This is a letter I wrote to Malaysiakini. I don't know if it will be published, if it is, fine, if it isn't, then.. the following :
Dear Editor,
I read with interest the letter from Look.Observe "No one can order me how to call my God".
When I wrote in my blog on the matter, I chided Johari only because he said the word "Allah" is exclusive to Muslims. The exclusivity bit, was wrong. That, as we all know, is not the case, as the Arab Christians use the same. That was all to it. A correction of his statement.
But Johari's, and the Muslims' concerns, on the use of "Allah" in the Herald, are another. It was raised that the use of the word "Allah" here, that is in Malaysia, would cause confusion.
We all agree, Arab Christians, Arab-speaking Christians, have no other word for God but Allah. Because they only speak Arabic. God in Arabic is after all, Allah. No brainer. Maybe if they spoke Indonesian, they'd call God "Tuhan" or "Dewa". They, are, however, the exception. Ask any not well-read, never been out of the country American and he'd say, "Allah? Muslim God, ain't it?"
But here, in Malaysia, moreover in Malay, whenever "Allah" is spoken of, mentioned, and written about, it is synonymous with God as revered by the Muslims. I don't think that many Christians would ever think it is Jesus being spoken of when Allah is mentioned, or would pray or begin their prayers with "In the name of Allah.."
So, are there that many Malaysian Christians who speak Arabic? If that were the case, just highlight that fact then, to the Malaysians at large. The Malaysian Muslims truly didn't know before this that Malaysian Christians pray to Allah. They've always thought Malaysian Christians, referred to, and called their God, "Our Lord", "Our Lord Jesus" or "Christ".
It is only now, I dare say, that the Malaysian Muslims are aware that in churches across Malaysia, that Malaysian Christians pray to Allah. If that is indeed the case, then just confirm the fact. The Muslims can be taught to accept that. If indeed, that is the case.
After all, Muslims accept that Prophet Isa a.s. is one of their prophets, and accept that the Christians call him Jesus and pray in his name. No confusion or arguments there. They never said Jesus cannot be prayed to, or "Nabi Isa" cannot be used as a translation to Jesus. Muslims just want to avoid any confusion when "Allah" is used in the Malay section of the Herald.
In other Christian literature, "Jesus" is translated as "Isa", "Lord" has always been translated as, "Tuhan". So, now it's Allah. Even for many other non-Muslims in Malaysia, never mind the Muslims, that would definitely raise eye-brows! Do Malaysian Christians, in all honesty, when they speak about Christianity in Malay, actually call or refer to god, as "Allah"?
The writer, Look.Observe wrote, amongst others, that "..no one has the right to tell me how to address my God because my relationship with God is between me and God."
Well, nobody is ordering you how to addres your God. If you call your God, Allah, so be it. Nobody is stopping you. The people just need some clarification.
In fact, the word "Allah" is used ever so commonly across the world, in all languages, English, Malay, even Swahili. So, it could have been used in the English section of the Herald too, couldn't it? No need to translate it in either the English or Malay section. Just use it in both sections. And kids can happily be taught that Muslims and Christians alike, pray to Allah. That okay?
My question is, to Look.Observe, to all those who rave and rant about wanting the right to use Allah as the Christian God's name, and the people behind the Herald, did you really mean it when you said you call God, Allah? Honestly?
Herald, did you truly have no intention to cause confusion by using "Allah" as your translation of "Jesus" or "Christ" or "Our Lord"? If so, aver to the same. If it is indeed, commonly used amongst Malaysian Christians, then I am sure there would be no more complaints.
And to "Look.Observe", I do need to ask, do you really, and truly, pray to Allah, and - would you?
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Days of Hesitant Writings Began, reluctantly, on Dec 2, 2007
2 comments:
very interesting argument indeed
BM-speaking Christians do. "Allah" in BM for Christians in Sabah & Sarawak cannot be translated as merely "Tuhan" because each has a different meaning.
"Allah" would be taken to mean "the ONLY God, creator of the universe, judge of all mankind, the most powerful, supreme, most merciful...." etc. which denotes His Supremacy.
Asking BM-speaking Christians to change this to merely "Tuhan" would strip their concept of the Almighty God (Allah) to something less. "Tuhan" means God or Lord, but would not carry that all-powerful concept that using "Allah" does.
(English-speaking Christians have the benefit of language to use more direct terms like Almighty God, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, or even the original Hebrew words like Yahweh or Jehovah.)
If Arabs, both Muslims and Christians, can use "Allah" and not be confused between the religions, why can't Muslims in Malaysia do the same? If we know what we believe, why fear others?
In an age where there is so much animosity between religions, is this not a chance to show common ground between the faiths, and foster greater respect and tolerance between religions? Or is this now, blasphemous, too?
Woe is mankind, then.
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