Who is Allah? Do Muslims worship a different God?

[Cat_prowler]

From: Ain Shams University
Edited:
Muslim Villa


Some people believe that Muslims worship a God that is different from the one worshipped by Christians and Jews. This might be due to the fact that Muslims often refer to God as "Allah". This concept is false, since "Allah" is simply the Arabic word for the One true "God" Who created the universe and all humanity. Let there be no doubt - Muslims worship the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses, David and Jesus.

However, it is certainly true that Jews, Christians and Muslims all have different concepts of Almighty God. For example, Muslims - like Jews - reject the Christian beliefs of the Trinity and the Divine Incarnation. This, however, does not mean that each of these three religions worships a different God -because, as we have already said, there is only One True God. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are all “Abrahamic Faiths”, and all of them are also classified as “monotheistic.” However, the Noble Quran states the truth that other religions have, in one way or another, distorted and nullified a pure and proper belief in Almighty God by neglecting His true teachings and mixing them with man-made ideas.

Just as other religions have in one way or another distorted / altered the original teachings of Allah Almighty by man-made ideas, the Muslims of today's era have somewhat repeated history as well through the introduction of many unauthentic Ahadith narrations, fatwas and sectarianism that clearly clash with the dictates and values of the Noble Quran and with the exemplary character of our beloved Prophet Muhammad on whom be peace. The only difference between the changes introduced by the Jews & Christians on one hand and the Muslims on the other is that the Jews & Christians have brought the man-made ideas directly into their Divine Scripture by completely altering it. The Muslims could not do that because it is the promise of Allah Almighty Himself to protect the Glorious Quran forever in a "guarded tablet," Alhamdulilah. Therefore the Muslims have invented separate channels for implementing changes of their choice and these channels are largely as stated above - Ahadith, fatwas, sectarianism etc.

The Noble Quran calls upon people to return to the one true God and to worship and obey Him alone.  Islam teaches that God should be approached without intermediaries. That is because the Merciful All-Knowing God is completely in control of everything that exists and that He can bestow His grace and mercy on His creatures as He pleases.  Hence, no intercession, atonement or incarnation is necessary.

Arabic speaking people of all religions refer to God as "Allah". For example, if you pick up an Arabic translation of the Christian Bible you will see the word "Allah" where "God" is used in English.

Therefore, Allah is not the god of only the Muslims, but the same God worshipped by all monotheistic faiths. This idea that "Allah" is different from "God" is illogical since it is tantamount to saying that the French worship a different "god" because they use the word "Dieu", that Spaniards worship a different "god" because they say "Dios" or that the Hebrews worshipped a different "god" because they called Him "Yahweh"!

The Qur'an, which is the Divine Scripture of Muslims and the Final Divine Message to all humanity was revealed in the Arabic language, so Muslims use the word "Allah" for "God", even when they are speaking other languages. A more literal translation of "Allah" into English might be "the one and- only God" or "the one true God".

It should be clearly understood that what the Glorious Quran is primarily concerned with is correcting humankind's concept of Almighty God.  What people are ultimately going to be held accountable for at the end of Day of Judgment is not whether they preferred the word "Allah" or the word "God", but what their concept of Him is. The true concept of God is clarified only within the message revealed by Him and His Final and unaltered Message today is only the Glorious Quran.