Malay Catholics, like us Maltese, use a word for God that has its roots in Arabic. We use “Alla”, they use “Allah” – a more direct transposition of the Muslim word from which our version developed.
Now, the small Catholic community of St Francis Xavier, led by Father O.C Lim, has petitioned the courts of Kuala Lumpur to allow them to use the word “Allah” during mass and religious ceremonies.
They argue that the word “Allah” is the word for God in Malay – hence they should be allowed to use it, even in English language ceremonies.
Malaysia, which is predominantly Muslim, has a population of some 27 million and there are some 2 million Christians amongst them. Muslims make up some 65 per cent on the population while Christians make up 9.1 per cent.
Father Lim, interviewed by the BBC, said: “This is a language issue. We are not picking a fight, but we are making a stand. No one should have a monopoly on what word is used for God.”
The Malay authorities, who have stopped the use of the word “Allah” for the Christians’ interpretation of God, have said that they are against its use in this context as it might give rise to confusion or might offend Muslim sensibilities.
“We do not want Muslims getting confused over their own religion. We are also wary that if this is allowed, it might lead to conversions of Muslims in rural areas to Christianity,” a Malaysian Government spokesman said.
Meanwhile a Malaysian court granted permission to a Christian to challenge the authorities for seizing religious material that used the word “Allah” in a Christian context. The decision represents a minor victory for Christians who have challenged a ban imposed by the Home Ministry against the use of the Arabic word to describe God by all except for Muslims. The use of “Allah” in Christian ceremonies is not at all common and the St Francis Xavier community is the only one to have openly challenged the ban.
Catholics and Christians say the row is one about language and religious freedom, arguing that if the official language is Malay, and that God is “Allah” in that language, they should be allowed to use it.
Of course, the situation in Malta is very different. Our state religion is the Roman Catholic one and we do not have a majority Muslim population. The use of the word “Alla” for God and “Milied” for Christ’s birthday (coming from wieled – to give birth to) are words in the Maltese language that are a throwback to a period of Arab rule from 870 or so till Count Roger of Sicily established Norman rule over Malta in 1091. By 1224, there was a supposed expulsion of all remaining Muslims in Malta and Sicily (Wikipedia).
Meanwhile, a proposal by a Roman Catholic bishop in the Netherlands that people of all faiths refer to God as “Allah” is not sitting well with the Catholic community.
“Allah is a very beautiful word for God. Shouldn’t we all say that from now on we will name God Allah? ... What does God care what we call him? It is our problem,” Muskens told Dutch television.
“I’m sure his intentions are good but his theology needs a little fine-tuning. Words and names mean things. Referring to God as Allah means something,” said Father Jonathan Morris, a Roman Catholic priest and a news analyst for FOX News Channel based in Rome.
Ibrahim Hooper, a spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Washington, DC-based Islamic civil liberties and advocacy group, backs the idea as a way to help interfaith understanding.
“It reinforces the fact that Muslims, Christians and Jews all worship the same God,” Hooper told FOXNews.com. “I don’t think the name is as important as the belief in God and following God’s moral principles. I think that’s true for all faiths.”