1. Islamic publications
(1) World Wide Religious News (http://wwrn.org.)
"Malaysia Bans 11 Books on Islam" , 30 January 2008
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (AP)— Malaysia has banned 11 books for allegedly giving a false portrayal of Islam, such as by linking the religion to terrorism and the mistreatment of women, an official said Wednesday.
The government ordered the books — most of them released by U.S. publishers — to be blacklisted earlier this month "because they are not in line with what we call the Malaysian version of Islam," said Che Din Yusoh, an official with the Internal Security Ministry's publications control unit.
"Some of them ridicule Islam as a religion, or the facts are wrong about Islam, like associating Islam with terrorism ... or saying Islam mistreats women," he said. "Once you mention something which is not correct, it's not proper."
The banned books include eight English-language ones, such as "The Two Faces of Islam: Saudi Fundamentalism and its Role in Terrorism," "Secrets of the Quran: Revealing Insights Into Islam's Holy Book" and "Women in Islam." There are also three books written in the local Malay language. It was not immediately clear whether the books have ever been on sale in Malaysia, but government authorities regularly review the contents of books and publications that could have sensitive material, mostly regarding religion and sex, Che Din said.
About 60 percent of Malaysia's 27 million people are Muslims.
Disclaimer: WWRN does not endorse or adhere to views or opinions expressed in the articles posted. This is purely an information site, to inform interested parties of religious trends.
(2)Bernama.com (http://www.bernama.com.my)
Ministry Bans 11 Books About Islam, 29 January 2008
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 29 (Bernama) -- The Internal Security Ministry has banned 11 books -- eight in English and three in Bahasa Malaysia -- about Islam whose contents have been found to be deviating from the teaching of the religion.
According to the ministry's Quran Publication Control and Text Division Secretary Che Din Yusoh, the ban order was gazetted on Jan 17 under Section 7(1) of the Printing Presses and Publications Act 1984.
The books banned are:
・Secrets Of The Koran: Revealing Insights Into Islam's Holy Book by Don Richardson (Regal Books From Gospel Light, Ventura, Calfornia, USA);
・Qur'an and Women Rereading the Secrets Text From Woman's Perspective by Amina Wadud (Oxford University Press, New York);
・The Two Faces Of Islam: Saudi Fundamentalism and It's Role in Terrorism by Stephen Schwartz (Anchor Books, New York);
・Woman In Islam by Margaret Speaker Yuan (Greenhaven Press Farmington Hills);
・Islam Unveiled: Disturbing Questions About The World's Fastest-Growing Faith by Robert Spencer (Encounter Books Califonia);
・What Makes Me A Muslim by Catherine M. Petrini (KidHaven Press Farmington Hills);
・The Importance Of Muhammad by Marilyn Tower Oliver (Lucent Books, Farmington Hills);
・Faiths Islam Worship, Festival and Ceremonies From Around The World by Trevor Barnes (Kingfisher, Massachusets);
・Amalan Kemurahan Rezeki by Lifa Karimah (Jasmin Enterprise);
・Rahsia Jalan Yang Lurus (Al-Mustaqim, Johor Bahru); and
・Islam & Pluralisme by Al-Mustaqeem Mahmood Radhi (Middle Eastern Gruaduate Centre, Damansara Kuala Lumpur).
2. Christian publications
(1) Compass Dierct News (http://www.compassdirect.org)
MALAYSIA: GOVERNMENT CONFISCATES CHRISTIAN CHILDREN’S BOOKS , 19 January 2008
Illustrations of prophets deemed offensive to Muslims.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia, January 18 (Compass Direct News) – Adding to the furor over whether non-Muslims have the right to use the word “Allah” in their publications and religious practice, on January 11 online news agency Malaysiakini reported that officials confiscated English-language Christian children’s books because they contained images of prophets.
The government reportedly said Internal Security Ministry officials confiscated the books because their illustrations of prophets offended the sensitivities of Muslims. Islam, which shares some prophets in common with Christianity, prohibits the portrayal of prophets. Enforcement officials of the Publications and Al-Quran Texts Control Department under the Internal Security Ministry, headed by Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, reportedly confiscated the books from three MPH bookstores in Johor Bahru, Senawang and Ipoh in mid-December.
The books have been sent to the department’s headquarters in Putrajaya for investigation. Managers of the MPH bookstores reportedly said they will wait for the Internal Security Ministry’s decision on the books. In a statement released yesterday (January 17) , the Rev. Dr. Hermen Shastri, general-secretary of the Council of Churches Malaysia questioned how the books could be offensive to Muslims when they were not meant for them.
In the strongly worded statement about the seizures, Shastri said government officials “have no right and have overstepped their bounds by confiscating Christian literature.”
He urged the prime minister and his Cabinet to take immediate action to put a stop to such seizures and to “amend administrative rules and regulations especially in the Internal Security Ministry that give a free hand to enforcement officials to act at their whim and fancies.”
At the same time, the debate over whether non-Muslims can use the word “Allah” in publications and religious practice was stoked when the Internal Security Ministry told the Sun on Wednesday (January 16) that it had confiscated a total of 163 publications comprising 18 titles from bookshops nationwide.
A ministry official told the daily that the seizures were made because the word “Allah” was used in the books. But Deputy Internal Ministry Minister Johari Baharum reportedly said that the ministry did not target Christian books.
“We do routine checks all year long,” he said. “We don’t only seize Christian books, but other [religious] books as well.”
The deputy minister said use of the words, “Allah” (Arabic for God), “baitullah” (mosque in Mecca), “solat” (prayer) and “kaabah” (Islamic shrine in Mecca) are exclusive to Islam, according to Gazette PU (A) 15/82 and circular KKDN S.59/3/6/A dated December 5, 1986.
In a letter to the press, Gayathry Venkiteswaran, executive director of the Centre for Independent Journalism, argued that “seizing more than the needed copies for investigation while the titles are not banned, denies the right of the people to access the book and is clearly high-handed.”
The right of non-Muslims to use the word “Allah” in their publications and practice of their religion is being tested in two court cases by the publisher of the Herald, a Catholic newspaper, and the Evangelical Church of Borneo (Sidang Injil Borneo).
Copyright © 2008 Compass Direct No material on this site may be reprinted or redistributed without special, written permission from Compass Direct.
(2) Christian Today (http://au.christiantoday.com)
Malaysian authorities confiscate Christian books , 23 January 2008
by Christian Today Australia
Malaysian authorities have confiscated Christian children books claiming the graphic depiction of the patriarch, Abraham, and the prophet, Moses, is in violation of Islamic Sharia law.
The news was reported by Malaysakini, an independent news agency, and confirmed by the general-secretary of the Malaysian Council of Churches, Reverend Hermen Shastri, who was dumbfounded at the latest attempt made by zealous government officials to curtail religious freedom within the country.
He said he found it perplexing that the books, which is being confiscated, could be offensive to Muslims given it was targeted at Christians and second, the illustration holds spiritual significance to them. "The officials have offended the sensitivities of Christians because their publications and depictions of their Biblical personalities have now become targets of unscrupulous Muslim officials bent on curtailing religious freedom in the country," Rev. Shastri said. Rev. Shastri called for immediate actions to be taken to rectify this situation by making changes to the law thus restricting the officials in pursuing ‘fanciful’ claim. "Immediate steps should be taken to amend administrative rules and regulations, especially in the Internal Security Ministry, that give a free hand to enforcement officials to act on their whim and fancies," he said.
Malaysia, though it has a strong Malay population most of which adhere to Islam, contains a significant minority populous. It is a multi-racial country where its Constitution protects the religious freedom of minority.
However over the past few years, the protection has been eroded where the highest civil court tends to side with Islamic authority in allowing Islamic law to override secular law that guarantees the choice of religion by an individual.
Recently, Lina-Joy, touted by many as a test-case for Malaysia secular image, has lost her case to have her Islamic religious affiliation amended to Christianity from her national identity card, with the court ruling that Islamic law should prevail.
Copyright © 2008 Christian Today. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
(End)
