Should Muslims use the word "Allah" or "God?
The internet has indeed brought many Muslims of various backgrounds, languages and cultures into direct contact. The ease of information exchange on our computers monitors has highlighted the role of written communications as opposed to verbal communications.
Recently, one issue has raised considerable controversy between the readers. This is the issue of whether to use the word "Allah" or the word "God" when Muslims are speaking about God. Invariably, there seems to be someone who feels offended that we use the word "God" when we talk about the One and Only God.
It is surprising to notice that many Muslims do not realise that the word "Allah" is simply the Arabic word for the word "God". Many of them believe that "Allah" is the actual name of the Muslim God! They do not realise that it is wrong to "personalise" God as He is not a person. They do not realize that the word "Allah" does not belong exclusively to the Muslims and that it has always been used before (and after) the revelation of the Quran by the Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians when they speak about God.
Talking to English speaking people about God using the word "Allah" is very much the same like speaking to Arabic speaking people about "Allah" using the word "God". It makes better sense to show respect to the people and their language by speaking to them in the language they use.
If this site was in Arabic, then the word "Allah" would have been used, but as it is in English, then the word "God" is used. This does not mean that we are speaking of a different god. There is only One God.
Insisting on the use of the word "Allah" which is the Arabic word for "God" immediately creates the illusion that "Allah" is a totally different God than God of the whole world. It creates a god that belongs ONLY to the Muslims, and takes the universality of Islam out of it.
Moreover, those who insist that "Allah" is the personal name of God are somewhat short on Quranic knowledge. Let us read the following verse:
"Say, "Call Him Allah, or call Him the Rahman (The Almighty); whichever name you use, to Him belongs the "Asma al-Husna" (most beautiful names)." 17:110
This verse makes the issue very clear. God here is telling us that He does not have one specific name. In God's infinite Greatness, there is not one name that is sufficient to make reference to Him. Indeed to God belongs all the beautiful names. The Quran lists over 90 names for God and not just the word Allah. We can call Him Allah, we can call Him "Al-Rahman", or we can call him by any of the beautiful names that are worthy of Him. Whether we use the Arabic word for a name like "Al-Wahid" for example, or the English equivelant which is "The One" does not make any difference. The restriction to use the Arabic words to call God is not a condition set by God. For this would falsely imply that only the Arabic language is worthy of calling on God!
Moreover, if God wanted us to call Him specifically by the name Allah, He would not include the words "whichever name you use" in 17:110.
Moreover, if we analyse the word Allah we find that it is a combination of two Arabic words:
Al, which means THE
Illah, which means GOD
The combination of the two words (the GOD) is nothing more or less than what the word GOD indicates in any language.
The word "Illah" has been used in pre-Quranic times, and it bears an uncanny resemblence to the Jewish word eloha, which also denotes God.
Therefore, for anyone to claim that the word Allah is the personal name of God or that the word Allah denotes the God of the Quran must indeed revise their knowledge in the light of all the issues discussed in this paper.