1. Utusan Malaysia Online (http://www.utusan.con.my)
(1) Nik Aziz tidak mahu panjangkan isu penggunaan perkataan Allah, 4 Mac 2009
KOTA BAHARU 4 Mac. — Menteri Besar Kelantan Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat berkata beliau tidak mahu memanjangkan isu penggunaan perkataan Allah bagi agama lain kerana khuatir ia boleh mengelirukan rakyat dan umat Islam.
Mursyidul Am PAS itu berkata ini kerana beliau mempunyai pandangan berbeza dari sudut lain, manakala orang lain berpandangan dari sudut lain. “Bagi mengelakkan ia boleh mengelirukan orang ramai, lebih baik saya tidak ulas panjang tentang isu itu,” katanya kepada Bernama ketika ditemui di rumahnya di Kampung Pulau Melaka di sini, malam tadi.
Beliau berkata demikian ketika diminta mengulas mengenai kenyataan Menteri Pembangunan Usahawan dan Koperasi Datuk Noh Omar yang mahu menteri besar itu memberi penjelasan lebih lanjut mengenai kenyataannya sebelum ini bahawa perkataan Allah boleh digunakan oleh semua agama, bagi mengelakkan kekeluruan umat Islam mengenai isu itu.
Nik Abdul Aziz sebelum ini dilapor sebagai menyifatkan tidak salah untuk orang bukan Islam menggunakan perkataan Allah bagi merujuk kepada Tuhan.
Beliau dilaporkan berkata dalam al-Quran sendiri ada menceritakan bahawa orang bukan Islam telah menggunakan perkataan Allah sejak zaman berzaman lagi.
“Saya mempunyai pandangan berbeza dari sudut lain, manakala orang lain berpandangan lain dari sudut mereka faham. Bagi mengelak kekeliruan, baik saya tidak ulas panjang tentang isu itu,” kata Nik Abdul Aziz.(Bernama)
(2) MAIN boleh bertindak, 4 Mac 2008
Oleh NORLIZA ABD. RAHMAN(pengarang@utusan.com.my)
PUTRAJAYA 4 Mac - Akhbar Herald Catholic boleh dikenakan tindakan oleh majlis-majlis agama Islam negeri (MAIN) jika terus berdegil mahu menggunakan empat perkataan iaitu Allah, Baitullah, solat dan Kaabah dalam terbitannya.
Akhbar untuk penganut agama Kristian itu juga boleh dikenakan tindakan jika diedarkan di luar kawasan Wilayah Persekutuan, Pulau Pinang, Sabah dan Sarawak.
Penasihat Agama kepada Perdana Menteri, Datuk Dr. Abdullah Md. Zin berkata, MAIN boleh mengambil tindakan menghalang penyebaran agama lain kepada orang Islam.
''Mana-mana agama lain tidak boleh menyebarkan agama tersebut kepada umat Islam dan fatwa mengenainya telah diwartakan di negeri-negeri, bahkan ada peruntukan bagi larangan tersebut.
''Sebagai contoh, Jabatan Agama Islam Wilayah Persekutuan (Jawi) boleh mengambil tindakan ke atas Herald Catholic jika menyebarkan terbitan menggunakan perkataan Allah mengikut Akta 505 kerana menyebarkan agama lain kepada umat Islam," katanya kepada pemberita di sini hari ini.
Tegas beliau, terdapat banyak undang-undang, akta dan enakmen di negeri-negeri yang boleh digunakan untuk menghalang sebarang bentuk penyalahgunaan empat perkataan itu oleh pihak tertentu.
Abdullah memberitahu, Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim) tidak boleh mengambil tindakan ke atas mana-mana pihak ekoran bidang tugasnya hanya sebagai penyelaras dan penasihat kepada MAIN.
''Namun nasihat Jakim biasanya didengar kerana pentadbiran agama Islam di negara ini terletak di bawah Majlis Raja-Raja dengan urus setianya adalah Majlis Kebangsaan Hal Ehwal Islam yang dipengerusikan oleh Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi," katanya.
2. The Star Online (http://thestar.com.my)
(1) Government not flip-flop, says PM, 3 March 2009
by JANE RITIKOS
JAKARTA: The Government should not be accused of being “flip-flop” if it has to make changes to its decisions after taking the people’s interest into consideration, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
He said any decision that had to be changed due to new developments should be accepted as a good thing.
“If what we had decided is deemed as inappropriate, wrong and not right and we correct it, what has that got to do with being ‘flip-flop’,” he said.
Abdullah, who is here for the Fifth World Islamic Economic Forum, was commenting on the decision to put on hold the toll increases on five highways and the Home Ministry’s decision to rescind a gazette lifting a ban on the use of the word “Allah” by Christian publications.
On the Home Ministry’s decision, the Prime Minister said the policy was already in place but the problem could be due to wrong statements being made.
On the toll increase, Abdullah said the earlier decision was made before the economic situation worsened.
“In this economic times and with the second stimulus package aimed at helping the people, the toll in¬¬creases would be seen as not helping the people,” he said.
He said the Opposition would be the first to protest if the Government had gone ahead and increased the tolls.
“Now they do not have a chance to make a lot of noise so they are saying that we are flip-flopping,” he added.
On the political situation in Perak, Abdullah said he could not understand why Speaker V. Sivakumar resorted to the controversial action of calling for an emergency sitting of the state assembly when the country was plagued with more serious economic problems.
He said since Pakatan Rakyat had brought the validity of the Mentri Besar to court, the Speaker should have waited for the court’s decision.
© 1995-2009 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
(2) Pray clerics and scholars seek correct path, 3 March 2009
I REFER to “Christian publications can use the word ‘Allah’” (The Star, Feb 26). As a citizen of this nation, I am hoping that everyone concerned can step back momentarily and consider the possible implications for both Muslims and Christians in using the name Allah in any publication.
In a sermon “God in Arabic and English”, Yussof Estes described the distinction between the name Allah and phrase Illah/Illahi. While Allah is the unique name for the Muslim God, Illah/Illahi is the Arabic phrase for “God”.
Estes, a former Christian pastor and now a Muslim preacher, offered this clarification, as this issue is not unique to Malaysia. This sermon is available on iTunes Podcast under “Watch Islam TV Shows”.
I feel that the clerics and scholars from both religions should work together in a spirit of unity and seek a correct path towards this matter.
If the conclusion leads toward the right to use the name Allah and all its implications, then so be it. However, if it is determined otherwise, then all parties should respect each religion’s stand.
Meanwhile, I believe that if the Herald had waited a long time for this judgment, then a few more months should not be a major issue.
CITIZEN OF UNITY,
Kuala Lumpur.
(3) Allah or Tuhan, it doesn’t matter, 5 March 2009
TO my Christian brethren and learned Christian theologians who are unrelenting in their fervent pursuit to use the word “Allah” in the Roman Catholic magazine Herald, let us rest the case and give this country a chance to heal in the name of Christian love.
As it is, the politicians are tearing the country apart, even to the extent of dragging the Sultans and the Agong into their political web for their political mileage.
There were many disappointed losers and some arrogant winners during the March 8 general election but it appears that the losers would go to any extent to unseat the winners and the winners will go to any extent to hold on.
What does it matter if we use the word “Allah” or “Tuhan” in our Christian journals? The Scriptures are clear, our Almighty God is known by several other most holy names. So why this adamant pursuit?
To some of you, it may be a matter of principle but the all-embracing Christian love is beyond all these man-instituted laws.
The legal courts know, learned judges know, Muslim theologians know, Christian theologians know, and the laymen know. It appears only the politicians know better.
There is nothing to prove and nothing to contest. Let us extend our hands in Christian love to our fellow countrymen and put this matter to rest.
ERIC C MANUEL,
Ampang.
(4) Adviser: Action can be taken if Herald uses ‘Allah’, 5 March 2009
by MAZWIN NIK ANIS
PUTRAJAYA: Action can be taken against non-Muslim publications, including The Herald, in 10 states if they are found to be using four words related to Islam, including “Allah”.
This is because the states – Johor, Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Kelantan, Tereng¬ganu, Kedah, Perlis and Selangor – have gazetted the ruling which is now part of the respective state enactments on Islamic matters.
A fatwa had been issued to prohibit non-Muslim publications from using the words “Allah”, “Kaabah”, “Solat” and “Baitullah” in their reading materials.
Religious Adviser to the Prime Minister Datuk Dr Abdullah Md Zin said the remaining four states – Penang, Federal Territory, Sabah and Sarawak – were in the process of gazetting the fatwa.
“There are already laws in place to take action against offenders; not just through the Home Ministry,” he said.
The Catholic Church has submitted an application for a judicial review over the use of the word Allah, seeking to quash the decision of the Internal Security Minister (now Home Minister) in a letter dated Feb 12, which imposed conditions on the publishing permit of The Herald, a Catholic weekly. Among the conditions was a prohibition on the use of the word Allah.
Abdullah also said a statement made by Kelantan Mentri Besar Datuk Nik Aziz Nik Mat over the use of the word by non-Muslims had confused the public.
“It is true that in the early days, the word Allah already existed but it was wrongly used and was taken in the wrong context,” he said, adding that people in that era claimed Allah had children, that angels were His daughters and Allah had associations with the many statues used for worshipping.
“That is why Allah directed Prophet Muhammad to clear the matter and declare that Allah is One, has no children, was not given birth to and cannot be associated and likened to other things, or objects, in this world.
“That is why the word Allah cannot be used by non-Muslims to describe their God,” he said.
Recently, the PAS spiritual adviser said non-Muslims were allowed to use the word “Allah” as there was a verse in the Quran which quoted the non-Muslims of Mecca calling their god “Allah”.
© 1995-2009 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd (Co No 10894-D)
3. The New Straits Times Online （http://www.nst.com.my)
(1) Nik Aziz's statement on Allah causing confusion, 4 March 2009
(Bernama)
The statement by Kelantan Menteri Besar Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat that non-Muslims can use the word Allah is very confusing for Muslims, said the religious advisor to the prime minister, Datuk Dr Abdullah Md Zin.
He said this could cause disunity among Muslims as it touched on the sanctity of Islam.
"Yes, the word was used during pre-Islamic times, but wrongly in that Allah was an offspring and had offsprings, that angels were his daughters and had contemporaries in the form of idols and such.
"That was why Prophet Muhammad was sent as the Messenger by Allah. To bring the people back on the true path," he told a press conference to respond to the statement made by Nik Aziz.
On Monday, Nik Aziz was reported to have said it was not wrong to use the word Allah to refer to God on the ground that the Quran itself stated that non-Muslim had been using it since the time of Prophet Muhammad himself.
Dr Abdullah added that the word Allah could not be used by non-Muslims and its use should follow as prescribed by the teachings of the Quran.
(2) Who can act over use of 'Allah' , 5 March 2009
PUTRAJAYA: Muslim religious authorities in all states except Penang, Sabah and Sarawak and the Federal Territories can take action against Christian publications that use the word "Allah". Religious Adviser to the Prime Minister Datuk Dr Abdullah Md Zin said the three states and the Federal Territories had yet to gazette the ruling by the National Fatwa Council.
He said they could also act against the Herald, a Catholic weekly, which says it will continue to use the word despite being warned not to.
He rejected Pas spiritual adviser Datuk Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat's statement that it is permissible for non-Muslims to use the word "Allah" as the Quran tells of non-Muslims using the word "Allah" in Prophet Muhammad's time.
Abdullah said the statement was misleading and could confuse Muslims.
"Society in the Prophet's time was ignorant of Islam, using the word 'Allah' in the wrong context. They then claimed that 'Allah' had a son and angels were daughters to Him and so on.
"That was why the Prophet was sent to end this deviated teaching of Islam," he said.
On Monday, Islamic Development Department director-general Datuk Wan Mohamad Sheikh Abdul Aziz said non-Muslims should refrain from using the word "Allah" to refer to God as its interpretation differed between religions.
© Copyright 2009 The New Straits Times Press (M) Berhad. All rights reserved.
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