What am I battering about? What yadayada an I gibberish about? Well, i am talking about Allah and the right to use it in Christian only publication. So what? The herald is publish for Christian only, and the judgement allows Allah to be use by them in Christian publication for Christian only in Malaysia. It does not allow it to be use for public reading i.e. only in church by church goers, any christian publication to be sold publicly still will have to follow the guidelines set by the Ministry of Home Affairs.
This was the norm before Syed Hamid Albar started to meddle in it. This status quo which all along since time immemorial as far as i am concern was the norm. Why Syed Hamid need to follow the Malay jocks I do not understand. The right wing Malays in UMNO is a curse and will be the negative factor that will effect UMNO votes among the elite. liberal educated and well heeled Malays! They will vote for the opposition if these persist.
Christian consist of only 8% of the population, they are not a threat! the threat is the Malay jocks who seem unbending to highlight these issues just like UMNO wish to head the BN chief head in Penang. It is foolish and too me these will result in them being sideline more and more because use of Allah is not an issue but their incompetence is!
In the Sikh holy book Guru Granth Sahib Allah is use in many phrases. It is read in their temple. It was read ever since the religion was founded in the 16th century. Sikh came here in the 19th century are we going to stop them using Allah in their religion! Ahmaddiyah use Allah in their prayers. According to the National Fatwa Council they are not muslim thus are we going to stop them using Allah too! The Bahai faith which was establish in the 20th century also use Allah in their scriptures, they too use Jehovah and others are we to disallow them the rights too! The Syiah which is also not considered a Muslim are they too not allowed to use Allah? In the Jahilliyah period, when Muhammad son by Khatijah died, Khatijah went to the statues in the Kaabah to pray, this act mortified Muhammad, one of the statue was Allah ,yes Allah statue was there in Kaabah. Hmmm what about Waraqah bin Naufal, the christian who is Khatijah's cousin call his Christian God was that not Allah? He is a close confidant of Muhammad pbuh.
Tell me if I am wrong? My Ustaz also says that the umat before us are closer to Muhammad pbuh than us thus when the Christian use Allah here in the 16Th century and before and after merdeka why is they no hue and cry about it? Are they daft? Are the Sultan then stupid? Or the Mufti then idiots? Are we, whom now are more enlighten are right?, but then, why do we behave more and more superior? Why are we more taksub and not humble as an old Malay saying say that 'ikut resmi padi, makin berisi makin tunduk' which translated follow the padi plant stalk, more seed it has more humble it is!
One of the grouses that the Malays spin story says is what is the Christian Agenda? Why bring it to court? What was Syed Hamid Agenda? Why Change the status quo? They did appeal but the decision was final that is why they went to court to seek redress but bear in mind the word Allah is still restricted to Church service etc and not for public use. This is a regulation that has already been accepted by all, no question. So please why does the MP Zulkifli Noordin of Kulim have to say this case is similar to Natrah. What are you trying to do? I suppose to criticize Dr Ridhuan Tee Abdullah and write about food but this take precedent! I am sad and particularly disturb. Yes, I want to appeal to the Prime Minister and to the Malay Sultans to nip this in the bud. Stop this idiocy! Below are the articles pertaining to this issue for your perusal. I also include a comment by a Malay Jock! Please do free to comment!
Court says ‘yes’ to Allah for Christians
By Debra Chong
UPDATE 1
KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 31 — It will be a glorious new year for some 850,000 Catholics in Malaysia.
In a landmark ruling today, the High Court here lifted the home minister’s ban against the Catholic church publishing the word “Allah” to refer to the Christian God in its weekly paper, Herald.
Counsel for the Herald, Porres Royan, told reporters outside the crowded court, “The court has granted the declaration that the applicant has the Constitutional right to use the word Allah. I believe the ministry is bound by the court’s decision.”
Senior Federal counsel Datuk Kamaludin Md Said said, “I was made to understand the ministry has already issued the permit for 2010.” The publishing permit for the Herald expires today.
He added that he will consult the ministry for new instruction, when asked about his next course of action.
The government had said that the ban was necessary to avoid confusing the majority Muslims in the country. Islam is the official religion in Malaysia.
But the church claimed the ban violates its constititutional rights to practice its religion freely.
According to Father Lawrence Andrew (picture) who edits Herald, the term “Allah” has been used by Christians in the region to refer to their God since four hundred years ago. He added that it is still actively used today.
Lawrence explained that “Allah” in the Christian context is used to refer to the trinitarian concept of “God the Father” which is different from the Muslim use of the verse to refer to the “one and only God”.
Herald’s editor claims the use of the word has not died out and is still being used in church worship among indigenous East Malaysians, who form a substantial number of the Christian faithful in the country.
The church first took the government to court last year after the home ministry threatened to revoke its annual publishing permit for Herald, Malaysia’s only Catholic paper.
It was forced to refresh its suit again this year after its 2008 permit expired without any decision from the court.
Umno man says ‘Allah’ judgment will stir racial tension
By Syed Jaymal Zahiid
A jubilant Father Lawrence holds up an Arabic version of the Holy Bible, said to contain the word Allah - Picture by Jack Ooi.
The High Court today lifted the home minister’s ban against the Catholic church from publishing the word “Allah” to refer to the Christian God in its weekly paper, Herald.
The landmark decision may be of joy for some 850,000 Catholics in the country but for Tajuddin, the suit itself, filed by Herald’s lawyers, is an act of provocation.
“What is their motive (for the suit) ? Why all of a sudden they want to use the word Allah when all this while they have been using the term God?
“This is definitely provocation, they are just using all this human rights, religious rights as excuses. This is sensitive to the Muslims and this will create racial and religious tension,” he told The Malaysian Insider.
The controversy over the word “Allah” has stirred huge debate among Christians and Muslims alike in Malaysia and attracted international attention as well.
The Home Minister, who controls giving the annual mandatory publishing permits in the country, had banned the church from using the word “Allah” outside the Muslim context.
But some have questioned if there can be a copyright over the word “Allah”, which Muslim representatives here say is a special word reserved to refer to the Muslim God, meaning “the one and only Almighty”.
The act of questioning the exclusivity of the word “Allah” for Muslims said Tajuddin is a clear indicator that “certain quarters” have become “bolder”.
“They have dared to do these things because the Muslims have been soft..but if you put some one in a corner, they will bounce back,” lamented the Pasir Salak MP.
“What the High Court thinks is right, may not necessarily be right outside (the court),” he added.
Meanwhile PAS vice-president Datuk Mahfuz Omar said Muslims must respect the decision of the High Court and remain calm.
“We must not be hasty and jump to conclusions. We should let the religious authorities to decide on its next course of action,” he said.
Asked if he agreed with the decision, Mahfuz ignored the question and reiterated that the country’s Muslims must respect the High Court decision and allow the religious authority to decide on its next course of action.
Though it is unclear if the Home Minister will seek to reverse the decision through the Appellate Court but he is likely to do so given the sensitivity of the issue.
Cautious celebrations over ‘Allah’ judgement
By Shazwan Mustafa Kamal
Herald's editor, Father Lawrence makes his way into the High Court today. - Picture by Jack Ooi
The decision today means that the 850,000 odd Catholics in this country may go about conducting their religious classes and bible lessons using the term which has apparently been enshrined in the context of the Christian faith in this country for centuries.
However, despite the optimism, people are still wary as some fear that this may not be the end of it all, as the Home Ministry may still bring the matter to the Court of Appeal.
“We welcome the decision of the High Court because it affirms the constitutional rights guaranteed to religious communities under Article 11 of the Federal Constitution,” said Reverend Herman Shastri, who is the general-secretary for the Council of Churches.
Shastri, in a phone interview with The Malaysian Insider, affirmed that for many centuries Muslims and Christians had been living together in peace in Malaysia, and that the use of the word “Allah” has never been an issue of contention. With the decision, he hopes that Christians in the country may continue with their religious practices because the term itself is embedded in their daily worship as well as bible classes in the country.
“We hope that now that the matter has been solved, Muslims and Christians throughout the country can now focus on bringing peace and goodwill with one another, and contribute to the well-being of our nation.”
Non-governmental organisatios (NGOs) such as Penang-based Aliran who have long fought for liberal ideas of justice and equality lauded the court’s decision, but at the same time chose to inculcate a sense of ‘wary optimism’ as it looks at the decision made today.
“Aliran says InsyaAllah. The High Court has restored sanity to the issue by lifting the ban on the use of the word “Allah” among Christians, which to begin with was an insane ruling in the first place.
“Imagine, if in the past various communities had claimed exclusiveness to their words and prohibited the use of their words, we would be in a ridiculous situation,” said P Ramakrishnan, president of Aliran.
Ramakrisnan, in spite of the happy news, exercised caution in the ruling as he hoped that the matter would not be dragged on any further and be put to rest.
“Aliran hopes that this matter will be left to rest in pieces. It should not be a case of winning round 1 and losing round 2,” quipped the Aliran man alluding to the possibility that the decision of the court may not auger well with the Home Ministry.
Meanwhile, DAP Petaling Jaya Utara MP Tony Pua remained somewhat sceptical of the matter, although he initially expressed joy upon receiving the news.
“I am happy but two things need to be asked. I hope that the Home Ministry will not appeal the decision and not alter the freedom of religion to be practiced, and that the High Court judge who made the decision, I hope he would not be transferred to another court.”
Pua attested that the decision made showed a “strong community within the judges of the high court in exerting their influences.”
That being said, the PJ Utara MP feared that should the case be brought to the Court of Appeal, the Home Ministry would have a strong chance of winning as the “Appeal Court at many times functioned to serve the government of the day.”
The government had said that the ban was necessary to avoid confusing the majority Muslims in the country. Islam is the official religion in Malaysia.
But the church claimed the ban violates its constitutional rights to practice its religion freely.
According to Father Lawrence Andrew who edits Herald, the term “Allah” has been used by Christians in the region to refer to their God since four hundred years ago. He added that it is still actively used today.
Lawrence explained that “Allah” in the Christian context is used to refer to the trinitarian concept of “God the Father” which is different from the Muslim use of the verse to refer to the “one and only God”.
Herald’s editor claims the use of the word has not died out and is still being used in church worship among indigenous East Malaysians, who form a substantial number of the Christian faithful in the country.
The church first took the government to court last year after the home ministry threatened to revoke its annual publishing permit for Herald, Malaysia’s only Catholic paper.
It was forced to refresh its suit again this year after its 2008 permit expired without any decision from the court.
A Comment made by a Malay Jock
written by antubiul, December 31, 2009
To the MI Editor, be wise to published comments. There many insulted comment that may trigger disatisfaction among Muslim. You are to be held responsible.
To Serious Shepherd, the court has granted for you to used the term and its no need for you and catholic community to be so excited 'to raise the flag of Allah at the top of every Catholic church in this country.
It's just a matter of time before Allah is included above the cross inside The Holy See's coat of arms.'. Your statement is an insult to the muslim. Are you trying to provoked us? How is MI managed to allow your comment to be published here? The court that granted you to use Allah also expected you and your kinds to use it wisely.
scarlett, are you making a mockery out of Allahu Akbar?
To Alex Abdullah, "Today the christians have won.PAS lost '. What do you mean? What is the prize? Are you saying you have gone out to war to claimed 'Allah" or are you saying there a war between christian and PAS (bear in mind PAS claim to represent Islam) and Christian won?.
To lucia, December 31, 2009 'praise be to allah!' Are you a muslim or Christian? I only hear Christians says 'Haleluyah' or 'Praise to Jesus'. In Malaysia there a reason for the Home ministry to ban the word Allah to be used by Christian, one of the reason is this.
Bear in mind only a small community (the indigineous people in Sarawak) has been using Allah and we have not heard any of is being used in others states or maybe I have not heard it. However even though in the Arab peninsular Christians do refer to Allah as their god and since most Arabs muslim are aware of it therefor there no big deal anyway its different in Malaysia. Most Malaysian Muslim only heard about it a fews years back since the goverment manage to confine it to the relevent community and thanks to the previous PM for allowing it to be made a big issue. Malaysian Muslim may take some time to accept the fact and for you guys this is not a war and there no need to made insult comments, just thank your god and praise the judge for being wise.
Allah for all
Lawrence: ‘I use Bahasa Malaysia because English to them is a foreign language.’
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 — In a small church 45km southwest of the city, some 700 Catholics celebrated the dawn of the new decade singing praises to “Allah”.
Father Lawrence Andrew, parish priest of the Church of St Anne, usually conducts Mass in Bahasa Malaysia on Sundays for the benefit of the 200 East Malaysians who have joined his parish in Port Klang.
But he decided to preach in the national language last night after the High Court delivered judgment which overjoyed Christians nationwide.
“It's a special Mass,” Lawrence told The Malaysian Insider over the phone yesterday evening.
“Allah is no longer prohibited to us,” he said, the smile coming through the phone line.
“My parish is small but there's a growing number of Sarawakians who have been coming to church. I use Bahasa Malaysia because English to them is a foreign language. And the younger generation too are able to understand Bahasa,” he explained.
The government had first banned the church from using the word “Allah” in a Christian context three years ago in the Catholic newpaper Herald, allegedly to avoid confusing the majority Muslims who also use the word for their God.
The church sued when the Home Ministry threatened to take back the publishing permit, which is required to be renewed every year.
Lawrence said he has been invited to preach in Kota Kinabalu tomorrow and will be doing so in Bahasa Malaysia as well.
According to census figures in Sabah, about 2.45 million people there are Christian while in Sarawak, Malaysia's largest state, statistics show 43 per cent of the population is Christian.
But Lawrence believes the figures are outdated and there are more Christians now in Borneo. He puts the figures in Sarawak closer to half the population.
The next census is due to be carried out in the middle of this year, according to the national Statistics Department.
The High Court yesterday ruled the Home Ministry ban was against the Federal Constitution which protects the rights of minorities.
Judge Datuk Lau Bee Lan declared the Herald has the constitutional right to publish the word “Allah” to refer to the Christian God.
She also struck out a second attempt by seven Muslim groups to join the Home Ministry in stopping the church, overturning a long-held but mistaken belief among some of the majority Muslims in the country that the word is exclusive to Islam.
Herald is the only Catholic paper in the country and has been in print for the past 20 years. Some 14,000 people subscribe to the weekly, which is limited for sale within church premises.
To cater to the diverse ethnicities in Malaysia, it publishes in four languages: English, Malay, Chinese and Tamil.
The church had last year applied to the Home Ministry to also publish in the Kadazandusun language but was turned down.
Lawrence, who edits Herald, told The Malaysian Insider that he was “very happy” with the court's decision, as was the Archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, Tan Sri Murphy Pakiam, named as the publisher when informed late yesterday evening.
The priest-editor said Catholics can look forward to reading articles which contain the world “Allah” again from Jan 10, when the next print issue of Herald comes out.
The online version of Herald (http://www.heraldmalaysia.
But, Lawrence was quick to add he would not publish the word “Allah” just for the sake of putting it in.
“Only when it is relevant and we are quoting from Scriptures and the word is used,” he stressed.
The church had held back from publishing material containing the word “Allah” for the past two years, while waiting for the court outcome.
Despite the court's judgment, a Malay-Muslim politician from the ruling party continued to probe the Church's real reasons for pushing a Malay medium for its worship.
“What is their motive? Why all of a sudden they want to use the word 'Allah' when all this while they have been using the term God?” Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman shot back when asked to comment by The Malaysian Insider.
“This is definitely provocation, they are just using all this human rights, religious rights as excuses. This is sensitive to the Muslims and this will create racial and religious tension,” the Pasir Salak MP said.
Lawrence was in the crowded court yesterday for the decision but rushed back to his parish to prepare for the special midnight worship to usher in the new year.
In his single-page statement, he welcomed the “long-awaited decision which clearly upholds the socio-cultural and anthropological body of evidence of the Christian people of the Malay archipelago, now Malaysia, in using the word 'Allah'.”
“We wish to state that the hearsay statements claiming that we have been using the word 'Allah' only recently is misleading and does not hold up to the rigour of historical scrutiny,” the priest said, referring to a Malay-Latin dictionary from 1631 which he claims is among the first-ever dictionaries printed in relation to the Malay language.
“This also means that the Bahasa Malaysia-speaking community of the Christian faith can now continue to freely use the word 'Allah' — a word that has been in their worship and instructions in the faith — without any interference from the authorities,” he said.
Christians here called God “Allah” four centuries ago
By Debra ChongKUALA LUMPUR, Nov 13 – Home Ministry officials in Putrajaya today were stunned to learn that the word “Allah” had been used by Catholics in this country to refer to the Christian God hundreds of years ago.
“I told them that ‘Allah’ had been used in this country because the lingua franca at that time was Malay,” Reverend Father Lawrence Andrew, the priest-editor of The Herald, told The Malaysian Insider.
The priest had met several senior aides to Home Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein in Putrajaya earlier this evening to clear up the confusion over the Catholic paper’s on-off publishing permit for next year.
Among the staffers present were the ministry’s head of publication control and Quranic texts and two special officers to Hishammuddin, Datuk Lau Yeng Peng and Datuk Michael Chong.
Andrew described the meeting as “cordial”.
During the hour-long dialogue, Andrew took the chance to draw their attention to a Malay-Latin dictionary published in 1631 which showed the translation for “Allah” and a Catholic prayer book published in 1894 brought over from Hong Kong.
The priest related that Hishammuddin’s aides were surprised to learn that Catholics had used the word “Allah” outside the Muslim context over four hundred years ago but declined to comment on the issue, explaining it was beyond their scope.
The church is challenging the home minister’s ban in recent years on it publishing the word “Allah” to refer to the Christian God.
The ministry first threatened to cancel The Herald’s licence last year, effectively shutting down the country’s only Catholic publication.
The High Court here had earlier this week ejected nine Islamic bodies from intervening in the suit.
The fight to decide who can use the word “Allah” to mean what will be heard on Dec 14.
Isu Allah Kristian — Zulkifli Noordin
JAN 2 — Tirai tahun baru masihi 2010 dibuka dengan keputusan kontoversi Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur minggu ini. Keputusan Yang Arif Hakim Datuk Lau Bee Lan di Mahkamah Tinggi Kuala Lumpur membenarkan permohonan akhbar Herald untuk menggunakan perkataan "Allah" sebagai ganti nama "God" bagi penerbitannya dalam versi Bahasa Melayu telah mencetuskan satu polemik dan kontorversi yang tidak sepatutnya berlaku.
Keputusan itu mengingatkan saya kembali kepada kes Natrah @ Maria Hertough pada tahun 1950 dimana mahkamah penjajah Inggeris dimana hakimnya yang bukan Islam telah, dalam keputusannya membatalkan keislaman Natrah dan perkahwinannya kepada Almarhum Mansor Adabi, langsung tidak mengambil kira perundangan syariah dan sensitiviti umat Islam semasa itu. Akhirnya tercetuslah rusuhan dan huru hara yang tidak membawa menafaat kepada sesiapa pun.
Saya berpendapat keputusan Hakim Datuk Lau Bee Lan adalah tidak tepat dan boleh dipertikaikan, malahan akan menyebabkan kekeliruan dan menganggu ketenteraman dan keselamatan awam atas sebab-sebab berikut:
1. Keputusan itu secara tidak langsung mencabar dan melanggar Artikel 11 (4) Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang mempertuntukkan fahaman dan dakyah agama lain tidak dibenarkan samasekali terhadap orang Islam. Membenarkan pernerbitan Kristian menggunakan perkataan Allah bagi penerbitan berbahasa Melayu jelas adalah satu bentuk dakyah halus kerana Melayu adalah bangsa yang beragama Islam;
2. Ini sekaligus mencabar dan tidak menghormati Artikel 160 Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang memperuntukkan bahawa orang Melayu mestilah beragama Islam;
3. Dengan membenarkan penggunaan perkataan Allah dalam risalah penerbitan Kristian, ini sebenarnya dikira akan mendorong penganut Kristian dalam perlakuan jenayah kerana Enakmen Penyekatan Pengembangan Agama, Iktikad dan Kepercayaan Lain terhadap Orang Islam (Anti Propagation Law), yang digubal dengan sahnya menurut Artikel 11 Perlembagaan dibeberapa negeri jelas memperuntukkan bahawa adalah satu kesalahan jenayah bagi sesiapa menggunakan perkataan tertentu termasuk "Allah" kecuali bagi maksud Islam;
4. Keputusan tersebut akan menyebabkan kekeliruan termasuk bagi penganut agama Kristian kerana memberi gambaran Tuhan mereka berubah nama mengikut bahasa yang digunakan. Sedangkan nama tuhan bagi tiap agama mestila konsisten tidak kira apa bahasa. Lihat agama Buddha, Yahudi, Hindu dan lain-lain. Nama tuhan mereka tetap sama tidak kira dalam apa bahasa sekalipun. Tetapi mengapa agama Kristian berubah nama Tuhannya menurut kaum dan bahasa?
5. Kekeliruan lebih serius akan berlaku dikalangan penganut agama Kristian apatah lagi bila sermon tiap hari Ahad contohnya mula menggunakan perkataan Allah sebagai ganti nama God. Bagaimana dengan ucapan lazim penganut Kristian saperti:
"God created the world in 6 days and on the 7th day he rested"; atau "In the name of god the father, god the son and god the holy spirit" apakah ianya berubah menjadi "Allah created the world in 6 days and on the 7th day He rested"; atau "In the name of Allah the Father, Allah the son and Allah the holy spirit?" Saya telah bertanya rakan dan kenalan dikalangan penganut Kristian dan mereka sendiri melihat perkara ini sebagai memalukan agama Kristian. Ramai dikalangan penganut Kristian sendiri yang tidak bersetuju dengan tindakan segelintir Kristian yang beriya-iya mahukan nama Allah menggantikan nama God.
6. Ada kalangan penganut Kristian akan mula berasa ragu dan keliru dengan perubahan nama tuhan mereka. Mereka bertanya mengapa nama tuhan mereka berbeza-beza. Kenapa dalam Bahasa Inggeris disebut Jesus dan lain-lain, tetapi didalam bahasa Melayu disebut Allah. Mereka khuatir agama Kristian akan dilihat sebagai agama hipokrit kerana nama tuhan mereka boleh berubah-ubah mengikut kaum dan bahasa.
7. Keputusan itu juga akan membolehkan penganut Kristian mengguna dan mempamerkan nama "Allah" digereja-gereja dan lain-lain tempat peribadatan mereka. Saya tidak boleh nak membayangkan bagaimana nanti disalib-salib, di perkarangan gereja dan lain-lain nama Allah tertera. Apakah pihak gereja dan penganut kristian bersedia berbuat sedmikina? Dan tidakkah ini nanti akan menyentuh sensitiviti umat Islam yang sudah pasti akan bertindak balas. Tidakkah mahkamah sedar gangguan terhadap ketenteraman awam yang serius akan berlaku yang akan mengancam keselamatan orang ramai dan negara.
8. Kesilapan mahkamah menolak permohonan pihak Majlis Agama Islam dan beberapa NGO Islam untuk melibatkan diri (intervene) dalam prosiding tersebut telah menyebabkan mahkamah tidak mendapat maklumat dan hujahan secukupnya berkenaan dengan isu ini. Saya hairan mengapa mahkamah tidak merujuk perkara ini kepada Majlis Fatwa kebangsaan atau pihak berkuasa Islam untuk mendapatkan pandangan dan nasihat mereka sebelum membuat apa-apa keputusan.
9. Selanjutnya, tidak ada keterangan yang mencukupi dan jelas berkenaan penggunaan perkataan Allah dikalangan Kristian di Malaysia. Apakah statistik yang diguna pakai. Berapa ramai sebenarnya Melayu Kristian yang benar-benar menaggunakan perkataan Allah sebagai ganti nama God. Apakah sekadar menyandarkan kepada beberapa buah buku dan tulisan sudah cukup? Sepatutnya mahkamah mengambil keputusan memanggil keterangan pakar-pakar anthropologi, sejarah, bahasa dan lain-lain sebelum membuat keputusan. Apa yang jelas, dalam bahasa Melayu perkataan ganti bagi God ialah Tuhan, bukannya Allah. Manakala ini berbeza dengan bahasa Arab kerana tiada perkataan God dalam bahasa mereka kecuali Allah!
10. Penyandaran terhadap Artikel 3 dengan menyatakan penganut agama kristian dijamin kebebasan dalam mengamalkan amalan agama mereka adalah jelas tidak tepat. Saya rasa kalau mahkamah meminta tinjauan dan referendum dibuat dikalangan penganut agama kristian dibuat, saya cukup pasti majoriti besar akan menolak penggunaan perkataan Allah sebagai ganti perkataan god.
Saya berpendapat kalau golongan Kristian benar-benar mahu menggunakan perkataan Allah sebagai ganti nama God, maka saya cadangkan dilakukan perkara berikut:
1. Item pertama Rukunegara iaitu "Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan" hendaklah ditukar kepada "Kepercayaan kepada Allah" memandangkan perkataan Allah diakui sebagai gantinama God. Yang menghairankan saya, semasa penggubalan deraf Rukunegara tersebut, ada golongan bukan Islam yang membantah perkataan "Allah" digunakan atas alasan ianya nama Tuhan orang Islam, sebaliknya mendesak perkataan "Tuhan" sebaliknya digunakan!!
2. Semua sermon digereja dan penulisan Kristian hendaklah menggantikan perkataan God kepada Allah tidak kira dalam versi atau bahasa apa sermon atau penulisan tersebut digunakan. Sekiranya tidak agama Kristian akan dilihat sebagai tidak konsisten dalam soal nama ketuhanan mereka.
Saya juga menyeru dan mendesak tindakan berikut diambil segera:
1. Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan hendaklah bermesyuarat segera dan membuat fatwa dan keputusan tentang penggunaan perkataan Allah ini. Kita tidak mahu ada dikalangan kita mengeluarkan pendapat yang berbeza-beza, apatah lagi dikalangan orang dan kumpulan tertentu yang sentiasa membuat kenyataan yang bersifat populis tanpa mengambil kira kesannya terhadap agama Islam. Setelah fatwa tersebut dibuat, maka semua pihak berkuasa Islam negeri hendaklah segera menggazetkan fatwa tersebut;
2. Kerajaan Persekutuan hendaklah dengan segera menggubal dan melaksanakan undang-undang Akta Sekatan Pengembangan dan Dakyah Agama Lain ke atas orang Islam di Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Pulau Pinang, Sabah dan Sarawak kerana negeri-negeri lain telah lama melaksanakannya, mengapa 4 negeri ini masih belum menggubalkannya. Sekiranya Akta tersebut ujud, sudah tentu keadaan akan berbeza kerana ianya akan menjadi suatu kesalahan jenayah untuk menggunakan perkataan "Allah" untuk tujuan selain Islam sebagaimana yang diperuntukkan di negeri-negeri lain;
3. Pihak berkuasa agama, majlis agama, para mufti dan badan dakwah saperti YADIM dan lain-lain hendaklah segera turun ke padang dan mengadakan pertemuan dan berdialog dengan golongan Kristian ini untuk mencari jalan penyelesaian yang boleh disepakati. Saya kira kegagalan pihak-pihak ini mengambil tindakan segera dengan mengadakan pertemuan dan berdialog dengan pihak kristian ini telah menyebabkan kecetekan kefahaman mereka terhadap Islam. Daripada menyibukkan diri dengan kerjaikerja tak berfaedah saparti menangkap ulama dan penceramah tak bertauliah dan lain-lain, lebih baik pihak berkuasa agama ini menumpukan perhatian kepada yang lebih serius ini.
4. Pihak Kementerian Dalam Negeri hendaklah memanggil golongan Kristian ini dan mengadakan dialog dengan mereka. Sekiranya KDN merumuskan penerbitan-penerbitan seperti Herald ini boleh menggugat ketenteraman awam dan keselamatan rakyat, KDN tidak perlu teragak-agak mengambil tindakan tegas termasuk membatalkan permit penerbitan mereka jika perlu.
5. Kita perlu mengkaji semula sistem perundangan kita terutamanya dalam isu-isu yang membabitkan hal ehwal Islam termasuk perundangan dan syariatnya perlu dirujuk dan dibicarakan di Mahkamah Syariah;
6. Atau sebagai alternatif, apa-apa isu yang berbangkit berkenaan Islam dalam apa bentuk sekalipun termasuk di Mahkamah Sivil hendaklah dirujuk kepada Majlis Fatwa Kebangsaan atau Mahkamah Syariah atau apa-apa Badan Perundangan Syariah untuk suatu keputusan; dan keputusan itu hendaklah mengikat Mahkamah Sivil dan wajib dipatuhi. Bagi maksud itu, suatu pindaan perlu dibuat kepada Akta Mahkamah Kehakiman (Court of Judicature Act) untuk memasukkan peruntukkan tersebut. Ini akan memastikan perkara saperti ini tidak berulang lagi dimasa akan datang.
Rumusan:
Saya melihat kes Herald ini adalah saperti suatu ulangan kes Natrah, dimana kewibawaan dan kemuliaan agama Islam dicabar. Kalau dalam kes Natrah, kita mempunyai alasan untuk menyatakan kita tiada kuasa kerana diperintah penjajah Barat. Tapi apakah alasan yang sama kita boleh gunakan sekarang, dalam keadaan kita memerintah, dalam keadaan umat Islam menguasai hampir 135 kerusi Parlimen yang walaupun bukan 2/3 tetapi merupakan majoriti mutlak! Yang sepatutnya membolehkan kita menentukan hala tuju agama Islam dan membela serta mempertahankan maruah agama kita. Kalau dalam membela dan mempertahankan Islam dalam kes Natrah orang Melayu sanggup menggadai nyawa, apatah kita bangsa Melayu moden yang hebat serba-serbi ini tidak mampu berbuat apa-apa. Tepuk dada tanyalah iman masing-masing.
Zulkifli Noordin ialah Ahli Parlimen Kulim.
Kalimah Allah: NGO mahu Majlis Raja-Raja campur tangan
KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 1 — Kerajaan digesa mempercepatkan rayuan berhubung keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi semalam yang membenarkan akhbar mingguan Herald untuk menggunakan perkataan "Allah" dalam penerbitannya.
Selain itu Majlis Raja-Raja juga diminta agar campur tangan untuk menghentikan segera polemik penggunaan kalimah "Allah" ini.
Menurut Pertubuhan Pribumi Perkasa Negara (Perkasa) pihaknya akan memohon Majlis Raja-Raja supaya membincangkan keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi semalam.
Presidennya Datuk Ibrahim Ali berkata, urusan berkaitan Islam adalah di bawah Majlis Raja-Raja dan Islam adalah agama rasmi Persekutuan yang mempunyai kedudukan istimewa dalam negara.
"Perkara ini termaktub dalam Perlembagaan Persekutuan di bawah Perkara 153.
"Inilah masanya raja-raja Melayu bertindak melindungi Islam dan umat Islam menanti tindakan itu dengan penuh harapan," katanya.
Setiausaha Agung Angkatan Belia Islam Malaysia (ABIM), Mohamad Raimi Ab. Rahim berkata, Kementerian Dalam Negeri (KDN) perlu menggunakan saluran perundangan yang ada untuk mengemukakan rayuan terhadap keputusan itu yang disifatkan merobek sensitiviti umat Islam.
“ABIM juga memohon campur tangan Majlis Raja-Raja untuk menghentikan segera polemik penggunaan kalimah Allah ini.
“Gesaan ini selari dengan peruntukan Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang menetapkan segala urusan berkaitan dengan hal ehwal agama Islam diletakkan di bawah kuasa raja-raja Melayu,” kata beliau dipetik Utusan Malaysia hari ini.
Mahkamah Tinggi membenarkan Herald menggunakan perkataan "Allah" dalam penerbitannya atas alasan ia mempunyai hak dalam perlembagaan.
Hakim Datuk Lau Bee Lan menegaskan bahawa KDN telah bertindak secara salah ketika mengenakan larangan penggunaan perkataan Allah dalam penerbitan akhbar mingguan itu.
Mohamad Raimi berkata, keputusan itu tidak bertepatan dengan peruntukan Perlembagaan Persekutuan yang meletakkan Islam di tempat yang istimewa berbanding agama-agama lain di negara ini.
“Kesan utama kepada penggunaan ini ialah masyarakat bukan Islam diberikan hak berdasarkan tafsiran perlembagaan untuk menggunakan kalimah Allah dan sebarang larangan oleh pihak berkuasa atau autoriti agama Islam adalah tidak sah,” katanya.
Dalam pada itu, Timbalan Presiden Peguam Syarie Malaysia (PGSM) Musa Awang pula berkata, pihaknya tetap berpendirian perkataan "Allah" hanya eksklusif kepada penganut Islam.
“Bagaimanapun PGSM akur dengan keputusan tersebut kerana menghormati mahkamah. Namun akan mengkaji keputusan itu bersama pertubuhan bukan kerajaan lain termasuk membawanya ke mahkamah yang lebih tinggi,” katanya.
Persatuan Peguam Muslim turut kecewa dengan keputusan itu dan mahu kerajaan mengambil langkah sewajarnya kerana perkataan "Allah" bukan satu mainan terutamanya untuk orang bukan Islam.
Timbalan Presidennya Muhamad Burok berkata perkataan Allah ditauhidkan sebagai “satu” dan bukannya Tuhan seperti yang difahami orang bukan Islam.
“Umat Islam memahami penggunaan perkataan Allah mengikut syahadah iaitu Allah adalah satu dan Nabi Muhammad SAW itu pesuruh Allah dan ini bertentangan dengan pemahaman orang bukan Islam,” katanya.
Presiden Pertubuhan Jamaah Islah Malaysia (JIM), Zaid Kamaruddin pula berkata, keputusan itu dilihat bertentangan dengan undang-undang yang terdapat di 10 negeri yang melarang penggunaan kalimah Allah oleh orang bukan Islam.
“JIM berasakan perlu penglibatan Mahkamah Syariah dalam isu melibatkan penggunaan kalimah Allah,” katanya.
Presiden Persatuan Kebangsaan Pelajar Islam Malaysia Muhammad Faisal Abdul Aziz pula berkata, pihaknya akan mengemukakan rayuan bersama KDN untuk menyemak semula keputusan Mahkamah Tinggi itu.
Menurutnya, dalam konteks masyarakat Malaysia dan Melayu, kalimah Allah adalah bersifat eksklusif yang hanya merujuk kepada konsep tuhan yang difahami oleh umat Islam sahaja.
NB: For me all these Malay Jocks are saying all our forefathers are stupid. Malays need to be codle until they die. Go to hell with globalisation because the Malays need to be control, forgot the Indonesians they are not Malay or true Malays. We are more pandai then them so we do not need to follow their ways although they allow bible to have Allah, we don't because that is why God punish them with Tsunami and earthquake! And by the way this approval was given by Tun Dr Ismail and the other Minister of Home Affairs after that feel fit that this stay approve which include the late Tun Razak , Tun Hussain Onn, Tan Sri Ghazalie Shafie, Tun Musa Hitam and not least Tun Mahathir Mohammad! All these people are idiots and Tun Mahathir is really a Mahafiraun, the biggest of the crook don't you agree? We are better! Are we? Go figure! Please read Dr. Mohd Asri comment and hopefully find in your heart some common decency http://drmaza.com/home/?p=915Labels: hmmm No Lah
posted by wan zaharizan b wan zan at 10:33 PM
1 Comments:
Hi Mr. Aka Jock, Dont pinjam any so called Jock comments an published in your blog especially without understand on why the comments are made.
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