sikh in m’sia also use ‘allah’…
Post on Jan.05, 2008
… and sikh all over the world had been using it for centuries!
malaysiakini has the news. highlight my own.
refer my earlier post (with pic of the latest herald) first for context, if you haven’t yet.
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‘Allah’: What about us? ask Sikhs
Fauwaz Abdul Aziz 
Jan 4, 08 1:55pm
For centuries, Sikhs have used the words ‘Allah’ and ‘Rahim’ to refer to God as well as the Arabic terms ‘iman’ and ‘ibadat’ for faith and worship.
Following the government’s ban against the usage of purportedly ‘Islamic’ terms by non-Muslims, what will happen to the practice of the Sikh religion in Malaysia?
This was among the question raised today by Malaysian Gurdwara Council head Harcharan Singh (pic) following reports that the cabinet had decided against allowing the use of the term Allah by those practicing religions other than Islam.
“We have used the terms Allah and Rahim, for example, extensively in our writings and in our prayers to refer to the One God. The word Allah is used in our main holy scripture. Sikh gurus in India have used these terms for centuries, they have become part of the Punjabi language, and we are still using them today,” said Harcharan when contacted.
Sikhs also use the word ‘Khuda’ for God, he noted in reference to the term used, among others, by Bangladeshi Muslims.
“In addition to these words, we also use the terms iman and ibadat among the many other words (that are used by Muslims),” added Harcharan.
“If the word Allah has been banned for use by non-Muslims, what’s going to happen to Sikhs and the practice of their religion?” he asked.
Harcharan’s comments follow on the heels of a decision announced by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Abdulllah Mohd Zin yesterday that the cabinet had disallowed Catholic publication Herald from using the words Allah, Solat, Kaabah and Baitullah in its weekly’s Bahasa Malaysia section.
Abdullah, who oversees Islamic religious affairs, was reported today as having said the prime minister had directed him to clarify the matter so that the public would not be confused.
“One of the reasons given to uphold the restriction is because that it has long been the practice of this country that the word Allah refers to God according to the Muslim faith,” said Abdullah according to the Star.
It was only proper for other religions to use the word God and not Allah when referring to their God in respective beliefs, he added.
Poser for the government
Harcharan pointed out that the usage by Sikhs of Arabic and Persian terms normally used by Muslims is understandable given, among other facts, that Sikhism founder Guru Nanak had traveled extensively throughout Muslim lands.
Nevertheless, the issue raises a poser for the government, said Harcharan.
“I don’t know whether the basis of the government’s ban on the use of the word Allah by non-Muslims is political or religious. But if in today’s age of globalisation we are stopping people of one religion from using the words ‘belonging’ to another, I don’t know where we are heading”, he said.
Herald had earlier faced proscription following the Internal Security Ministry’s directive for it to refrain from using the word Allah in its weekly’s Bahasa Malaysia section.
Herald was later informed it’s permit had been renewed, with its editor Father Lawrence Andrew saying he had received a letter indicating it can resume printing without restriction on the word Allah.
Notwithstanding, the publisher has filed a writ of summons in the Kuala Lumpur High Court to seek declarations of use of the word Allah.
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here is the press statement from aliran. again, highlights my own to emphasise the points.
The word "Allah" and the controversy in its usage
Friday, 04 January 2008
The term "Allah" has been used before the advent of Islam. It has been the common term of reference to the Almighty for many centuries. The various communities using this common term of reference had no problem in understanding this word and what it referred to. There has been no confusion whatsoever. Nobody has objected to the use of this term of reference until narrow-minded politicians got involved and created the present unnecessary controversy. Ordinary people from all faiths have better common sense in understanding this term of reference; they know what it means and what it alludes to in their respective faiths.
As we have pointed out in our statement of 22 December 2007, “Languages are the common heritage of humanity. Because of this, the various languages developed and grew rich in expression. They absorbed words and expressions from one another and, in the process, languages became expressive, expanded and spread across the world.”
This being the case, no community can claim monopoly to the use of any word. It would be an absurd claim. Further, the word “Allah” is not a local word derived from Bahasa Malaysia for anyone to lay claim to its exclusive usage.
By taking a political decision and making a political stand on its usage, the Barisan Nasional is creating confusion in the minds of thinking Malaysians. The harmony that the Prime Minister is trying to preserve and promote is being muddied and our unity is being threatened by the actions of uncaring politicians. The PM, unfortunately, is unable to rein in these politicians.
While in the past, certain individuals were involved in claiming exclusive right to the usage of the word “Allah”, now it is the cabinet that has decided that except for Muslims others cannot utter this word or use it in their writings. In other words, this is the decision of the BN government supported by all the 14 component parties represented in the government.
We need no further proof that what Umno wants it gets. All the other component parties play only second fiddle to the demands of Umno. The rest of the component parties very apparently do not have a say in this issue except to give in to the demands of Umno.
We would like to pose a question to the BN with regard to the Rukunegara and the five principles which have been adopted as the guiding principles of the nation. The first principle states, “Kepercayaan kepada Tuhan”. Now, according to the Cabinet’s logic, will the Muslims be confused when they recite the Rukunegara because the term used in reference to God is "Tuhan" instead of “Allah”? Going by the Cabinet’s logic, can non-Muslims sing the state anthems of certain states where the word “Allah” is included in the text of the song?
Now, Malaysians will know how absurd and ridiculous the BN government sounds and behaves in a plural society.
P Ramakrishnan
President
5 January 2008
Filed in CnP, government, malaysia, politics, religion
January 5th, 2008 on 11:12 AM
I have also used to use ‘allah’ (vowelized) in conjunction with touching my forehead when I have had something forgotten to do or bring. Some are even worst to use ‘alah’ combined with “P?K?mah’ leh!
January 6th, 2008 on 10:42 AM
Why shouldn`t christians use YHWH? It is better than following those Arab Christians who were `forced` (for safety`s sake) into using Allah? Do Christians know what Allah is? Then they should read this:
The status of women was that of pride and equal respect. How could it be otherwise with a people whose chief deity was the goddess Durga (Alla). Women married men of their choice and were financially independent. They were entrepeneurs, artisans, poets and even warriors! Later on Muhammad would marry Khadija, who was not only a wealthy merchant but also in the position to choose her own husband. This clearly demonstrates the level of freedom women enjoyed in Vedic Arabia. Hind, who was the wife of Muhammad’s chief enemy Abu Sufyan, herself participated in the battlefield.
http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET0002/ET21-5523.html
January 6th, 2008 on 10:45 AM
The Sikh usage of Allah is very different. See what their holy book says (and would muslims ever belive it?):
“I observe neither Hindu fasting nor the ritual of the Muslim Ramadan month; Him I serve who at the last shall save. The Lord of universe of the Hindus, Gosain and Allah to me are one; From Hindus and Muslims have I broken free. I perform neither Kaaba pilgrimage nor at bathing spots worship; One sole Lord I serve, and no other. I perform neither the Hindu worship nor the Muslim prayer; To the Sole Formless Lord in my heart I bow. We neither are Hindus nor Muslims; Our body and life belong to the One Supreme Being who alone is both Ram and Allah for us.” (Guru Arjan Dev, Guru Granth Sahib, Raga Bhairon pg. 1136)
January 6th, 2008 on 12:38 PM
the whole thing is silly , much like a child arguing about this and that.
those people are devoid of intelligence OR ISSIT another sick diversionary sandiwara ( I think it is ) but to the country is very vely dangerous coz this kind of things spell Xtremism and can kill the country eventually when foreigners stay away. These corrupt people in Gomen will soon kill all of us… moralist or sinners anyway !
becoz they are protecting their own personal devilish interests , u and I know that.
January 7th, 2008 on 1:03 AM
picatho
haha. ya i too use allah a lot actually e.g when i forgot something or found out i made a mistake or something wrong happened e.g. “allah! i forgot to bring my swimming cap!”, “allah! one figure missing, no wonder cannot balance.”, “allah! power cut! all my hard work gone!”
ok ok actually it should be ‘ala…’ a short form of ‘alamak’ lah but still it sounds ‘allah’.
kesava
the sikh use of allah is different? but allah is still god to them.
toni
yep what you said were all so true. sad eh. corrupted. extremist. and more. and all these for, as you said, their own personal devilish interests.
January 7th, 2008 on 8:40 AM
`the sikh use of allah is different? but allah is still god to them.`
Their idea is that:
`From Hindus and Muslims have I broken free.` in the said quotation. That is a supreme insult to Islam. Will UMNO/PAS now take action and ban Sikhs or force them all to convert to Islam.
What do you think?
January 16th, 2008 on 11:44 AM
Hi Lucia. Since you have touched on Sikhs in relation to this issue, I would like to clarify that Allah is not worshipped by us and is not considered our god or creator. However to understand the use of Allah, it must be remembered that Sikhism arose amidst the 2 religions of Islam and Hinduism. The creator was referred to by various names in the scriptures of the Sikhs including Hindu names but nowadays is usually alluded to by “Raab” or “Raaba”, “Waheguru” or “Permatma”. The word “Ek Onkar” says there is only one creator and you can call him by whatever name be it 1 or 99, that fact does not change.
To Kesava: The Sikhs suffered badly at the hands of the Mughals who were propagating Islam by the sword in India. Even a “modern” Sikh like me will die first than to betray my anscestors who had been tortured by the Mughals including being scalped alive and boiled in hot oil. Though I am not so hot on religion I will never betray the blood that flows in my veins. And really, if Islam was so great, how come many of the coverts to Sikhism during those times included both Muslims and Hindus? Whenever the Sikhs pray, their “Ardas” always remembers the sacrifices of our ancestors that were brutally tortured by those barbaric Mughals. And really where are these Mughals today? Finished except for their cuisine and ruins. If interested perhaps one should read: The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty, Delhi 1857 by William Dalrymple. Cheers.
January 17th, 2008 on 1:41 AM
jaswant
thanks for your comments and the info.
i only CnP the part about sikh using the word allah from malaysiakini but nothing from me personally on the sikh using allah since i don’t know anything about it.