A Malaysian Christian woman’s campaign for Christians’ right to use the word ‘Allah’ for ‘God’ resumed in Malaysia’s High Court on 19 October.
Jill Ireland began campaigning for Christians’ right to use the word ever since immigration officials at a Kuala Lumpur airport seized eight Christian CDs from her in May 2008 because the CDs used the word Allah in a Christian context. Ireland maintained that the court had failed to address her constitutional right as a Christian to use the word despite returning the CDs.
Predating Islam
The word (which predates Islam) has been used by local Christians for hundreds of years, long before Malaysia came into existence.
Her lawyer said Christians were never consulted when in 1986 the country banned Christians from using the word, and that the government’s blanket ban was unconstitutional and discriminatory. Muslim leaders across the world decried Malaysia’s decision to ‘copyright’ the word ‘Allah’ for the exclusive use of Malay Muslims.
In 2015, the Islamic Religious Council of the capital applied to have its say in Ireland’s case, but this was dismissed. It argued that it had the right to regulate non-Muslims on how to pray, and the materials they use – including audio and texts.
