It is a known fact that the pagan Arabs referred to God in Arabic as ALLAH. During the Prophet’s lifetime, the pagan Arabs said that they believed in ALLAH, but that they also believed in their gods as a means of drawing closer to ALLAH.
Present day Christians in the Arab World also refer to God as Allah. However, if you greet a Christian Arab unknowingly with “As-salamu’alaikum” he or she will respond with “Ahlan, wa sahlan” which briefly means welcome. This is done to distinguish the difference between being an Arab Christian and an Arab Muslim. Such is the cultural practice of non-Muslim Arabs in the Arab World. Its been there for ages whereas with us, such an introduction would be out of place.
In Indonesia, a family can consist of a Muslim, Christian, Buddhist, Hindu, so on and so forth. This is their culture but not ours. We do not practice such because there is no scope for such in the Qur’an.
As for marriages in Islam, it will be observed that the Qur’an makes mention of the “People of the Book” a reference to Jews Christians and Muslims, and under this format a Muslim man can marry a Jewish or Christian woman but not the other way round.
There are several aspects here. The first of these is that the man heads the family and it is his responsibility to bring his wife into the fold of Islam. The second aspect of importance is that though the Qur’an makes mention of the People of the Book, one needs to take into account the situation as it was during the Prophet Muhammad’s time and now. The state of being a “member of the Book” has drastically changed in ideology and practice. There are common features amongst the “People of the Book” but there are also differences that cannot be bridged. Early Christianity at the time of time of its inception is quite different from what it is today. Many are not aware of its historical beginnings and how it has evolved. Jesus himself was a Jew, observing Jewish customs and practices such as circumcision, prayed on the Sabbath and attended a synagogue.
Marriages by the “People of the Book” are accepted in many countries but we in Malaysia do not practice such because it often leads to many complications over the raising of children, divorce, inheritance, so on and so forth, and in a multi-racial society with diverse religious beliefs it is in our interest to stick to well defined boundaries
When it comes to food, the spectrum differs from one country to another. For example in Indonesia, both lawful and unlawful dishes can be placed side by side. Often, if asked about the state of food, the common reply can be that it contains no ‘pork lard’. In Malaysia, Muslims are sensitive to such and often we come across newspaper reports of pork meat being placed side by side or next to chicken.
This situation over the usage of the word ALLAH is indeed quite different to what we in Malaysia are used to. For ages Muslims here have come to look upon the word ALLAH as being exclusively identified to Islam and Muslims, while the rest refer to the Creator as “TUHAN” in Malay or GOD in English.
This approach establishes a distinction over the definition of God and how we separately view Him in our own way. Therefore, the request to make use of the word Allah by non-Muslims here seems to be out of place because we are not Arabs or Indonesians but Malaysians with out own practices.
One wonders what the motive or agenda is over such, or it could be said that globalisation offers other ways to beat rules in place over conversion.
What Muslims in Malaysia need to understand is that they have to prepare themselves for this new propaganda approach, which no doubt will lead to much confusion amongst lukewarm namesake Muslims. If we are not careful in determining our stand and educating Muslim on our percept of God in comparison to the one adopted by Christianity, then there is a danger that many Muslims will fall prey to Christian literature, which is globally sponsored and often targeted at Muslims, in efforts to open their minds to Christianity.
Muslim scholars and the authorities need to abandon our age long approach of respecting what we term as being ‘sensitive’ in religion, because we are the only ones who do so. We need to cultivate many Ahmad Deedats to point out the truth and to defend Islam’s position over the Oneness of God, His distinctive features and status as it has been defined in the Qur’an, as well as point out the fallacy over the ‘redemption of sin’ – the so-called sin of Adam a.s..
This stand is important in view of the usage of the word ALLAH by Christian literature. If we do not do this, then ignorant Muslims will fall prey to ALLAH being the TRINITY.
As Muslims, we have nothing to fear so long as we abide by what the Qur’an has stated. This is the Islamic position and Muslim stand on many issues which we have failed to defend or rather behaved ‘chicken’ in handling. All we have done is to sweep the dust under the carpet, while everyone else takes us to task.
The inability to act decisively has let to confusion. On the whole the Muslim community does not really know for sure what the state of affairs over many issues are, with each state having its own process and decisions differing from one state to another.
As Muslim, we need to correct this situation….get ourselves straighten out….keep within the framework of the law, and voice our opinions firmly, just as our enemies do.
What is even far more important is for the Muslim community to develop moral righteous values in their conduct and behaviour. In this respect, mush more needs to be done on television and radio, so that the Muslim community can come to terms with existing globalisation over religion, modernisation, morality and righteous conduct.
If we examine the current state of the Muslim community, one can say with full honesty that all these Qur’anic reading classes, recitations of the Qur’an, talks or lectures, which often do not take place during prime time, has done nothing much to improve Muslim conduct and behaviour.
Such programs might benefit a small sector of the community but definitely not the community as a whole. In some even at the mosque while waiting for Friday Congregational Prayer, you will always come across some ustad going into the rituals and minute laws over the validity of prayer when morally the community has no sense of responsibility over even parking their vehicles properly for prayer.
When you view this overall situation, especially the decline in morals, high divorce rate, mat rempet…and all the rubbish that we have…one wonder what are the planners of our religion are doing….what steps are they taking to tackle these situations.
In this era of ours it is equally important for the religious authorities to organise Islamic classes for the public….including our youth…free of charge. By right, we should have magazines on par with the Christian ones such as the “Good News” – mind you these are all give out freely throughout the globe by a united Christian Front, and look at us! ……Islam, the best religion….Muhammad ranking number one out of a hundred great people…..so where has Global Islam gone too? The interesting question is: What has happened to all the ZAKAT!
It high time Muslims woke up. We have countless Muslim organisations doing the same thing…overlapping work…receiving Zakat…just to do some small service to the community. Just when are we going to become dynamic?
If we don’t wake up to these challenges, we will find many members within our families converting to other religions. The demand for open preaching will finally arrive…where there are no exclusive rights…even if the Qur’an defines the situation clearly. The whole situation depends on us. Do not end up like some Muslim who has been convinced that its quite all right to live out of wedlock, or to be gay, or a lesbian, to possess a ‘love child’, and to even become a woman Imam.
Muslims need to remember that the Prophet Muhammad s.a.w. said that ‘they will not be happy with you – a reference to Muslims – until you follow them in every way. Along the same lines, the Prophet also took up a glass of wine and said that they will give it some other name and make it lawful.
It is in this fashion that many things have come to pass and converted to an innocent appearance, and in this state you will come across many Muslims saying that it is quite all right. The likes of Valentine’s Day and whatever else you have, have made it lawful just as ROOT BEER is, HAM-Looking Beef is and what else you have.
What you need to remember about religion is what it was and what it is today. What Allah was and what He is today. You need to look again at the Prophets. Jesus was a Jew…he circumcised, he abstained from pork…he prayed on the Sabbath and he went to a synagogue.
As Muslims, we should never take Islam for granted. We must study it in detail and also be familiar with other religions, so that we can be on guard against any corruption or distortion concerning the purity of Islam. There is only ONE God and He is ALLAH and not a TRINITY. [HMS] |
ABOUT US
