Even though a court in Malaysia already ruled Christians have a right to use the word.

(Christian Post) — A Malaysian Sultan has issued a fatwa prohibiting non-Muslims from using the word “Allah” in Arabic.

The Sultan of the Malaysian state of Selangor, Sharafuddin Idris Shah, issued the prohibition on Tuesday, according to the Lebanon Debate newspaper.

Malaysian media have reported that the prohibition has been put in place by the Islamic leader because it is a “sacred word,” and should be reserved exclusively for Muslims, according to MidEast Christian News.

The sultan has ordered the Islamic Council of Selangor and the Islamic Affairs Department in the state to take strict action against all groups that question the fatwa and the 1988 Ordinance, which prohibits the use of the word “Allah” in Arabic [by non-Muslims].

The organization representing Protestant churches in Malaysia commented on the decision by saying that Christians in the country have been using the word “Allah” when referring to God for centuries, and they plan to continue to exercise their constitutional right.

Lawyers from a related “Allah” case in 2009, in which a Christian woman challenged the government’s confiscation of her religious CDs as they had “Allah” written on them, said that the fatwa goes against the court’s decision in that 2009 case.