Malaysiakini (http://www.malaysiakini.com)
(1) Bishop painfully puzzled by PAS flip-flop, 15 January 2013
by Terence Netto
Catholic Bishop Paul Tan expressed puzzlement over the apparent flip-flop by PAS over the right of non-Muslims to use the term ‘Allah’ in the rituals of worship and in faith education.
“This is nothing like the consistent line the public ought reasonably to expect from a political party that claims to be for all Malaysians,” said the head of the Catholic Church in the Melaka-Johor diocese.
The prelate was referring to the statement issued by the party’s Syura Council late Sunday that the term ‘Allah’ should not be used in the religious texts of non-Muslims because its original meaning cannot be rendered to mean anything other than that accorded it by the Quran.
“If the word has a meaning exclusive to Quranic percepts about God, how come, then, Christian Arabs and Indonesians have been using the term for centuries in prayer and in discourse to mean the one God?” asked Bishop Tan.
“Logically speaking, the Prophet of Islam would have found a new term for God if it was intended to disassociate the Muslim conception of God from the Christian conception of him as the God of Abraham,” commented the Jesuit-trained prelate.
Bishop Tan said he found the latest stance of PAS on the issue as “painfully puzzling” because it is the second reversal of a stance first adopted three years ago, under the auspices of the opposition Pakatan Rakyat, that the ‘Allah’ term for God was not exclusive to Muslims.
Sudden reversal
The first reversal was signposted last month by the party’s information chief, Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man, who publicly remonstrated with Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, who in a Christmas Day message, had called on the federal government to allow Christians in Borneo, who mostly converse in Bahasa Malaysia, to use the term in worship and in faith education.
Last week, PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang, following a meeting of the central leadership council of Pakatan, restored the Islamic party’s position to the status quo ante: he said the term was not exclusive to Muslims.
Abdul Hadi’s reiteration of the PAS-cum-Pakatan position is now countermanded by the 15-member Syura Council, PAS’ highest decision-making body on policy matters, which last Sunday pronounced the ‘Allah’ term exclusive to Muslims.
“I don’t know if this is their final word on it,” said Bishop Tan, “but if it is that slogan of theirs - ‘PAS for all’ - is looking very sorry indeed.”
(2) PAS, don't force your views on us, says group, 16 January 2013
The National Evangelical Christian Fellowship Malaysia (NECF), a national body representing the evangelical Christian community, has criticised PAS for interfering with how other religions should call their gods.
NECF chairperson Reverend Eu Hong Seng told Sin Chew Daily that the latest decision by the PAS syura council, who is the highest decision-making body of the Islamic party, disallowing non-Muslims to use the word 'Allah' in their religious text, is a disrespect to other religions.
He said PAS' interpretation and understanding on the word should not be forced upon on other religions, as it is against the freedom of religion for all citizens enshrined in the federal constitution.
"It exposes that PAS leaders are not mature. The flip-flop in their stance over the word 'Allah' shows that this political party is not credible.
"In fact, if everyone could respect the values of a diverse society, this would not be an issue at all," he was quoted as saying.
Eu reiterated that it is considered as a disrespect, when a religion dictates another religion on how to call its god.
The syura council, chaired by PAS spiritual leader Nik Abdul Aziz Nik Mat, had met on Sunday night and issued a statement stating that the word 'Allah' cannot be used as a translation for 'God' or 'Lord' in non-Islamic religious texts.
Subsequently, other party leaders, including those who once reportedly said that non-Muslims can use 'Allah', complied with the decision.
(3) 'Allah' issue - let's proceed with restraint and respect, 16 January 2013
by Lembu Susu
I wish to share my thoughts with laypersons and have intentionally omitted quoting from both the Quran and the Bible, so as to make reading easy for both sides of the divide.
1. The word 'Allah' is meant only for Muslims and for all who hold the view that there is only one god, according to the PAS Majlis Syura.
This view resonates well with the majority of Muslims in Malaysia. Non-Muslims and Christians must understand that the reason that PAS does not allow the word 'Allah' in the Bible translation is because of theological reasons.
Christians hold the view that God is a trinity; their belief is in a triune god (God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit).
Christians maintain they believe in one god, but the concept of the trinity is unacceptable in Islam.
Hence, if Christians were to use the word 'Allah' for their God, then, it will not represent correctly the 'Allah' of the Muslim God.
2. Christians, on the other hand, have a problem if they use the word 'Allah' without qualification. The problem is that the 'Allah' of the Bible is not the same as the 'Allah' of the Quran.
For example, Christians believe the Bible teaches monogamous marriages, but in the Quran, polygamy is allowed, albeit with certain conditions.
Moreover, in the Quran, jihad also involves wiping out infidels, which is not advocated at all, in the New Testament of the Bible.
Hence, when Christians use the word 'Allah' for God, they have to clarify, that though the word 'Allah' is the same word being used for 'God' by both the Christians and the Muslims, yet, the 'Allah' revealed in the Bible is different from the 'Allah' in the Quran.
3. The bottom line is this: 'Allah' is just a word to denote 'God'. It is how you will fill that word with meaning. This is where the teachings in the Quran and in the Bible gives meaning to the word 'Allah' by each religion.
4. But if we were to look it in another angle, actually, Allah is greater than any human words can express. Allah cannot be confined to a word.
The word is only necessary to help man connect to Him, but He is greater than a word. In fact, there is no word that is sufficient to address Him. He is beyond words. He cannot be reduced to just a word, 'Allah'. He is greater than any words mankind can call Him.
5. So, on 'Allah's side, there is no issue for the Muslims and there is no issue for the Christians. He will never be confused by the Christians or by the Muslims.
6. As for Muslims and Christians, there is also no confusion with the word 'Allah', as the years have proven. It is how you fill the meaning of the word 'Allah'.
The teachings from the Quran and the Bible will give understanding and meaning to that word, according to each one's religion.
7. Every person believes his or her religion is the correct one. That Malaysia has existed in harmony all these years is because of the mutual respect shown towards each other's religion and faith.
8. In each religion, it is only normal for their religion to tell them that theirs is the only and correct religion. Others are not correct. In fact, they are false.
This is all right, because the constitution allows for freedom of religion. But what a person believes must only be confined to himself or herself.
They are not to extend what they believe onto others. If that is done, it will cause war.
9. Though Islam is the religion of the federation, the constitution allows freedom of religion. Hence, to stretch one's beliefs and impose it on others, infringes on the rights of a citizen.
10. Non-Muslims cannot impose on Muslims their beliefs, neither can Muslims beliefs be imposed onto non-Muslims. Instead, there must be mutual respect for each other's beliefs.
11. No one can tell another religion what word they can use and what word they cannot use. If this is allowed, it will break down the peace and harmony built and cherished all these years.
It will be the same as telling them, "you cannot practice your own religion, because your religion violates my religious beliefs"; almost every religion, if adhered fully, will violate another.
If this happens, then there will be provocation and war.
So, in conclusion, the authorities must not use their authority to impose one belief onto another, just because it is what they believe in.
Instead, restraint and respect regarding each other's faith and beliefs should be paramount and upheld.
Let the Muslims respect the non-Muslims faith and beliefs, and vice-versa.
If 'Allah' is consider a sacred word to the Muslims, then, keep in within the context of own religion. Don't impose it on others, who may not share the same beliefs.
The Christians have no intention to hurt or to confuse the Muslims. They are only asking for their right to practice their own religion, using a word that has been there and used all these years.
(End)
