1. Malaysiakini.com (http://www.malaysiakini.com)
(1) ‘Religion cannot remain pure and original’ 26 December 2007
by Muhammad
True religion will fail and disappear from the face of the earth if it remains pure and original. When it is organised or institutionalised, it has a better chance of survival. This is the very reason Buddhism failed in India. It failed because it wanted to remain pure. It didn't believe in god and some of its teachings did not go down well with the masses.
But it spread like wildfire in Thailand, Japan, China, Sri Lanka, Burma and other place. Buddha was not a public relations person but Buddhist missionaries were. They compromised many things to suit the local culture and liking. This is what’s happening in Malaysia.
The Umno fellows will say and do things that is to the liking of the Malay masses. There is a competition amongst them to see who is more Islamic. They are talking about removing crosses in mission schools, removing the word Allah from a Catholic publication, temple demolitions, Islamic state, fighting over dead bodies and other things.
There is a parallel to the above explanation. In the west, the devil is described as black but in Africa, it is the other way around - white! This is the work of the missionaries of organised religion. Organised religions are bound to split into many sects of the main religion. We have seen it in Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism.
Osho, the misunderstood mystic has said "You can organise a religion only when you are ready to make it a politics and you are ready to lose its religiousness. A religion can be organised only when it is no longer a religion. That is to say, a religion cannot be organised as religion. Organised, it is no more religion. A religion basically remains unorganised, remains a little chaotic, remains a little disorderly - because religion is freedom."
(2) ‘Malay word for God is 'Tuhan'’ 26 December 2007
by Fathima Idris
I find Wong Yee Kiat’s ‘Allah’ controversy shows need for non-Muslim dept claim that since Arab Christians refer to God as Allah in Arabic, thus Christian Malaysians by virtue of the Federal Constitution should be able to do the same in Bahasa Malaysia, quite intriguing to say the least.
When did secular Muslims and non-Muslims in Malaysia become so accepting of Arab culture? So far, every time Muslims here use Arab terminology, expressions or attire, there has been a chorus of disapproval from them about Arabisation. Why then the sudden claim of affinity to the Arabs to the extent that Wong asks “Since ‘Allah’ is a general word that is not the registered intellectual property of Islam, why can’t Christians use the word?”
Let me ask him, if Allah is a general word then why does Herald use the word “Allah” only in its Bahasa Malaysia section? Why not refer to God as Allah in their English, Tamil and Chinese sections the same way the Arab Christians refer to God? Clearly this is being done to proselytise to Muslims, which is clearly against the constitution. This is why Muslims oppose it.
Quoting Wikipedia, Wong writes that “Allah is the standard Arabic word for God” but when was Allah ever a standard word for God in the Nusantara? The Malay word ordinarily used for God is “Tuhan”. Even when passages from the Quran are translated into Bahasa Malaysia the word “Tuhan” is used in place of “Allah”.
Thus if Wong is sincere in the assertion that Christians here refer to Allah since it “originated in the Arab world” then I believe they would have no objections to the first principle of the Rukun Negara being amended to read “Kepercayaan kepada Allah”.
(3) ‘They're trying to be mischievous’ 28 December 2007
by A Razak
The only logical explanation as to why the Church and Christians in Malaysia want to use ‘Allah’ instead of ‘Tuhan’ in its Malay translation is to cause confusion and to be mischievous. I can understand if no proper term is available. But why insist on using that word when there is another clear and acceptable term?
I question the motivation of Herald and the Catholic Church in using this term. It is used with bad intentions to confuse Malays and others. If they used the word ‘Tuhan’, I doubt the message will be ambiguous or less clear.
If you really believe in the message you are trying to propagate, you do not need to resort to such methods which diverts everyone away from the true meaning of your message. These ambiguous and unclear terms are usually used by those who are uncertain, unconfident and those who do not truly believe in their messages, much like a politician trying explain something he does not believe in.
Please, by all means propagate the religion you believe in but do it in a correct and sincere way without trying to create division and mistrust in a our multi-religious and multi-cultural society.The word ‘Allah’ has always been used by the Muslims when they refer to their one and only God. There is a very clear and concise term for God in Bahasa Malaysia and it is ‘Tuhan’. As far as I can remember, there has been no confusion regarding this. The use of ‘Allah’ by Christians is certainly new. Arabs and people in Malta may have used the term ‘Allah’ to refer to any God from the beginning, hence there may not be confusion in that society.
(4) ‘Don't muddy waters over 'Allah'’ 2 January 2008
by Fathima Idris
I refer to the letter Learn from Iban Bible controversy.
The responses to my earlier letter only confirms my fear that the general perception about the opposition to the use of the world ‘Allah’ in the Herald was a quibble over terminology.
The real concern here is not about a word but what Allah means. Christians and Muslims have different understandings of the Creator; and to use ‘Tuhan’/‘God’ and ‘Allah’ interchangeably only sets about confusion.This is exemplified by ‘A Well-traveled Christian’ when he/she asserts that he/she has no problems with the principle ‘kepercayaan kepada Allah’.
I am befuddled by this. Does ‘A Well Traveled Christian’ say. ‘He is Allah the One and Unique, Allah who is in need of none and of whom all are in need, He neither begot any nor was He begotten and none is comparable to Him’?
If he/she sincerely believes in this, how does he/she as a Christian reconcile it with the belief in the God incarnate? There is no duality for Muslims, Allah is One. Will the Church accept this?Further as explained by Steve Oh, Christians have an anthropomorphic view of the Creator such as ‘God as a loving father’. Whereas Muslims believe in the transcendence of Allah and do not ‘localise’ God.
The Quran al Karim teaches us that ‘Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. His Light (in the Universe) may be likened to a niche wherein is a lamp, and the lamp is in the crystal which shines in star-like brilliance. It is lit from (the oil) of a blessed olive tree that is neither eastern or western. Its oil well nigh glows forth (of itself) though no fire touched it: Light upon Light’.
I hope that the readers can appreciate what Allah means to Muslims and that this refutes the Christian notion of the Creator. For a scholarly exposition on this please go here.
It is imperative that we have a clear understanding of our Creator in order for us to relate to Him and Muslims make no compromise on this. Please therefore do not muddy the waters.
2. Harakah Daily. Net (http://www.harakahdaily.net/bm)
29 Disember 2007/19 Dzulhijjah 1428 Hijrah
Isu perkataan Allah dalam 'The Herald' 24 December 2007
by Hajah Mus
Sudah beberapa hari saya mengikuti 'Harakahdaily' tetapi tiada ketemui satu tulisan pun yang membincangkan isu penggunaan perkataan ALLAH dalam 'The Herald' terbitan Local Catholic Daily. Saya juga meneliti 'Harakah' tetapi tiada satu artikel pun tentang tajuk ini. Sila layari www.englishsection.com untuk Laman Utama English Section atau www.harakahdaily.net/wap/ untuk melayari HarakahDaily.Net menggunakan telefon bimbit GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) anda.
Bagi saya, perkara sebegini bukanlah masalah kerajaan sahaja, ini adalah masalah kita umat Islam di Malaysia. Sekiranya kerajaan bergelut dengan perkara ini, kita penyokong PAS juga perlu sama-sama mengemblengkan kekuatan. Jangan takut jika kita sokong kerajaan dalam isu ini kerajaan akan dapat banyak sokongan. Allah mengetahui niat kita.
Sebagai media massa, Harakahdaily dan Harakah sewajarlah membincangkan isu-isu semasa yang bersangkut paut tentang agama. Sekurang-kurangnya menyedarkan rakyat apakah ancaman yang dihadapi oleh agama kita. Apakah kesannya pada remaja kita. Maafkan saya sekiranya nada tulisan saya menonjolkan kemarahan yang ada di hati saya. Memang saya rasa marah, tetapi saya tetap menghargai jasa Harakah yang memberikan orang biasa seperti saya semangat juang walaupun kami hanyalah sebagai pembaca sahaja.
〔Komen oleh (6) Pembaca〕
① Tuhan Kristian dan Tuhan Islam Tak Sama oleh Azman, 25-12-2007
Sesiapa yang mengatakan bahawa Tuhan Kristian dan Tuhan Islam itu sama, ketahuilah bahawasanya pendapat itu adalah silap dan jahil. Allah telah menerangkan hal ini dengan tepat dan jelas menerusi Surah Al-Ikhlas. Kristian mengatakan bahawa Tuhan mereka beranak dan diperanakkan. ISLAM menegaskan bahawa Allah adalah ESA. Jangan sekali kali menyamakan Allah dengan tuhan Kristian.
② islam oleh ghazaly, 25-12-2007
alah tuhan itu sama la dan mana boleh muslim nak emp;unyai nama alllah sedang kan ornga bukan islam pun umat alllah . cuba luaskan sikit pandangan dan pemikiran sempit orng melayu. ni samalah orang cina nak masuk islam kena palai kopiah kain pelekat dan tukan nama. apa hal tiada kekeliruan bagi saya...
③ Hanya ada satu tuhan - Allah oleh markiza, 25-12-2007
Bagi orang Arab, tidak kira apa agama anutan mereka, Allah ialah perkataan yang dipakai untuk menyebut tuhan...kerana Allah ialah tuhan dalam bahasa arab. Ini perbuatan orang2 yang saja2 nak kelirukan orang islam...jadi tak usah lah keliru...isu-isu agama perlu ditangani dengan bij
④ oleh hilmy rajit, 25-12-2007
baru-baru ini kita digemparkan dengan isu penggunaan perkataan Allah dalam the herald.Sebenarnya buku-buku yang menghina islam ini telah banyak diterbitkan contohnya The Satanic Verses karya salman rushdie. Pemimpin tertinggi iran telah memfatwakan bahawa salman harus dibunuh. Tetapi kenapa kita umat islam masakini suka melenting dan mengamuk sahaja? Tidak ada seorangpun yang menerbitkan tulisan yang bernas dan berbentuk ilmiah bagi menangkis tulisan mereka? Apa yang kita tahu cuma marah, bakar dan bunuh. Dalam sejarah islam nabi dan agama islam pernah dihina oleh penyair musyrikin dan penyair islam membalas syair mereka dengan syair yang lebih hebat lagi. Jangan marah saja wahai saudaraku semua. Sudah sampai masanya kita menggunakan mata pena kita.
⑤ boleh attach detail oleh honest observer, 24-12-2007
komen puan x brape detail.. ad link atau sumber leh dapat bahan tu?
⑥ Salam oleh AbuAsran, 24-12-2007
Kepada Lanh, sebelum 'mengamuk', sila:
1-Belajar bahasa Arab
2-Kenali orang Kristian di Timur Tengah dan mazhab2 mereka
Kepada orang Kristian kat Malaysia, kalau Allah itu Tuhan, kenapa orang Kristian di Amerika Utara tak sependapat dgn korang?（http://www.bible.ca/islam/islam-bible-allah.htm）
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