Do you know?

Do you know that besides the term “Allah”, non-Muslims in Malaysia are also prohibited from using dozens other terms either orally or in writing? Different states have their own list of terms prohibited.

For example, in the state of Selangor, under the Non-Islamic Religions Enactment 1988, non-Muslims are not allowed to use:

1) Allah
2) firman Allah
3) nabi
4) mubaligh
5) syariat
6) wahyu
7) mufti
8) Kaabah
9) hadis
10) rasul
11) iman
12) ibadah
13) fatwa
14) haji
15) kiblat
16) Ilahi
17) Injil
18) ulama
19) khalifah
20) wali
21) Syeikh
22) Iman
23) dakwah
24) subhanallah
25) insya-Allah
26) astaghfirullahlah
27) masya-Allah
28) Allahuakbar

Not to be outshone, the Islamic council for the state of Melaka (MAIM) published their even longer list of prohibited terms, on Wednesday:

1) Allah
2) firman Allah
3) ulama
4) hadis
5) ibadah
6) kaabah
7) kadi
8) Ilahi
9) wahyu
10) mubaligh
11) syariat
12) kiblat
13) haji
14) mufti
15) rasul
16) iman
17) dakwah
18) solat
19) khalifah
20) wali
21) fatwa
22) imam
23) nabi
24) sheikh
25) akhirat
26) azan
27) al-Quran
28) al-Sunnah
29) hauliak
30) karamah
31) shahadah
32) masjid
33) Baitullah
34) Subhanallah
35) Alhamdulillah
36) Lailahaillallah
37) Walillahilhamd
38) Allahu Akbar
39) insya-Allah
40) Astaghfirullah Azim
41) Tabaraka Allah
42) masya-Allah
43) Lahaula Walaquata Illabillahil Azim
44) Assalamualaikum
45) Wallahi, Wabillahi
46) Watallahi
47) Auzubillah

Notice those words I bolded and coloured? I can’t believe they ban us from using those common Malay terms. So I can’t address anyone with Haji anymore even though thats part of their name? I can’t greet my Muslim friends anymore with Assalamualaikum? I can’t utter masjid (mosque) anymore? The Christian’s Holy Bible is known as Kitab Injil among the Muslims. But now they are saying that we can’t use the word Injil anymore! So how?!

Why don’t you just ban us from using your Bahasa Melayu?! That would solves any “confusions” and problems. I’m pretty sure a lot of people will be more than happy to not use that language in their exams, workplace, court or when filling up government forms.

Or maybe the Arabs should enact a law prohibiting all non-Arabs from using their Arabic language. Then all Malaysians will not be able to confuse each other with those words listed above, since more than half of those terms were borrowed from the Arabs (when they came to South East Asia to propogate Islam many centuries ago).

Will we then really be 1Malaysia finally?

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4th Church in Klang Valley Attacked?

Update: 7:23pm, Friday 8/1.

There is an unverified report of a fourth attack on churches in Klang Valley. Apparently, a church in Kampung Baru Subang was also attacked with a Molotov cocktail which failed to explode or cause any significant damage.

There are also a SMS advising Christians to remove any stickers, Bible or articles from their car. The SMS claims that some mobs are smashing cars with those said objects in Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. And there are numerous protests in KL and Shah Alam.

So far, everything points to the conclusion that this SMS is just a mere rumors as no parties can verify it or offers any eyewitnesses’ accounts. I think the best thing to do now, is NOT to forward this SMS anymore as it might spread unnecessary fear or worse, hatred or retaliation. Keep praying people!

More photos of the scene at Assumption Church & Life Chapel, as well as the Allah ruling’s protests at mosques around Klang Valley:

Translation on the banner: Not only our heads are being stepped on, even Allah is being made fun of. Jihad! Jihad ! Allah is the greatest! Allah is the greatest! Allah is the greatest!

Attacks on churches in Klang Valley: Metro Tabernacle AOG Church

Here are some photos of the damage caused to the Metro Tabernacle Assemblies of God (AOG) Church in Desa Melawati, Ampang, Selangor. This church received the most serious damages among the 3 churches that were firebombed since pre-dawn today. The other 2 churches that were attacked are the Assumption Church in Petaling Jaya (next to Assunta Hospital), and the Life Chapel in Section 17 of Petaling Jaya.

According to eye witnesses, they saw 2 men on a motorcycle stopped in front of the church, who is located in a shoplot, and threw what looks like a Molotov cocktail into the church. The fire started by the Molotovs gutted the whole of the church’s administration office, and caused significant damages to the whole of the ground floor as well. Thank God (yes I mean our Christian’s God) nobody was in the church at the time of the attack, otherwise this tragic incident will be even more tragic.

So our dear Umno-led government, is this your idea of 1Malaysia? If it is so, I have no doubt a lot of Malaysians will buy 1Way ticket out of this soon-turning-into-a-failed-state beloved country of theirs.

 
Just like any other peace-loving Malaysians, I was shocked, appalled, sickened and enraged when I read about these cowardice attacks this morning. My immediate reactions to this were of the sin of anger, thinking how would they feel if we burn their mosques. But I urge you all, especially my fellow brothers and sisters in Christs, we shouldn’t fight fire with fire. In times like these, we are called to show what our faith is all about. To show others what would Jesus do. To demonstrate that what’s the point of fighting over the name of God, if you can’t live a life worthy of His name?

So please, let us fight hatred with love, extreme provocative shouting with gentle & calm words, and terrorizing acts with humble prayers. Even as some of the Muslims are now demonstrating about the controversial issue of “Allah” in front of the mosques after Friday prayer, let us just spend some quiet time with our Lord..humbly ask for His divine intervention in these increasingly dark days of our nation.

Romans 8:28-39

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Updated: Photos of police & other authorities at the scenes of the other 2 churches:

Assumption Church in Petaling Jaya

Life Chapel in Section 17, Petaling Jaya