The Malaysian government has simply banned the publication from using the world Allah and this has raised the ire and anger of the Church and of news editors and bloggers who are struggling for ‘freedom of expression’ in the country. There was a thin line between total freedom of expression and the possible anger of Muslims against the publication. Had this issue gone out of hand, there could have been further divide between the ethnic groups and their religious beliefs.

While it is true to say that the Christians (many church leaders and bloggers stated so) had the right to use the word Allah, the truth is far from this reality however. I lived with a Christian family when I first came to Malaysia some 15 years ago. The members of the family, to whom I salute my reverence and gratitude until today, were never offensive towards Islam. They never used the word Allah when they spoke about ‘God’ and they never suggested anything that could disturb the religious belief of their guests. They had more than one guest at a time living with them in their rented home in Gombak.

The reason they took me was the bond that existed between this family and myself and they truth is they were my very first family in this country. A Muslim living under the roof of a Christian family is rare in Malaysia but since I am from Mauritius, there was no problem for me to be under their care before I start my own life here.

Besides not using the word ‘Allah’, they also took the pains to ensure that my food was ‘halal’ and that I was comfortable during my 3 months stay in Gombak.

This is the story of how John Fernandez, Gertrude and their two wonderful children treated a foreign Muslim. The point is there was tolerance between them and their guests and as a Muslim I was protected, cherished and loved by this family. And I loved them the way humans, friends, brothers would love each other. The beauty of this story is that Gertrude even introduced me to a Malay lady to whom I am still married after 14 years.

There was never the question of what ‘God’ I was following or why I was Muslim and not even any attempts to introduce me with non-Muslim girls. This is the true Malaysian spirit that alas is slowly disappearing and the Muslims or the Christians are not the ones to blame totally for that.

In the first place, it is the war on terror and the support given to this anomaly of our times by the leaders of the world that has caused serious rifts among the communities and caused peace to fade and tolerance to be forgotten.

The other important lesson learned from this true story of my life in Malaysia is the very fact that not a single Muslim family offered to take me in for a month or two before I start my life here. Today it is even more desperate. I would bet my reputation on a dead horse to win a race if a Muslim family would want to take me, Kazi Mahmood, in their midst and feed me and tolerate me and treat me like an equal.

Though Allah or Yahve did not die on the cross, John Fernandez did not use the word Allah to either explain what his God was about or to impress me, a Muslim with the use of Allah. The word used always was God and the beliefs of the Fernandez were never in question nor were my beliefs during my stay under their care.

Why did I have to put up with them when I was already renting an apartment in Brickfields? Like I said, it was the bond that was built between us and the children paid a great role in building this bond. They were cheerful, happy and very interesting children and I know that they touched my heart and Allah will protect them where ever they are.

The question is not whether the publication is wrong or the Malaysian government is right in the issue of the use of the word Allah in the Christian magazine. The real issue is where has tolerance gone and why did the publication not go even further than using Allah in the articles? I would be too glad to write a story or two for the Christian publication on the real meaning of the name of Allah and why using his name would be wrong if Islam was not also explained by the editors of the publication.

The only way to resolve this conflict is to be tolerant. The publication must be tolerant to the views of the Muslims regarding Christianity and that would be the simple fact that the Quraan (Book of the Muslims) reveals that Allah does not have a son and Jesus, the prophet of Islam, did not die on the cross.

The war on terror has opened a gateway to hell and this has created dramatic issues like using the words Allah and Muhammad could bring violence and so on. If the word Allah was to be used freely by the publication, then the editors should go further by using the word Muhammad (Swallahu Alayhi Wassalaam) and Isa (AlayhisSalaam) rather than Mahomet or Jesus. No offense here since it will be wiser to explain to the non-Muslim world that Allah is the Arabic name of God but Allah has 99 names and many of these names are against the fundamentals of Christianity. They should also refrain from using Jesus because in the Malay language, Jesus is Isa. This would surely confuse the readers of the magazine.

On the other hand, the authorities must also show tolerance and instead of banning the use of the word Allah in the publication, they should have asked for the right to explain what the word meant and why the publication should resort to the use of Malay names for all the prophets too. Fair deal!

The Muslims would surely be offended if the publication said Allah and his son (or Allah dan Jesus, anak lelaki Tuhan). I would not be offended because I understand that many non-Muslims do not really understand Islam and its concept. The best way is to explain and the best way to explain is to dialogue but the most important is to be tolerant.

The Fernandez was tolerant and even brotherly. Had they criticized Islam while I was their guest, there would have been a dialogue and more tolerance. And the winner would have been the humans. The Muslims are as frightened as the non-Muslims of the impact of the war on terror and this war is to be blamed for the troubles we are witnessing.

In Mauritius, where I come from, a teacher accused the Muslims of being terrorists. This is a first in the peaceful country. The teacher, a Chinese lady, said to my nephew Ishtiak (his name) that terrorism was written on the faces of all Muslims. This caused an outcry and the end of the story came when the teacher had to apologize in public over her remarks.

We should not go down that road, the road that people like George Bush and Tony Blair has led us to for the past 8 years. We should learn from history and Malaysia will gain if everybody decides to be tolerant and not to offend the faith of others.

Comments (27)

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...
written by Sean Tang, December 30, 2007

This article misses the point entirely.

The point is not whether Muslims and Christians believe or not that Jesus is the son of god. That is a personal matter of faith for each individual to decide.

The point is whether any religion should be allow to monopolise or patent the use of words in a language.

It is indisputable that Allah is the Arabic word for god, just 'god' is the English word for god and 'tuhan' is the Malay word for god. It is NOT the name of the 'Muslim god' specifically, as distinct from the 'Christian god' or 'Jewish god'. Allah simply means god, regardless of the religion of the person using it (the word).

Therefore can a religion claim monopoly over what is essentially a normal word, and not a name?

If so, I claim for myself the word 'human' with immediate effect. The rest of you folks can call yourselves 'inhuman' or 'animal'.

YOU HAVE BEEN BLINDED
written by Hassan, December 30, 2007

Kazi Mahmood,
I believe you are a good yet intelligent man. But it's a pity that you are also blinded with religion.
I don't belive that there is God. And even if there were One, It could not be any of the currently available religions.
Jesus is not a God.. I agree with you. But I respect him because he taught good things for the human life.
Mohamed is not a prophet.. and you must not agree with me that he was the most notorious leader at all times.. Because you were blinded with your religion, that is the reason.
And I know that it's a vain to write this thing here... because you have been blinded.

God and Islam
written by Editor, December 30, 2007

Thanks for the posts...in reply to Sean Tang, the article is a sincere effort to tell you all that Muslims do not really see others faith as non-entities. In fact, Islam urges Muslims to respect others faith. You missed the point Sean since you did not really understand the article. It is about the reason why the magazine in question would want to use Allah but would refuse to use Isa Alayhissalaam for example. The editors should come clean and decide to use Bahasa Malaysia in the majalah and use all the prophets names in Malay. That will be a honest move! The issue of who can use the name is a non-issue it is the intention behind the use of the name of Allah that is the question here.

On the other hand, Hassan I won't say you are wrong or right. I would say you are not happy with God. If HE did not exist then why are we here on this earth? If HE did not exist then can you explain the 'big bang' that brought the universe to existence? I had the same problem with a lecturer when I was 14 years old and I made him see very clearly that he, a communist follower, was totally absurd and wrong. One day we talk about that but as for your statement that Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) is not a prophet, then I would say you are astray. Even the most hardened Christians and Jews (true ones) would recognize Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) as a prophet of Allah.

Thanks folks.

Kazi

...
written by joshua, December 30, 2007

To Kazi,

I would like to recommend you to read this book and give your opinion on it.

http://fish-house.com/pdf/IslamReviewed.pdf

Regards

Thanks Joshua
written by Kazi Mahmood, December 30, 2007

Thanks for the link. Will read it and will get back to you.

Yours

Kazi

...
written by Kazi Mahmood, December 31, 2007

To Joshua..I read part of the book you asked me to read. Its nothing but the questions of a person who claims to be an apostate. His heart seems filled with confusion and he never replies to the questions that he asks himself. Such a confused person does not have the answer to his own questions indeed. I appreciate that you made an effort to pass this link to me, however, it changes nothing in the daily realities that we are living. That is the fact that extremism exists even in christianity and that the book in question is also a form of extreme abjection towards Islam. The writer is also an extremely disturbed person and it is unfortunate that his book will not have the impact that he or the publishers expects.

Yours

Editor

...
written by Hassan, January 02, 2008

Kazi, you wrote:
Even the most hardened Christians and Jews (true ones) would recognize Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) as a prophet of Allah.
How can you come to that conclusion.. oh you are too sick to be able to think clearly.
Again, I don't have any religion (of course I did have before). If being asked whether there is God or not, I would say: I don't know.... As a scientist, that would be my correct answer. But my healthy mind will say: most probably there is not.
But most religious people including you claim that there is god and they are so sure that their god is the only one that is true.
You use scientific reason like 'big bang' to support your claim, but you don't realize that all those scientific proofs give more support that god does not exist rather than the opposite one.

Just wonder if you have ever had time to contemplate about all the things in this world, back to the ancient times before any religion appeared, give a lot of questions and correlate those with science, then finally find the truth.

One of the question you should ask is: if Muhammad is a prophet of Allah, how could he do such a lot of notorious things? Don't be pretending as if you don't know what I mean with notorious things... and don't run to other religion by saying that Moses also did kill a lot of people.. (although I would agree that Moses and Muhammad are both fake 'nabi'). Of course Muhammad said that Allah asked him to do that. Muhammad could convinced that to his people during his time.. but you, a modern scholar, would you believe that?

Ah I forgot, it wouldn't give any effect on you, since you have been blinded...

Hassan the Monkey Scientist
written by Kazi Mahmood, January 03, 2008

A monkey is what non-believers in Allah think they are. They say Darwin was right in thinking that man come from monkeys. What a low brain Darwin was. The bible and the Quraan insists man come from a different dimension. Scientists like Hassan (not his real name I guess) here tried to force the belief that there is no Allah and that mankind is an accidental product of nature, a monkey who simply one day decided to speak and think and get married and fight wars etc etc...
I ask the scientist world and the Hassan guy this question and do not reply with slander or deceit. Reply in full faith and with full honesty Hassan and other scientists: How did the space come to exist? Now do not give me a lecture that is worth the students at the universities. Give me all you have that can make me see how wrong you are and make you realize how petty you have been and misleading you are in your persistent approach that Darwin, the big monkey was right!
I believe and I can argue with reasoning that I come from space and that those who claim to be from monkeys are either deceitful or have been deceived by their instructors. I am waiting and after your reply, if any, I would have handed you the proof that you are on the wrong path.

Thanks

Kazi Mahmood

...
written by Hassan, January 03, 2008

Hahaha Kazi, I made a bet with a friend that at last you will say that Hassan is not my real name. And it happened today.. haha.. so I won.
How could I guess that you will finally say that? Yeaa, no valid reason, just my feeling that a narrow-minded muslim will feel offended if a muslim converted to other religions...
Even I have a friend named Muhammad.. and he is now a christian.
Kazi, Hassan is my real name, and I won't change it forever... but there is no way to prove it because I am afraid that you (or other muslims) will kill me.. hahaha...
Only may be if one day I become PM then I will invite you to my office...?

Paranoia Hassan
written by Kazi Mahmood, January 03, 2008

I said you people are afraid but you are also afraid of the truth that you shout and rebel against it. You are so paranoiac to judge by yourself that all Muslims will kill you for some reasons. Wish you a happy life in your confinement and your fake life!

jonh
written by jonh, January 04, 2008

Hi Mr Kazi,
You have again missed the main point of the issue here.
Its about human right - i.e. right to express freely and to use language freely.
It is not about what a religion believes not not believes.

"Allah" is a word which means "God" in many languages.
mind you, not just Arabic, but in Sikh, in Indonesian, in Iban (Borneo) languages.
choice of word to address God shouldn't be restricted.

In fact, the Christians & Jews in Arab had used this word hundreds of years before the muslims.
But did they feel offended when the muslims started to use this word when the Prophet Mohamad founded the Religion Islam?
No. They didn't.

Closer to Malaysia, Indonesia (the biggest muslim country) Christians address God as Allah and the word also appears in all of the Indonesian Bible. Did muslims in Indonesia feel offended or protest? not any recorded event.

This is clearly a case of "might over right". just because muslims in Malaysia are the majority and have political power doesn't justify this obvious injustice.
now tell me this:
if the US ban a muslim magazine because it uses the word "God" to address, well, God. The reason given is this will confuse and anger Christians. I think there will be protest all over the world and very likely killing and burning will begin, as this is seen as injustice to Islam.

Ask yourself honestly, are you being double standard here?
You and God has the answer. but be truthful and honest to yourself. please.

...
written by Kazi Mahmood, January 04, 2008

Jonh...simply put it, my article is not about divisions between Muslims and Christians. Its about the tolerance that we should have. Try to read the big picture here, not the simple details. Sometimes the details are important, but at times like these, its the big picture that matters.
Honestly? You find my story dishonest? That is a matter of concern indeed! I wonder what is honesty if my story seems dishonest!
Anyway, I believe the Christians should not spoil things in Malaysia simply because they can do so. They should be grateful that the Muslims of Malaysia in their majority are not against non-Muslims at large, which is the perception that some people give. I live in Malaysia and am surrounded by non-Muslims, Malays and foreign citizens. I never have problems with the non-Muslims and the foreigners. I have problems with some of the Malays due to their attitude problem towards people like me. By People like me I mean a 'foreigner'. Yet I do not bother myself about the Malays who cause trouble to me or my family (my family is Malaysian). I just watch them abuse their own names with the silly things they do: Example this neighbor of mine to whom I never spoke for 15 years (am living here for 15 years) but who decided to bring the police to my house simply because my car tire hit a stone which he illegally used as a separator between his gate and my gate...today he called in the contractor to build a small wall that separates the space between his gate and my gate...imagine the silly situation? I have problems with Muslims not with non-Muslims, dear Jonh. Do you get it?

I may eventually put a picture of the small wall of fame to show the world how a Muslim neighbor can be filled with egoistic and gross sentiments towards a foreigner who is living in Malaysia. What would say about that? That am on the side of those who are willfully and so freely attacking Islam and the Muslims in Malaysia? I am a Muslim, do not forget that!

Thanks

...
written by Hassan, January 04, 2008

Kazi,
I am not paranoids because the threat is real.
So you don't want to kill me? You must be not a good muslim then . Good muslims have obligation to kill all apostates! That was the teaching I got, as directly ordered by Allah through Muhammad!

...
written by Kazi Mahmood, January 04, 2008

To Hassan (or whatever his name is). How wrong can you be? You are diametrically wrong about apostasy in Islam. Islam is a rather (to make it understandable to the weak minds) democratic system that relies on due process. I mention democratic coz this is what you will understand. Then you have understood now! The way to deal with apostates in an Islamic society (am sure you are not living in one such society) is to catch the fella who renounces Islam and bring him or her to a 'reformatory'.
Now you will claim that Islam is not democratic and is autocratic. Say it loud the way you want to yet it won't change a thing about how Islam handles apostates. You must realize that all the noises, the opposition and the help you and your kind may be giving to say the Americans or the west to undermine Islam will not have fruitful results in the end....sorry digression from the topic!
Back to apostates, Islam then urges the ulema or members of the Islamic da'awa society to cross examine the apostate and put the picture perfectly in front of the strayed person. It is to be done in the most subtle, nicest manner possible.
In the end of the process, there is a court case. An Islamic court case by right and this then decides the fate of the apostate. In the event the apostate reverted back to Islam, he/she is released but remains under supervision in the free society. Otherwise, the options are open ended to the judges or jury, which will include the parents of the person too, and the decision will be either to expel the person (exile - which is very likely) or to jail (which is not likely in Islamic systems) and to execute the person (which will depend on the views of those who are directly affected by the actions of the person).
There is due process and denying this (which you will do) is wrong.
Now whether it is wrong or right to execute the apostate in the end of the process deserves no 'opinion' from me. You and Bush can criticize it but you and Bush would do the same if a person was found to be a 'traitor' or apostate to the democratic system that you may be defending with your last drop of blood. That person will go to jail without trial (guantanamo) or will be 'renditioned' - kidnap is the simple word - by the CIA and tortured in secrecy in a fortified prison system. Looks like in the 'democratic' system of America and in that in your mind too, there is a lack of due process!
I gain nothing in saying 'kill' to you. You do not deserve that because you are either ignorant of Islamic rules or you are biased to the extent that you will go to all extremes to belittle the Muslims and demonize Islam!
As for the 'threat' that you see real, it is paranoia...You are inventing the threats because you are, like Bush (who you claim you are not supporting) you reject the right of the Muslims to react, to fight back and to attack the attackers!

Thanks

I see the point in your article
written by Anti-Jihad, January 04, 2008

Kazi,

I ain't gonna criticize you blindly on this one as I can see that your point is about the understanding between you and your gracious hosts during your stay in Gombak. Bravo to the Fernandez family for being so amicable.

I wonder, however, if any Muslims in Malaysia would be so tolerant towards non-Muslim guests who are living with them? Or for that matter, how likely would there be Muslims taking non-Muslims as guests and providing non-halal food for the non-Muslim while consuming halal food themselves? Or not proseltyzing to the non-Muslim or 'invite' him to a mosque?

From what I understand, most Muslims in Malaysia are an intolerant lot. Look at the Lina Joy issue - the forums are aflame with statements that can be summarized simply as "KILL HER!". And in the recent Hindraf issue in Malaysia? Some Muslim blogs and forums in Malaysia took an anti-Hindu stance and proclaim "This is an Islamic country. If the non-Muslims don't like it here they should get out or we should kill them".

Why the violence? Do you see rioting and terrorist attacks launched by Christians against cinemas or the film producers when the "Christianity-insulting" movie, "The Da Vinci Code", was released? Nope.

Imagine what would have happened if a movie questioning the prophethood of Muhammad came out..

We can see clearly who are the actual perpetrators of intolerance in the world today. And they are the same ones spinning the broken record of victimhood.

...
written by Kazi Mahmood, January 04, 2008

Anti-Jihad wrote: Do you see rioting and terrorist attacks launched by
Christians against cinemas or the film producers when the
"Christianity-insulting" movie, "The Da Vinci Code", was released? Nope.

The movie about Jesus was not played in Malaysia and was played very conservatively in the US or UK and elsewhere. There was protest, profusion of writings in the western press and blogs against the movie and its directors. There was even threats and in some places attacks against cinemas when the movie was to be played. In Malaysia, I guess it was banned and be my guess to know that the Muslim world in its entirety condemned the move first!

You are still mixing events and situations, refusing the right to the Muslims to emotions and to reaction. That is understandable since you do not have a good perspective of what is happening in the Middle East and in parts of the world...read us more, understand us more!

In Malaysia, the Muslims does not behave the same way as Muslims in other countries. My sister, brother in law took a hindu in their house, fed him and took care of him while he was in Mauritius for two years. You still got to learn from us...The situation in Malaysia must be read and explained with extreme caution. There is a history behind every thing, every event. One can't justify some reactions by adding it to Islam, as if Islam is responsible for all the actions of the Muslims, which is not the case.

Yours

...
written by jonh, January 07, 2008

Dear Kazi,
You were not being honest of yourself because you were looking at things from the muslim perspective and failed to realise that rights of all human being in this world is equal. as simple as that.
not matter what one's religion says and written in the scriptures, there must be a respect for human right. Not just tolerance.
Restricting anyone to use a word is clearly against human right, especially a word as universal as "Allah" - GOD.
this is clearly a case of "might over right", do you think just because the muslims have majority political power, they can "over-write" human right? Is this "islamic" in your opinion?
Now tell me this: if the christians in Arab obtain political power (hypothetically), can they impose the same on the muslims in Arab? since they were using the word "Allah" much earlier than the muslims did? Does this give them more right?
Again, you have the honest answer in your own heart.

Allah bless you.

My dear Jonh...
written by Kazi Mahmood, January 07, 2008

I know you are not happy with my answers. However, the meaning of honesty will change today since you can come back and accuse me of being dishonest. That is your personal point of view yes but like we say in French, if insult could kill, many would be dead by now. You are not insulting my intelligence alone but also that of others. You can't claim to love the name Allah and to use it when inside you, you know very well you do not give a damn about Allah. It is you who has to come clean here and be honest. Tell me you talk about Allah every day in Arabic? Or you simply call God? You are being a totally dishonest person here.
On your claims that Arabs were using Allah before Islam came - thus no one can claim the word Allah, I beg to differ. Allah first came to our knowledge as Humans the day Prophet Adam (AlayhisSalaam) was sent on earth. He lifted his eyes on the sky and read La Ilaha IlAllah Muhammadur Rasulullah (which is the first Act of faith in Islam). It was used by Adam, the first Muslim and care to know that Islam came with Adam but in a very rudimentary form and it grew and came to its final form with Muhammad (Swallahu AlayhisSalaam).
If you are a christian and you want to use Allah only to raise the anger of Muslims, then what are you? Surely you are the enemy of peace. The Malaysian Cabinet (which consists of non-Muslims) have decided that Herald cannot use the name Allah or Solat or Quraan etc in their Bahasa Malaysia version. What are you fighting for now?
In my own humble point of view you are wrong on two more counts (besides being wrong in calling me dishonest). You are also wrong on the issue of Human Rights. Allowed to use or not the word Allah does not violate the human rights of anyone. It has nothing to do with rights. You are confusing things deliberately or you are simply too weak in your thinking to understand heavy stuffs.
The third wrong you did is about the hypothetical question you asked. The FACT remains the Middle East is almost entirely Muslims and you should learn to live with that.
One more thing, if any one on this earth would try to prevent Muslims from calling Allah by his name Allah, then am sure I would not be the last Muslim to fight it because I would be the first to do so. Yet if the Malaysian government decides that non-Muslims cannot use Allah in their Bahasa Melayu version of their publications, I am the first to support that. And the majority of the Muslims in Malaysia would do so.
This is a very tight rope to walk on for Malaysians and any mistakes by the detractors of the Malaysian regime will lead to a massive vote by the Malays for the BN. That is my very very humble views and I am not easily to be found wrong on such issues.

Yours and thanks for your comments.

Kazi

...
written by jonh, January 07, 2008

Dear Kazi,
U are emotional. take it cool. its a academic debate here, nothing personal. We don't even know each other.
I didn't call you dishonest. Did I? I said "u have the honest answer in your heart". Did you think thats translate to calling you "dishonest"???
You are indeed good in writing.
you brought out a good point here: i.e. all muslims will fight and don't mind killing if they are not allowed to use the word "Allah" but yet you think its ok to restrict non-muslim to use that word?
DO YOU HONESTLY THINK THIS IS FAIR AND JUST?
You argument on ADAM being the first muslim is from your perspective of a muslim who believe in Islam. That doesn't apply and shouldn't apply to other people who don't believe.
Again, you avoided my question on "might over right". why?
Just because of majority, they have power to over-rule minority, including right to use a word?
My friend, if you want to convince readers of what justice and fairness are about, a simple way is to show by example.
Unfortunately, all I gathered from your arguments were self-referencing statements to justify yourself.
Don't you think its laughable if a communist told the world "Communism is the greatest idea because Chairman Mao says so in his books"? self-reference is the same.

By the way, I m not a Christian. But I believe if someone says "Allah" in his prayer, be him/her a muslim, christian, hindu, sikh etc, the only one who hears that will be GOD (or Allah, or Tuhan, or Tian Zu...) himself.
Language is just a tool to point to the greater truth, not the truth itself.

Cheers

We are all humans
written by Kazi Mahmood, January 07, 2008

First of all, I think Jonh you are Malaysian. Correct me if am wrong.
The next thing is that you are welcomed to debate and even throw mud at me. That is what this website commentary section is for.
I think you are totally wrong in taking what I said to you in my last post in the article on OIC and US as bad. It was not meant to make you angry but it did.
The thing is, we are all humans. We have our own ways of living and I am a Muslim and I have my own way of life. I live with Muslims, Christians, Chinese, Malay, Indians, White, Brown or Blue eyes with the same respect. I respect you, respect everyone who comes here and I also salute you all for visiting this site. I have special thanks to you who post messages here. It make me feel good since there are people who are willing to debate, discuss with me. It is a great thing. We should enjoy that indeed.
Jonh you surely know me by now. Everything about me is in this blog. That should be comforting for you since you know who you are dealing with. My name is real, my website is real and every thing I say is from my heart and mind.
Yet you are right when you say 'we do not know each other' since I do not really know you. As a journalist, it has been my career for 27 years, I have the right to put my judgment where my fingers are. I earned this right by being steadfast in my career. FYI there is not a single editor in chief under whom I worked before at the BBC, Africa Confidential, African Business or Africa Now and even Islam Online who can tell you anything bad about me. Most of these people are non-Muslims, white or African of origin. Do you know why they do not have anything bad to say about me? Because I do my job professionally.
In this blog, I am free and totally free to point my finger at people and to hit hard where it is necessary.
I will say sorry to you Jonh if I was harsh or sounded ugly.
Nevertheless, in real life if you know me - which is not impossible - you will probably see a very different person than from the writings here in these commentaries. I am not going to judge myself, right.
On the other hand, your Muslims friends are misleading you if they tell you that they are not allowed to condemn or criticize Muslims who do wrong. Yes they are supposed to cover for their Muslim brothers but they are also allowed the total freedom to say Osama Bin Laden is wrong or the JI is terrorist or even the Taliban is extremist. They do have the right and it is not a sin to say so. It is the problem of their upbringing that could be responsible to their attitude.
For example, I wrote a book entitled Islam Inc. In this book I have an entire chapter which is called "The Muslim Greed". Friends in Malaysia and Indonesia criticized me for that. I explained to them that there was a reason to call some Muslims greedy. Tamak in Malay. They are greedy because they are selfish and they have lost the sense of Islamic Brotherhood. If they are not criticized they will not understand their errors and faults.
Otherwise, when you state that "Unfortunately, all I gathered from your arguments were self-referencing statements to justify yourself," you know it is not true. I will rest my case on that though since I know you are not to judge me for what I say or who I am.
With due respect to your person, I maintain that you ought to be more open minded towards Muslims and their faith. You will understand Islam better when the day comes.

Thanks

To Jonh on your latest statements
written by Kazi Mahmood, January 07, 2008

Your comment that my statement about Adam AlayhisSalaam is from a Muslim perspective only is also not correct. Do you know why? Because you reject everything that is Islamic. I have never rejected Christianity or Judaism because they form part of the people of the book. The main problem that both the Jews and Christians have with the Muslims is that they reject Islam, though it is part of the 'people of the book'.
You stated that "Don't you think its laughable if a communist told the world "Communism is the greatest idea because Chairman Mao says so in his books"? self-reference is the same,"
Well my friend, the world did not laugh when Das Capital - the bible of Communism - blew the Russian oligarch away to establish one of the biggest, greatest communist regime on earth. Mao did indeed bring China to the communist fold since he saw that communism would not come to China without him telling the Chinese people 'Communism was the answer to their ills.'
Finally, I never said that non-Muslims cannot say Allah. Don't mix things and get me wrong. I said the magazine would do better not to stir trouble with the use of Allah in its pages. I also said if some day some super powers would prevent Muslims from saying the word Allah, I would fight against that. My fight is here, on the internet, in my books and in my real life. I am not a warrior on a field and I do not use guns. I can barely kill anyone with my own hands. Your statement that I would go to the extent to kill anyone for that matter is surely said with emotional anger.
Yes I am an emotional human being because I am a human being. I find it rather sarcastic for people to condemn emotions when that is very much part of our human self.

Thanks

Might over right
written by Kazi Mahmood, January 07, 2008

John wrote: Again, you avoided my question on "might over right". why?
I did not avoid this question. Too concentrated on the issues made it impossible to tackle this one. We are talking here of Malaysia. It is my adopted land since I left my country for a long time now. You are right in judging the situation in this country as "might over right'.
I fought for the freedom of the press in the late 1980's in Mauritius. Those were the days when a Hindu leader, nominated Deputy Prime Minister, decided that the Press was to be controlled and that the freedom of the press was to be thrashed. There was massive rejection of the new laws passed by Parliament on this issue and demonstrations too. Mauritius is majority Hindu dominated and though it is rare to see 'might is right' in this tiny Island nation, this incident was one where might (majority) wanted to press for what is wrong. The DPM ended in the dustbin of history for that and the press is still as free and fair as it can be in Mauritius, today.
Yes...in Malaysia there is this attitude of might is right in some cases and I am also a victim of this attitude. This will change only if the people of the country and the leaders changes. Not an easy task and it is not my battle too. However, in the case of the word Allah being used by the publication, I forbid myself to state that is an affair of might is right. Remember it is a Cabinet composed of non-Malays-Muslims that decided the magazine in question could not use the word Allah and a few other words in its Bahasa Malaysia version.
That surpassed the might is right notion since it is a Malaysian cabinet, not a Malay cabinet that decided upon it.

Thanks

George McGovern on Bush's presidency
written by Kazi Mahmood, January 08, 2008

But what are the facts?

Bush and Cheney are clearly guilty of numerous impeachable offenses. They have repeatedly violated the Constitution. They have transgressed national and international law. They have lied to the American people time after time. Their conduct and their barbaric policies have reduced our beloved country to a historic low in the eyes of people around the world. These are truly "high crimes and misdemeanors," to use the constitutional standard.

From the beginning, the Bush-Cheney team's assumption of power was the product of questionable elections that probably should have been officially challenged -- perhaps even by a congressional investigation.

Read more on what Mc Govern said on Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/
wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/04/AR2008010404308.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

...
written by jonh, January 09, 2008

Dear Kazi,
I think I m not the one who is not being open minded, simply because I don't belong to any religion nor bound by any religious restrictions to think aloud. to me thinking aloud is allowed.
I personally have no issue with what others practice as long as thats not imposed on me forcefully.
You are indeed a man who is good in words.
the fact of the issue is "some people have been denied their constitutional right to freedom of language", regardless of who is in the government to issue the order.
you have stated clearly that you would fight for your right if similar restriction is imposed on you.
so my question is: why do you think it is RIGHT when the MIGHT over-rules the RIGHT of non-muslims?
Is it because now the MIGHT is on the muslim side, so the RIGHT of non muslim is not your concern?

The issue is really a simple one. It has nothing to do with what happened in Mauritius.

As a thinker, if you can free yourself from the muslim identity for just a moment and think from a human right perspective, you would understand what I mean and what thousands of others "neutral" people feel about this issue here.
but can you, or would you? or is that not allowed?

Cheers

religious restrictions
written by Kazi Mahmood, January 09, 2008

Absolutely right you are, Jonh. There are religious restrictions as you call them. Actually I would call these the respect of certain rules and conditions in what we know as faith in Allah.
Yet that does not make Muslims - like me - incapacitated to understand either the feelings of others or the sense of limitations imposed on others. Like I said earlier, there is no harm if a non-Muslim was to use the word Allah to address God. It is alright. But then, there is the issue of misuse too. You must be aware that many non-Muslims have used and will still use the word Allah to anger the Muslims and cause trouble. I can show you evidence on Malaysia Today or on so many millions of blogs online.
With regards to the issue of press freedom in Mauritius, it is a parallel drawn to explain 'might over right'. I also said that in Malaysia for example, there was this problem of might over right in some cases.
It is absolutely not 'wrong' for non-Muslims to use Allah but do they really want to use it to impress the Muslims or be honest with themselves? This is the deepest concern for Muslims. By right, this has little to do with might.
I am open minded and I will tolerate even the worst slander over Islam and so on but then I reserve the right...not the might...to respond to such slander. Hope u got my point.
This does not impede my independence of thinking. In fact, being Muslim and a writer altogether, I find it easier and more comfortable to represent the 'thinking' lot of the Islamic faith.
I am no liberal Muslim and certainly not extremist if that exists. Yet in Islam there is no moderate too. That is what causes the non-Muslims and a lot of laymen (Muslims or otherwise) to be confused over the faith called Islam.
To the world of today, there must be two extremes and a middle line to anything. In Islam, there is no such concept coz Islam is neither extreme or moderate. It is simply and purely 'Islamic'.

Thanks to you

...
written by jonh, January 11, 2008

Dear Kazi,
I think we disagree with each other in this issue but at least we didn't disgrace ourselves with name calling.
Instead I appreciate the more rational discussions so far.
we had both said our minds.

Cheers

re- religious restrictions
written by Kazi Mahmood, January 11, 2008

Hi,

Thanks for your comments, they were very kind. We are indeed in an 'agree to disagree' mode.

Your are most welcomed here to debate with me on issues of interests. That is one of the many reasons I put up this site.

Take care, have a nice day Jonh.

Kazi

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