Taboo

Making headlines today is the news on Kedah government's decision to increase the number of words, which non-muslim are NOT ALLOWED to use, from 24 to 55.

The 55 words are: Masjid, Surau, Mussala, Musabaqah, Zakat Fitrah、Ulama, Syariah、Akhirat, Baitullah, Allah, Firman Allah, Hadis, Kaabah, Kadi, Ibadah, Wali, Azan, As-sunnah, Mubaligh, Qibiat, Haji, Hajjah, Mufti, Rasul, Quran, Sheikh, Karamah, Tabligh Aulia' Solat, Khalifah, Khutbah, Fatwa Iman Dakwah, Nabi, Shahadah, Lillahi, Wahyu, Subhanallah, Allahu akbar, Walillahihamd, Alhamulilah, Insyaallah, Wallahi, Lailahaillallah, Masyaallah, Wabillahi, Watallahi, Assalamualaikum, Auzubillahi, Astagfirullahal azim, Aahaula walaquata Illabillahilaiyil azim. (By listing them out, does this mean I should be prosecuted under the sedition act now?)

Apparently 24 out of the 55 were already taboo since 1988! Even more shockingly, we are still being taught to use those words! Yes, it's in our text book, it's in the street names, it's everywhere we go!

Does this mean that when a non-muslim is being asked what is a "that" (a certain person points to a mosque), non-muslim are ALLOWED to use 'descriptive words' such as "a big onion-building where muslim prays"? Wouldn't that be far more offensive than just using the word "Masjid"?

At this day and age, where racial harmony SHOULD be promoted in the country to encourage the understanding of each other's culture instead of widening the racial divide, I can't believe that the government would move to do something that is so downright stupid!

I studied in a Malay school when I was young, and it was THE BEST schooling experience I've ever had! In a class where there are only four Chinese students, my Malay classmates were very helpful and taught us a lot about their religion. The way how certain Malay words (like Assalamualaikum, Insyaallah, etc.) work, and taught us how to use them as well. We learn about their culture, they learn about our believes; the Ustaz sometimes allowed us to sit in his Agama classes when our Moral Studies teacher doesn't show up, which is almost every class. The Ustaz gave us the chance to learn even more about the religion and to us, it was an amazing experience that (I believe) not many non-muslims would get the chance to experience.

Although I'm a non-muslim, to this day, I still using phrases like: "Ya Allah", "Insyaallah", and "Astagfirullahal azim". To my "non-muslim" friends, they felt that it's kinda cool that I know those words and would sometimes ask me what those words meant, like how I used to ask my Malay friends in school. To me, that's a great way for others to learn more about another culture and I see no harm in it.

Our government is constantly saying that our country is slowly being "Westernized" and yet, nothing is done to 'encourage' racial harmony. If we are 'encouraged' to use those words instead of limiting it to just a certain crowd, maybe some day in the future when someone sneezes, our children might be uttering phases like "Astagfirullahal azim" instead of the common "God bless".