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JOHOR BARU, March 18 — Johor Ruler Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar supports the federal government’s appeal against the landmark High Court ruling last week annulling a 1986 directive prohibiting Christians from using the word “Allah” in their religious education and books.
The sultan, who is head of Islam in Johor, called on the federal government to carry on with its appeal, amid calls from lawmakers to desist, especially in Sabah and Sarawak which have large a large Bumiputera Christian population.
“In fact, I will instruct the Johor Islamic Religious Council (MAINJ) to take any necessary and appropriate action to support this appeal,” Sultan Ibrahim said in a statement today on his official Facebook account.
The 62-year-old state monarch insists that the word “Allah” is a name specific to the God worshiped by Muslims and the name is not derived from any root word, but a special noun that refers to: “Allah, the One True God, the God worshiped by Muslims.”
“Allah SWT’s words in Surah Taha Cerse 14 which reads: “Sesungguhnya Akulah Allah; tiada Tuhan melainkan Aku; oleh itu, sembahlah akan Daku, dan dirikanlah solat untuk mengingati Daku” (Surely I am Allah; there is no god but Me; therefore, worship Me, and establish prayer to remember Me),” he quoted in his statement.
Sultan Ibrahim said he is sad that the issue has created controversy and claimed it has negatively affected harmony in Johor.
He referred to a Johor State Fatwa gazetted on June 4, 2009 that states: “The use of the word Allah by non-Muslims is not permitted, not allowed, and prohibited.”
“This fatwa means that the use of the word Allah by non-Muslims, which does not coincide with the true meaning as the teachings of Islam, is absolutely not allowed.
“In Johor, we also have the Control and Restriction of the Development of Non-Muslim Religions Enactment 1991 which prohibits the use of words that are reserved exclusively for Muslims and cannot be used by non-Muslims except in circumstances where it is permitted by law,” said Sultan Ibrahim.
On March 10, the High Court in Kuala Lumpur ruled that the government directive via a December 5, 1986 circular issued by the Home Ministry’s publications control division was unlawful and unconstitutional.
This government directive was the one that banned the use of the word “Allah” in Christian publications.
While some Muslims in Malaysia believe “Allah”, the Arabic word for God, to be exclusive to Islam, it was adopted into the national language generations ago and used throughout by Malay-speaking Bumiputera Christians in the country, especially those living in Sabah and Sarawak without causing discord until about 20 years ago.