Christian paper, church sue for right to use ‘Allah’

Christian paper, church sue for right to use ‘Allah’

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — A Catholic newspaper and an evangelical church have brought lawsuits against the government after authorities ruled against use of the word “Allah” in Christian publications. The government had threatened the Herald, a 13-year-old Catholic weekly, with closure. Following protests by the Christian community, the Herald’s printing permit was renewed just two days prior to expiration.

At the same time, the Sabah Evangelical Church of Borneo has challenged a government decision to prohibit importation of Christian educational materials for children containing the word “Allah.” A court hearing on the case scheduled for Dec. 27 was postponed until Jan. 16 pending efforts by outside parties to resolve the matter. In its lawsuit, the church argues that the Christian use of “Allah” predates Islam, as the word is used for God in the old as well as modern Arabic Bibles.