*You may read additional articles grouped under the category Islamization of Malaysian Laws
Christians have offered well-documented evidence and cogent arguments to refute the claim that only (Malaysian) Muslims have the right to use the word Allah. However, the dogmatic assertions (notwithstanding the ‘scholarly garb’) from Muslim scholars in the current flare-up suggest that they have either chosen to ignore the evidence or are simple unable to follow an argument outside their logical Procrustean bed. Undoubtedly, their closed mindedness arises because they learned how to use Arabic without reflecting, much less analyzing the linguistic determinants behind Arabic.
I would like to invite readers who are new to the controversy to read some of my early articles given in the list below:
**23 April 2021 – Are non-Muslims Barred from using “Tuhan” since DBP says it refers to Allah?
1o March 2021 – High Court Quashes Govt’s 1986 Ban on ‘Allah’ use by Christians, Affirms Sarawakian Bumiputera’s Right to Religion and non-discrimination
** 22 Jan 2020 – Christian Use of Allah Historically Legitimate, Linguistically & Theologically Well-Founded – High Court Expert Report [Comprehensive Presentation]
31 Dec 2007 – No One Religion can Copyright or Monopolize Allah
10 Jan 2008 – ‘Allah’ is for all Malay Speaking People in Nusantara
17 Jan 2008 – Allah and Linguistic Hegemony
19 Jan 2008 – Prohibition of ‘Allah’ and Other Words: Forcing Christians to Dishonor God
1 Feb 2008 – The Semantics of Allah
12 June 2008 – Allah and Bible Translation Again: New Light from an Ancient Manuscript
17 March 2009 –Response to Prof. Dzulkufli Abdul Razak Misreading of the Malay Bible
8 Nov 2009 –Allah is Not a Personal Name
20 Nov 2009 – More Academic Resources on Pre-Islamic Use of Allah
5 Jan 2010 – Allah and Tuhan in Bible Translation
8 Jan 2010 – Why Use Allah and Tuhan? Official Explanation from Indonesian Bible Society
13 Jan 2010 – Allah and Conversion in Malaysia: The Facts
17 Jan 2010 – High Court Judgment on Allah controversy: Home Minister Wrong in Four Crucial Areas
27 Jan 2010 – Foreign Vocabulary and Loan Words in the Quran: Historical Facts
7 Feb 2010 – Sacred Language and Vernacular Translation of Scriptures
17 March 2010 – Allah, the Bare Historical Facts Presented
5 April 2010 – Allah or Tuhan in the Rukun Negara?
3 July 2010 – Kitab Salat as-Sawai (1514) was the First Printed Arabic (Not Jawi Malay) Book
28 June 2010 – Refutation of Muslim Scholars’ Arguments in the Allah Controversy. Part 1/3
3 June 2010 – Refutation of Muslim Scholars’ Arguments in the Allah Controversy. Part 2/3
1 July 2010 – Refutation of Muslim Scholars’ Arguments in the Allah Controversy. Part 3/3
10 Jan 2013 – ‘Allah’ is Substitute for Hebrew Words el, eloah, and not for English Word ‘God’
29 Jan 2013 – Allah dan Tuhan dalam Terjemahan Alkitab
27 May 2013 – Allah: The Noun and the Name – The Root of Confusion
13 Sept 2013 – Pengharaman Penggunaan “Allah”: Perdebatan Teologi dan Hegemoni Ideologi
20 Oct 2013 – Semantik Kalimah Allah
05 March 2014 – Why Allâh is Not Exclusive to Islam: 3 Short Arguments
25 Nov 2017 – DBP Translating the Malay Bible? CLJ Needs to Get the Historical Facts Right!
** 22 Jan 2020 – Christian Use of Allah Historically Legitimate, Linguistically & Theologically Well-Founded – High Court Expert Report [Comprehensive Presentation]
Finally, a bonus article on the essential difference between Biblical and Quranic revelation:
8 Aug 2012 – Speech Act Revelation: Bible and Quran
Dear Dr Ng,
Thank you for your good and noble work (synergism – left-hand kingdom) on behalf of the Truth *who* sets us free (monergism – right-hand kingdom).
This cause is not just a matter of the defence of the Church as the right-hand kingdom of God but also the Church as an earthly institution alongside other institutions ordained by God for the preservation and continuance of this old creation. Indeed, the issue of Allah also involves preservation of the social order which finds its concrete contextualisation in Malaysia – maintenance of inter-faith and inter-ethnic relations, promotion of national harmony, community cohesion, etc. etc.
In other words, for the good of HUMANITY.
Relevant and well-compiled. Thumbs up for Dr Ng Kam Weng.
As scholar leaves his finger prints. as always. grateful for the compilation
Dear Sir,
Just use Yahweh in your bahasa bible as peace solution. Not everyone would be able to follow your intellectual argument or be brought to discussion table. The actual facts was, your insistence were lack of wisdom.
http://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=518385311539529&id=166763006701763&refid=17
The peace solution is for the government to stop politicising the word, “Allah” … to leave Christians (and Malaysians of other faiths) alone to profess and practice their religion … to end Islamisation which trajectory is difficult to predict … which “unintended consequences” may proved difficult to be managed in the future … the facts all around are for all to see —if only we are willing to see …
I just don’t understand why Christians insist on using Allah in the Bahasa Melayu Bibles. Is the Christian Community lacking in the Names of GOD(Yehuah)?
Simple solution : USe what the Jews,the prophets of the Old Testament & Yesua (JESUS CHRIST ) used.
Dear Peter,
May I advise you to indulge in one or two articles on this site before making a seemingly ignorant remark on the issue? 🙂
I’ll provide an analogy to answer your question:
What do you feel if you, Peter (if that is your real name) is compelled by others to change your name to Batu (Peter = rock, in Greek) today?
It’s not about the lack of words. We have been using “Allah” in the Malay translations of the Bible for hundreds of years.
Regards.
Dear “peter” and ashraf munim,
The Church has presented clear logical evidence to the government & judiciary time and time again but what the judiciary and govt seems to ignore the facts which is so obvious.Why the judges in the previous court proceedings can just use flawed internet research and make judgement? Is this fair to both parties or a one sided judgement?
Even islamic religious scholars from around the world say it is flawed. Why the difference in opinion between Malaysian religious scholars and the world?
Christians especially Sabah & Sarawak have been using the word for centuries for their personal worship without any issues. Why make accusations it is wrong translation? Why say the use it to convert people?
Most of the so called non- christian experts have never been to church, let it be even join the bahasa/iban congregation due to their personal fears and prejudices. Do non-christians have the right to question christian holly books? Why the double standards if we were to question another religion than ours? Unless there is another agenda towards the Christians?
Ask yourselves who started all this fiasco in the first place? Why the NGOs and government must act irrationally and Christians? This seem some form of persecution.
The fact that Christians and Jews also use the word in the middle East without issues. Again why ignore this fact ?
why must Christians and other minorities compromise for a “peaceful solution”, infact Christians have been peaceful and compromising in all discussions. Do you see any christian NGOs’ intimidating people?
Peaceful solution must be reasonable to all parties and fair to all parties .
In my view the Christians ought not to go this far to argue for the use of the word”Allah” to describe their deity which is Yahweh or Jehovah (the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and not the God of Ishmael). It is clear that Allah the chief god of Kaaaba was described as the Lord of Mecca.. the malasian government and judiciary are honest and sincere in their endeavor to demonstrate that Allah is different and separate from Jehovah. is the Quran a redaction of the Judea-Christian Bible.