KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - A Malaysian court has refused to let the Roman Catholic Church use the word "Allah" even temporarily, upholding a government ban that's become a symbol of religious tensions.
The federal government blocks non-Muslims in Malaysia from translating God as "Allah" in their literature, saying it would confuse Muslims in the multiethnic, Muslim-majority country.
Christian groups say the ban is unconstitutional, arguing that the word "Allah" predates Islam.
A lawyer for the church's main publication in Malaysia says its request to have the ban suspended pending an appeal was rejected by the country's high court.
The ban affects the Malay-language edition of the newspaper, which is read mostly by indigenous tribes who converted to Christianity decades ago.
The federal government blocks non-Muslims in Malaysia from translating God as "Allah" in their literature, saying it would confuse Muslims in the multiethnic, Muslim-majority country.
Christian groups say the ban is unconstitutional, arguing that the word "Allah" predates Islam.
A lawyer for the church's main publication in Malaysia says its request to have the ban suspended pending an appeal was rejected by the country's high court.
The ban affects the Malay-language edition of the newspaper, which is read mostly by indigenous tribes who converted to Christianity decades ago.
