The Herald vs. the Government of Malaysia on the use of the term Allah
by lilian ~ May 5th, 2008
I have been waiting and anticipating for something positive. We are asked to pray over this matter and I personally like to see something from this. To me, it is a big issue because it is a matter of religion, the authority of our Government and also a question of who is right and who is wrong.
Being a Catholic, of course I want to see that The Herald is allowed to continue publishing the term Allah in our weekly publication. When it was forbade by the Prime Minister, I felt our rights have been denied. And in my opinion, when it was conveyed to us, the Catholics, it was done in an arrogant matter.
So, when I heard that the Catholic church is taking this case to the High Court, the rebellious part of me went “woo hoo, let’s kick some asses!” But I have doubts if we are ever going to see anything from it. Still, it is worth praying and asking God to be the judge.
Like Haris Ibrahim’s thoughts :
My immediate thoughts.
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Place such issues before a judge who will not allow personal beliefs to interfere with his or her application of the law to the facts and more often than not, justice will be done.
Let’s just hope that this brave judge will not now be made the subject of a hurried transfer order!
You can find the news covered by Malaysiakini over here.
Though to many, it may seems like a trivial matter over how God is acknowledge, I see this as a huge milestone. It is a matter of my faith against the powers up there. Who will win?
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May 6th, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Peace Be Upon You. I dont think the word Allah is proper for the christian to call Jesus Christ. Because in our religion, Allah is above everything and cannot be compare as his creatures. We respect your religion so much but in the use of this term. i dont thik it’s a good idea. this is because when we referred Allah and it means that he is Jesus then we have committed ’shirk’ which means to put an equality between the creator and his creation. This is the characteristic of Allah in our religion
[#112] AL-IKHLAS (SINCERITY)
112:001 Say: He is Allah, the One and Only;
112:002 Allah, the Eternal, Absolute;
112:003 He begetteth not, nor is He begotten;
112:004 And there is none like unto Him.
May 7th, 2008 at 1:21 am
Jacknaim - Thank you for your enlightening sharing. However, it is often misunderstood. Catholics believe in the Holy Trinity. I.e. God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. We are very clear when we refer God as God and Jesus as Jesus. When we use the term Allah, we refer to God the Almighty. Jesus is Yesus. It may be a bit puzzling in the beginning but we have on different occasions call upon God the Almighty and on other occasion refer to Jesus.
Anyway, thank you for reading.
May 7th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Actually, when the issue raise i think it not about using the word Allah. it more than that. May be for christian it just a word but for Muslim it means everything. i think u know that religion is the sensitive issue in our multiracial country. Why not we together keep the peace atmosphere around us. Don’t let this issues spark racial chaos. Malaysia is our country. The place we born, live and die for. let make the harmony atmosphere here.
May 9th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
i agree with ammacho..to Lilian i’m just confused. why do you want to use the words Allah only in malay publishing’s stuff. Even in the bible, you didnt use the word ‘Allah’. In the bible the word is God or Lord. that’s why most of the muslim in Malaysia didnt agree with it. but technically, you all still can use that word. no problem for it…
p/s : i’ve a question. did the trinity in the catholic is still the same as in protestant. some of my protestant friends say that the trinity in catholic refers to God the father, Jesus the Son and Virgin Mary..
May 10th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Lilian, my friend, looks like our friend Jachaim needs a 2-year course in order to understand Christian Catholicism. Even some of our non-Catholic brethren don’t understand us as in “some of my protestant friends say that the trinity in catholic refers to God the father, Jesus the Son and Virgin Mary”. Our other Christian brethren need to come to our church, too, for a crash course.
You know what I am thinking right now? Satan accuses us day and night as in Revelation (sorry can’t remember the verse). So, if others accuse us of things not true, are they not, in fact, helping Satan?
Have a blessed day.
May 10th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
p/s. Sorry about that, may be not that harsh but I think we Christians (me included) have to get our facts correct before we open our mouth and TO TRY TO EXPLAIN THE FAITH OF OTHERS. Otherwise, they will take us to court for slandering.
May 10th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
p/s. well, but then we believe in prayers and not to make mountain out of a mole hill, if we can help it.
Sis, sorry for writing too much in your blog.
May 10th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Agree with u..maybe more than two years..lot of things i wanna ask about the differences between protestant and catholic. why you all got the different bible and many things..