which of God's infinte names be one for God to decide upon within God's Absolute Prerogative, and possibly in direct bilateral holy spiritual communication/communion with that mortal person concerned, rather than an arbitrary decision to be made on behalf of God (and obviously without seeking any prior consultation with God) by a mortal human judge or even by a more ignorant mortal Home Minister?
Pray tell me, how would these human decison-makers possibly KNOW what Almighty God wants done or how God wants them to decide on such exclusively complex spiritual matters?
Is that exploratory line of tediously logical questioning and reasoning considered blasphemous by any chance, or perhaps just too stupid to venture into?
"Imagine Power To The People" John Lennon.
It appears that it is a policy of the Evil BN/Umno regime to allow Christians to be confused and be misled while at the same time blaming the Christians for confusing the Muslims as in the case of Christians calling God, ALLAH...More http://margeemar.blogspot.com
A waste of time just to ridicule ourselves.
It is an indicator of Malaysians stupidity. Sicko.
Since other Muslim countries have no problems with it, the Bolehland "controversy" over the use of the word Allah is a contrived controversy by the government to distract citizens from seeing the real truth about Msia's politicians.
Allah is a generic term for God but the devil has created a debate among the people to argue about terms and semantics while the real thing, the love and worship of God is neglected.
It is also a good strategy to make atheists even more cyclical about religion: "look at those pious guys arguing over a word while the world is reeling."
Oops, I meant more cynical, not cyclical.
Nehemiah, howdee to you.
Like your sharp, tasty and cynically twisted posting here.
BTW, friend Tom has a curiously searching question to ask of you nicely off course: Are you, Nehemiah, a Prophet?
WE SAY YEAH! & NO TO ISA! :P AND HARIS FOR AG & RPK FOR IGP! GO FOR DSAI FOR PM & LKS FOR DPM & KIND WAN AZIZAH FOR HOME MINISTER.
2009 Resolution: Seek out all garbage and recycle or dispose post haste for a healthier life and planet!
the lastest 99 Names of Allah for Mobile Phones 2.3 free download: http://www.s60sis.com/mobileSoft/99-Names-of-Allah-for-Mobile-Phones.htm
Hi TTC
No, I do not hold nor aspire to the office of a prophet. The name is just a symbol of reformation that is needed to rebuild the broken walls of this nation.
Bloggers have very small voices on their own but when they speak in unison and in unity, they can bring down the walls of Jericho.
First Nehemiah and now Jeremiah, howdee. :)
Thank you very much for your very lucid reply.
Friend Harry, who is an expert on walls, agrees that loud sounds can affect walls, and also adds helpfully hopefully,that as it is people who build walls, people can also simply unbuild the ones they have built that they don't like anymore, or rebuild the ones they do like whenever and wherever they like.
Anyways, on that hopefully helpful note, Nehemiah and now Jeremiah and next maybe Ezra or Isaiah or some other nice name from a good Book, here is a wagonload of good luck tidings sent virtually over to you from all here for the successful completion of your national wall rebuilding and restoration project. :)
WE SAY YEAH! & NO TO ISA! :P AND HARIS FOR AG & RPK FOR IGP! GO FOR DSAI FOR PM & LKS FOR DPM & KIND WAN AZIZAH FOR HOME MINISTER.
2009 Resolution: Seek out all garbage and recycle or dispose post haste for a healthier life and planet!
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