Answers to Questions Muslims Ask. Part 1

A Response to “Seminar Kalimah Allah & Kristology Nusantara”  – Come now, Let us reason together, says the Lord (Isaiah 1:18) The “Seminar Kalimah Allah & Kristology Nusantara (“The word ‘Allah’ and Christology in the Malay Archipelago”) held on 6 May 2014 at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Shah Alam, has sparked strong protests from … Continue reading “Answers to Questions Muslims Ask. Part 1”

A Response to “Seminar Kalimah Allah & Kristology Nusantara”  – Come now, Let us reason together, says the Lord (Isaiah 1:18)

The “Seminar Kalimah Allah & Kristology Nusantara (“The word ‘Allah’ and Christology in the Malay Archipelago”) held on 6 May 2014 at Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) in Shah Alam, has sparked strong protests from the public.

The NECF protests that higher institution of learning should not cause confusion and promote prejudice. The CFM adds that it would amount to abuse of trust and stewardship, “If there is to be sincere and genuine academic freedom, then let us have an intellectual exchange with integrity instead of a one-sided presentation with arguably inaccurate information being disseminated as fact…Otherwise, the seminar yesterday would be nothing more than hate speech and sectarian religious propaganda thinly disguised as academic freedom.”

The protests were in response to several seminar speakers who had mockingly posed questions that suggest the grounds for Christian beliefs are fundamentally flawed. For example, in a forum “Christianisation vs Islamization, the speakers answered pre-prepared questions that included “Did Jesus really die on the cross for the forgiveness of sins?”, “What is the Trinity?”, “Why did Jesus cry ‘Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani’ (Aramaic for “My God, my God, why have You forsaken Me?”) while on the cross?”. Themalaysianinsider

Another speaker argued that the parts of the Bible based on his teachings should simply be called “Tales of Jesus” instead of the “Gospel”. The books in the Bible were written by Christ’s disciples such as Matthew, Mark, and Luke were considered hearsay and similarly should not be considered the Word of God. The so-called gospel is only Jesus’ words, speech, hence should not be called gospel. He asserted, “The Christian gospel is a fake gospel.” The malaymailonline Continue reading “Answers to Questions Muslims Ask. Part 1”

No Need to Comply When JAIS Abused its Limited Power to Harass non-Muslim Institutions

Much of the public discussion over the recent JAIS raid on Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) has focused on who should be held responsible for an illegal raid. I shall briefly note that UMNO went on a road show to support JAIS after the seizure of the Bibles.  We cannot overlook the insincerity and failure … Continue reading “No Need to Comply When JAIS Abused its Limited Power to Harass non-Muslim Institutions”

Much of the public discussion over the recent JAIS raid on Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) has focused on who should be held responsible for an illegal raid. I shall briefly note that UMNO went on a road show to support JAIS after the seizure of the Bibles.  We cannot overlook the insincerity and failure of the Federal government to honor the 10 points. Selangor MB deserves criticism for not reprimanding JAIS and instructing it to redress its illegal raid (granted he faced political constraints and impossible circumstances after the Sultan’s decree). The issue has become a political football passed between AG, the Home Ministry and the Selangor government. Let blame be rightly apportioned to all these wrongful parties. Continue reading “No Need to Comply When JAIS Abused its Limited Power to Harass non-Muslim Institutions”

Why Allâh is Not Exclusive to Islam: 3 Short Arguments

The Allah dispute is the focus of 3 court hearings this week. Taking the risk of committing the sin of boring repetition – here are 3 short arguments why Allah is not exclusive to Islam. First, ﷲ Allâh (al-ilah) is historically derived from a common noun (ilah), which is not a proper noun/personal name (Nama … Continue reading “Why Allâh is Not Exclusive to Islam: 3 Short Arguments”

The Allah dispute is the focus of 3 court hearings this week. Taking the risk of committing the sin of boring repetition – here are 3 short arguments why Allah is not exclusive to Islam.

First, ﷲ Allâh (al-ilah) is historically derived from a common noun (ilah), which is not a proper noun/personal name (Nama Khas). It is just a common reference to a divine being in general or to the Most High God in monotheist culture, along with other related references in the Semitic languages – Hebrew el, eloah, Syriac alaha etc.  Sibawayh (the father of Arabic grammar), noted the etymology of the word was disputed but suggested a Syriac connection as al-Ilaah, Allah results when one attaches ‘al’ with aliha and alaha. More importantly, the word ﷲ Allâh was used by Christians and other Semites long before the emergence of Islam. Continue reading “Why Allâh is Not Exclusive to Islam: 3 Short Arguments”

The Beginning of Persecution of Christian Minorities in Malaysia?

The raid of Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) by the Selangor Islamic authorities, JAIS (Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor) is a flagrant violation of religious liberty and a deliberate affront to the dignity of the Christian community. LINK JAIS’ action suggests that a threshold in inter-religious relations has been crossed, that is, the Islamic authorities have … Continue reading “The Beginning of Persecution of Christian Minorities in Malaysia?”

The raid of Bible Society of Malaysia (BSM) by the Selangor Islamic authorities, JAIS (Jabatan Agama Islam Selangor) is a flagrant violation of religious liberty and a deliberate affront to the dignity of the Christian community. LINK JAIS’ action suggests that a threshold in inter-religious relations has been crossed, that is, the Islamic authorities have progressed from harassing to persecuting Christian minorities in Malaysia.

The raid is not unexpected, given the orchestrated agitations and provocations coming from Islamic authorities and NGOs in the last few weeks. The decree by the Sultan of Selangor which bans non-Muslims from using the Allah word was followed by a statement by JAIS new Director declaring that JAIS will be sending warning letters to all churches. Islamic NGOs followed suit with police reports against Herald and the Catholic Church. Next, the former Prime Minister Dr. Mahathir accused Christians of irritating Muslims in using the Allah word, and the Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin publicly supported UMNO Selangor in its campaign against the editor of Herald. Strangely, the Prime Minister has remained silent although he has personally guaranteed Christians their right to use the al-Kitab a few years ago. The ominous beating of war drums can only lead to hostile action against Christians. Continue reading “The Beginning of Persecution of Christian Minorities in Malaysia?”

Semantik Kalimah Allah

  Semantik Kalimah Allah* Kita mendekati pembahasan kata “Allâh“ dari sudut bahasa. Kata “Allah” berasal dari dua kata: al, dan ilah, Al adalah kata sandang (band, bahasa Inggeris; the), dan ilah bererti: yang kuat, dewa. Dalam bahasa-bahasa Semit,kata ini menunjuk pada kuasa yang ada di luar jankauan manusia, yaitu pada dewa. Sudah di masa pra-Islam, … Continue reading “Semantik Kalimah Allah”

 

Semantik Kalimah Allah*

Kita mendekati pembahasan kata “Allâh“ dari sudut bahasa. Kata “Allah” berasal dari dua kata: al, dan ilah, Al adalah kata sandang (band, bahasa Inggeris; the), dan ilah bererti: yang kuat, dewa. Dalam bahasa-bahasa Semit,kata ini menunjuk pada kuasa yang ada di luar jankauan manusia, yaitu pada dewa. Sudah di masa pra-Islam, al-ilah disambung menjadi Allah. Dan dalam agama orang-orang Arab pra-Islam, kata ini digunakan untuk menunjuk pada dewa yang paling tinggi di antara dewa-dewa yang lain yang masing-masing mempunyai namanya sendiri. Namun kata Allah itu sendiri bukan nama, seperti di atas diterangkan. Dengan demikian, kata Allah sudah ada dalam zaman jahiliyya. Ia bukan ciptaan orang Islam ia juga tidak baru muncul dalam Al-qur’an Alkarim, melainkan ia merupakan kata biasa dalam bahasa Arab lepas dari ikatan dengan salah satu agama tertentu. Continue reading “Semantik Kalimah Allah”

Appeal Court Inept Judgment Based on Internet Research

The Court of Appeal in Putrajaya on 14/10/2013 over-ruled the earlier decision by Justice Lau Bee Lan in the Kuala Lumpur High Court to allow Christians (Herald) to use the word Allah. The wide ramifications of the Appeal Court decision calls for careful analysis to ascertain whether it is based on accurate facts which are … Continue reading “Appeal Court Inept Judgment Based on Internet Research”

The Court of Appeal in Putrajaya on 14/10/2013 over-ruled the earlier decision by Justice Lau Bee Lan in the Kuala Lumpur High Court to allow Christians (Herald) to use the word Allah. The wide ramifications of the Appeal Court decision calls for careful analysis to ascertain whether it is based on accurate facts which are foundational for a coherently argued and impartial judgment. I shall focus on the judgment delivered by one of the three judges, Justice Mohd Nawawi bin Salleh, since it ostensibly examines the facts pertaining to the legitimacy of Christians (the Herald) using the word Allah. Continue reading “Appeal Court Inept Judgment Based on Internet Research”

Welcome to Ketuanan Islam (Supremacy of Islam) in Malaysia

PREAMBLE TO THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION OF MALAYSIA (2013)* There is no God but the God of Islam, and the Court is his Herald. All religions must be subject to the supremacy of Islam. All citizens are equal but Muslims are more equal than others. Cut to the chase, the Court of Appeal judgment released on … Continue reading “Welcome to Ketuanan Islam (Supremacy of Islam) in Malaysia”

PREAMBLE TO THE FEDERAL CONSTITUTION OF MALAYSIA (2013)*
There is no God but the God of Islam, and the Court is his Herald.
All religions must be subject to the supremacy of Islam.
All citizens are equal but Muslims are more equal than others.

Cut to the chase, the Court of Appeal judgment released on 14/10/2013(No.W-01-1-2010) which prohibits Christians from using the word Allah is based on the supremacy of Islam in Malaysia. The judges identify “the community” as Muslim and relegate other religious believers to “group”.  Since “group” is inferior and subordinate to the superior “community”, the judges ruled, “the welfare of an individual or group must yield to that of the community.” Continue reading “Welcome to Ketuanan Islam (Supremacy of Islam) in Malaysia”

Pengharaman Penggunaan “Allah”: Perdebatan Teologi dan Hegemoni Ideologi

This paper summarizes the major themes found in a three-part article posted in 2010 – Refutation of Muslim Scholars’ Arguments in the Allah Controversy [See links given below]. Pengharaman Penggunaan “Allah”: Perdebatan Teologi dan Hegemoni Ideologi Tujuan makalah ini adalah untuk membantu umat Kristian 1) memahami trajektori sejarah pertikaian tentang perkataan Allah, 2) mengenal pasti … Continue reading “Pengharaman Penggunaan “Allah”: Perdebatan Teologi dan Hegemoni Ideologi”

This paper summarizes the major themes found in a three-part article posted in 2010 – Refutation of Muslim Scholars’ Arguments in the Allah Controversy [See links given below].

Pengharaman Penggunaan “Allah”: Perdebatan Teologi dan Hegemoni Ideologi

Tujuan makalah ini adalah untuk membantu umat Kristian 1) memahami trajektori sejarah pertikaian tentang perkataan Allah, 2) mengenal pasti sumber-sumber sejarah, linguistik dan teologi yang menjadi alasan bagi penggunaan sah akan perkataan itu oleh umat Kristian, 3) mematahkan hujah-hujah tidak berasas yang dikemukakan oleh cendekiawan Muslim yang menuntut monopoli Muslim dalam penggunaan perkataan Allah dan 4) memahami bagaimana konsep bahasa suci menyebabkan orang bukan-Muslim tidak dibenarkan daripada menggunakan perkataan Allah. Continue reading “Pengharaman Penggunaan “Allah”: Perdebatan Teologi dan Hegemoni Ideologi”

Allah:The Noun and the Name – The Root of Confusion

Allah – The Noun and the Name The Root of Confusion* Confusion continues to reign over some Malay Muslim scholars, as is evident from their fumbled handling of the semantics of Allah, because there is no definite article in the Malay language. It would be helpful for them to reconsider the significance of definite article … Continue reading “Allah:The Noun and the Name – The Root of Confusion”

Allah – The Noun and the Name

The Root of Confusion*

Confusion continues to reign over some Malay Muslim scholars, as is evident from their fumbled handling of the semantics of Allah, because there is no definite article in the Malay language. It would be helpful for them to reconsider the significance of definite article in the Arabic and other Semitic languages.

Definition of Proper Noun

Confusion begins when we learned in elementary school the traditional definition of a noun: a noun “refers to a person, place, or thing.” But this definition is inadequate as it excludes words like ‘explosion’, ‘moment’, thunder, etc.

Modern linguists therefore define nouns not in semantic (meaning-based) terms but in distributive terms, that is, how they are used in relation to other syntactic categories in the language. The English language has the convenient usage of the determiner ‘the’. Hence, ‘the explosion’, ‘the moment’ and ‘the thunder’ are recognized as nouns. Continue reading “Allah:The Noun and the Name – The Root of Confusion”

Allah dan Tuhan dalam Terjemahan Alkitab

29 Januari 2013 Allah dan Tuhan dalam Terjemahan Alkitab Artikel ini diterjemahkan dari Bahasa Inggeris dari website Krisis & Praxis Mengapa Tidak Mungkin Menggantikan Allah dengan Tuhan dalam Terjemahan Alkitab Orang Muslim di beberapa negara lain di dunia (Arab, Afrika Utara, Pakistan dan Indonesia) tiada bantahan dan tidak bimbang akan kemungkinan keliru apabila orang Kristian … Continue reading “Allah dan Tuhan dalam Terjemahan Alkitab”

29 Januari 2013
Allah dan Tuhan dalam Terjemahan Alkitab

Artikel ini diterjemahkan dari Bahasa Inggeris dari website Krisis & Praxis

Mengapa Tidak Mungkin Menggantikan Allah dengan Tuhan dalam Terjemahan Alkitab

Orang Muslim di beberapa negara lain di dunia (Arab, Afrika Utara, Pakistan dan Indonesia) tiada bantahan dan tidak bimbang akan kemungkinan keliru apabila orang Kristian menggunakan perkataan Allah. Sebaliknya, segolongan orang Muslim Malaysia pula mendakwa mereka keliru; suatu fenomena yang sangat aneh. Pemerhatian ini membuktikan kebenaran kepada andaian bahawa isu Allah ini merupakan isu Melayu buatan dan bukan isu Muslim sebenar. Sebenarnya, bantahan yang dirancang terhadap keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi pada 31 Dec 2009 untuk membenarkan Catholic Herald (dan orang Kristian) menggunakan perkataan Allah harus dilihat sebagai manipulasi sinis oleh ahli-ahli politik Melayu untuk mendapatkan undi daripada masyarakat mereka. Continue reading “Allah dan Tuhan dalam Terjemahan Alkitab”