by Ali Syarief

I can not write down “Gods”, otherwise will againts the belief of most of the people in this
world. Currently I read the news in Malaysia that there were some Churches were burned down by Islamic or fundamentalist group because they (Christian) called “Allah” to their God, I said; “ Oh my God”, what ‘s wrong? God, a holly name of the supreme creator, is well known by every civilization but the names of vary depending on the place and feeling of the local people.

My Friend Imam Subagio, who is a Javanese, called Him Gusti Allah. While Ayu Sukmadewi, She is Balinese and She is Hindu, called Him “ Sangyang Widiwase or Dewata”, while Alexander Soares who is Timorese called Maromak. Anyway a Sundanese like myself called “Gusti anu murbeng Alam”. Moses, Isa and Muhammad, who are well known called Prophets, introduced in their holly books such as Torah, Injil (the Bibble) and Qur”an for the same God as Elloi, Elloh or Allah.

Aramaic, the Semitic language, old language of the middle east, is used to describe a variety of languages spread over a vast area, today from Egypt to Iraq, and Turkey in the north. The Aramaic language was spoken as a means of communication for official business, diplomacy and as divine language by Assirians, Babylonians, Persians, Chaldeans, Jews and Syrians, and by all people in the middle east in ancient times.

Arabic, a Semitic language, and Hebrew, also a semitic language, are closed to Aramaic. Those three closely related expressed the subconsious feeling of the need a supreme power in ythe same way. Jews said “Elloi” or “Elloh”, that’s some time later changed to become “Ellohim” or “Yahwe” to as name of God. The Arab used “Allah” as the holy name of God. which was written down in the Qur’an. So the three peoples with similar languages expressed the same for the name of God. (Quoted from Sulityo Pujo- The Jakarta Post,1/25/2010).

How do we call to people who destroy Churches, Mosques or Synagogues or maybe other holy places as believer? The true believers should respect to other holly places as Muhammad even offer his mosques to Jewish People on their Journey to perform their prayers. Shalahudin Al Ayyubi ordered his followers to respect Churches and let them free because they were People of the Book (Ahli Kitab).

By the way, sometimes I contemplate that I have to change my thought on God as it lies in my mind as mostly people aslo think as they are now exist. Look at my friend who shared with me “that the existence of God because of us, without us there will be no God”, RR