Prayer for 'Allah'

The Muslim missionary and welfare organisation, Pekida (Pertubuhan Kebajikan dan Dakwah Islamiah Malaysia) held a special prayer (sembahyang Hajat) at the national mosque late last night on the High Court decision on Dec 31, allowing the use of 'Allah' by Catholic weekly, The Herald.

Pekida secretary-general Mohamad Zain Ghazali said the organisation objects to the ruling because in Islam God is different in the Christian context. In the Christian context God is the Holy Trinity -- the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, whereas in Islam, God is indivisible. So if Allah is allowed to be used by Christians in also meaning the Holy Trinity, it would confuse Muslims especially the young who are studing the religion.

The Kuala Lumpur High Court had granted on January 6, the Home Ministry a stay of execution on the Dec 31 High Court ruling allowing the Herald to use the word 'Allah' in its Malay-language edition, pending the hearing of an appeal.

Video and reporting by Amir Abdullah.