Many know that Allah and God refer to a higher being, a deity that people call or invoke, an entity that they worship. But many don’t know the difference between them. The English word ‘God’ is derived from a German term used in the 6th century, gudan (meaning to call or invoke a power). Whereas the word Allah is derived from the Arabic word ta’allaha, which translates to ‘to be worshipped.’ This blog will answer the question “Are Allah and God the same?” about the difference between Allah and God and where the terms come from.
The Difference Between God & Allah
The most prominent difference between the two terms is that when one translates the Bible into English, the Hebrew word ‘El’ is translated as ‘God’ or ‘Angel.’ This imprecision allows different translators to translate the word to fit their own beliefs based on their perceived notions. But that is not the case with the Arabic word ‘Allah.’ This word presents no difficulty and multiple meanings, as it only refers to “The Almighty.” But the reason why the word Allah is mainly associated with Islam is due to the Quran’s revelation being entirely in Arabic.
God & Allah: Call to Monotheism
“Your God is One God; there is no God save Him, the Beneficent, the Merciful.”
Muslims, Christians, and Jews all worship the one true Allah. When Allah SWT sent down Prophets to different nations, it was all for the same purpose: for the Prophets to turn people towards the right path and to help them develop a connection with Allah. But down the line, this message got polluted by language barriers and personal agendas.
The Different Religions
“And argue not with the People of the Scripture unless it be in (a way) that is better, save with such of them as do wrong; and say: We believe in that which hath been revealed unto us and revealed unto you; our God and your God is One, and unto Him we surrender.”
When one thinks about the question of ‘Is Allah and God the same God?’, one thing to understand is that when the first Prophet, Prophet Adam A.S., was sent down, Allah established Islam as the true religion for mankind. Therefore, he established himself as the only one which mankind should worship. All the other religions are derived from Islam. Thus, ‘God’, whether it is ‘God’ in Judaism, Christianity, or Islam, means the same entity that is Allah.
When the Quran was revealed to the Prophet PBUH 1400 years ago, the message of Islam was completed. Muslims don’t believe this to be the start of the religion but rather the end of it. The message of the true faith was completed and preserved for mankind till the Day of Judgement.
Note: The ‘People of the Book ’refers to the Christians and the Jews.
Allah, Christians, and Jews
Since Allah is the Arabic term for God, it is used by many Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews. If one picks up the Arabic-translated Bible, one will also find the word Allah many times.