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All of these issues were in play in Malaysia, a multi-religious, multi-ethnic and sometimes turbulent political society.

The case began two years ago when The Herald, the Roman Catholic Church?s weekly Malaysian publication, filed a suit against the government. The Herald has argued that the word ?Allah? predates Islam and is used by Arabic-speaking non-Muslims to refer to God. It filed the suit in order to continue to use the word ?Allah? in its Malay language newspaper. The government had issued the ban on the use of ?Allah? by non-Muslims in the 1980s, but the law was never enforced. Just in the last few years the government began enforcing the law and confiscating Bibles that contained the word ?Allah.? In response to the High Court?s decision, the government appealed the ruling last week. It maintains that ?Allah? is an Islamic word and if used by non-Muslims could confuse Muslims into converting to those faiths. Ethan Cole Christian Post, Eight Church Arson Attack After Malaysia's Allah Ruling, Christianity Today, Jan. 12, 2010.

The case presented an interesting issue of Constitutional interpretation of articles 11 and 12 of the Malaysian Constitution. Article 11 provides in relevant part: "(1) Every person has the right to profess and practice his religion and, subject to Clause (4), to propagate it. . . . . (4) State law and in respect of the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur and Labuan, federal law may control or restrict the propagation of any religious doctrine or belief among persons professing the religion of Islam."   Article 11(2) provides that

an element of toleration within a system of privilege (of Islam) and subordination (of all others) is made necessary by the construction of state organization on the basis of a dominant race religious construct?the Malay. Yet, Islam?s privilege is constrained by the constitution itself.361 And a system of conventionally described fundamental rights is specified.362 Moreover, the courts have resisted a constitutional interpretation that would use Article 3 as the engine through which Islamist constitutionalism could be imported. Backer, Larry Catá, Theocratic Constitutionalism: An Introduction to a New Global Legal Ordering, at Section IV.D.1 (referring to article 3(1) that provides "Islam is the religion of the Federation; but other religions may be practised in peace and harmony in any part of the Federation.").

High Court judge Datuk Lau Bee Lan also declared that an order by the Home Minister banning the use of the word as illegal, null and void. Lau, in her oral decision today, held that the Herald had the constitutional right to use the word in the magazine to propagate the Christian religion but not Islam. She said that pursuant to Article 11(4) of the Federal Constitution, it is an offence for non-Muslims to use the word 'Allah' to Muslims to propagate the religion. But it is not an offence for non-Muslims to use the word to non-Muslims for the purpose of religion, she added. Pursuant to Articles 11 and 12 of the Federal Constitution, the Herald had the constitutional right to use the word in respect of instruction and education of the congregation in the Christian religion. Article 10 allowed it to use the word in the exercise of its right to freedom of speech and expression, she said. Lau said thus the decision by the Home Minister prohibiting Herald publications from using the word 'Allah' in the magazine was illegal, null and void. She said the minister had also failed to adduce evidence that the use of word would threaten national security and create misunderstanding and confusion among Muslims. Time Leonard and Joseph Masilamany, Court: 'Allah' Not Exclusive to Muslims, Sun to Surf, Dec. 31, 2009.

Thus understood, it telling that even such a relatively mild concession has provoked a significant degree of action. Muslim groups have opposed the ruling.

The court decision is not right and we are planning to hold a major demonstration to protest this," Syed Hassan Syed Ali, secretary general of Malay rights group Pribumi Perkasa told AFP. He and 50 other Malay activists held a small protest over the ruling outside a central mosque Friday. "We fear that the court victory will mean that Christian missionaries will now use the word, confusing (the identity of) Muslims and undermining religious harmony," he said. Federation of Malay Students' Association advisor Reezal Merican said although the court decision had to be respected, the government needed to appeal it. "We want to live in peace with all religions here but the word Allah has traditionally in Malaysia been used to represent the Muslim God, which is different from Christianity, and this must be addressed," he told AFP. Northern Perak state mufti Harussani Zakaria was also critical of the verdict, calling it "an insult to Muslims in this country," according to the influential Malay-language Utusan Malaysia newspaper. Malaysian Muslim Activists Oppose 'Allah' Ruling, AFP, Jan. 1, 2010.

If this were the end of the story, one might be inclined to shrug the events off as the usual detritus of nasty competitions for dominance, in which law, religion, ethnicity and culture are deployed as the shock troops in battles for power-dominance in both its real and symbolic forms. First, members of the Muslim community have come forward to protect th eproperty of the Christian Churches.

In addition to security provided by police, Muslim non-government organisations have also begun to patrol church areas in the Klang Valley ? an area on the west coast that includes the capital Kuala Lumpur ? where four churches were targets of arson attacks. Muslim volunteers began patrolling Monday night in two shifts, from 11 pm to 2 am and 4 am until dawn, according to Malaysia?s The Star newspaper. The Muslim NGO?s have committed to be the ?eyes and ears? of the government, which has condemned the attacks on churches, to ensure the security of Christian places of worship. Ethan Cole Christian Post, Eight Church Arson Attack After Malaysia's Allah Ruling, Christianity Today, Jan. 12, 2010.

As a nation we struggle to uphold the spirit of unity that our founding fathers envisioned at independence. We must hold fast to Article 11 of the Federal Constitution which guarantees freedom of religion and the right of religious groups to manage their own affairs. In such times the spirit of engagement and dialogue must transcend those voices that would seek to sow discord and enmity across our land. The people of Malaysia must unite against those who exploit race and religion to incite hatred for political gain. We must renew our commitment to religious understanding and religious freedom. This is a time that tests the resolve of all religions for peace and mutual respect. We must remember that the God who we worship is in fact the same God, the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. With respect to the use of the word Allah, for example, it cannot be disputed that Arabic speaking Muslims, Christians and Jews have collectively prayed to God as Allah throughout the last fourteen centuries. While sensitivities over its usage have arisen in Malaysia, the way to resolve these conflicts is not by burning churches and staging incendiary protests but by reasoned engagement and interreligious dialogue. Anwar Ibrahim, Statement on Church Bombings and Allah Issue, Jan. 10, 2010.