Malaysia confiscates 300 Bibles for using word Allah

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ANI London
Last Updated : Jan 03 2014 | 11:40 AM IST

Malaysian authorities have seized more than 300 Bibles from a Christian group because they use the word Allah to refer to God.

Bible Society officials said that two of their members were briefly detained following the seizure.

A court ruled in October that non-Muslims could not use the word Allah to refer to God.

According to the BBC, the appeals court said the term Allah must be exclusive to Islam or it could cause public disorder.

People of all faiths use the word Allah in Malay to refer to their gods.

Christians argue they have used the word to refer to their God for centuries and that the ruling violates their rights, the report said.

Alarmed at the raid, the Council of Churches of Malaysia urged the government to 'protect religious rights as provided under the Federal Constitution'.

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First Published: Jan 03 2014 | 11:29 AM IST

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