Malaysian protesters and hackers target Catholic newspaper after ‘Allah’ ruling

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Comments: 7

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Jan 5, 2010 / 04:08 am (CNA).- Following the Malaysian High Court’s approval of a Catholic newspaper’s use of the word “Allah” for God, hundreds of Muslim youth have protested and the newspaper’s website has been hacked several times.

The Herald, the country’s only Catholic publication, has been threatened with the loss of its printing license for using “Allah” to name the Christian God in its Malay-language section.

The newspaper argued that its usage follows centuries of tradition, while the Malaysian government argued the usage by Christians would confuse Muslims.

On Dec. 31 Judge Lau Bee Lan ruled in the Herald’s favor.

On Jan. 2 the Herald’s website was hacked twice and was found to be hacked once again by CNA staff on the morning of Jan. 4.

Fr. Lawrence Andrew, the editor of the Herald, told the Malaysian Insider that technicians have confirmed the cyber attacks took place and the website was operating normally.

He declined to comment in detail, saying he did not want to add to the tension on a “very sensitive” issue.

In Penang, about 250 members of the group Umno Youth conducted street protests in front of the High Court building to protest the decision.

The Malaysian Insider says that protesters shouted “seditious” obscenities in their protests.

Opponents of the ruling are also using social networking sites like Facebook to rally support and to call for the ruling’s reversal.

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak has said the Home Ministry will appeal the ruling.

Comments: 7

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Bede Moreira
Sydney,NSW,Australia 01/07/2010 07:09 AM EST

It is peurile for the Home Minister and the Malaysian Government to object to the word "allah" being used by non-muslims because "muslims will be confused". O you muslims of little faith!

Published by: Chien
Antioch/CA/USA 01/06/2010 04:10 AM EST

Doesn't Islam believe in the same God (the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob) as Judaism and Christianity believe ?

Published by: Tyrone Beiron
Singapore 01/06/2010 02:16 AM EST

The semitic root word for God, Lord, and other divine titles vary but among the most used in the Jewish scriptures include El, from which the Allah finds its root. The name Allah itself precedes Islam, but the Prophet Mohammad chose it from among all the divine titles and names of the idols to refer to the Most High. Tuhan Allah, as the divine title is an appropriate reference to the One God in Christianity, and should not confuse any one of any particular faith, with nothing to be lost in translation either. The Gospel revelation of Jesus as the Son of God and Second Person in the Holy Trinity is what makes the Christian theology unique. The Arian and Nestorian as well as Gnostic elements of Christian Cults, Islam and other liberal interpretation of the Jewish-Islamic-Christian God do not matter if these all refer to that one particular Divine Entity. Islam does not own the intellectual property of the name or exclusive use of Allah as one of the personal names of God. Christians need to evangelise anew their theology and understanding of the Trinity; that lapse has resulted in more cults and sects with new independent churches becoming increasingly Nestorian/Monophysite and Arian or Gnostic in their creed.

Published by: JC
greensboro NC U.S. 01/05/2010 09:50 PM EST

The you tube site "islam for idiots", notes that the word for God in arabic is Ellah, not allah. Also, that allah, a name of a god, was a stone "god", one of the 365 others in the kaba. the site has about 200 other informative topics on islam. It is so wrong to say God is allah. It is also so wrong to call Jesus "just" a prophet. Islam preverted the christian gospel, and rejected the apostles, and are in fact the true kafirs.

Published by: Jason Miller
Santa Paula, CA 93060 01/05/2010 08:10 PM EST

Arah, You selectively quote only portions of the bible - Jesus is not just a "prophet." Just one example - Thomas the apostle bowing before him upon proof of his resurrection and stating ?my Lord, my God." We do not even regard Muhammad as a valid prophet since so much of his teaching conflicts with that of Christ. So in all due respect, we just need to agree to disagree; but please don't come here and attempt to misuse our Holy scripture to falsely try and prove a point. You will find we are a little wiser around here where you can't control the press.

Published by: arah
malaysia 01/05/2010 10:36 AM EST

Who Is Allah? Who Is God? Allah is God. The name Allah is the Arabic word for God. More precisely, it is the One Eternal Creator, Lord of the whole universe. It is the same Arabic name for God that is used in the Arabic Bible. It is pronounced almost the same in other Semitic languages: "Eloha" in Hebrew, and "Allaha" in Aramaic. According to Jesus (peace be upon him), God is One, with no partner whatsoever. I quote the following verses from the Bible: Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and him only.'" (Matthew 4:10) "Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him." (Mark 12:32) "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.'" (Mark 12:29) Who Is Jesus? Jesus is one of a long string of prophets of Allah sent to all nations throughout history, starting from Adam, who received the first guidance from Allah, to the final one, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon them all). According to the Bible, Jesus was sent particularly to the Israelites, to set them back on the proper track of Moses. The Gospels record these words of Jesus: "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel." (Matthew 15:24) "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you: 'Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pa

Published by: Helmut Hein
Rex, GA USA 01/05/2010 10:19 AM EST

Using "Allah" confuses the Christian as well as the Muslim. Anything that obscures the Trinity, the divinity of Jesus Christ, is wrong. I seem to recall Our Lord being very specific when He spoke about being "luke warm."

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