Cns retain use of ‘Allah’ in Bible

Great news:

Christians in Malaysia have the constitutional right to use the word “Allah” to refer to God, the country’s high court declared Thursday.

In the landmark ruling, Judge Datuk Lau Bee Lan announced that the word “Allah” is not exclusive to Islam and that the government’s Home Ministry is “not empowered” to ban non-Muslims from using the word.

“This … means that the Bahasa Malaysia-speaking community of the Christian faith can now continue to freely use the word ‘Allah’ without any interference from the authorities,” the Rev. Fr. Lawrence Andrew, editor of the Roman Catholic Church’s weekly Malaysian publication The Herald, told reporters in Kuala Lumpur Thursday. . . .

Despite the threat of appeal, Christians in Malaysia have hailed Thursday’s decision as a victory for freedom of religion in the Muslim-majority country.

The controversy over non-Muslim “Allah” usage had resulted in the government’s confiscation of more than 15,000 Bibles earlier this year and drawn the attention of Christians internationally as well.

 Full report from Christian Post of 31 December 2009 Malaysia Court Nixes Gov’t Ban on Christian ‘Allah’ Usage.  The ‘Malaysian Insider’ of 2 January has Christians rejoicing Allah for all; while Muslim reactions vary from dismay to support, see Khir Toyo says in mourning over Allah ruling.  Reference my earlier article ‘Allah’ banned for Christians.  The issue of a multi-faith society, Swiss minaret ban is bad.


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