A Malaysian appeals court has upheld a government ban against a Catholic publication using the word "Allah" to refer to God.
The unanimous decision on Monday by three Muslim judges overturned a 2009 ruling by a lower court that allowed the Malay language newspaper The Herald to use the word "Allah."
The Malaysian government appealed the earlier decision, saying that "Allah" should be used exclusively by Muslims.
The appeals court ruled Monday that "Allah" is not an integral part of the Christian faith and such usage would cause confusion.
The unanimous decision on Monday by three Muslim judges overturned a 2009 ruling by a lower court that allowed the Malay language newspaper The Herald to use the word "Allah."
The Malaysian government appealed the earlier decision, saying that "Allah" should be used exclusively by Muslims.
The appeals court ruled Monday that "Allah" is not an integral part of the Christian faith and such usage would cause confusion.