Mufti says Islamic law bars release of Alkitab

I'm copying here the reference noted in the next blog below in case it is lost in the future:

(http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/mufti-says-islamic-law-bars-release-of-alkitab/)

Mufti says Islamic law bars release of Alkitab

By Syed Mu’az Syed Putra

March 23, 2011

The Mufti urged authorities not to allow the Alkitab into the country. — file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, March 23 — Putrajaya’s release of 5,100 Malay bibles seized from Port Klang is contrary to a Selangor Islamic law forbidding its use, and puts the state in a bind as it goes against the country’s highest laws.

Selangor Mufti Datuk Tamyes Abd Wahid said the crux of the controversy is over the use of the word “Allah” in the bible, which is forbidden to religions other than Islam, as written in a 1988 state enactment on religious propagation.

“I am still of the view that they [the distribution of the Malay bibles] should be blocked, as this translation that contains the translation of the word ‘God’ to ‘Allah’ is dangerous and confusing , especially to the young,” the senior Islamic cleric told The Malaysian Insideryesterday.

He explained that young Muslims who had shallow knowledge of religion and faith would be confused by the use of the word “Allah” by Christians, which to them meant “Allah has a son... that Allah has a wife... God is a father”.

“Certainly it is not fitting for the government to allow the Alkitab to be released, not because it is in Bahasa Malaysia but because the use of the word [‘Allah’] contained inside that could twist the faith of Muslims and we do not want this to happen,” Tamyes added.

“To be safe, it should not be released, must not be released and is fittingly detained and cannot be distributed,” the Mufti stressed.

Tamyes’ view echoes that of Perak Mufti Tan Sri Harussani Zakaria, who had previously warned the Najib administration that releasing the Christian holy books seized from Port Klang and Kuching port will incur the anger and dissatisfaction of Muslims.

Harussani had added that he was concerned because the Muslim community here will rise in protest, leading to greater religious tension nationwide.

The ongoing row over the Alkitab — as the Malay bibles are called here — came to a head last week after the home ministry stamped two separate shipments totalling 35,000 copies with its official seal before ordering their release.

The Christian importers denounced the Najib administration for the act, which they say is a desecration of their holy book.

Late yesterday, the Najib administration relented to demands from the Church not to attach serial numbers to impounded Malay-language bibles, with what appears to be an attempt to prepare itself to face a Christian-majority electorate in Sarawak in the coming state polls.

It also promised that all future shipments of such holy books written in the national language would be released as long as they sported the words “For Christianity” in the Arial font, size 16, either printed at source or stamped at the receiving port.

For the consignment of 35,100 Alkitabs still held in Port Klang and Kuching Port, the administration said it was willing to provide “stickers” to cover the present stamps and serial numbers already marked on the books.

Should this fail to be satisfactory, it also said that it had made arrangements with Christian donors to help replace the entire consignment of Bibles with new ones, which will then be stamped only with the words “For Christianity”.

The announcement was made in a statement released to Bernama by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Idris Jala following a meeting held last week between government leaders and Christian groups.

The Christian and Muslim religious communities have been engaged in a tug-of-war over the word “Allah”, with the latter group arguing that its use should be exclusive to them on the grounds as Islam is monotheistic and the word “Allah” denotes the Muslim God.

Christians, however, have argued that “Allah” is an Arabic word that has been used by those of other religious beliefs, including the Jews, in reference to God in many other parts of the world, notably in Arab nations and Indonesia.

The tussle is still trapped in the courts after the ministry won a stay of the 2009 High Court ruling that allowed Catholic weekly The Herald to use “Allah” in its Bahasa Malaysia section.