I refer to the letter Learn from Iban Bible controversy .

The responses to my earlier letter only confirms my fear that the general perception about the opposition to the use of the world ‘Allah’ in the Herald was a quibble over terminology.

The real concern here is not about a word but what Allah means. Christians and Muslims have different understandings of the Creator; and to use ‘Tuhan’/‘God’ and ‘Allah’ interchangeably only sets about confusion.

This is exemplified by ‘A Well-traveled Christian’ when he/she asserts that he/she has no problems with the principle ‘kepercayaan kepada Allah’.

I am befuddled by this. Does ‘A Well Traveled Christian’ say. ‘He is Allah the One and Unique, Allah who is in need of none and of whom all are in need, He neither begot any nor was He begotten and none is comparable to Him’?

If he/she sincerely believes in this, how does he/she as a Christian reconcile it with the belief in the God incarnate? There is no duality for Muslims, Allah is One. Will the Church accept this?

Further as explained by Steve Oh , Christians have an anthropomorphic view of the Creator such as ‘God as a loving father’. Whereas Muslims believe in the transcendence of Allah and do not ‘localise’ God.

The Quran al Karim teaches us that ‘Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. His Light (in the Universe) may be likened to a niche wherein is a lamp, and the lamp is in the crystal which shines in star-like brilliance. It is lit from (the oil) of a blessed olive tree that is neither eastern or western. Its oil well nigh glows forth (of itself) though no fire touched it: Light upon Light’.

I hope that the readers can appreciate what Allah means to Muslims and that this refutes the Christian notion of the Creator. For a scholarly exposition on this please go here .

It is imperative that we have a clear understanding of our Creator in order for us to relate to Him and Muslims make no compromise on this. Please therefore do not muddy the waters.