News

‘Allah’: For Muslims Only

Malaysian Court forbids Christian paper from using a word Christians have used for centuries.

Christianity Today October 14, 2013
Eric Teoh/FLICKR

In a unanimous decision made by three Muslim judges, a Malaysian court banned a Christian newspaper from using the word Allah. On Monday, the Malaysian appeals court overturned a 2009 ruling that allowed a Catholic newspaper, The Herald, from using the word in its publications.

Mohamed Apandi Ali, chief judge, said the word Allah was not an "integral part of the faith in Christianity" and that Christians who used it would cause "confusion in the community," according to Reuters.

However, Christians in Malaysia—who account for 9 percent of the Muslim-dominated country—tell a different story. Because Allah entered the Malay language from Arabic, they have used it to refer to God for centuries. The 2009 ruling—which favored the view of Catholic churches—caused a wave of violent attacks from extremist Islamists against churches.

Reuters reported the court decision was a political move, aimed at securing the support of the country's Muslim majority. Prime Minister Najib Razak, along with the United Malays National Organization, has tightened security laws and affirmed policies that appeal to the traditionalist and majority ethnic Malays. The ban is another in a series of such reversals for religious minorities.

"It is a retrograde step in the development of law in relation to the fundamental liberty of religious minorities," the Reverend Lawrence Andrew, editor of The Herald, told BBC News.

Perkasa, a conservative group that supported the ban, celebrated the court's decision, yet made it clear the group was not anti-Christian.

"We respect the Christians, we consider them our brothers," Perkasa chief Datuk Ibrahim Ali told The Malaysian Insider. "We are for a harmonious multireligious Malaysia."

Despite the religious clashes in Malaysia over the word Allah, some churches still plan to use it in their worship services, while Indonesia and most other Arab countries see nothing wrong with Christians using it in reference to God.

CT previously reported on Malaysia's 2008 ban on non-Muslim publications using the word Allah, as well as the 2009 debate that reversed the ruling. CT has also covered the country's restrictions of religious freedom and a Christian convert's court case.

Our Latest

New Archbishop of Canterbury Steps into Anglican Divides

Conservatives call on Sarah Mullally, the first woman at the spiritual helm of the Church of England, to uphold biblical faith amid same-sex blessings debate.

News

FDA Approves Generic Abortion Pill

Students for Life leader calls the move “a stain on the Trump presidency.”

You Haven’t Heard Worship Music like This

John Van Deusen’s praise is hard-won and occasionally wordless.

The Russell Moore Show

BONUS: Lecrae on Reconstruction after Disillusionment

 Lecrae joins Russell Moore to take questions from Christianity Today subscribers

News

John Cornyn’s MAGA-land Challenge

The incumbent senator is up against his strongest challenge yet in populist-right leader Ken Paxton.

Fighting Korea’s Loneliness Epidemic with Cafés and Convenience Stores

Seoul recently introduced free public services to tackle social isolation. Christians have been doing that for years.

Excerpt

‘Don’t Take It If You Don’t Need It’

The Trump administration releases new recommendations for Tylenol use during pregnancy.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube