This is a common question among many Christians. Who is Allah? Is He the same as Yahweh? Do we worship the same God?
Muslims Believe in the same God of Jews and Christians
Muslims believe that Allah is the God who revealed His message to all prophets, and on that base He is the God whom Jews and Christians are supposed to worship:
46. And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best, except for those who commit injustice among them, and say, “We believe in that which has been revealed to us and revealed to you. And our God and your God is one; and we are Muslims [in submission] to Him.” (Holy Quran 29:46)
Allah also says in the Quran:
84. Say: We believe in Allah and what has been revealed to us, and what was revealed to Ibrahim and Ismail and Ishaq and Yaqoub and the tribes, and what was given to Musa and Isa and to the prophets from their Lord; we do not make any distinction between any of them, and to Him do we submit. (Holy Quran 3:84)
Allah is the same God worshiped by Jews and Christians
Allah in Jewish and Christian Traditions
Allah (as most Muslim scholars say) is derived from Al-ilah which means The God, and when we look at the Aramaic word for God, we find it Alaahaa as shown in this Assyrian Christian website. You can hear how the word Alaahaa is pronounced. It is almost the same pronunciation as Allah.Moreover, the word (Alaaha) was mentioned in the movie (Passion of the Christ) as shown in this video. This is Aramaic, the language of Jesus and this was the word used for God, Did Jesus call to a different God? Arab Christians also use the word Allah, and anyone can make sure through the Arabic Bible. Does this mean they worship a different God?
Is Allah the moon god?
Some people think that Allah is the name of a pagan god called “the moon god”. However, this is based on claims not supported with any evidence. This would actually mean that the Jesus and Arab Christians are worshiping that moon god as well also. Islam has nothing to do with that pagan god. Holy Quran says:
37. And of His signs are the night and day and the sun and moon. Do not prostrate to the sun or to the moon, but prostate to Allāh, who created them, if it should be Him that you worship. (Holy Quran 41:37)
This verse clearly disproves that claim, and re-asserts that the moon is not God, and that it is not to be worshiped, but only Allah is the One to be worshiped.
The Crescent is a Symbol of Muslims
Christians argue that the crescent is the symbol of Muslims shown on some Muslim flags and on the minarets of many mosques. But actually there is no evidence from the Quran or from what Prophet Muhammad said telling that crescent is the symbol of Islam. All what the Quran says about crescent is that it is a reference for determining the beginning of the month and it is used in Islamic calendar. Allah says in the Quran:
They ask you, [O Muhammad], about the new moons. Say, “They are measurements of time for the people and for Hajj.” (Holy Quran 2:189)
The crescent is just a tool. Muslims don’t venerate it. The crescent was firstly used as a symbol by the Ottomans on their flag 7 centuries after Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). But nowhere did the Quran or the Sunna tell us to use it as a symbol.
Arab Idolaters used to Worship Allah
The other argument is that Arabs before Islam used to pray to 360 idols around the Kaaba and consider Allah as their supreme God. Actually we must look at the history of Arabia to understand this point. When Ishmael came to Arabia, he taught his descendants to worship Allah who is God of his father Abraham and who is the God of all prophets. Ishmael and Abraham built the Kaaba which is the house of God so that people worship Allah. This article talks about the Kaaba in Biblical scriptures. Ishmael told his descendants who are actually Arabs to worship God alone. Arabs kept on worshiping God only for some time, and then they began to worship idols and turn away from God as what happened with the Israelites. Although they acknowledged that Allah is the Lord who created us and who manages the universe, they associated other gods with Him and directed their worship towards them. Prophet Muhammad came to correct their belief and restore them back to the right belief in God and in all prophets. So simply it is not that Islam took the name Allah from Arab pagans, but actually Islam came to restore people to worship Allah alone who is God of their ancestors Abraham and Ishmael and reject the gods whom pagan Arabs associated Allah with. So when a Christian asks: “Who is Allah?” the answer shall be: “Allah is my God, your God and God of all prophets.”
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