10,000 Bibles Seized in Malaysia

By Gina Fazio

10,000 Bibles were confiscated recently by customs coming into Malaysia from Indonesia. The Bibles contain the word "Allah" to refer to God which is a banned translation in Malaysia. The Muslim majority in the government made this law to appease other Muslims living in Malaysia. The Bibles are written in a common language between the two countries where "Allah" is the closest translation to God.

Chursh officials say the word "Allah" has been used for centuries in Malaysia and Indonesia to refer to God and only recently has there been a problem. However the government maintains that "Allah" is an Islamic word, not a word that can be generally used as a part of the Malay or Indonesian language.

The Roman Catholic Church is challenging the ban in Malaysia in court.

Another 5,100 Bibles were confiscated last March and have still not been released.