If ALLAH S.W.T brings you to it, HE will bring you through it
.......... Happy moments, praise ALLAH S.W.T.......... Difficult moments, seek
ALLAH S.W.T .......... Quiet moments, worship ALLAH S.W.T .......... Painful
moments, trust ALLAH S.W.T .......... Every moment, thank ALLAH S.W.T ..........
Christians: Allah ban hurts Malaysias moderate Muslim image
By Eileen Ng
Associated Press
First Posted 07:01pm (Mla time) 01/07/2008
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia -- A Malaysian Christian group said Monday that a
government ban on non-Muslims using the word "Allah" was an affront to
religious freedom and could hurt the country's image as a moderate Islamic
nation.
Government officials defended the ban, which has existed for nearly 20 years
but was never fully enforced until a recent controversy over the use of the
word "Allah" by a Christian newspaper and church.
The Cabinet last week declared it off-limits to non-Muslims. Malaysia's
official religion is Islam, and Muslim Malays make up about 60 percent of the
population. Ethnic Chinese -- mostly Christians and Buddhists -- make up a
quarter of the population, and mostly Hindu Indians just under 10 percent.
The Christian Federation of Malaysia expressed "deep disappointment and
regret" over the Cabinet's stance on "Allah" -- an Arabic word used as a
synonym for "God" in the national language, Malay.
The federation's executive secretary, the Reverend Hermen Shastri, said the
word existed before Islam and it was wrong to prohibit Christians from using it
in private worship and internal publications.
"We have used the word 'Allah' and we will continue to use it because it is
our religious right," he said. "We don't preach to Muslims, so why should
Muslims be worried about this?"
The restriction will put the country "in a bad light in the international
community," he said.
Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak defended the action, saying he did not
think it was a blow to tolerance among Malaysia's various religions and ethnic
groups.
"Different countries have different practices," he said.
Officials have said using "Allah" in Christian literature could confuse the
country's Muslims -- who are mostly ethnic Malays and make up 60 percent of
Malaysia's 27 million people -- and draw them to Christianity.
Shastri called the government's argument "an insult to the intelligence of
Muslims."
The government has not specified a penalty for non-Muslims using "Allah" in
religious ceremonies, but it can ban publications that use the word.
A Malaysian church and Christian weekly newspaper launched a court action
last month to challenge the ban.
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Semoga Lahirlah Pewaris Umar Ibn Khattab ra
PAS UMNO KEADILAN ISLAMIC NGO'S
Kami teramat quatir apabila terasa angin kencang dan melihat awan mendong
apakah ianya merupakan bala atau rahmat Allah swt.
Sekiranya ianya bala maka itu bukan lagi cubaan ! ! !
Tiada dapat ditolong lagi ! ! !
Sudah terlambat seorang nenek tak dapat menyelematkan cucunya lagi.
Jangan nafsi ! nafsi !
Sedarlah ! Sedarlah ! Sedarlah !
Istighfarlah dan Bercakap Benar .
Tuhanmu Agongkanlah !
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