"Allah" OK'D for Christians

[Jean_1958]

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — A Malaysian court ruled Thursday that Christians have the constitutional right to use the word Allah to refer to God, striking down a government ban as illegal.
The landmark ruling appeared to be a victory for freedom of religion in the Muslim-majority country, where the ban had become a symbol of what minorities say is religious discrimination.
Judge Lau Bee Lan said in her judgement that Christians have the “constitutional” right to use “Allah” and that the Home Ministry is “not empowered” to impose the ban. — From news services

 

[Sailor_Kenshin]

Which begs the question: what are CHRISTIANS doing praying to ‘allah?’

 

[GeorgeSword]

I believe that Allah is the term for God in the Malaysian language. I don’t see any problem with using that or any name for God, provided we have the intention to pray to well… God. It doesn’t matter if He is called Allah, Shangdi or Adonai.

 

[Sabda]

I believe that Allah is the term for God in the Malaysian language. I don’t see any problem with using that or any name for God, provided we have the intention to pray to well… God. It doesn’t matter if He is called Allah, Shangdi or Adonai.

Exactly, to my understanding this would be the same as the Muslims here in America, or some other group, telling English speaking Christians that they can not say the word God in English. It’s their native language. They should be able to call God by His name in their native language.

 

[Stylites]

Which begs the question: what are CHRISTIANS doing praying to ‘allah?’

Allah is simply the Arabic word for God. The Church teaches that we all worship the one same God. (When it comes to matters of faith and morals, Catholics need to adhere to the words of the Church more than with those of secular commentators.)

Here’s what Father Vincent Serpa wrote recently on our own “Ask an Apologist” forum:

Granted, Muslims do not believe in the Trinity as we do. Nor do Mormons. Nor do Jews. Yet we all believe in a Supreme Being who created and governs the universe. When St. Paul learned that the Greeks worshipped an unknown god (Acts 17:23), he identified that god as our God. Muslims worship the one God to the degree that they know Him—which in our view, is a very limited knowledge.

 

[Tsuwano]

I’ve been following this case since February and am pleased it has been resolved in favor of the Church publication which brought the the case before the Court.

 

[PlipPlop]

Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Baha’i, and a few other religions are “Abrahamic”, meaning they all believe in the exact same God.

Allah = God = YHWH = JHVH = Jesus (according to the Christians)

 

[abucs]

I’ve been following this case since February and am pleased it has been resolved in favor of the Church publication which brought the the case before the Court.

I am pleased as well that it was resolved in favour of the publication. I think it was a good case of religious tolerance in Malaysia and i hope it continues.

 

[Tsuwano]

I read today that the High Court in Malaysia has decided to review the judge’s decision allowing non Muslim publications to use the term “Allah” to refer to God and that, for the time being, the ban is still in force. This is in response to protests against the ruling by some Muslims in Malaysia and, according to a Catholic bishop in Malaysia, reflects a battle for votes and not a defense of Islam. The bishop also notes that “Allah” is a preislamic term originating in the Arabic language and cannot be recognized as merely an Islamic term. He also noted that the Koran itself states that Jews and Christians, along with Muslims, worship Allah. If the Koran itself states this, how is it that Muslims can go against their very own holy book to deny it? For now, however, the bishop has counseled patience, affirming that God, or Allah as the case may be, sets all injustice right in his own time.