A few months ago I wrote in The Borneo Post an expose on the usage of the word Allah in which I explained the naked truth about the word Allah which was used by Arab Christians in the ancient biblical time.
Today I wish to participate meaningfully in the national debate and conversation on the Allah issue. It’s refreshing to note some comments made by politicians from both sides of the political divide. Some of the comments were very constructive and there were also extreme views expressed.
I was really saddened and disappointed by the statement made by the former prime minister, Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, who suggested that the government should reintroduce the infamous Internal Security Act (ISA). This is extremism in its worst and crudest form. It’s really mind-boggling and unthinkable that such proposal should come from the man who should know better.
It is scary to perceive that the dynamic of the debates is moving slowly and dangerously towards direction of racial and religious polarisation. The followers of Christian religion are now in a dilemma of feeling suppressed and persecuted in their own homeland because they feel unprotected by the supreme laws of the land (the Federal Constitution). At the moment, the government seems incapable of handling the issue and they naturally feel very insecure, fearful and begin to lose confidence and trust in the authorities.
With the benefit of hindsight, it is perceivable that the main root cause of the controversy arises from the intrusion of politics into religion, and the intrusion of religion into politics.
It must be made abundantly clear that the Christians are not trying to antagonise the followers of Islam but they are merely fighting and defending their rights as enshrined in the Federal Constitution, the supreme laws of the land.
It is relevant to quote what is said in the Quran regarding the essence of the issue. The Quran (66:1, 5:87, 10:59) says, “God explicitly criticises believers, even the Prophet for prohibiting What God has permitted.”
In this case, God has permitted the Jews, Christians and all the people of the world to use the word Allah, and who on earth has the power and authority to overrule that commandment.
Hence, any ruling or laws and enactments which contradict this Quranic pronouncement must be deemed as unjust. This pronouncement is further reinforced by Quran 2:256, which explicitly states, “There shall be no compulsion in religion.”
Finally, may I in all humility suggest that Malaysians of goodwill and good faith and right-minded politicians to step up to the plate of greater religious understanding and bridge-building to make the famous 1Malaysia slogan into a reality and not just a hollow political slogan.
I earnestly pray that our Prime Minister Datuk Seri NajibTun Razak, has the wisdom, political will and moral courage to make the right and just decision which conforms with the Supreme Laws of the land, the Federal Constitution.
May God bless Malaysia and all Malaysians of goodwill.
Sylvester AjahSubas