Visiting Preacher to the Papal Household, Rev Father Raniero Cantalamessa, 75, admits that he was very surprised that the use of the term ‘Allah’ has erupted into a contentious issue in Peninsular Malaysia.

  pope benedict visit palestine israel 110509 04 Pope Benedict ( left ) was aware as well, as “news like this reaches the Vatican very fast,” said Cantalamessa earlier this week. He was catching up with the local media in Sabah as part of a special worldwide tour to mark the Year of the Priests.

 He was referring to the use of ‘Allah’ one of the 1,000 attributes of God in the three Abrahamic religions, by the Herald in Malay print.

The Herald is a Catholic weekly which publishes in English, Tamil and Chinese.

“One would expect the opposite reaction – being happy instead of being upset – that other people want to share the term ‘Allah’,” said Father Raniero, a Franciscan Capuchin Catholic priest. “I think that there was no intention of competition. It was just to use the term most common in the  region for God.”

Dialogue a very good option

 The overwhelming majority of the local Muruts and Dusuns, including Kadazans (urban Dusuns), are Christians. A minority are animists and Muslims.

The priest was commenting on the claim by various Muslim groups that the term ‘Allah’ had long been used exclusively by them in peninsular.

He noted that they saw it as strange that the Herald wanted to “suddenly switch its preference from using Tuhan (God) to ‘Allah’ in Malay print, citing Sabah and Sarawak as among the reasons.

“Maybe the Herald can answer some of the questions in a better way,” said Father Raniero. “I can’t judge the Catholics in Malaysia and the local church for using the term as their particular way of addressing God.”

Father Raniero cites Pope Benedict’s recent address at a mosque - formerly a cathedral - in Istanbul, Turkey, to put forward the position of the Vatican on the ‘Allah’ issue.

“As the pope said, we have but one God,” said Father Raniero. “We use different attributes (of God) but God is always the same.”

Father Raniero also addressed the issue of whether Christians in countries where they are in a minority should “compromise” on an issue like 'Allah'.

 The implication being that Christians should stop using the term.

“I don’t think that this is about compromise,” he explained. “It’s more a question of terminology than of doctrine.”

Common concern

He suggested that instead of talking about compromise, all religions should engage in mutual dialogue and appreciate each other, and emphasise their common concern for peace and justice.

NONE The torching of churches last month followed the year end ruling by the Kuala Lumpur High Court that the Herald could use the term ‘Allah' in Malay print. Justice Lau Bee Lan ( left ), in her oral decision, ruled that the term ‘Allah’ was not exclusive to Islam.

The High Court ruling followed the failure of the Home Ministry to provide evidence, that the use of the term ‘Allah’ by the Herald in Malay print would result in violence.

The Home Ministry ignited the Allah issue when it last renewed the publishing and printing permit for the Herald on condition that it did not use the term ‘Allah’ in Malay print.

 Catholic Archbishop Rev Murphy Pakiam then filed on Feb 16 last year for a judicial review of the Home Ministry ruling on the grounds that “the Minister had acted beyond his powers and the term ‘Allah’ was not exclusive to Islam”.