PAS: Syura Council Decision On Allah Issue Is Final

Filepic: AntaraposKUALA LUMPUR: Pas says its decision that the usage of the word “Allah” is not allowed in Malay-language bibles is final and it will not entertain any request from its partners in Pakatan Rakyat to rescind it. Pas information chief Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man said this when asked to comment if there was any possibilities that the party may change its stand on the decision following the request from DAP chairman Karpal Singh that Pas’ Syura Council review its decision. It was reported that Karpal had asked Pas president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang to ensure the council adheres to the Pakatan’s stand, which is to allow the word Allah to be used by non-Muslims. Tuan Ibrahim was also asked to comment on the stand made by Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) on the matter. “Once the Syura Council has made a decision, Pas will follow and it is not in our principle to change our stand,” he said. On January 14, Pas' Syura Council made a decision that the word 'Allah' cannot be used as a translation for 'God' or 'Lord' in non-Islamic religious texts. Tuan Ibrahim also said the party will follow the decision made by the Syura Council and it will remain unchanged. “For us, we consider the issue is resolved.” When asked to comment that it was Pas’ partner in Pakatan, DAP which first urged for the word Allah to be used in the Malay language bibles, Tuan Ibrahim said: “That is their right to hold such views.” “We disagree with it indeed.” Asked whether Pakatan leaders will bring this issue up for discussion, Tuan Ibrahim who is Pas Pahang commissioner said he is uncertain about it as for now. It has been previously reported that Parti Keadilan Rakyat leaders had said that the party will not change its stand that the word “Allah” can be used by non-Muslims despite the decision by the Syura Council. Saying that Pas did not contradict Pakatan’s stand in allowing the word to be used by non-Muslims, Tuan Ibrahim stressed the council disagreed with the word “Allah” to be used in Malay-language bibles. In clarifying the decision made by Pas’ Syura Council, Tuan Ibrahim said: “If you refer to the president’s (Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang) statement, he has stated that non-Muslims can use the word but not in the bible as there’s no accurate translation.” He added that it was the media which had misreported on Abdul Hadi’s statement. Early this month Abdul Hadi in a statement said that the word “Allah” can be used by non-Muslims but it should not be misused against Muslims to a point of creating confusion. "Islam does not stop followers of other religions from using the word Allah in practising their faith, although it might not be equitable to the actual meaning of the original Quranic word,” said Abdul Hadi. The issue over the usage of the word 'Allah' was sparked off again when DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng urged the federal government to allow the use of the word Allah on the Bahasa Malaysia version of the Bible in his Christmas speech last year. - The Mole http://www.mole.my/content/pas-will-stick-syura-council%E2%80%99s-decision