Pakatan holds fast while others waver on ‘Allah’

Terence Netto

Amid the cacophony that followed hard upon Perkasa chief Ibrahim Ali’s call to Muslims to burn bibles that use the ‘Allah’ term for God, one was hard put to find a reaction and a reminder more bracing than what emerged from the Penang state minister for religion.

Abdul Malik Abul Kassim, the PKR state assemblyperson who has been holding the sensitive religious portfolio in the DAP-led Pakatan Rakyat state government since 2008, was quoted earlier this week as saying:

“We are told not to kick, throw or burn any holy book. Those who want to do these acts are discrediting Islam in the eyes of the world.”

God and religion, two separate matters

Vidal Yudin Wei

The raging ‘Allah” issue has left this writer wondering if Jakim and National Fatwah Council clerics who can both “see and read” are “blind”.

When I was young, my teacher told me that if I want to study facts I should take up archaeology, but if I want to find out what truth is all about I should choose philosophy.

I ended up somewhere in the middle and discovered that between scientific evidence and logic, there are matters that require a 3rd element called faith – to believe and accept in the absence of facts and figures. And religion is one such matter.

Buddhist group wants Putrajaya to end ‘Allah’ row

Boo Su-Lyn

Federal Islamic authorities were accused of fuelling Muslim-Christian tensions with the latest Friday sermon.

A Buddhist group today urged the federal government to resolve the drawn-out dispute over the usage of “Allah”, which has caused division and anxiety between Muslims and Christians here.

In a press statement, the Malaysian Network of Engaged Buddhists (MNEB) said the National Unity and Integration Department (JPNIN), which comes under purview of the Prime Minister’s Department, should step into the fray and end the hostility once and for all.

Burn the Bible, and you burn the church

Priscilla Prasena

Pentecostal Churches of Malaysia representative Bishop Robert Judah Paul also expresses resentment against Perkasa chief’s Bible burning plan.

Perkasa’s plan to burn the Malay edition of the Bible, which carries the word “Allah” to refer to God, is equivalent to burning churches, the Pentecostal Churches of Malaysia representative Robert Judah Paul said today.

“Burning the Bible is equivalent to burning churches and the churches have every right to bring it to their highest authority. Churches which are linked to international non-governmental organisations will seek the international voices to air their grievances… and this would reflect badly on the country,” he told FMT in an interview.

Muslims, Christians, the Word Allah and the Bible

 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

Clearing the confusion on the use of Allah in Bahasa Bibles

From Dr SK Teoh, via e-mail

Many Muslims and even some Christians have misunderstood the use of “Allah” in Bahasa Bibles.  To clarify some of the confusion:

• The BM Bible or the Alkitab is not translated from the English Bible but from the original languages, i.e.  Hebrew and Greek.

• The Hebrew word for God is El or Elohim (similar root as Ilah in Arabic) and YHWH or Yahweh for LORD. The Greek words are Theo for God and Kurios for Lord.

• Biblical translators all over the world have used the local language terms for Elohim and Yahweh e.g. God and LORD in English; Dios and Senor in Spanish, Shangti and Zhu in Chinese

Jesus wept

Dean Johns

And the weather seems to be of similar mind and mood. Outside the rain is pouring down like the tears of heaven, as if in sympathy with those of us spending this day reflecting on how far the human race has – and hasn’t – come since the birth of Christianity.Christmas Day, Sydney, AD 2012. And just for once, with my wife and daughter away on well-earned holidays in Malaysia and the rest of my family elsewhere around the world, I’ve decided to turn down kind invitations from friends to include me in their celebrations in favour of some solitary cerebrations.

Not that the Nativity, as the birth of Jesus Christ has become known, was free of mixed messages. The allegedly “immaculate” conception and apparent celibacy of the self-professed “son of God” have proven endlessly problematic in relation to the sexuality of the faithful.

Putting Christ back into the Christmas

Stanley Koh

Is it not imperative to emphasise the significance of the spirit of Christ in our hearts during the Christmas celebration?

Christmas is just around the corner and it may come as a surprise that many people never reflect on why they believe or do what they do during Christmas.

They basically do what the majority of the Christian faith does or what everybody else does because it is easy and the most natural way to follow.

To put it simply, Christmas is just another occasion and time to be together with families and friends for a feisty and food celebration.

Insulting Muslims 101

Jacqueline Ann Surin 

HOW does one insult Islam in Malaysia? And how does one insult Muslims in Malaysia?

Over the past few years and increasingly over the past months, the state, politicians and pressure groups like Perkasa have demonstrated just how to do either one or both. For the most part, these incidents are an insult to Muslims in Malaysia, rather than to the world’s fastest growing religion per se.

Here’s my take on how these groups have been giving lessons to the nation, and to the world, on Insulting Muslims 101.

Step 1: Weak and wavering