God is with us but some of the things in religion are man-made.

Today, in the Star newspaper online, I read the comments of a Minister in Malaysia. He said that the word ‘Allah’ could be used in Sabah and Sarawak which are two states in East Malaysia while the rest of the states in the Peninsula cannot use that word. In fact, he told reporters that in Penang, Malacca, Federal Territories, Sabah and Sarawak could use the word ‘Allah’ legally speaking.

In the first place, we must admit that God came before us. Everything in this world is his creation. Yet, we sometimes talk as if God belongs to us. Some have lost their direction and claimed that this is their God and therefore they have the right to call him thus. They sort of put a copyright on that name even when they themselves acknowledge, something all intelligent and knowledgeable people have to, that the name, be it God or Allah, is a common word used centuries ago for Him. In fact, as reported in the Star online, the minister, Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz, himself admitted that the word ‘Allah’ had been long used in Christianity way before Islam existed. Then when Islam came, the same word was used as it meant God. There was no quarrel about it because no leaders confused the people by making an issue out of it. Also, they pray to ‘Allah’ together, be they Christians, Muslims or others, as the aim for religion then, was to sing in praise of the Almighty and hope for his divine guidance and protection. That was their main aim.

Today, in our miserable world of greed for money and power, we abuse His name to achieve our human desires. This is clear when we see so many denominations in Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and other religions. Humans put different interpretations into the words of God as they want their ideas or interpretations to be accepted. They start another denomination so that they can become leaders whose voice will be heard and accepted. Through religion, these people achieved power.

Humans terrorise others in the name of God and religion so that their ideas on issues are heard or forced upon others even when their deeds are against the very religion they claim to be fighting for. This means that they push aside God’s words so that their words can be heard. They forget that God is all powerful, all almighty, that should God want the world to be rid of Ong Ai Wei, all He needed to do is command that Ong Ai Wei will not awaken after his sleep. There is no need for God to call upon His people to sacrifice their lives, no need to kill and be condemned, no need to terrorise and cause the death of so many innocent people; just list those people He wants to sleep unto death. The fact that such people think they need to sacrifice themselves or commit other foul deeds to kill those they believed have wronged their God (Whose God? How can God ever belong to anybody? He is not something we can buy from somewhere. Oh, God, please do something about this.) indicates that they do not actually believe in God being all Almighty or compassionate. They must ask themselves: Do we truly believe in God?

One of the comments holds a lot of truth about some things in religion. When asked about the publication of the herald, which is a Christian publication, this minister said there could be separate editions with only Sabah and Sarawak using ‘Allah’ After all, “It’s all man-made. It’s not carved in stone.” So historically, ‘Allah’ is used by first, the Christens and then, the Muslims. They both used the same word originally, without confusion. The confusion is man-made, just as who should or should not use the word ‘Allah’ is man-made. God in his wisdom would never cause such confusion because the Christian God and the Muslim God are one and the same God. Certainly, and of course, they use the same word. ‘Allah’. Their followers, if they are not allowed to be ignorant of this fact, should know this. They pray to the same God ‘Allah’ and God is rightfully happy but humans are afraid that they may lose some of their followers, thus diluting their powers as leaders of a religion and so are unhappy. All this unhappiness is man-made.

May God give us the strength and courage to know Him truly, to understand the true message of God and have true faith in Him always. Let us stay true to God with our belief in Him. Read your Holy Book well and not allow humans to add what is not given. Study it with the intelligence and wisdom which god has bestowed upon us. All religions teach us good for ourselves, to others and with everyone. Let us return to the path of such goodness.