Why Do Muslims Call God, Allah

1. Why do Muslims call God, Allah? Ans. The definition of Allah is given in the Qur’an Al-Qur'an, 112.001-004 (Al-Ikhlas [Sincerity]) 112.001 ٌ‫حد‬ َ ‫قُلْ هُوَ الُّ َأ‬ 112.001 Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; 112.002 ُ‫ص َمد‬ ّ ‫الُّ ال‬ 112.002 Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; 112.003 ْ‫َل ْم يَِلدْ وََل ْم يُوَلد‬ 112.003 He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; 112.004 ٌ‫حد‬ َ ‫َولَ ْم َيكُنْ لَ ُه ُكفُوًا َأ‬ 112.004 And there is none like unto Him. But, the Qur’an also says in 017.110 (Al-Isra [Isra, The Night Journey, Children of Israel]) 017.110 ‫سبِيل‬ َ َ‫ت ِبهَا وَا ْبتَ ِغ َبيْنَ ذَِلك‬ ْ ِ‫جهَ ْر بِصَل ِتكَ وَل تُخَاف‬ ْ َ‫سنَى وَل ت‬ ْ‫ح‬ ُ ْ‫سمَاءُ ال‬ ْ ‫حمَنَ َأيّا مَا َتدْعُوا فَلَهُ ال‬ ْ ‫ل ادْعُوا الَّ أَ ِو ادْعُوا ال ّر‬ ِ ُ‫ق‬ 017.110 Say: "Call upon Allah, or call upon Rahman: by whatever name ye call upon Him, (it is well): for to Him belong the Most Beautiful Names. Neither speak thy Prayer aloud, nor speak it in a low tone, but seek a middle course between." The same message that to Allah belongs the Most Beautiful Names is given in Surah A’raf Ch. 7 V. no. 180, in Surah Al-hashr Ch 59, V. no. 24, as well as in Surah Ta’ha Ch. 20 in V 8. It says that to Allah belong the Most Beautiful Names But, the name should not conjure up a mental picture. It should a beautiful name. Why do muslims prefer calling God Almighty as Allah to the English word God. It’s because the Arabic word Allah is pure and unique, the English word God can be played around with. If you add ‘s’ to God, it becomes ‘gods’ that is plural of God. Allah is one and singular, there is no plural of Allah. If you add ‘dess’ to God, it becomes ‘goddess’ that is a female God. There is nothing like male Allah or female Allah. Allah has no gender. If you put tin before God, it becomes tin god i.e. a fake God, if you have God with capital G it means true God, if you have god with a small g it means fake god. There is nothing like-tin Allah or fake Allah in Islam. In Islam, we have only one True Allah. Only True Allah. If you add father to God, it becomes ‘godfather’. “He is my Godfather” means that “he is my guardian”. There is nothing like Allah Abba or Allah father in Islam. If you add mother to God it becomes ‘godmother, there is nothing like Allah Ammi or Allah Mother in Islam. Allah is pure, He is a unique word, which does not conjure up any mental picture nor can it be played around with. Hence, the Muslims prefer the name Allah when referring to the Almighty Creator. But sometimes while speaking to non-Muslims we may have to use the inappropriate word God for Allah.