To Understand Truth and to Attain the True
Christian-Muslim Dialogue: Building a Common Society
Published in Christianity Today LINK
I wrote this article as a response to Chawkat Moucarry, “A Lifelong Journey with Islam.” LINK You may note the other responses by David W. Shenk, Evelyne A. Reisacher and Sunday Agang. These articles are part of the collaborative project between Christianity Today and The Lausanne [...]
Sacred Language and Vernacular Translation of Scriptures:
Why Some Muslims Just Cannot Understand/Accept the Use of “Allah” in the Alkitab (Bahasa Bible)
I. Sacred Language and Religion of Diffusion
Some Muslim activists have repeatedly charged Christians for having ulterior motives when they use the word “Allah” which include attempting to “deislamize Malay language” and to proselytize confused Muslims. [...]
Foreign Vocabulary and Loan Words in the Quran: Historical Facts
One repeated assertion by Muslim scholars defending the government’s ban on the use of the word ‘Allah’ by Christians is that Quranic Arabic is the ‘purest’ and most appropriate language of divine revelation. As such, Christians are not allowed to use the word ‘Allah’ on the [...]
High Court Judgment: Home Minister Wrong in Four Crucial Areas
The High Court ruling on the Allah controversy on 31 Dec 2009 by the learned judge Lau Bee Lan is a model of acute and coherent reasoning. The learned judge 57-page judgment found the government wrong in four crucial areas :
1) The Home Minister’s ban is [...]
Allah and Conversions in Malaysia: The Facts!
Muslim activists have claimed repeatedly that Christians in Malaysia refuse to drop using the word Allah because they want to confuse and convert Muslims, thereby posing a threat to national security. The claim is both groundless and insincere.
An Official Explanation from Indonesian Bible Society LINK (English Version)
Why are the terms “Allah” and “TUHAN” used in our Bible?
Penjelasan Rasmi Daripada Lembaga Alkitab Indonesia LINK (Malay Version): Versi Melayu Berikut Di bawah
The Indonesian Bible Society, which speaks for 25 million Malay/Indonesian Christians should be the most authoritative reference on translation of the Malay Bible!
Why It is Not Possible to Substitute Allah with Tuhan in Bible Translation
Muslims in other parts of the world (Arabs, Persians, North Africans, Pakistanis and Indonesians) have no objection and are not worried about getting confused when Christians use the word Allah. In contrast, some Malaysian Muslims claim to be confused; a strange phenomenon indeed. [...]
TRANSLATING THE NAMES OF GOD: Recent experience from Indonesia and Malaysia
D. Soesilo
Note – This is partial reproduction of the original article. Reproduced with permission from the author
The Situation in Malaysia
The situation in Malaysia in regard to the use of the divine names is different to that in Indonesia in one important respect, which has more [...]
BULLSHIT, LIES & errors
The internet promises the rebirth of the Republic of Letters (circa 18th century) which comprises critically minded people from diverse linguistic, religious and national backgrounds who are bonded by open inquiry and the common quest for truth. But the sad reality is that the anonymity allowed in internet discussion platforms provides a [...]
Rejoinder – Allah is Not a Personal Name: More Evidence Needed, Not Mere Assertions
Again in response to some comments on the article “ Allah is not a Personal Name LINK
I have decided to post my own rejoinder as a full post:
Further comments on use of allah
I am not concerned with how Muslims understand Allah (whether [...]
Dr. Ng Kam Weng
Research Director
Kairos Research Centre
FREE ACCESS TO KAIROS LEGAL HANDBOOK
Kairos has decided to make available online - with free access - the full text of our legal handbook, Doing the Right Thing. Our hope is that the book will help readers to gain confidence to defend their right to profess, practice and propagate their religion and to remain vigilant in defending their religious rights.