1．The Micah Mandate (http://www.themicahmandate.org)
A Muslim perspective on Christmas, 25 December 2012 Posted by Administrator
by Abdul Malik Mujahid
CHRISTMAS GREETINGS Dec 25: Christmas is an annual Christian religious holiday commemorating the birth of Prophet Jesus, peace be upon him. For many Muslims who even do not celebrate the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, it becomes an issue of what stand they should take.
There have been a number of legitimate criticisms of the holiday from Muslims and non-Muslims based on theological and cultural considerations. However, this cannot be used to disregard the holiday as merely an exercise in ancient pagan practices, for instance, or excessive consumerism. Muslims have to remember that for practicing Christians, Christmas really is about Jesus.
Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, was so accommodating of Christians that according to the two earliest Islamic historians, Ibn Saad and Ibn Hisham, the Prophet even allowed a delegation of 60 Byzantine Christians from Najran in Yemen to worship in his own mosque in Madinah.
Lead by their bishop (Usquf), they had come to discuss a number of issues with him. When time of their prayer came, they asked the Prophet’s permission to perform this in the mosque. He answered, “conduct your service here in the mosque. It is a place consecrated to God.”
God expects us to stay away from mocking the religious beliefs of others, no matter how much we disagree with them. He says in the Quran: “And insult not those whom they (disbelievers) worship besides God, lest they insult God wrongfully without knowledge. Thus We have made fair-seeming to each people its own doings; then to their Lord is their return and He shall then inform them of all that they used to do” (Quran, 6:108).
We also have to remember that even if for many nominal Christians, the celebration is not really about participating in religious traditions, Christmas is a time for families to get together. In a number of cases it is the only time of year families get together, either because family members are scattered in different parts of the country or the world, because of communication and relationship problems, or because in America today, the family unit is becoming weaker and weaker.
Christmas is a great time to relate to our neighbors. We should not forget though, that “relating” does not mean “preaching”. Da’wah cannot be made in a rude manner. Allah says in the Quran: “Invite (all) to the Way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful advice, and reason with them by ways that are the best and most gracious: because your Lord knows best, (those) who have strayed from His Path, and those who receive guidance “ (Quran, 16:125).
In particular, when dealing with Jews and Christians, Allah says: “Do not argue with the People of the Book unless it is in the politest manner, except for those of them who do wrong. Say: ‘We believe in what has been sent down to us and what has been sent down to you. Our God and your God is [the same] One, and we are Muslims before Him’” (Quran, 29:46).
This may not be an occasion to emphasis the differences as much as the commonality of our beliefs, unless someone is really asking you about them.
A starting point for a discussion about Christmas could be the Islamic belief in all Books revealed by Allah and all Prophets sent by Him. In this discussion, special emphasis could be made on Prophet Jesus. Non-Muslims are often surprised to discover that Muslims also believe in this noble Prophet and his great mother Mary (peace be upon her).
Remember that respect does not mean compromise. This article is not asking you to compromise anything. You have freedom of religion given by God to believe in what you believe in. But in a world where conflict is increasing, a Muslim should be a bridge- builder and a peacemaker. It was due to the Muslim practice of Islamic ideals of respect and tolerance that the key of the holiest Christian Shrine in Jerusalem, the church of the Holy Sepulcher, remains entrusted with a Muslim family, as it has been for over 1400 years.
These are the lessons which need to be learned by those extremists who attack Christians during their worship in Nigeria and those extremists who burn Masjids in the USA.
From harakahdaily.net
2. Malaysiakini (http://www.malaysiakini.com)
(1) An Xmas card to my prime minister, 25 December 2012
by Bob Teoh
The Rt Hon Prime Minister,
Shalom and Yuletide greetings of peace, love, and blessings.
Notwithstanding the crucifix controversy during the Christmas reception for you by the Christian community last year, you have decided to join their celebrations this year again. This reflects boldness and courage on your part, Sir.
This augurs well for peace and harmony in the country. It goes without saying that we in Malaysia, continue to enjoy good interfaith relations despite efforts of incendiary bigots in our midst to destroy it. Alhamdulillah, such heinous acts are but in vain as the Lord God Almighty is indeed sovereign over our beloved homeland. Hallelujah.
You fondly recall your meeting with Pope Benedict XVI last year, and that Malaysia has formally established diplomatic relations with the Vatican City. As pointed out by you, "another step forward came last week as the government announced that it will ensure that any Malaysian Christian who wishes to travel to Jerusalem for a pilgrimage is able to do so." This reflects the gentle face of Islam surely.
You also pointed out in your Christmas blog, "... since becoming prime minister I have placed a lot of emphasis on the unifying concepts of 1Malaysia and the Global Movement of the Moderates. These concepts are partly about establishing a dialogue, which is important, but I am also determined that they lead to real action too."
I am also encouraged that you would, "...have the pleasure of taking part in a tea party with members of the Christian community to mark Christmas and listen to their views."
Unfortunately, Sir, I would not be at the Christmas reception today as I am away from the country. Allow me to air my views by way of this Christmas card to you and I trust I will have your ear. Surely you are unlike the guy from Pahang who wants to cut off his ears and throw them into the Pahang River, probably polluting it in the process. Silly man, that one.
The Orang Asli slapping case - Kelantan
It's already over two months since a teacher at SK Bihai near Gua Musang in Kelantan had allegedly slapped four Orang Asli non-Muslim students, aged between 12 and 14, on Oct 23 because they had failed to recite the Muslim doa over lunch at their school.
They may be non-Muslims but they this is not the way to treat bumiputeras like them. Sir, your 1Malaysia unifying concepts compels you to act with urgency. Indeed, Islam must be seen as a tolerant religion.
Conversion to Islam of an under-age Iban schoolboy - Sarawak
You may not know it yet prime minister but a top Iban Catholic student of Kolej Datu Patinggi Abang Haji Abdillah - the prestigious residential Mara junior college in Kuching - was recently converted to Islam. This occurred just before his SPM exams without his parents' knowledge or permission. He comes from a very remote village.
This is not an isolated case as church leaders there will tell you that this has been going on for a very long time as part of the Umno-BN Islamisation strategy in Sarawak and Sabah.
Sir, you have two options. This first is to kill the rumour if indeed it turns out to be one. This does not take much effort or time to determine this matter one way or another. If indeed the conversion did take place, then the school need to explain how an under-age conversion can be allowed to take place in its premises without his parents' consent or knowledge.
There are no two ways about it, Sir. You have to act fast and quick to assure the Christian community, especially that of the Malay speaking bumiputera Christians of Sarawak and Sabah, that your 1Malaysia is exactly what it means. No backdoor conversion, please.
Under-age conversion of four Christian students - Labuan
Recently, four under-age bumiputera Christian students, one Catholic and three Protestants, at a government residential school in Labuan were converted to Islam. The conversion allegedly took place during a school activity. Local pastors have taken the matter up to the school but it had denied the activity was organised by the school.
A comprehensive report has been compiled by church leaders there to be handed to the Sabah state government. But Labuan is a federal territory and as Jakim, or the Islamic Development Department, is parked under your nose in the Prime Minister's Office, it is within your power to intervene and act immediately to resolve the dispute without damaging religious harmony further.
All you need to do is ask to see the voluminous report. And act on it.
We have had enough of cow stealing but in this case, no more stealing sheep from the Good Shepherd please.
MyKad Islamisation of bumiputera Christians
Sir, you are already familiar with this case as it was discussed by your cabinet just recently. Indeed, you had asked two Christian cabinet ministers, one from Sabah and the other from Sarawak, to act on the complaint immediately.
But what has happened? Nothing as usual. Does this mean that the National Registration Department can ignore cabinet directives?
The complaint is that bumiputera Christians in Sabah (and Sarawak) have been classified by the National Registration Department (NRD) as Muslims automatically when issuing them their MyKad simply on the basis that they have "bin" and "binti" in their names.
The NRD has refused to rectify their errors. Instead it has asked complainants to go to the syariah courts to get an order saying that they are Christians and indeed not Muslims. How much more ludicrous can your administration get?
Sir, if you mean what you say, then give the two federal minsters a kick in their butts and while at it make sure one lands on the bum of the NRD chief too. Can be done Sir, just execute the famous Bruce Lee one-leg-three-kicks.
The Allah word and the Al-Kitab
It has been three long years since the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled on Dec 31, 2009 in favour of Herald, the Catholic Weekly, that even though Islam is the religion of the federation, this does not empower the government to prohibit the use of the word ‘Allah' by others. It also found that the word ‘Allah' was not exclusive to Muslims.
But your administration has appealed against it. The Court of Appeal is out on a stroll and not in any hurry to hear it. This is a travesty of justice. As prime minster you should not allow a useless judicial traffic cop to erect illegal roadblocks to justice.
The titular Roman Catholic archbishop of Kuala Lumpur was the one who sued your administration and won. I wonder what you will say to him when you meet him at today's tea party?
・BOB TEOH is a retired business journalist. He is now a civil society person seeking a more tolerant and progressive Malaysia. This article is his Xmas card to Prime Minister Najib who said in his Christmas message he welcomes ideas, views and suggestions. If he does, then he must read and act to restore religious tolerance among Malaysians. The time for action is now.--Din Merican
(2) ‘Allah' row: Get over it and move on, 29 December 2012
YOURSAY 'Allah, Tuhan, Tua Pek Kong, whatever... I am ashamed to be a Malaysian, fighting and arguing over the right to use God's name. Who on earth can decide?'
Anwar to call meeting with Pakatan heads on 'Allah' issue
Rahman: ‘Allah' is a name. Names are always retained even when you translate from one language to another.
Hence, the Malays retain the name ‘Allah' in everyday usage and do not change that name to ‘tuhan'. Jesus spoke the Aramaic language. The first bibles were in Greek/Latin/Hebrew and the name used for God is Eli, Eloah or Yahweh.
Christians should have kept to those names. The English bibles translated those names to god. But God was never the name used by Jesus. Neither did Jesus use ‘Allah'.
The problem arose in Malaysia when the English Bible was translated to Bahasa Malaysia. Now who is the expert in Bahasa Malaysia?
If Christians are honest, they will consult Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka to get the correct Malay translation for God. It definitely cannot be the name ‘Allah'. It is the word ‘tuhan'.
Now why do the Christians insist on ‘Allah'? It is anybody's guess.
Geronimo: In response to Rahman's posting, for your information the matter of using ‘Allah' by the Christians was never resolved nor settled.
The case was in fact awarded to the plaintiff, the Catholic Church. Umno decided to appeal the case and it has been left in the attorney-general's (AG) office since then, collecting dust.
I am a Catholic and we use the word 'Allah' during our Sunday masses (in Bahasa Malaysia). So what? Are these bigots going to conduct another covert operation in the churches to check if we are using the word?
Perhaps someone should check with the patent office whether they have registered the word as a trademark.
Oh, by the way, where is MCA chief Chua Soi Lek and his ilks? Why are they suddenly so quiet about this issue? Don't tell me there are no Christians in MCA.
Chelsea: According to Islamic belief, ‘Allah' is the proper name of God, and humble submission to His will, divine ordinances and commandments is the pivot of the Muslim faith. Christians and Jews also use the word ‘Allah' to mean ‘God'.
The Christian Arabs of today have no other word for 'God' than 'Allah'. (Even the Arabic-descended Maltese language of Malta, whose population is almost entirely Roman Catholic, uses ‘Allah' for 'God'.)
Arab Christians for example use terms ‘Alla-h al-ab' meaning ‘God the Father', ‘Alla-h al-ibn' meaning ‘God the Son', and ‘Alla-h ar-ru-h al-quds' meaning ‘God the Holy Spirit'. (See ‘God in Christianity for the Christian concept of God')
And here in Malaysia, we have Muslims who cry out loud against its usage by the Christians. It really proves a huge ignorance of this word and its existence. It is not even a Malay word. Thanks to who? Umno.
Allah, Tuhan, Tua Pek Kong, whatever... I am ashamed to be a Malaysian, fighting and arguing over the right to use God's name. Who on earth can decide? As a human, no religion can have exclusivity over a name.
My God is Jesus. But if the Buddhists want to call their Buddha Jesus... go ahead. I would be proud and not feel threatened.
Enlightened: The problem is not the word ‘Allah' used in the Bible. It is the tendency of Christians to go around converting people and in some instances the less educated fall prey to their agenda.
This act itself shows disrespect for other religions. Taoists, Maoists, Buddhists and Hindus will be able to relate to this.
Timothy: It is nobody's business to tell nor force me on how I should address my personal god, To me, he is the ‘Allah' of Abraham, God almighty who is also ‘Allah Al Raheem, Allah Al Rahman, Allah Al Azeez'.
When I greet my Muslim and Christian friends here "Assalamuaalaikum," they would reply with "Muaalaikumusalam", and vice versa. We have no problem with that.
It is just only some Malay Muslims on this planet Earth who fear the weakening of their akidah (faith) all because of what others believe. To those people, don't go to Europe then, everyday you will find yourself having weak knees.
Keturunan Malaysia: I don't have to agree to anything on how to address God as I so please. It is all about me and Him and nobody else's business. Can anyone hear what I call him in my heart and mind?
HumptyDumpty: DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng is not so smart after all. It was unnecessary for him to raise the issue now just on the eve of GE13.
If it was raised by Umno then it is a different matter. When he did that, it just opened the floodgates and the pressure is on PAS to state its stand again.
This is a sensitive topic and it is not easy for ordinary Muslims to understand the derivation of PAS' decision. In principle, PAS' decision is right. However, in context of the Malay Muslims' siege mentality, they feel threatened lest Muslims get confused.
Umno's spin is not easy to deflect as many Malay-born Muslims are still ignorant about their own religion (thanks to Umno) and many Muslim scholars are still more Malay than Muslim themselves.
Joe Fernandez: Christians should not set themselves up to be scapegoats like in the Middle East, West Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
We don't want to root for BN and be persecuted by Pakatan Rakyat and vice versa. Christians should not vote along party or coalition lines. Instead, they should vote out all incumbents holding a seat for three terms or more.
Other incumbents should be voted out if they didn't perform and/or didn't stand up for Christians when they were being attacked from all sides by fanatics. Let's see what the results show.
Not Confused: This is just a rogue PAS member trying to get headlines - a bad idea. I am Christian and will use the word ‘Allah' any time I please, and I don't give a damn about the government's jaundiced views on the use of a word that is in the dictionary.
No one, race, religion or individual can claim exclusive rights over any word. ‘Allah' has been used by many races and religions the world over for hundreds of years. Muslims, and least of all Muslim Malaysians, do not have the right to its exclusive use.
Get over it and move on.
Proarte: The 'Allah' prohibition is an example of the arrogance of power and invidious calculations by politicians who abuse Islam.
‘Allah' is a term which Malay Islam cannot hijack. With due respect, the majority of Malays have a superficial understanding of the Quran and have theologically been dumbed down by Umno, PAS and even Anwar.
If they understood the Quran, they would know that the Quran affirms the Torah and Bible as being Allah's message to humanity and that the Quran is a continuum of this process. Are Malay Muslims implying that Ibrahim of the Torah and Isa of the Bible are not Allah's prophets?
Internationally prominent Muslim scholars are bewildered over the Malaysian 'Allah' controversy. Tariq Ramadan who lectured in Malaysia recently informed us the word 'Allah' pre-dates Islam and has never been a Muslim prerogative and that the issue should never have arisen.
Sheikh Yusof Qardawi, in turn, has been quoted as calling the Malaysian 'Allah' prohibition "a joke".
・The above is a selection of comments posted by Malaysiakinisubscribers. Only paying subscribers can post comments. Over the past one year, Malaysiakinians have posted over 100,000 comments. Join the Malaysiakini community and help set the news agenda.
3. Malaysia-Chronicle（http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com）
(1) Rights of Christians guaranteed by Constitution & must be PROTECTED - Anwar, 25 December 2012
by Anwar Ibrahim
Merry Christmas to all Christians in Malaysia! May this festive season bring peace, joy and hope to all Malaysians.
As Christmas is the time to gather with family and with the people we love and cherish, let us give thanks to what we have and remember the less fortunate and those in need of shelter and the simple things we take for granted.
The Christian community is a vital part of our multi-cultural and multi-religious society.
The relationship between the state and the Christian community should be warm and built on trust, and the fundamental liberties of all Christians as guaranteed by the constitution must be protected and upheld. This is essential for Malaysia to move forward as a nation united for peace and prosperity.
A nation divided cannot achieve greatness.
A Malaysia of equal partnership
So, on this auspicious occasion, may I reiterate that the happiness, security and prosperity of all Malaysians must remain the cornerstone of our nation’s strength and resilience to face the challenges ahead. Let us remain united under the banner of peace, freedom, reform and justice for all.
Let us be committed to a Malaysia of equal partnership and a common goal. My colleagues in Pakatan Rakyat and I have worked hard over the years to reaffirm our commitment to a Malaysia for all Malaysians.
In that spirit we would like to wish again a Merry Christmas to all our Christian brothers and sisters across the country.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
・ANWAR IBRAHIM, LEADER OF THE MALAYSIAN OPPOSITION
(2) Church leaders wary despite Najib's 'pledge': Govt has failed to STAND UP to extremist views, 26 December 2012
PETALING JAYA, - Church leaders are happy with Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s pledge to the Christian community, but expressed concern that the prime minister’s message will not filter down to conservatives and extremist elements in his party and government.
Najib had reassured the Christian community in Malaysia on Christmas Day yesterday that the government recognised them the as an essential part of the nation. Christians form about nine per cent of the country’s 28 million population.
“I hope that was not only from him alone, but it (also) has to be from the other part of the government,” Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) chairman Datuk Ng Moon Hing told The Malaysian Insider yesterday.
CFM, the umbrella body of all Christian denominations in the country, organised its annual Christmas Day party attended by all political leaders.
Ng’s view was mirrored by the Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam, Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur, who said the prime minister needs courage, determination and consistent effort to accomplish his promises.
“Hopefully he can get his whole team to (work at it),” Pakiam said.
The church leaders agreed that Najib’s attendance in the Christmas event was a nice gesture towards the Christian community, but would be for naught if he failed to confront extremists elements in his party and the government.
“What’s troubling to Christians is that the government has not spoken up to the extremists what its views are,” said Hermen Shastri, the general secretary from the Council of Churches of Malaysia (CCM).
The CCM is an ecumenical fellowship of churches and Christian organisations that are part of the larger Christian Federation of Malaysia (CFM) representing 90 per cent of the country’s 2.8 million Christians.
Last year, Umno-owned daily Utusan Malaysia published a report entitled Kristian Agama Rasmi? (“Christianity the official religion?”), where it was alleged that DAP leaders and Christian clergymen were conspiring to take over Putrajaya, abolish Islam as the religion of the federation and install a Christian prime minister.
In the aftermath of the report, Malay supremacist group Perkasa and its president Datuk Ibrahim Ali threatened Christians nationwide with a holy war against any move to usurp Islam with a Christian state.
Najib then meet church leaders to clear the air but the Home Ministry had only slapped the daily with a warning letter for publishing the unsubstantiated report.
Shastri warned that by not taking any action on extremists, it will undo and make difficult the plans that the PM wants to accomplish.
“(This will happen) as long as some groups keep on saying that Christians are a threat,” Shastri said.
The church leaders have listed several issues affecting the Christian community that has yet to be addressed by the government, with the issue of insufficient land for religious sites chief among them.
“What we felt previously is that there are certain issues that the government could be more upfront (with) when dealing with them,” confessed Philip Kok, a bishop with the Lutheran Church of Malaysia.
“I think a lot of time, (we are facing) a struggle against bureaucracy. Some difficulties looked like it was (a problem with policy), but then the policy is interpreted in a different light,” Ng explained.
According to Ng, churches receive no land allocation from the government, which makes it hard for them to build more cemetery sites and buildings to cater to a growing number of Christian population.
The Anglican bishop also revealed that the lease for some sites of missionary schools have expired, yet their application for lease extension had not been entertained.
“The government is not paying for the schools actually, the mission schools belong to the mission board,” he said, adding that the government refused to consult the board when appointing headmasters and principals for the schools.
“It reflects bad on the government,” Ng said.
Pakiam claimed that infringements against Christians’ right are happening with alarming regularity.
“The Allah issue of course we have some sort of agreement and hopefully it will not flare up again in the future,” spoke Kok.
DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng had urged the federal government on Monday to allow the use of the word “Allah” in the Bible, to prove that the authority are really putting the people first.
“It looks small, it looks petty but it affects people on the ground,” Ng stressed.
Kok however, was more upbeat on what the Christian community should expect from the prime minister.
“The speech was very comforting ... his presence shows that the government is sincere in building up relationship with the Christian community.
“As long as we’re open to dialogues, open for conversations, we can come up with solutions to these challenges. It is normal in a country as diverse as Malaysia,” Kok said.
“It takes time, we can understand, but he has to determinedly go at it,” encouraged Pakiam.
In recent years, the Christian and Muslim religious communities have been engaged in a tug-of-war over the word “Allah”, with the latter group arguing that its use should be exclusive to them on the grounds that Islam is monotheistic and the word “Allah” denotes the Muslim god.
Christians, however, have argued that “Allah” is an Arabic word that has been used by those of other religious beliefs, including the Jews, in reference to God in many other parts of the world, notably in Arab nations and Indonesia.
Conservative Muslim groups have also accused Christians of attempting to convert Malays, resulting in heightened tension between followers of the two religions.
- themalaysianinsider.com
4. Free Malaysia Today (http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com)
(1) Let Allah be Allah, 28 December 2012
From Stephen Ng, via e-mail
The Kalimah Allah issue should be brought to rest once and for all. However, anyone who understands Umno’s politics would have to resign to the fact that after 55 years of nationhood, this issue would continue to plague the nation – as long as Umno is still in power.
As far as I see it, Umno is more interested to use the Kalimah Allah to divide and rule the nation, instead of promoting unity amongst Malaysians from all races, religions and creeds.
As both Umno and MCA have constantly played up the issue of Hudud to pitch DAP against PAS, and vice versa, it is no surprise therefore that Umno would not hesitate to play on the issue of kalimah Allah in its politics in order to win Malay votes. To both Umno and MCA, I appeal that they should stop playing with fire.
Instead, Umno should solve the issue of the Malay girl arrested for drinking in a pub in Najib’s own constituency of Pekan, and MCA should speak to JAKIM not to interfere into the elderly American couple (legitimately married) who was arrested for ‘khalwat’ in Dr Mahathir’s island of Langkawi.
From my observations, Umno leaders have no qualms about taking bribes and, going by the investigation revealed by the French judiciary, its leader was even asking for US$1 billion over the purchase Scorpene submarines. It is no secret that, whether mistake or not, Dr Mahathir was also recently named as the world’s second richest past political leader – whatever happened thereafter is as good as anyone’s guess.
Therefore, my question: What interest does Umno have in promoting Islam, when its chiefs are corrupted to the core? One scandal after another has been unearthed, yet, we are not able to separate the truth from the pack of lies that we are being told every day?
Healthy exchanges of views
Differences of opinion are healthy in any democracy. This is part and parcel of being human. We are born and raised in different settings, and each of us has a different concept about things around us. We are entitled to our own opinion, but it is healthy to exchange notes so that we can expand in our learning.
The fact that the DAP and someone like Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, PAS Information Chief, can openly reason out their differences in opinion shows there is some form of maturity in the democratic setting that we see Pakatan at work. After reading Tuan Ibrahim’s views, I cannot help it but agree with him to some extent that the word God can be translated as “Tuhan”.
However, mutual respect can only take place when both sides are open minded. I hope Tuan Ibrahim reads this line of argument with an open mind, which Christians have time and again presented to the government of the day but to no avail.
As a Christian, I am happy that, from the previous uproar over the Alkitab and the firebombing of churches, at least Tok Guru Nik Aziz and Opposition Leader, Anwar Ibrahim understood the issue well, and could separate the political dissensions from the true religious teachings of Islam over the Kalimah Allah.
Let me present my views. Firstly, the name Allah is an Arabic word, which was used widely even before the times and era of Prophet Mohamad. The origin of the name Allah in Arabic is largely unknown although it was used by the pagans. However, there is a Hebrew name used to refer to the Almighty which dates back as far as the Old Testament, and this name is close to the name Allah. In Aramaic, the name, Elah literally means “awesome, fearful One.”
Whether in the East or West, Christians do not only call the Almighty by the name God or Lord, but a number of other names that the Almighty had chosen to reveal himself through the Scriptures. It is no surprise therefore for Christians to also refer God as Jehovah, or Yahweh, and when Jesus was hanging on the Cross, he called out to Elohim, or in short, Eli, Eli.
Therefore, to a Christian, the whole concept of God is in the name that God had chosen to reveal himself to mankind. It is a personal relationship with the Almighty that no one can take away from him. For example, Jehovah Jireh is God our provider. Thankful that God has been a faithful provider, the Christian may call out to Jehovah Jireh.
Christians have also referred to God in an even more intimate relationship, which is boggling to the minds of other religious proponents, but this has never been a sensitive issue even amongst the most fanatic of the Jewish community over the past 2000 years. I cannot, therefore, admonish a fellow Christian who prefers to use the name Allah or Elah (or Ellah), if he so finds the name very personal to himself.
Therefore, it is also indiscreet of Tuan Ibrahim to tell others what they should call their God, on the basis that it could create confusion to the Muslim community, because he himself does not understand the deeper meanings of these names to the Christian community.
In Sabah and Sarawak, the name Allah has been used for centuries, in much the same way that the name Idris Jala does not necessarily mean he is Muslim despite the sound of the name. In Peninsular Malaysia, the Christian community views the usage of the name Allah as a form of solidarity with their East Malaysian counterparts, as well as the rest of the world where God is translated as Allah.
Tuan Ibrahim should realise that what he had said was as good as the Christian community telling the Muslims not to carry the stories of Isa in the Quran, because it too creates confusion to the Christian community. Despite the cultic nature of the Jehovah Witnesses, the Church has never prevented the sect from using the name of Jehovah or even Jesus, although the concepts of both names have largely deviated from the mainstream Christianity.
Secondly, the name Allah has never and can never be copyrighted to become a strictly Muslim name to refer to the Almighty. This is because Allah has never intended to be the God of only the Muslims, but being the Creator of all things visible and invisible, He is the Allah for the entire mankind.
Why then does the Minister of Home Affairs, for example, ban the use of the Alkitab just because it used the name Allah in its translation? Instead of protecting the interests of the Muslims, he may have gone against the wishes of Allah to be the Allah of all mankind.
For this reason, even Prophet Mohamad was quick to admonish his followers when there was dispute between them and the followers of the Holy Book. “Your Allah and ours is the same Allah,” he is quoted saying, which literally means there is only One Allah and never once did the prophet claim exclusivity to the name Allah for his people.
Avoid Umno’s own pitfalls
This is one concept that people like Tuan Ibrahim should understand, before jumping into the Umno bandwagon and playing on the uniquely Malaysian issue over the kalimah Allah. As a matter of fact, nowhere in the world, including the Arab nations, has the Muslim community raised the issue of kalimah Allah with the Christian community in the same way that the issue is being playing up in Malaysia.
The issue of Kalimah Allah started in the 1980s during former prime minister, Dr Mahathir’s era. As the Home Minister, he was the first person who banned the Alkitab from Indonesia which carried the name Allah. This was done to appease a certain community for his own political mileage. What he had done 30 years ago has therefore largely created distrust of the Christian community towards the government of the day, which is hard to erase in just one Christmas.
Dr Mahathir’s own record as a premier is never exemplary of a Muslim leader. Anyone reading Barry Wain’s book “The Malaysian Maverick” would not disagree with me that this one man has singlehandedly created a “hollow” nation. My Muslim brethren should also realise that in Islam, it has never crossed the mind of the prophet that a man should graft himself to his mother’s lineage and by doing so, claim himself to be a Melayu, when in the first place, he descended from an immigrant from Kerala, India.
From my reading, Dr Mahathir, born to an Indian Muslim by the name of Mohamad, who was son of Iskandar Kutty, an immigrant from Kerala, India, should in the first place be proud of being a Mamak. While many of us are in fact proud of our Mamak mee goreng and teh tarik, Dr Mahathir has shed off his Mamak skin, as though the Mamak community was nothing but dirt to him. I am always reminded that no one has been able to change his DNA, not even Michael Jackson, despite bleaching himself white.
Being a Mamak, Dr Mahathir was courageous enough to call the Malays “weak” and “being forgetful”, and playing on their inferiority complex for all these years. I remember in the 1990s, he had pitched the whole country against the Malay rulers by removing their special privileges. He was also the one who started the culture of “You scratch my back, I scratch yours”.
PAS Kelantan, including Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, should know how this one man had denied the same Bumiputera in Kelantan of its 5% oil royalty for all these years, yet God prospered many of the hardworking Malays in Kelantan who became rich by working hard at their businesses.
Now, my question is: Do we then allow ourselves to be further destroyed as a nation, because we buy into the ideas of a man who has literally betrayed this nation for his own political gains? Do we want our country to be split over the issue of Kalimah Allah? Or does Pakatan want its working relationship to be destroyed because of the differences in opinion over the kalimah Allah?
The Pakatan solution
Allah is One. Muslims should realise that their concept of Allah is very different from the concept of Allah in the minds of the Christians. Instead of blaming the weaknesses of their faith or understanding of Allah on other religious communities, they should invest more time studying the Quran and understanding Allah the way it is taught in the Quran, while the Christians who use the name Allah, whether in East or Peninsular Malaysia, will find their own concepts of Allah in the Bible.
Eventually, both parties will realise that, despite they are talking of the same One and the Only Almighty Allah, their concepts of Him are different in many ways, just the way the name Isa and Jesus refer to the same person, but one is viewed as a prophet and the other as the Son of God.
Ultimately what is important to solve this issue created by the former premier is that whatever is made official policy adopted by Pakatan is consistent with both teachings in the Bible and the Quran. The Bible has used the name Elah for God; therefore, there is no reason why it cannot choose to use the name Allah for its Malay translation, which is consistent with the translations in other languages such as Indonesian and Arabic.
At the same time, it is also consistent with the prophet’s own admonishments which suggest, “Your Allah and ours is the same Allah.” For centuries, the name Allah has been used by other communities, including the Sikhs, to refer to the Creator God. It has never been politicised the way it has been made a sensitive issue in Malaysia.
If going by the origin of the name, Elah, it simply means the “awesome, fearful One.” Therefore, let Allah be Allah, and please do not fight like little children over the name of the Almighty God and Creator – worse, to create chaos or to kill in the name of Allah. Allah has his eyes on the way we use his name.
(2) Allah debate: Let court decide, 28 December 2012
by Joseph Tawie
A Sarawak assemblyman says it is "unacceptable" to force "a religion to change words in their Holy Scriptures simply to satisfy believers of another religion."
KUCHING: Both Barisan Nasional and opposition leaders have been urged to restrain from making comments on the use of the term “Allah” in reference to God and to allow the Court of Appeal to rule on the matter.
The government appealed a 2009 High Court decision favouring the church based on the the Federal Constitution.
In making this appeal, Sarawak PKR chief Baru Bian said: “Political expediency should not and must not dominate the debate.”
“The basis for arguing whether non-Muslims can use the word ‘Allah’ to refer to God must rest on its context, etymology, and the relevant laws surrounding it.
“Too much is at stake for it touches on the very heart, soul, and spirit of one’s belief and faith regardless of what one believes.
“I, therefore, urge those with differing viewpoints to exercise restraint, tolerance and goodwill. We must be reminded that we are indeed treading on holy ground. This is not to suggest that we must avoid discussing it at the appropriate forum.”
He further urged BN and the opposition to agree to a common moratorium not to use the Allah or Alkitab issue in the forthcoming general election.
Some 10 percent of Malaysia’s population are Christians but they are the collective majority in East Malaysia’s Sarawak and Sabah.
In both Sarawak and in Sabah, the Malay speaking bumiputera Christians rely mainly on the Indonesian Bible.
“Christians of other ethnic communities like the Ibans in Sarawak refer to God as ‘Allah Taala’ or God Most High in their Bible known as the Bup Kudus.
“They rely on the Malay language or Indonesian Bible known as the Alkitab, which uses the word ‘Allah’ to refer to God. The word is of Arabic origin, which predates Islam,” he said.
Misplaced proposition
Bian who is Ba Kelalan assemblyman further explained that the first portion of Christian scriptures translated into Malay was done in Indonesia for the Gospel of Matthew in 1612, four hundred years ago.
“This was one year after the authorised version of the Bible was translated into English known as the King James Version (KJV). The Malay translation was also the first non-European language translation of the Bible. Surely we can treasure this rare heritage as Malaysians.
“Some have suggested that this is an East Malaysian problem and therefore the word ‘Allah’ can be used there while over in the peninsula, the word should be ‘Tuhan’.
“This proposition is misplaced as it suggests we have two ‘Malaysias’ instead of 1Malaysia. This is dangerous for national unity,” Bian warned.
He also reminded peninsular leaders that tens of thousands of East Malaysian Christians were working in the peninsula and this did not include a sizeable Orang Asli community who were also Christians.
“Do we want to deny them their constitutional right to refer to God as Allah as they do back home?
“East Malaysian Christians have been using ‘Allah’ to refer to God for generations. This has never caused confusion among Muslims before or after the formation of Malaysia in 1963.
“Why should this cause confusion now after half a century?” he asked.
He pointed out that Rukunegara used ‘Tuhan’ and not ‘Allah’ to refer to God just like the Indonesian Pancasila.
“In terms of common usage, this is a reasonable expression. However, in the Biblical context, the word ‘Tuhan’ refers to Lord and not God or Allah.
“It is, therefore, not acceptable to ask Christians to switch the two words and take them to mean what they do not mean in their liturgy and worship.
“One cannot force someone of another religion to change words in their Holy Scriptures simply to satisfy believers of another religion. This is wholly untenable,” he lamented.
Court’s decision
Bian reminded that the ‘Allah’ issue was still in court and that the Court of Appeal is yet to rule on the matter.
“It was three years ago on Dec 31, 2009, that the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled in favour of the Titular Roman Catholic Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, who is the publisher of Herald, that even though Islam is the religion of the Federation, this does not empower the government to prohibit the use of the word ‘Allah’ in the Malay edition of the Herald.
“It also found that the word Allah was not exclusive to Muslims. The High Court decision was a decision made in the light of our religious rights enshrined in the Federal Constitution.
“The government has appealed against this decision and the Court of Appeal is yet to rule on the matter.
But for now, the High Court has spoken clearly on the issue and in the circumstances.
“We should respect our legal system and allow the law to take its course,” he added.
(3) Muslims, Christians, the Word Allah and the Bible, 29 December 2012
FMT LETTER: From Anas Zubedy, via e-mail
Here we go again… Every now and then, this matter will see the light of day. This time around, Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng brought it up in his Christmas message. I personally agree with his sentiment. We should all share the word Allah and make it the universal name for God. As far as the Quran is concerned, this verse explains the universality of Allah clearly.
They are those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right, – (for no cause except that they say, “our Lord is Allah”. Did not Allah check one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measure. Allah will certainly aid those who aid his (cause); – for verily Allah is full of Strength, Exalted in Might, (able to enforce His Will) – Quran 22:40
Then what is the real issue here? As I have written in my book ‘Can we use Allah’ in the Bible?, it is about trust. Below is the excerpt of the conclusion of Chapter 2 from my book that can be downloaded here
“It is clear that it is only permissible to use the term Allah to refer to God in the Bible, it is exactly what the Quran wants us to do. What an irony. I would like to thank my Christian brothers and sisters in their effort to make Allah the universal name of God and wanting the name to be the preferred reference to God in the Bible. But, you must not stop there.
You must also strive hard to ensure that not just the Bahasa Malaysia and Bahasa Indonesia Bibles use the term Allah but all the other translations in the world regardless if they are in Japanese, English, Russian or Hindi uses the same term. Malaysian Christians can lead the world of Christianity to make Allah the universal name of God with the solid support of their Muslim brothers and sisters. Anything that can bring us closer together must be supported. A shared universal name to call our God Allah seems a most appropriate place to start.
Failing to do so will create mistrust because the correct term for God in Malay is Tuhan. The Muslims will question your consistency and sincerity. Because the real issue here is Trust. Not the technicality of the term Allah, Tuhan, Elohim, Elah, etc. This is where we need to focus. This is what we need to pay attention to.
There are three levels of trust missing. Firstly we do not trust each other. The Muslims perceive the inconsistency of Christians wanting to use the term Allah in the Malay bible and not the other translations as a plot to convert Malay Muslims to Christianity. And, the Christians perceive the Muslims rejection to the usage of the term as another strategy to block the spread of the Christian faith to Muslims in Malaysia. This feeling is deep in the Christian psyche as they find the lopsided law on conversion in Malaysia to be unfair (check what the Quran say about this at 83:1-3 and 5:8).
Secondly, we do not trust ourselves. The Muslims lack confidence of fellow Muslims and feel that just by using the term Allah, their faith towards Islam can be shaken. The Christians lack confidence that being Christ-like is enough to attract others to the faith. That when you turn the other cheek, you win.
Yet the deepest rot is the lack of trust in Allah or God or Tuhan or any other name you want to call upon Him! Both Muslims and Christians fail to trust that Allah will be with those who are true and love those who trust Him. If we do so, we have nothing to fear and nothing to grieve. Failing to trust Him, we become weak, insecure and misguided.”
So to solve this issue, we must focus on trust between Muslims and Christians. I would be very happy if Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng can be the Christian leader to get the ball rolling and strive to ensure that Allah is not only used in the Bahasa Malaysia version of the Bible, but all the other translations around the world as well. If we extend our efforts to ensure that the Bibles in all languages use the term Allah, I have a strong conviction that Muslims will be able to see good in this effort and do not see this as a ploy of converting Malay Muslims to Christianity.
The word Allah is universal and I believe it should be universally used by all Muslims and Christians alike. When Malaysian Christians take the lead to make the word Allah universal and fight for its usage internationally, Muslims will have no reason to be suspicious; they will TRUST Christians more. And I reckon this is one way how trust between our Muslim and Christian communities can be nurtured.
Verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord: Him therefore serve ye: this is a Way that is straight – Quran 19:36
（End）
PS:
http://www.heraldmalaysia.com/news/Bahasa-Melayu-berasal-dari-rahim-agama-Islam-5416-30-1.html
Bahasa Melayu berasal dari rahim agama Islam?
Published on: June 10, 2010 at 14:36 PM
Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (JAKIM) telah menyiarkan di dalam laman webnya beberapa artikel menarik mengenai Islam. Sebahagian artikel-artikel tersebut menarik perhatian kita khususnya topik-topik berkenaan penggunaan kata “Allah.”
Enjin pencarian laman web mereka dengan mudah mengesan topik berkenaan kata “Allah” di bawah “Isu penggunaan lafaz Allah.” Di dalam subjek yang luas ini, terdapat beberapa artikel di bawah tajuk ini yang menyatakan bahawa perkataan “Allah” adalah eksklusif untuk Islam sahaja.
Terdapat sembilan artikel di dalam seksyen ini namun kita memilih artikel “Implikasi Penggunaan Kalimah “Allah” oleh bukan Islam yang disiarkan di dalam bentuk power point, sebagai perbincangan editorial kita.
Artikel ini bermula dengan kenyataan bahawa umat Islam berasa kurang senang dengan keputusan Mahkamah pada Dis 31, 2008 di mana Hakim Lau Bee Lan ‘membenarkan akhbar Mingguan Katolik HERALD menggunakan kata “Allah”. Jakim menyatakan yang kita meminta Mahkamah Tinggi untuk membenarkan kita menterjemah kata “God” kepada “Allah”.
Ini adalah tidak betul. Kita bukannya meminta kebenaran. Kita hanya meminta Mahkamah menyemak larangan oleh Menteri dalam Negeri tentang penggunaan kata tersebut yang telah kita gunakan sejak berabad lamanya.
Mereka menganggap bahawa kata “Allah” mempunyai makna dan implikasi teologi yang berbeza apabila ianya digunakan oleh orang Kristian.
Ramai orang Melayu Islam berpendapat bahawa kata “Allah” adalah kata nama khas untuk merujuk kepada Tuhan Yang Maha Esa. Namun, seperti yang difahami oleh umat Kristian dan Islam di Indonesia dan beberapa negara yang bahasa utamanya di dalam bahasa Arab, kata “Allah” adalah persoalan linguistik.
Ini adalah kenyataan yang memeranjatkan dan mengganggu kita kata “Allah” yang universal ini menjadi ciri khas dan titik pusat bangsa Melayu di dalam bahasa Melayu.
Oleh itu Jakim menyatakan:
・Bahasa Melayu merujuk kepada bangsa Melayu
・Bangsa Melayu adalah sinonim dengan agama Islam
・Sejarah Melayu menunjukkan Tanah Melayu telah menerima Islam seawal abad ke 7, 8 dan 9
・Batu Bersurat di Kuala Berang bertarikh 22 Feb 1303M
・Bahasa Melayu lahir daripada agama Islam
Melalui penyelidikannya yang mendalam, James Sneddon menyatakan bahawa bahasa Melayu adalah salah satu dari kelompok bahasa Austronesia.
Austronesia dalam bahasa Yunani bermakna ‘Kepulauan Selatan’, yang merujuk kepada kepulauan seperti Indonesia, Borneo, Kepulauan Melayu dan pulau-pulau yang terdapat di Lautan Pasifik.
Bahasa Melayu berkembang sebagai bahasa pengantara atau lingua franca bermula 2000 tahun lalu: “Peristiwa pertama yang membawa kepada penyebaran bahasa Melayu ialah melalui perdagangan laut dengan India.” (James Sneddon, The Indonesian language, UNSW Press, 2003, P 33)
Ini membawa kepada penambahan perkataan-perkataan Sanskrit ke dalam bahasa Melayu sejak berabad lamanya sebelum kehadiran pengaruh Islam.
Oleh itu, kenyataan oleh Jakim bahawa bahawa Melayu lahir dari rahim Islam adalah tidak betul. Batu Bersurat Kuala Berang yang ditemui oleh para pedagang pada abad ke 19 mempunyai 29 perkataan Sanskrit dan kurang daripada 10 perkataan Arab.
Maka, mendakwa bahawa bahasa Melayu adalah merujuk kepada bangsa Melayu yang dipandang sebagai sinonim dengan Islam merupakan satu cubaan untuk menulis kembali sejarah yang terpesong dari kebenaran yang telah diketahui umum. Dapatkah kita menyembunyikan kebenaran? Bukankah ini satu dosa? Sedangkan perkataan dosa itu sendiri merupakan perkataan Sanskrit.
Perkataan-perkataan seperti neraka, puasa, syurga, bangsa, keluarga, bendehara, mentri, perdana mentri, raja, agama, asrama, desa dan lain-lain lagi adalah merupakan perkataan Sanskrit. Oleh itu, bagaimana seseorang yang terpelajar menyatakan bahawa ‘bahasa Melayu lahir dari rahim Islam’?
Kita berasa kecewa kerana kebenaran ini telah dikorbankan di atas mezbah kepalsuan. Kita berdoa agar cara yang tidak beretika dan tidak fasih tidak digunakan bagi membuktikan kenyataan yang sememangnya palsu. Ini memperlihatkan kehadiran Tuhan Maha Esa di tengah-tengah kita.
Amat salah menyatakan bahawa penggunaan kata mulia “Allah” selama ratusan tahun oleh umat Kristian merupakan cara untuk mempengaruhi Melayu Islam dengan doktrin-doktrin Kristian. Jika ini berlaku, pasti ramai bangsa Melayu yang menjadi penganut agama Hindu kerana penggunaan kata-kata Sanskrit yang meluas di dalam bahasa Melayu harian.
（Tamat）
