MBA on 'Allah'

On the use of ‘ALLAH’ by The Herald. Hussaini Abdul Karim

http://hak55.blogspot.com/2010/01/on-use-of-allah-by-herald.html

Haven’t you all come across jokes making fun of Gods?

The numerous Gods that different people and religions pray to. Gods depicted in pictures, photos and videos having hands as many as the millipedes and centipedes, noses that look exactly like an elephant’s and ears as large as an elephant’s too.

There are Gods who look more like ghosts and monsters to me but what the heck, they are still some people’s Gods. There are Gods made of stones, steel, timber, paper and and even plastic. Gods that look like clowns, etc., etc.

Then, the numerous jokes about St Peter, Noah and Abraham, well they are not Gods but Gods’ lackeys. People also make fun of Gautama Buddha; well, he’s still God to some.

People make fun of other people’s Gods, but when it comes to your turn, you become so agitated.

If you read some publications from the West, they have always, since a very long time ago, make fun of ‘Allah’ and Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Many of these literature have found its way here. The most common one was about the mountain and the Prophet.

I bought a book on Islamic History in Kuala Lumpur published by Reader’s Digest some time ago and in it is shown a drawn picture of the Prophet (PBUH) full face and in full gear with his beard, no moustache and his famous gilded sword, looking at a map of areas and territories showing the spread of Islam. As a devoted and staunch Muslim, It (the picture) didn’t affect me a bit.

Did Hishammuddin or JAKIM, or the people holding the respective appointments before them, sue all these publications? No, they didn’t!

Anyway, if KDN and JAKIM and now the PM’s Dept want to file an appeal on the recent verdict on the use of ‘Allah’ by the Herald - The Catholic Weekly that didn’t come their way, fine, go ahead with it. I think the Appeals Court with a totally different set of owl-like learned judges, maybe this time with all Muslim judges, will deem the verdict wrong and say that the judge Madam Justice Lau Bee Lan had erred, and then give the benefit to the plaintiff and the whole thing will start all over again, and there will be no end and becomes fodder for us writers and bloggers both local and foreign, like you and I, for as long as the case continues.

That’s the way the Malaysian Judiciary System works, if you all had observed it carefully. The Muslims, upon hearing the new verdict, will obviously be very happy and then the Archbishop Dominic Vendargon, Archbishop Murphy Nicholas Xavier Pakiam and Father Lawrence, The Herald’s editor, will probably seek the advice of a Queen’s Counsel (QC), no, this time it will not be Mrs Blair again (though she would very much like to come to Malaysia again), and perhaps they will go all the way to Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger ( Pope Benedict XVI), for a solution.

Personally, I think, this whole issue has been wrongly handled from Day 1. In the first place, it shouldn’t have gone to a Civil Court because it is an issue pertaining to religions, viz. Islam and Christianity. So, it should be handled by our Ulamaks and for them to have a dialogue with the Archbishop and his trusted senior aides and and at best, go to the Syariah Court, or any other better forum, if they exists. There, these people should try to amicably settle the issue and remain friends in the spirit of 1Malaysia. The Council of Ulamaks can then come out with a Fatwa that please the majority, otherwise, refer it to the Grand Imam at Al-Azhar, among others, for his grand opinion. We can then move on to better things after that.

I have a feeling that this is a ‘diversion’ created by people in the know and in power to sway us Malaysians, for as long as possible, from talking about and discussing more crucial issues such as the price increase in sugar and some other commodities that will be announced soon, Teoh Beng Hock’s case, where to get the money to pay government servants’ next month’s salaries (EPF, Tabung Haji, Petronas or borrow from our neighbour?), corruption involving some big fish, etc.

One day, a boy asked a Catholic Priest after completing Sunday Mass, ‘Other than praying and preaching, do you have any fun at all?’

The Priest answered,’ Nun, Nun and Nun.’ Reader’s Digest’, January 2010.

Why aren’t there any more beautiful women in Italy now and Sophia Loren, having past 80, is still considered the most beautiful woman there?

Because, the harems in Rome in the days of the Roman Empire only had men.

Best regards.

Posted by hak55 at 8:04 AM

January 14, 2010 Posted in: Featured MBA Blogger