From Moaz Nair
There’s a difference between Islamic and Arabic phrases. Islamic phrases are religious expressions, often used by Muslims worldwide regardless of ethnicity. These phrases are primarily used by Muslims to express gratitude to God.
Arabic phrases, on the other hand, are used by both Arab Muslims and non-Muslim Arabs in their everyday communication.
However, both types of phrases have significantly spilled over into the languages and cultures of many other countries, driven by historical influence.
Islamic phrases invoking God (Allah) are also used by people of other monotheistic and non-monotheistic religions. We don’t hear Arab Muslims denouncing this.
Can the use of the word “Allah” in this context be controversial to some Muslims? “Allah” is essentially not exclusive to Muslims. It is the Arabic word for “God” and is used by Arabic-speaking Christians, Jews, and other faiths to refer to the Creator. While central to Islam, “Allah” is a linguistic term for the supreme God of Abraham.
The Arabic script الله (Allah) simply means “The God.” It is a contraction of al- (The) and ilāh (God).
Why, then, should some Muslims in this country make this an issue when they hear non-Muslims uttering Islamic phrases that include the term “Allah”?
There is no doubt that these terms are often associated primarily with Islam. But many non-Muslims in the country today seem comfortable using familiar Islamic phrases such as Allah (The God), al-Ḥamdu-lillāh (praise be to God), insya-Allah (if God wills), masya-Allah (as God has willed it), and As-Salam (The Giver of Peace), among others.
It has become a societal norm in multi-religious Malaysia for some non-Muslims to use these phrases as tokens of friendliness, even though, for Muslims, some of these phrases are devotional in nature.
In a way, when non-Muslims use these Islamic phrases with good intentions, they are acknowledging the way Muslims perceive God. So why should this become so confrontational?
Arabic influence in the Malay Archipelago
Arabic, for that matter, is considered a language of faith for Muslims in the Malay Archipelago.
There are numerous Arabic phrases used in the Malay language due to long exposure to Arabic influence.
They have profoundly seeped into the Malay language and are used by Muslims and non-Muslims in daily interactions, such as yakin (sure), iman (faith), ibadat (worship), kitab (book), haram (forbidden), fitnah (slander) and niat (intention).
The only distinction lies in their usage: religious or general.
Sanskrit phrases used by Muslims
The same can be said of Sanskrit phrases, which are commonly used by Muslims and others in the country without complaints.
It’s common for Malaysians to use Sanskrit loanwords, as this language has deeply influenced Malay, particularly in areas of spirituality, owing to centuries of Hindu-Buddhist influence before the arrival of Islam.
Many spiritual concepts in Malay culture are derived from Sanskrit, such as agama (religion), dosa (sin), pahala (reward), suci (pure), siksa (punishment), syurga (paradise), neraka (hell), guru (teacher), sembah (pray) and puasa (fasting).
Do not be offended
Thus, invoking the name of God using Arabic phrases by non-Muslims should not become contentious if the intention is not to demean the sacredness of Islam. Muslims should not be offended, as many of these phrases have become part of the local lexical repertoire.
When invoking the name Allah and using Islamic phrases by non-Muslims is not controversial to Arab-speaking Muslims, it should also not be an issue for Muslims in our local context.
The language or cultural syncretism in this context is inoffensive to Muslims and will remain part of the Malaysian way of life.
Moaz Nair is an FMT reader.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.