Malaysian archbishop assures faithful: 'Allah' can still be used in worship

January 27, 2015

Archbishop Julian Leow of Kuala Lumpur has written a pastoral letter to assure the Catholics of Malaysia that a legal ban on the use of the word “Allah” applies only to the Catholic newspaper, not to liturgical functions or editions of the Bible.

Earlier this month the country’s top court dismissed an appeal by the Catholic newspaper, the Malaysia Herald, and let stand a ban on the paper’s use of the word “Allah,” which Malaysian Christians use to identify God. Archbishop Leow reassured the faithful that the decision applies only to the Herald.

 

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Further information:

• For the archbishop of Kuala Lumpur, the word "Allah" can be used in the Bible and in the Mass (AsiaNews)
• Top Malaysian prelate shaken by court ruling against Christian use of 'Allah' (CWN, 1/22)