The ministry’s letter thundered that the Al-Kitab “is prejudicial to the national interest and security of the federation and is prohibited absolutely throughout Malaysia,” according to a chronology provided by the Christian Federation of Malaysia, or CFM. Yet the government revised its ban four months later, in March 1982, declaring that the ban would not apply to the use of the Al-Kitab by Christians in church.  The ban was loosely applied. Despite the so-called threat to national security, there were no body searches by riot police, crouched under the eaves of churches, to check that worshippers had not smuggled their bibles out.

It took another four and a half years before Mahathir decided they had to defend “Allah” again. Mahathir elbowed Musa Hitam out of the home ministry and took over the portfolio in March 1986. On Dec 5, 1986, the home ministry announced a ban on Christians’ use of four Arabic words: “Allah”, “Kaabah” (the sacred Muslim shrine in Mekah), “Baitullah” (house of God) and “solat” (prayer).

Objection not theologicalThe Umno-led government’s vacillations have made it clear that its objection to the use of “Allah” was not theological. The government would have been relentless in pursuing its ban, had it truly believed that Muslims’ understanding of “Allah” as a unitary divine figure would have been “confused” by Christians’ worship of the Trinity, united in one God.