Allah is the Only True God - a Wittness from the People of t

[shihabshihabi]

Is Allah God?

by Daniel Pipes (with additions and corrections)

New York Sun

June 28, 2005

Asked if Muslims worship the same Almighty as Jews and Christians, President Bush replied some months ago, "I believe we worship the same God." The Islamic deity, known as Allah, in other words, is the same Supreme Being to whom Jews and Christians pray.

[shihabshihabi]

The president's statement provoked widespread dismay among Evangelicals; one poll found 79% of their leadership disagreeing with this view. Pat Robertson pungently explained why, observing "the entire world is being convulsed by a religious struggle whether Allah, is supreme, or whether the Judeo-Christian Jehovah, God of the Bible, is Supreme."

[shihabshihabi]

A Jewish scholar, Jon D. Levenson, finds the claim that Christians and Muslims worship the same God "if not false, then certainly simplistic and one-sided."

This debate plays out at many levels. In the American scouting movement, Muslims promise "I will do my best to do my duty to God"; their British counterparts instead do their "duty to Allah."

[shihabshihabi]

This might seem like a minor semantic quibble. Consider two alternate ways of translating the opening line of Islam's basic declaration of faith (Arabic: la ilaha illa-la). One reads "I testify that there is no god (small g) but Allah," and the other "I testify that there is no deity but God."

[shihabshihabi]

Both states that Allah is the Arabic word for the common monotheistic God and implies a commonality with Jews and Christians. The first translation is 40 times more common in a Google search than the second.

Mr. Bush was right. There are several reasons to use the translation that equates Allah with God:

[shihabshihabi]

Scriptural:

The Koran itself in several places insists that its god is the same as the god of Judaism and Christianity. The most direct statement is one in which Muslims are admonished to tell Jews and Christians "We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you; our god and your god is One, and to Him we do submit" (E.H. Palmer translation of Sura 29:46). Correct translation should be "our god (small g) and your god (small g) is One"

[shihabshihabi]

Of course, the verse was also erroneously rendered "our Allah and your Allah is One" (as it is in the notorious Abdullah Yusuf Ali translation) while it should be "our Ilah (god) and your llah (god) is One". Ilah means god (small g) while Allah is the proper name of God (capital G).

[shihabshihabi]

Some Muslims leave the name "Allah" un-translated in English. Sometimes this comes from a zeal for the Arabic text of the Qur'an and sometimes with a more or less conscious implication that the Jewish and Christian concept of God is not completely true in its details.

[shihabshihabi]

"Allah" is an original proper name that exists in all Semitic languages and it has no gender (not male and not female). "He" is used only out of respect and dignity - not for gender. Allah is always singular and never plural. "We" is used only as the "Royal WE" just as in English for royalty. While God can be god to refer to other gods and can be goddess and can be gods.

[shihabshihabi]

Historical:

Chronologically, Islam followed after Judaism and Christianity, but the Koran claims Islam actually preceded the other monotheisms. In Islamic doctrine (Sura 3:67), Abraham was among the first Muslims.

[shihabshihabi]

Deviating Jews and Christians introduced new Makes for their religions and mistakes into the Word of God; Muslims kept it perfectly. Islam views Judaism and Christianity as flawed versions of itself, correct on parts but wrong in important other parts. This outlook implies that all three faiths share the God of Abraham.

[shihabshihabi]

Linguistic:

Just as Dieu and Gott are the French and German words for God, so is Allah the Arabic equivalent, a word older than Islam. In part, this identity of meaning can be seen from cognates:

In Hebrew, the word for God is Elohim, a cognate of Allah.

In Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus, the word for God is Elaha.

In Biblical Aramaic the word for God is Alaha. In Syriac the word for God is Aloho.

[shihabshihabi]

In the Maltese language, which is unique because it is Arabic-based but spoken by a predominantly Catholic people, the word for God is Alla.

Further, most Jews and Christians who speak Arabic before and after Islam (except for Copts, the Christians of Egypt) routinely use the word Allah to refer to God. The Christian Arabs of today have no other word for 'God' than 'Allah'.

[shihabshihabi]

The Old and New Testaments in Arabic use this word. In the Arabic-language Bible, for instance, Jesus is referred to as the son of Allah. Even translations carried out by Christian missionaries, such as the famous one done in 1865 by Cornelius Van Dyke, refer to Allah, as do missionary discussions.

In pre-Islamic Arabia, Allah was used as a reference to the supreme deity who created the world and gives rain and the god which was invoked in times of distress.

[shihabshihabi]

Allah was not considered by pagan Arabs the sole divinity and was associated with intercessors, whom pre-Islamic pagan Arabs considered as subordinate deities. According to Gerhard Böwering, in contrast with Pre-Islamic Arabian polytheism, God in Islam does not have associates and companions nor is there any kinship between God and jinn.

[shihabshihabi]

According to Francis Edwards Peters, "The Qur'an insists, Muslims believe, and historians affirm that Muhammad and his followers worship the same God as the Jews (29:46). Allah in the Quran is the same Creator God who covenanted with Abraham". Peters states that the Qur'an portrays Allah as both more powerful and more remote than Yahweh, and as a universal deity, unlike Yahweh who closely follows Israelites.

[shihabshihabi]

The Navigators, a well-known evangelical Christian organization, published the following:

"Some Christians unthinkingly say 'Allah is not God.' This is the ultimate blasphemy to Muslims, and furthermore, it is difficult to understand. Allah is the primary Arabic word for God. It means 'The God.' There are some minor exceptions. For example, the Bible in some Muslim lands uses a word for God other than Allah (Farsi and Urdu are examples).

[shihabshihabi]

But for more than five hundred years before Muhammad, the vast majority of Jews and Christians in Arabia called God by the name Allah. How, then, can we say that Allah is an invalid name for God? If it is, to whom have these Jews and Christians been praying?

[shihabshihabi]

And what about the 10 to 12 million Arab Christians today? They have been calling God ‘Allah’ in their Bibles, hymns, poems, writings, and worship for over nineteen centuries. What an insult to them when we tell them not to use this word ‘Allah’! Instead of bridging the distance between Muslims and Christians, we widen the gulf of separation between them and us when we promote such a doctrine.

[shihabshihabi]

Those who still insist that it is blasphemy to refer to God as Allah should also consider that Muhammad’s father was named Abd Allah, ‘God’s servant,’ many years before his son was born or Islam was founded!”

[shihabshihabi]

The publishing arm of the Moody Bible Institute published the following:

“Whenever it is postulated that Christians and Muslims worship the same God, there are some—both Christians and Muslims—who say this is simply untrue. Those who raise objections generally agree that Christians and Muslims worship one God, but will not accept the statement that they worship the same God.

[shihabshihabi]

Admittedly, this problem is probably more of a Christian problem than it is a Muslim problem. Once a Muslim is ready to acknowledge that God can be known by a name other than Allah (i.e., God. Onyame, etc.), he will generally agree that Christians and Muslims worship ‘the same God.’ At the same time, he will insist, however, that Christians err in ‘associating’ (shirk) others with God.

[shihabshihabi]

The problem as it confronts Christians is another kind of a problem altogether. It is a question of whether you can say you are worshipping the same God when you have such different understandings of the nature of God. Those who are troubled by this concern say that although Christians and Muslims use the same name for God and many of the same words to describe Him, they are not talking about the same God because Christians are talking about the Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit…”

[shihabshihabi]

According to Islamic belief, Allah is the proper name of God. He is the only god, creator of the universe, and the judge of humankind. He is unique and inherently one, all-merciful and omnipotent. Humble submission to His Will, Divine Ordinances and Commandments is the pivot of the Muslim faith.

[shihabshihabi]

The God=Allah equation means that, however hostile political relations may be, a common "children of Abraham" bond does exist and its exploration can one day provide a basis for interfaith comity. Jewish-Christian dialogue has made great strides and Jewish-Christian-Muslim trialogue could as well.

[whatver123123]

another muslim trying to make up fake facts.

[shihabshihabi]

@whatver123123

Facts cannot be faked. Present your argument if you have one instead of making generalized judgements.

[shihabshihabi]

@whatver123123

Besides, this is a Yemani Jew not a Muslim. A Muslim should never say I am a Jew for any reason or he will lose his faith and be a disbeleiver.

[MrsHamdulila]

THANK YOU FOR POSTING!

The issue with Cristianity(which I was raised staunchly in)is that They are reading the TRANSLATION of a eastern book.Every time you translate a book into another language,you unfortunately loose the origional meaning.I have come to the beautifull religion of ISLAM because of the miinterpreted Bible.Christians are reading a translation of a transltion.of a translation.its been misconstrued& miinterpreted 2 mean whathey wish!GO BACK TO THE ORIGIONAL TEXTS,if you have them!

[shihabshihabi]

@MrsHamdulila

Wellcome brother to the true path of all prophets and congratulations! I am happy for you.

And you got it, a translation of a translation of a translation and a copy of a copy of a copy and a version of a version of a version.

[shihabshihabi]

@MrsHamdulila

As God said:

[30:31] Turn ye back in repentance to Him, and fear Him: establish regular prayers, and be not ye among those who join gods with Allah,-

[30:32] Those who split up their Religion, and become (mere) Sects,- each party rejoicing in that which is with itself!

[urumbrella]

Really, didn't undst ur point of view. Anyway, Happy Ramadan. )>

[OMNIDESTRUCTION]

Islam is clearly a plagiarism of Judeo-Christian theology, and Muhammad was nothing more than a cunning, ambitious, and self-seeking imposter.

[shihabshihabi]

I gues you are Christian and if so, Jews say worse than that about Jesus and whatever defence you have for Jesus, Mohammed deserves more than that.

[shihabshihabi]

Also, Jews say Christianity is clearly a plagiarism of Judism and whatever defence you have for Christianity , Islam deserves more than that.

Islam and Judaism naturally have similarities as they come from the same source (Allah), but Pauline Christianity is naturally different as it is an invention of Paul.

[niku10]

Allah is the Only True God (that's what you said not other people's)BIA...

[shihabshihabi]

Me as a Muslim and this Jew say it. So if you elect another route it up to you. Definitely, we will end at different destinations.

[urumbrella]

Shame on You! Allah is allah in Arabic, Hebrew or any other language.