[Malaysia Insider] ‘Allah’ ruling is not a challenge to Islam — Leslie Lau

Followup to [Herald Malaysia] Malaysia, Allah, and God.

‘Allah’ ruling is not a challenge to Islam — Leslie Lau

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 3 — Amid the uproar over the Kuala Lumpur High Court’s ruling allowing Catholics to describe the Christian God as “Allah” is the implication made by some Muslim leaders that the Islamic faith is under threat.

The underlying theme of the criticisms against the High Court ruling is that Muslims will be confused by the use of the word “Allah” by Catholics and that it is an insult to Islam to allow non-Muslims the right to utter the word “Allah.”

This morning’s Mingguan Malaysia suggested that it is is because Muslims are not united that they have come under this major threat to their way of life.

Many of these critics are missing the point, perhaps disingenuously so.

The point is that East Malaysians and some communities in peninsular Malaysia have been using the word to describe the Christian God for years.

This is because a large majority of East Malaysians use Bahasa Malaysia during their worship as the national language is the lingua franca of the region.

For most Malay-Muslims in West Malaysia, the exposure they have to Catholic and Christian churches has perhaps led many to somehow conclude that Christianity is a Western concept.

After all, many churches they see appear to only use English in their services. So why can’t they continue using English words like “God” or “Lord” in their services?

Herein lies the problem when there is not enough effort made to ensure inter-faith understanding. In this regard both Christians and Muslims alike should strive harder to understand each other and their respective beliefs.

The fact is Christian services in Malaysia are conducted in various languages, including Bahasa Malaysia, English, Chinese, Tamil and even French, to serve the different communities.

If there was an Arabic Christian community in Malaysia, there would be no doubt that Arabic language services would have been started by the churches. And the word “Allah” would indeed be used to describe the Christian God as it is used in churches in the Middle East.

The fact is Islam, Christianity and Judaism are the three major Abrahamic religions with common origins and values.

Instead of stoking the fires, it would be perhaps wise for both Muslim and Christian leaders to live up to their respective religious values to ensure there is no strife over the use of the word “Allah.”

It is important to note that the court ruling does not mean that the Christian hordes are at the city gates ready to subsume and take over all that Islam and Muslims value and treasure.

There is no war or crusade that is about to happen.

The Christian churches in Malaysia do not have any plans to bombard young Muslims with Christian literature using the word “Allah” to confuse and attract Muslims to leave their faith.

On New Year’s Day, millions of Muslims attended Friday prayers a day after the court ruling. They went to the mosque just as they have been doing for years.

Today is Sunday and hundreds of thousands of Catholics in Malaysia attended Mass just as they have been doing for years. And in Bahasa Malaysia services they used the word “Allah”.

In English services the word “God” was used. In Tamil and Chinese services the respective words for God was used.

This has been going on for many years since before the country gained independence, until the authorities got into the act and issued restrictions.

The Catholic Church then went down the legal route and the High Court has ruled in its favour.

Many Umno leaders, and even some from PAS, are now trying to portray this issue as a great challenge by the non-Muslims against the Malay/Muslims. It is incredible that Umno politicians consider Sabah and Sarawak as a vote bank but they are now supporting a denial of the constitutional rights of East Malaysians.

Suggestions have also been made that a lack of Malay unity has caused this court ruling to happen.

But simply put, one has got nothing to do with the other.

The Christians and Catholics are just asking that they be allowed to use the word “Allah” during their services and in their literature in Bahasa Malaysia. “Allah” will not be used in any other language.

Because for the Christians, this has been an issue about language — in Bahasa Malaysia the word for God is “Allah” while the word for Lord is “Tuhan”.

Instead of raising the alarm over the matter, politicians must now consider toning down their rhetoric.

Leslie Lau is consultant editor to The Malaysian Insider Sphere: Related Content