Allah

For other uses, see Allah (disambiguation).

The word Allāh is the Arabic term for "God". In other languages, it is often used to refer specifically to the Islamic concept of God: see "Usage" below.

Etymology

Usage

Allah

Although, outside the Arab world, use of the word Allāh is most often associated with Islam, it is not exclusive to that faith; Arab Christians and various Arabic-speaking Jews (including the Teimanim, several Template:ArabDIN communities and some Sephardim) also use it to refer to the monotheist deity. Arabic translations of the Bible also employ it, as do Roman Catholics in Malta (who pronounce it as "Alla"), Christians in Indonesia, who say "Allah Bapa" (God the Father) and Christians in the Middle East who use the Aramaic "Allāha".

"Allah" as a word

Many linguists believe that the term Allāh is derived from a contraction of the Arabic words al (the) and Template:ArabDIN (deity, masculine form) - al-ilāh meaning "the god." In addition, one of the main pagan goddesses of pre-Islamic Arabia, Allāt (al + Template:ArabDIN + at, or 'the goddess'), is cited as being etymologically (though not synchronically) the feminine linguistic counterpart to the grammatically masculine Allāh. If so, the word Allāh is an abbreviated title, meaning 'the deity', rather than a name. For this reason, both Muslim and non-Muslim scholars often translate Allāh directly into English as 'God'; this also explains why Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians freely refer to God as Allāh. However, some Muslim scholars feel that "Allāh" should not be translated, because they perceived the Arabic word to express the uniqueness of "Allāh" more accurately than the word "god", which can take a plural "gods", whereas the word "Allāh" has no plural form. This is a significant issue in translation of the Qur'an. But there is a connection between the respective words for God in closely related Semitic languages:The word for God in Genesis 1:1 is elohim, which is essentially a plural form of a more basic root-Hebrew word for God, הּלּﭏ(eloh). The Arabic translation of the Jewish Bible uses the name "Allah" to refer to God in Genesis 1:1 In addition to the etymological connection based on sound,it was discovered that connections existed between the two Names based on roots, spelling, meaning, and geography. The root itself finds its origin with an older root, el, which means God, deity, power, strength. The Aramaic word for God, according to the Lexicon is File:Alah estra.gif (alah). This word, in the standard script (File:Alah aram.gif), or the Estrangela script (File:Alah estra.gif), is spelled alap-lamad-heh (ALH), which are the exact corresponding letters to the Hebrew eloh. The Aramaic is closely related to the more ancient root word for God, eel. The Arabic word for God, Allah, is spelled in a very similar way, and is remotely related to the more generic word for deity, ilah. The ancient Semitic names for God (Allah and Elohim) are actually the same.

An example of Template:ArabDIN written in simple Arabic calligraphy.

The word Allāh is always written without an alif to spell the ā vowel. This is because the spelling was settled before Arabic spelling started habitually using alif to spell ā. However, in vocalized spelling, a diacritic alif is added on top of the shaddah to indicate pronunciation. One exception is in the pre-Islamic Zabad inscription, where it is spelled الاه.

Unicode has glyph reserved for Allah, Template:Ar = U+FDF2, which can be combined with an alif to yield the post-consonantal form, Template:Ar, as opposed to the full spelling alif-lām-lām-hā Template:Ar which may be rendered slightly differently, in particular featuring a diacritic alif on top of the shadda. In this, Unicode imitates traditional Arabic typesetting, which also frequently featured special llāh types.

Also In Abjad numerals, The Name Of Allah (الله) numeric value is 66.

Islamic use of "Allāh"

From the point of view of traditional Islamic theology, Allāh is the most precious name of God because it is not a descriptive name like other ninety-nine names of God, but the name of God's own presence. Muslims believe that the name of Allah had existed before the time of Adam. It is the same God worshipped by Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad and other prophets of Islam. In Islam, there is only one God and Muhammad is the last messenger.
In the Qur'an, rabb is also one of the usual names of God.

The emphasis in Islamic culture on reciting the Qur'an in Arabic has resulted in Allāh often being used by Muslims world-wide as the word for God, regardless of their native language. Out of 114 Suras in the Qur'an, 113 begin with the Basmala ("Bismi 'llāhi 'r-rahmāni 'r-rahīm" بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم) which means "In the name of God, the most kind, the most merciful". Muslims, when referring to the name, often add the words "Subhanahu wa Ta`ala" after it, meaning "Glorified and Exalted is He" as a sign of reverence, or "`Azza wa Jalla" (عز و جل). The entire religion of Islam is based on the idea of getting closer to God. Although commonly referred to as a "He", God is considered genderless, but there is no neuter gender to express this in the Arabic language. When Greek or other polytheistic deities are discussed in Arabic, it is customary to use the expression ilāh, a "deity" or "god"; sometimes the word ma`būd, literally meaning "worshipped [entity]", is used instead.

Uses of "Allāh" in phrases

There are many phrases that contain the word Allāh:

• Allāhu Akbar (الله أكبر) (God is the greatest / God is Greater)
• A'uzu billahi minashaitanir rajim (I seek refuge in Allah from Shaitan, the damned)
• Bismi-llāh (بسم الله) (In the name of God)
• Inshā'Allāh (إن شاء الله) (God-willing)

also the origin of the common Spanish interjection "Ojalá" (Old Spanish, "Oxalá") and Portuguese interjection "Oxalá"; May it be so (ie. God-willing)

• Yā Allāh (يا الله)(O God)

may be the origin of the Spanish and Portuguese exclamation "Olé!".

• Mā shā' Allāh (ما شاء الله) ([Look at] what God has willed!)
• Subhān Allāh (سبحان الله) (Glory be to God)
• al-Hamdu li-llāh (الحمد لله) (All praise be to God)
• Allāhu A`alam (الله أعلم) (God knows best)
• Jazaka Allāhu khayran (جزاك الله خيراً) (May God reward you for your deeds)

"Allāh" appears in a stylized form on the flag of Iran, in the phrase "Allāhu Akbar" on the flag of Iraq, and as part of the shahādah on the flag of Saudi Arabia.

"Allah" is not correctly used as a man's name. See Arabic name#Mistakes made by Europeans and other non-Arabs.

Islamic concept of God

Main article: Islamic concept of God

The Islamic concept of mankind's place in the universe hinges on the notion that Allāh, or God, is the only true reality. There is nothing permanent other than Him. God is considered eternal and "uncreated", whereas everything else in the universe is "created." The Qur'an describes Him in Sura 112: "Say: He is Allāh, Singular. Allāh, the Absolute. He begetteth not nor was begotten. And to Him have never been one equal." (see Tawhid for more). The Qur'an condemns and mocks the pre-Islamic Arabs for attributing daughters to Allāh (sura 53:19.)

Muslims believe that Allāh, or God, is the only true God who deserves to be worshipped. This belief must be accompanied by the acknowledgement that Mohammad was a true prophet of God who was chosen to guide people to believing and worshipping God in the correct manner. God is considered eternal and uncreated; with no beginning, whereas everything else in the universe is created with a beginning. The Qur'an mentions, (approximated in English) Sura 112: "Say: He is Allāh, Without partner. Allāh, the Absolute. He begetteth not nor was begotten. And to Him have never been one equal." (see Tawhid for more).

God is considered by Muslims to be omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient. In the Qur'an, God is described as being fully aware of everything that happens in the universe, and knows all things. God also knows what is in people's hearts and minds at all times. It is mentioned in the Qur'an (approximately), "And He it is Who takes your souls at night (in sleep), and He knows what you acquire in the day, then He raises you up therein that an appointed term may be fulfilled; then to Him is your return, then He will inform you of what you were doing. (sura 6:60)"

Placing God inside his creation, or suggesting that nature or creation simultaneously co-exist in God or vice versa, as in other religious traditions, completely compromises exclusive Islamic monotheism. Attributing a partner, spouse, father, son, daughter, mother or other relation(s) to Allah, literally or metaphorically, partially or completely, is considered unquestionably blasphemous by Muslims.

Therefore, Muslims consider it blasphemous to describe Jesus (or another man, woman child etc) as 'Son of God' whether literally or metaphorically. Similarly, Muslims do not believe that God resembles a man (old or young), woman, half man half woman, half man half animal , bird, elephant or other animal or other creation. It is forbidden for Muslims to view God anthropomorphically.

Allah does not resemble any of his creations in any way whatsoever. Allah is not attributed with shape, colour, size, position, location, direction and indeed all of these attributes are found in the creatures Allah created.

Further, Muslims do not believe that Allah is located in a place, whether on Earth, below the Earth, in the Sky, above the Sky, on a Throne above the Sky or all of these places at once or anywhere else or everywhere, but rather, God exists without a place (given he created all places and locations) and the perfectness of his existence is not compromised by his existence not being bound to a created (by Allah) place or location.

God is attributed with complete perfection in his attributes and is free from any defects or any imperfections. Allah is attributed (amongst other attributes) with singleness (without a partner in God's self or attributes), non-beginningness, eternalness, complete freedom from needing others (i.e. each or any of his creations), complete power to do all things, Will (to do as he wills, as and when God decides without any obstruction), knowledge, (of all things simultaneously, past, present and future) hearing (of all sounds without needing any implement or organ to hear), sight (without needing eyes or any other organ or instrument nor light rays to illuminate an area or an object), life (unlike the human or other life which is created and limited, but that which befits him with no beginning or end), speech (unlike the human, created speech which is constituted of languages, letters and sounds but rather an eternal speech which is not a creation but an attribute of God) and the complete non-resemblance of any creation in his self or attributes.

History

It was used in pre-Islamic times by Pagans within the Arabian peninsula to signify the supreme creator. Pre-Islamic Jews referred to their supreme creator as Yahweh or Elohim. The pagan Arabs recognized "Allāh" as the supreme God in their pantheon; along with Allah, however, the pre-Islamic Arabs believed in a host of other gods, such as Hubal and 'daughters of Allāh' (the three daughters associated were al-Lāt, al-`Uzzah, and Manah) (Encyclopedia of World Mythology and Legend, "The Facts on File", ed. Anthony Mercatante, New York, 1983, I:61). This view of Allah by the pre-Islamic pagans is viewed by Muslims as a later development having arisen as a result of moving away from Abrahamic monotheism over time. Some of the names of these pagan gods are said to be derived from the descendants of Noah, whom later generations firstly revered as saints, and then transformed into gods (although non-Muslims often view polytheism as having come before monotheism). The pagan Arabians also used the word "Allāh" in the names of their children; Muhammad's father, who was born into pagan society, was named "`Abdullāh", which translates "servant of Allāh". "`Abdullāh" is still used for names of Muslim and non-Muslim arabs.

The Hebrew word for deity, El (אל) or Elōah (אלוה), was used as an Old Testament synonym for Yahweh (יהוה), which is the proper name for the Jewish God according to the Tanakh. The Aramaic word for God is alôh-ô (Syriac dialect) or elâhâ (Biblical dialect), which comes from the same Proto-Semitic word (*ʾilâh-) as the Arabic and Hebrew terms; Jesus is described in Mark 15:34 as having used the word on the cross, with the ending meaning "my", when saying, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (transliterated in Greek as elō-i). One of the earliest surviving translations of the word into a foreign language is in a Greek translation of the Shahada, from 86-96 AH (705-715 AD), which translates it as ho theos monos[1], literally "the one god". Also the cognate Aramaic term appears in the Aramaic version of the New Testament, called the Pshitta (or Peshitta) as one of the words Jesus used to refer to God, e.g., in the sixth Beatitude, "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see Alāha." And in the Arabic Bible the same words: "طُوبَى لأَنْقِيَاءِ الْقَلْبِ، فَإِنَّهُمْ سَيَرَوْنَ الله"

Other beliefs

The Nation of Gods and Earths, one of the many sects created as the result of black separatist movements in the United States, holds that the word "Allāh" is the name of the original black man and stands for "Arm, Leg, Leg, Arm, Head". [2] [3] This concept is alien to mainstream Islam, which strictly opposes any attempt to portray Allāh as a human or in any other way. Mainstream Islam also prohibits attibuting divine qualities to, worshipping, or glorifying anything other than Allāh.

The Bahá'í Faith, whose scriptures are primarily written in Arabic and Persian, also uses Allah to mean God, though in practice the customary word for God in the local language is typically used when speaking in that language. Some particular uses are not translated, but the Arabic phrase is used. The chief example of this would be the Bahá'í customary greeting Alláh'u'abhá which is commonly translated as God is the All Glorious.

See also

• God
• Islam
• 99 Names of God
• Muhammad
• Monotheism

External links

• ServantsofAllah.org - For those who desire to be in the servitude of Allah
• Islam Way Online - Your Religion and Spirituality Portal For further discussion on Allah, the word's etymology, and the Islamic concept of God