In more than a decade-long case, Malaysian High Court rules the use of word ‘Allah’

Lahore, 11th March: A high court in Malaysia has ruled that Christians can use the word ‘Allah’.

Baaghi TV: According to reports, the latest in a decade-long battle, Malaysia’s high court has repealed a policy banning Christians from using the word ‘Allah’ while referring to God.

As per reports from BBC News, it came after a case was filed by a Christian whose religious materials were seized as they contained the word.

In Malaysia, the issue of using the word Allah by non-Muslims has sparked tension and violence in the past.

As per reports, Muslims make up almost two-thirds of the population in Malaysia, but there are also large Christian communities.

Christian communities in Malaysia argue that the ruling violates their rights, as for centuries they have been using the word ‘Allah’, which entered Malay from Arabic, to refer to their God.

According to reports, in 2008, Malaysian authorities seized Malay-language compact discs from a Christian, Jill Ireland Lawrence Bill, at an airport after they found the recordings used ‘Allah’ in their titles.

As per reports, Ms Bill then launched a legal challenge against the ban which was put in 1986 on Christians using the word in publications.

Now after more than a decade, on Wednesday, the Kuala Lumpur High Court ruled that Ms Bill had the right not to face discrimination on the ground of her faith.

Justice Nor Bee took the decision and said that Christians can now use the word ‘Allah’, along with three other words of Arabic origin ‘Kaabah (Islam’s holiest shrine in Mecca), ‘Baitullah’ (House of God) and ‘Salah’ (prayer).

Justice Nor Bee also stated that the directive that banned the use of the four words was illegal and unconstitutional.

She stressed that the freedom to profess and practise one’s religion should include the right to own religious materials too.

The Constitution in Malaysia guarantees freedom of religion, but in recent years, religious tensions have risen.

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