Allah issue has been circulating for a while and everyone has seemed to have joined the fray in giving his five-sense worth of comment on the issue without giving a thorough understanding of the concept called "Allah". The latest to join in this fray are the two former Muftis: one from the north and the other from the south of Malaysia. Instead of calming the situation both are hurling curses at each other by calling one another as kafir. This issue has not been handled properly by many those who commented. The decision by the learned court was justified. I am no legal brain to comment on the Malaysian law and its constitution. There are more capable people here who can handle it. But I am saddened by the religious leaders who have been at each other throat without giving the much needed thought to this knotty issue.
Though the term "Allah" has been used by the Arabs prior to the coming of Islam, that does not make it a Christian term. For the revelation revealed to Prophet 'Isa was in Syriac and where the name of God is mentioned as Alah and not as Allah. If the Arabs in the Middle East used the term as Muslims than that should be taken in the culturo-lingistic sense and not in the religious meaning. Even the well-known English dictionaries have defined the term "Allah" the name of divinity used by Muslims. These dictionaries were written by Christians. So why now the Malaysian Christians are demanding its usage?
The usage of Allah by Sikh religion could be tolerated in the sense that they have described Allah in the sense of Muslims as a being who is one, unique and who begets none nor is he begotten. This is not the case with the Christians who describe God in manner the defies his description. It is precisely for this reason their usage cannot be condoned.
If the friends in Sabah and Sarawak have been using the term for long time. That does not mean that it is allowed. It only shows that the people who allowed it s usage in the first place were not sensitive enough to understand the full implication of such usage by those who do not share the same understanding of the concept of Allah.
To say that Allah refers to the Supreme God, regardless of the multitude of demi and semi-gods to which one worship, than other religions also would call their Gods as Allah. This will certainly give rise to confusion in the minds of people who want to seek the truth. Partial truths are not truths at all.
I sincerely hope these muftis will study more in the field of theology before they open their unstoppable mouths. They should refrain from becoming muftins (those who cause fitnah). What the learned former AG Abu Talib said in respect of the constitution is sufficient for one who seeks the truth. Stop playing politics with His Name.
READ: Though the term "Allah" has been used by the Arabs prior to the coming of Islam, that does not make it a Christian term. For the revelation revealed to Prophet 'Isa was in Syriac and where the name of God is mentioned as Alah and not as Allah. If the Arabs in the Middle East used the term as Muslims than that should be taken in the culturo-lingistic sense and not in the religious meaning. Even the well-known English dictionaries have defined the term "Allah" the name of divinity used by Muslims. These dictionaries were written by Christians. So why now the Malaysian Christians are demanding its usage?
The usage of Allah by Sikh religion could be tolerated in the sense that they have described Allah in the sense of Muslims as a being who is one, unique and who begets none nor is he begotten. This is not the case with the Christians who describe God in manner the defies his description. It is precisely for this reason their usage cannot be condoned.
If the friends in Sabah and Sarawak have been using the term for long time. That does not mean that it is allowed. It only shows that the people who allowed it s usage in the first place were not sensitive enough to understand the full implication of such usage by those who do not share the same understanding of the concept of Allah.
To say that Allah refers to the Supreme God, regardless of the multitude of demi and semi-gods to which one worship, than other religions also would call their Gods as Allah. This will certainly give rise to confusion in the minds of people who want to seek the truth. Partial truths are not truths at all.
I sincerely hope these muftis will study more in the field of theology before they open their unstoppable mouths. They should refrain from becoming muftins (those who cause fitnah). What the learned former AG Abu Talib said in respect of the constitution is sufficient for one who seeks the truth. Stop playing politics with His Name.
MUFTI'S ALLAH ;
MALAYSIAN BAR
TONY PHUA'S ALLAH
SIKH'S ALLAH
SARAWAKIAN ALLAH
MIGRATING FOR ALLAH
ASRI'S ALLAH
AG ABU TALIB
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