It is naïve of Dato’ N.H. Chan, a learned man and former court of appeal judge, to assume that just because a foreign word appears in the English dictionary it has become an English word. Chan made this observation in his article, “But The Word “Allah” Is A Word In The English Dictionary” (IE 90) thus implying that anyone can now use the word, “Allah”. There are many foreign words found in the English dictionaries, as in “The Great LIFCO Dictionary (English-English-Tamil)” and “Oxford Dictionary (English-English-Tamil)”. Here are some examples:

“masjid” (n) – mosque.
“Kaaba” (n) – small building in the holy mosque in Mecca.
“Quran” (n) – the scared book of Islam.
“kameez” (n) – a piece of clothing like a long shirt worn by people in South Asia and Middle East.
“temasha” (n) – an entertainment, fun.

Have all these words become English? A foreign word may find its way into an English dictionary but that does not make it English. It would be ridiculous for a non-Muslim, when asked where he was going replied, “I am going to the mosque,” when, in actual fact, he was going to his prayer house (church or temple).
The Arabs did not pronounce “Al-ilah”. It is wrong to say that “not even the Arabs or the Jews would pronounce the word “Allah” for their God”. Jews do not but Arabs do. Not only now but even before the time of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh). When King Abrahah of Yemen invaded Mecca with the intention of demolishing the Kaaba, he camped some distance away from the Kaaba. When his soldiers seized the Meccans’ livestock, Abdul Mutalib, leader of the Quraishi tribe and grandfather of Prophet Mohammad, rode up to him and requested the king to release his tribe’s livestock. A surprised King Abrahah asked, “Why the livestock and not Kaaba?” Abu Mutalib replied, “We own the livestock. Kaaba belongs to Allah. He’ll take care of it”. This episode took place 40 years before Prophet Mohammad (pbuh). Abu Mutalib said “Allah” not “Al-ilah”. Therefore, “Allah” is not an Arabic mispronunciation.

The phrase “Allah the deity among the Mohammedans” from the Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology is a mischievous ploy to discredit Islam. “Allah” is not a deity, as deities have physical forms and it is not “Mohammedans”. Unlike the followers of other religions (Christians followers of Jesus Christ; Buddhists followers of Buddha, etc.), followers of Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) are not called “Mohammedans” but “Muslims”.

Books and dictionaries will not teach us new knowledge but learned scholars do, as the Quran states: “Ask those who know if you do not now” (Chapter 16: Verse 43).

I shall be happy to meet N.H. Chan to further clarify. If he can forward me his address, I shall send him my recent article, “All Religions Are One”.

Dr. Mohamed Amir
Perak Islamic Information Centre
piic@streamyx.com

There’s certainly no malice in HN Chan’s assertions regarding the use of the word “Allah”. It’s purely his take on the issue. It may sound prejudicial to you but that’s that. We would have done the same if you have proffered yours.

Ipoh Echo, incidentally, is not a magazine per se but a community newspaper. Our primary objective is to provide Ipohites with a platform to air their views and objections without fear or favour. We are the Voice of the Ipoh Community.

Cheers.

“paganism includes such religions as Hinduism and Taoism”
“I believe the Hindus and the Taoist believe in idol worship.”

display the ignorance of the writer. I am surprised that you publish articles like this. You are in danger of being labelled as a rojak/rubbish magazine. Pls go back to yr mission statement to discover why yr magazine existed in the first place.