fighting for true Islamic causes.
In order to appease its so called allies, the non-Muslims, PAS now has
to spread the lies about Allah in Malay.
How can PAS agree that Allah is the ONLY word for GOD in Malay? Even
by being silent it also means that PAS has agreed with this absurd
statement.
Allah is not the translation of God in Malay or Arabic. Allah is the
name of a God. The correct translation of God in Malay is Tuhan, Dewa,
Dewata.
Even Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim dare not agree with this
statement.Sufficient only to state that Justice can wait.
Unfortunately Justice cannot wait in this case. Too much damage had
been done.
Misleading people, even in private is also wrong in Law. Allowing
Christians to think that their God is exactly the same as the Islamic
God is blatantly misleading.
"From numerous other verses, it is abundantly clear, argued the ulama
of exegesis (tafseer) that the name of Allah is not an exclusive right
of the Muslims. Al-Qurtubi, an expert in exegesis of the Quran,
concluded that in verse 40 above, Allah is not only commemorated in
mosques but as well in the others places of worship of the Abrahamic
faiths namely Christianity and Judaism."
It is not a question of the right to use the word Allah but to confuse
people with the word Allah. In the middle east, Allah may be used by
pagans alike but in Malaysia, the Malays and natives who are in
contact with the Muslim Malays have always known that Allah as the
name of the Muslim God. The Malays also know that there are many of
them who are not Muslims and they were not Muslims before. Malays were
Hindus before Islam
As for "Allah" to be commemorated in Synagogues, this is not true
because Jews use other names for their God, but what is clear is that
Monotheistic God were commemorated but not necessarily using the word
"Allah".
Al-Qurtubi is therefore is completely wrong in his interpretatioin of
the quran.
"Theologically (from the perspective of Faith or Aqidah), even though
the idol-worshippers of Mecca accepted Allah as Rabb (God), it is only
in the domain of Allah as al-Rububiyah or Allah as the Creator and
Sustainer. In the complete Islamic faith, Allah is not only the
Sustainer and Creator (Tauhid Rububiyah) but as well the Law-Giver and
Sovereign (Tauhid Uluhiyah), besides a myriad other attributes only
worthy of the Most High. They nonetheless recognise and believe in
Allah only as a Sustainer."
True for Arabs but certainly not true for Malays and natives who are
Malay speaking in Malaysia and Indonesia. Malays have pre-Islamic and
Hindu Gods names as well as vocabulary for God which is Tuhan, Dewa,
Dewata, Allah in Malay is just a name for the Muslim God. Malays are
not aware of any pagan Arabs because they have never been in contact
with Pagan Arabs, not even Christian Arabs.
"In this regard, PAS has again stressed the usage of "Allah" must not
be misused or abused or it will affect racial and religious harmony in
the country."
So how can PAS agree with the statement that Allah is the ONLY
translation of God in Malay, when it is not. The translation for God
in Malay is Tuhan, Dewa or Dewata.
In fact Allah, just as in Arabic, is just the name of a God. IN Malay,
Allah is the God of the Muslims, and that is all that the Malays know,
either Muslim Malay or non-Muslim Malay.
To misinterpret the word Allah is a form of misuse and abuse for the
sanctity of the Malay language, let alone the faith of the Malay
Muslims and native Malay-speaking non-Muslims.
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/opinion/dzulkefly-ahmad/48967-can-pas-remain-steadfast
Can PAS remain steadfast?
JAN 8 – There is no denying the fact that the controversial Allah
issue has the propensity to causing turbulence, even if some may deem
it a non-issue. Hence to say that the now infamous High Court's ruling
on usage of "Allah" is a potential time bomb threatening the country's
social fabric, is indeed an understatement!
When this writer came into the meeting room for the PAS Central
Political Bureau in the PAS headquarters in Jalan Raja Laut on Monday
night, January 4, that thought haunted him.
Worse still there are many others most willing to jump into the 'siege-
mentality' bandwagon. Expectedly the ruling had triggered a deluge of
Malay-Muslim into angry protestors, mostly perceived as Umno-backed
groups. They have threatened to hold mass demonstrations although a
stay of execution filed by the Home Ministry has been granted. The 1-
Malaysia-PM most irresponsibly and regrettably has consented to that
and his Home Minister most willing to be his best lap-dog.
Understandably, this writer's anxiety in attending the PAS' Central
Political Bureau was beyond description. He was surer of what he
didn't want, as what he wanted has been made known earlier and has
somewhat already ruffled feathers in the party.
The calamity that may befall PAS flew in the face. He feared that PAS
might joined hands with the rest of the disgruntled to oppose the High
Court decision and insisting that Allah is exclusively the God of the
Muslims, hence outlawing others its usage.
He feared that PAS will be trapped in the machination of Umno and that
would be the end of "PAS for All". While it is admittedly true that
PAS is in acute need of the Malay-Muslims votes all the more now than
before, PAS must not succumb to the temptation of appeasing Malay-
Muslims constituency merely for votes, much worse, hands in gloves
with its political nemesis, Umno. The signs of late, are not to be
taken frivolously.
Regardless, he wanted the decision of 'permissibility of the usage of
the name of Allah' be firstly based on principles and later to be
contextualized to the political and social realities of the Malaysian
demography ie the plural and mixed make-up of our society.
The writer fully understood that the debate is as acrimonious and as
precarious as PAS' available options. But by God's grace and guidance,
Alhamdulillah, PAS' stance on the issue is now clear and unequivocal.
He surely couldn't narrate of what really happened in the 3 hours
discussion behind closed doors. His only fear now is, 'Can PAS remain
Steadfast' on that stance, come what may?
He now outlines the gist of the consensus. Firstly, to clarify the
position of permissibility based on the provision of the Quran and its
exegesis and secondly, to contextualise its application given the
plural and complex multi-cultural make-up of our society. It
essentially addresses an issue or policy of a government from the
perspective of maintaining Maslahah Ammah or Public Interest and
avoidance of Mafsadah or Disorders and Inconveniences.
The Quran has, in no uncertain terms, documented that the community
during the advent of the final prophet, Muhammad (may peace be upon
him) had similarly used the word "Allah".
Allah says in the Holy Quran: "If you ask them, who it is that created
the heavens and the earth, they will certainly say, "Allah". Say:
"Praise be to Allah". But most of them understand not.
(Luqman, Chapter 31; Verse 25)
Theologically (from the perspective of Faith or Aqidah), even though
the idol-worshippers of Mecca accepted Allah as Rabb (God), it is only
in the domain of Allah as al-Rububiyah or Allah as the Creator and
Sustainer. In the complete Islamic faith, Allah is not only the
Sustainer and Creator (Tauhid Rububiyah) but as well the Law-Giver and
Sovereign (Tauhid Uluhiyah), besides a myriad other attributes only
worthy of the Most High. They nonetheless recognise and believe in
Allah only as a Sustainer.
More explicitly of the other Abrahamic religions, the mention of the
word Allah is seen in the verse in the Chapter of Hajj (Pilgrimage)
verse: 40. Allah says:
"Had not Allah Check and Balance the aggression and excesses of one
set or group of people by means of another, there would surely have
been destruction of monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in
which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundance…." (Hajj, Chapter
22, verse 40).
From numerous other verses, it is abundantly clear, argued the ulama
of exegesis (tafseer) that the name of Allah is not an exclusive right
of the Muslims. Al-Qurtubi, an expert in exegesis of the Quran,
concluded that in verse 40 above, Allah is not only commemorated in
mosques but as well in the others places of worship of the Abrahamic
faiths namely Christianity and Judaism.
It would be imperative to note of the jurisdiction of two of the most
outstanding contemporary scholars in the Muslim world, namely Sheikh
Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi and Sheikh Dr. Wahbah Az- Zuhaili who recently
visited Malaysia, concerning this issue. Both were recipients of the
award "Tokoh Ma'al Hijrah", in 1431H and 1429H respectively.
Without any hesitation they concurred unequivocally that the usage of
the word Allah has never been the monopoly of the Islamic creed. It is
a terminology shared with the adherents of the Abrahamic faith. Islam
identifies itself with the People of the Book as the 'Abrahamic
family' within the Semitic Tradition (Hanifiyyah), the tradition of
Abraham who is recognised as the father of the three Semitic
religions.
The Quran is even more explicit in reminding that Muslims worship the
same Almighty Allah recognized by Christians. The Qur'an commands
Muslims to declare that the God they worship and the one worshiped by
the followers of revealed books, including Christians, is one: "… and
say: "We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to
you, and our God and your God is One, and to Him do we submit".
(Al-Ankabut, Chapter 29: verse 46).
While it is true that they do not believe in the attributes of Allah
as totally prescribed in Islam, the above reminder is nonetheless made
by Allah that their God is One and the same. This is despite the fact
that Christianity and Judaism are totally different Abrahamic
religions in terms of articles of faith and convictions.
Hence, based on Islamic principles, Quranic text and exegesis, the use
of the word Allah by the people of the other Abrahamic faiths such as
Christianity and Judaism, is permissible. This is PAS's stance as
pronounced by the President.
The answer is in the definitive "Yes". It's truly a non-issue if only
we refer to the Quran, as also exemplified by revered Ulama.
Having clarified the principle position of permissibility, the tougher
question to address is the application of the principle ie in what and
under what circumstances is it permissible, given the complex and
plural multi-religio-racial make-up of our Malaysian society.
Incidentally, the discussion could be equally addressed from the
perspective of the Federal Constitution (FC). Firstly, the Article 3
(1) of the FC which assures Islam as the official religion of the
Federation and other religions can be practiced in peace and harmony
amply provides for the case of Catholic Church. Article 11 (1) equally
provides for fundamental right of all religion to profess and practice
religion of their choice.
In the propagation of the religion of the Catholic Christians, they
are limited by the provision of Article 11 (4), which prohibits the
propagation of Christianity to Muslims and Article 11 (5) which
stipulates that the public order must be maintained.
The Catholic Herald has reassured Malaysians that the Church was not
on any campaign to convert Muslims as emphasised by father Lawrence
Andrew.
"There are allegations we're trying to convert Muslims. "We're not
doing that", he told the Malaysian Insider.
In this regard, PAS has again stressed the usage of "Allah" must not
be misused or abused or it will affect racial and religious harmony in
the country.
"As a responsible Islamic body, PAS is ready to explain this issue to
all parties in order to ensure a harmonious environment that is based
on the principles of fairness, such as is guaranteed in the
Constitution and by Islam itself," PAS president Abdul Hadi Awang said
in a statement issued after the three-hour long discussion.
In this regard, the former Mufti of Perlis has also stressed the need
to have clear guidelines. He said that the word "Allah" could only be
used to refer to the one true God and not to be ascribed to stones and
idols.
The PAS president has also called on all parties not to politicise the
matter as this could threaten the peace among the different religious
groups in the country.
PAS strongly objects to any aggressive and provocative approach that
can lead to tension in society.
By advocating a solution of dialogue and discourse, PAS has presented
herself as an Islamist party that understands the need of a plural
politics in the new landscape of national politics. This is very
reassuring and consoling.
To cite Tengku Razaleigh, "In a milestone moment, PAS, the Islamic
party, is holding onto the more plural and moderate position while
Umno is digging itself into an intolerant hard-line position that has
no parallel that I know of in the Muslim world".
The writer now concurs with the Tengku that Umno will be spurred to
more desperate attempts at fanning both narrow religious and parochial
racial sentiments.
PAS must hold on to its Islamic principles to stand for "Justice for
All".
Rather than championing the exclusive usage of the name of Allah for
Malay-Muslims, PAS together with her Pakatan component parties must
wage an all out attack on Umno on the narrow racial approach of Malay
Hegemony, perversion of power, the spread of corruption, the plunder
of the nation's wealth and the repression of the people's rights,
which are all in total contradiction with and diametrically opposed to
Islam.
PAS is on the right political trajectory for now but judging by the
intense challenges many would like to ask, "can PAS remain steadfast"?
Allah knows best and only time will tell. Frankly, is there a choice?
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