As stated several times with regard to this issue, it is true that the word 'Allah' was used by Christian Arabs when referring to God in the bible. In addition to that, Allah is also the personal name of God in Aramaic, the language of Jesus and a sister language of Arabic.

The original languages of the bible (namely Hebrew and Aramaic) as well as Arabic (the original language of the Quran) are semitic languages and thus they are very similar to each other and in may cases share the same etymological roots.

In my opinion, it is technically correct to use the word 'Allah' in the Iban bible because Allah means God and the Christians perhaps find it more meaningful to refer to God as Allah in their holy book as Muslims refer to Allah in our scripture.

But the difference must be explained to the public that the concept of God in Islam is not the same as how God is perceived in Christianity or Judaism, also considered to be monotheistic religions.

Please understand that Allah is the personal name of the o­ne True God in Islam. Nothing else can be called Allah. The term has no plural or gender. This shows its uniqueness when compared with the word god, which can be made plural, gods, or feminine, goddess.

The o­ne True God is a reflection of the unique concept that Islam associates with God. To a Muslim, Allah is the Almighty, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, Who is similar to nothing and nothing is comparable to Him.

The Prophet Muhammad was asked by his contemporaries about Allah; the answer came directly from God Himself in the form of a short chapter of the Quran, which is considered the essence of the unity or the motto of monotheism. This is chapter 112 which reads: "In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Say (O Muhammad) He is God the o­ne God, the Everlasting Refuge, who has not begotten, nor has been begotten, and equal to Him is not anyone."

Islam rejects characterising God in any human form or depicting Him as favouring certain individuals or nations o­n the basis of wealth, power or race. He created human beings as equals and they may distinguish themselves and get His favour through virtue and piety o­nly.

The concept that God rested in the seventh day of creation, that God wrestled with o­ne of His soldiers, that God is an envious plotter against mankind, or that God is incarnate in any human being are considered blasphemy from the Islamic point of view.

Therefore, to those who oppose the ban o­n Christian literature o­n the basis that the word 'Allah' is used in reference to God, please understand why Muslims feel offended when Christians use the term. Although we all claim to be worshipping the same God, Muslims find it appalling that the Allah Who we worship is attributed concepts such as the above.

It is even more harmful when Muslims become confused when reading Christian literature and thinking what they are reading is from the teachings of Islam.

Islam, Christianity and Judaism are monotheistic religions and we share a lot of similarities but our differences are distinctly clear especially in the matters of creed and this has to be made clear and propagated to the public.

This is an obligation upon the powers-that-be, as well as every Muslim. The true message of Islam has to be clarified, just as the true message of Christianity has to be clarified.