Is it haram (sp?) for Muslims to use God rather than Allah?

[MEG]

Hello!

I'm sorry, I have yet another question to ask, but when I have asked all my questions my threads will die down :p

Is it considered haram (sp?) for Muslims to say 'God' or 'Lord' instead of 'Allah'? I am aware that Allah is Arabic for God.

Also, to save me from starting another thread, what is the difference between haram and sin?

Thanks in advance.

[Afifa]

:sl:

It isn't haraam to use the word God. Using Allah is a much more respectful term to use. Allah translated would mean 'The God' Whereas saying just 'God' Can refer to any God. Saying 'The God' will make it specific that you believe that there is only one true God. Also with the word 'God' You can add on things e.g God-dess or God-father etc whereas with Allah you can't really add on anything.

[marwen]

No it is not haram. Muslims believe there is only one god, so we can call Him "God" (in arabic "rabb" ). Allah is one of God's names (Allah means the One Who is adored and worshipped). See this link if you want : Some of the Names of Allaah and their meanings.

Muslims can use the word God, actually arab muslims use the word rabb to refer to God, but they avoid using the English word God, and prefer to use the word Allah mainly for tow reasons :
1) Because Allah is one of the most beautiful God's names. Actually some scholars think that Allah the greatest name of God.
2) To avoid the confusion with other religions who use the same word "God" to refer to a different god (Jesus, Buddha, etc.).

[Insaanah]

Greetings MEG,

It isn't forbidden (i.e. haraam) for us to use the word God, but we prefer to use the Arabic word Allah as that is what He has called himself. Also, it is physically impossible for the Arabic word Allah to be made into the feminine form, or plural, as you can with gods, goddesses etc.

Importantly, we often use the term Allah when talking to non-Muslims. Sometimes a Muslim will say to an atheist, "Why don't you believe in God?" And they'll reply that it doesn't make sense for God to have a son, and the trinity doesn't make sense to them etc. For some people, the only idea they have of God has come from Christians.

So when we use the term Allah, we are referring to him as the One True God, Who has no partners, sons, daughters, brothers or sisters etc, and He is not composed of any persons.

Using the word Allah and explaining it, helps to clarify to others the concept of God in Islam.

Peace.

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[aadil77]

No it is not haram. Muslims believe there is only one god, so we can call Him "God" (in arabic "rabb" ). Allah is one of God's names (Allah means the One Who is adored and worshipped). See this link if you want : Some of the Names of Allaah and their meanings.

Muslims can use the word God, actually arab muslims use the word rabb to refer to God, but they avoid using the English word God, and prefer to use the word Allah mainly for tow reasons :
1) Because Allah is one of the most beautiful God's names. Actually some scholars think that Allah the greatest name of God.
2) To avoid the confusion with other religions who use the same word "God" to refer to a different god (Jesus, Buddha, etc.).

Sorry I thought rabb means Lord and illah is God

[Ramadhan]

"haram" means "forbidden/unlawful/illegal" as opposed to "halal" which means "lawful"

[Ğħαrєєвαħ]

Hello!

I'm sorry, I have yet another question to ask, but when I have asked all my questions my threads will die down :p

Is it considered haram (sp?) for Muslims to say 'God' or 'Lord' instead of 'Allah'? I am aware that Allah is Arabic for God.

Also, to save me from starting another thread, what is the difference between haram and sin?

Thanks in advance.

Greetings MEG

Ask as many Questions you wish

Its not forbidden for muslims to say "God","Lord" instead of Allaah, but as the Prophet Muhammad SAW called upon God saying "Allaah" and also god tells us from the Quraan to call him by Allaah in surah 112- Al Ikhlaas-The Sincerety in verse One "Say: He is Allah, the One and Only;", so since as muslims we know whatever Allaah has commanded us for our own benefit then we should stick to that,so in other words its better for us.so i hope that clarifies your first Question.And hopefully other brothers sisters have explained in more detail.

To your second Question:

Haram means Forbidden, so when Allaah tells us something is haraam, meaning that the act is haraam/forbidden for us, such as eating pork its haraam, forbidden for us.

Sin is when you eat the pork, you know its foribidden/haraam for you but you eat it knowing that, therefore you commit a sin.

Hope i made sense inshaAllaah.

peace

[Woodrow]

The question about if it is permissible to use the word God(swt) seems to have been answered. Now for the question about sin and haram. While all things that are haram are sins and all sins are haram it is not quite accurate to say both are the same. To use the word sin carries with it the concept of intentionally and knowingly doing that which is haram. Unintentional doing something haram would not carry any punishment. However, if a person discovers they did something haram, they should make very possible effort to repent for it.

[MEG]

Thank you.

My Muslim friend once asked me if Christians call God 'Lord of the World'. He asked this while reading the Qu 'ran so I'm assuming some Muslims may call Him Lord?

To use the word sin carries with it the concept of intentionally and knowingly doing that which is haram. Unintentional doing something haram would not carry any punishment. However, if a person discovers they did something haram, they should make very possible effort to repent for it

Thanks. I believe this too.

[Ğħαrєєвαħ]

Actually it would make one more of a "muslim" when calling his/her Lord "Allaah", since Muslim means the one who submits to will of God, and as i mentioned the verse in my previous post , Allaah commands "us" to call/say him by the word "Allaah", so if we say Allaah we are following the correct teachings of the Quraan!

Peace

[aadil77]

Thank you.

My Muslim friend once asked me if Christians call God 'Lord of the World'. He asked this while reading the Qu 'ran so I'm assuming some Muslims may call Him Lord?

Thanks. I believe this too.

he's reffering to the opening chapter of the Quran:

Surah Al-Fatiha (The Opening)

1 In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.
2 Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds,
3 The Beneficent, the Merciful.
4 Master of the Day of Judgment,
5 Thee (alone) we worship; Thee (alone) we ask for help.
6 Show us the straight path,
7 The path of those whom Thou hast favoured; Not the (path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray.

[marwen]

Sorry I thought rabb means Lord and illah is God

Yes, you're correct my brother, thank you.
Indeed the more precise meaning of Rabb is Lord. In Arabic they use sometimes the word Rabb to refer to a Lord/Master in general, he can be a man(a boss) or (a) God. But the most use of the word Rabb is to refer to God, especially in modern arabic, that's what made me confuse the tow terms.

[MEG]

Thank you everyone for your answers!

Another question though...

The original language for the Qu 'ran is in Arabic, so could God have just been saying, "Call me God"? Did he specifically say that you must say God in Arabic? If that makes any sense...

[manaal]

But Allah, likes us using, "my Lord" (rabbi) or "our Lord" (rabbana). There are many, many du'as (supplications) in the quran where these terms are used.
E.g. Oh My Lord, increase my knowledge. (20:114)
Our Lord, give us the good in this world and give us the good in the hereafter and save us from the torment of hellfire. (2:201)

[Woodrow]

Thank you everyone for your answers!

Another question though...

The original language for the Qu 'ran is in Arabic, so could God have just been saying, "Call me God"? Did he specifically say that you must say God in Arabic? If that makes any sense...

At the time of the revelation of the Qur'an the word god did not exist in the English language. In fact the English language was just beginning to form and was still 3 or 4 separate languages, Anglo, Saxon, Fristan and Celtic with a touch of Northern Teutonic tribal words. The Word god would not appear for s few hundred years. The terms used for god were most likely the Hebrew Elohim or the Aramaic Ali/Eli both of which are derivatives of Allaah(swt) God(swt) to the early Christians would most likely have been a variation of Allaah(swt). Allaah(swt) while Arabic has counterparts in both Hebrew and Aramaic and is spelled essentially the same way except with the usage of Phoenician, Hebrew or Aramaic letters. The confusion over the pronunciation is because both Hebrew and Aramaic do not use vowels in generally known words. Since a variation of Allaah was the common usage for His name among all people of the Monotheistic Abrahamic Faiths, it does seem that Allaah is preferred..

Although at the time the Greek Theos and the Roman Deos were gaining acceptance among the Christians.

God as an English name was a long way of and did not appear in any written bible until the Wycliff Bible written in 1389. It is possible the word God was used as early as the year 225, but that would be far before there was an English Language and with the few existing texts that used it, it is difficult if not impossible to determine if that was in reference to Yahwheh, Elohim, ali. Eli , Allaah(swt) or any of the other Semitic language words that identified the monotheistic deity worshiped by Abraham(PBUH)

[Insaanah]

The original language for the Qu 'ran is in Arabic, so could God have just been saying, "Call me God"? Did he specifically say that you must say God in Arabic? If that makes any sense...

Greetings Meg,

I explained in my post on the previous page why Muslims prefer to use the term Allah. As to what Allah Himself has said, firstly, it is what He has called Himself:

"O Moses! Verily, I am Allah, the Mighty, the Wise." (27:9)

Secondly, He has asked us to call on Him by His beautiful names:

"And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them, and leave the company of those who belie or deny (or utter impious speech against) His Names. They will be requited for what they used to do." (7:180)

Say: "Call upon Allah, or call upon ar-Rahman (the Most Beneficent): by whatever name you invoke Him (it is well): for His are the most beautiful names..." (17:110, part)

"He is Allah, than Whom there is no other Allah, the Knower of the Invisible and the Visible. He is the Beneficent, the Merciful.

He is Allah, than Whom there is no other Allah, the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One, Peace, the Keeper of Faith, the Guardian, the Majestic, the Compeller, the Superb. Glorified be Allah from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him).

He is Allah, the Creator, the Shaper out of naught, the Fashioner. His are the most beautiful names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorifieth Him, and He is the Mighty, the Wise." (59:22-24)

Allah has taught us many of His beautiful names (including the word Allah) that are mentioned above, the English translation doesn't quite capture the beauty of the Arabic words.

When we have such beautiful names available with which He has called Himself, we prefer to use them.

Peace.

[MEG]

Thank you for these further clarifications. I understand why you would perceive calling Him 'God' as less respectful than Allah, because God can be also used by those who believe in multiple gods.

It's really interesting about Eloah and Allah, they do sound very similar, but on a website, I read that thee are multiple theories as to the origin of Elohim and Eloah. If you are interested, you can search for 'Elohim' on Newadvent.org, but it's a bit of a boring read!

Anyway:

So, 'God' isn't the direct translation of 'Allah'? Christians who speak Arabic use Allah, so I assumed that it is.

[aadil77]

So, 'God' isn't the direct translation of 'Allah'? Christians who speak Arabic use Allah, so I assumed that it is.

as far as I know 'illah' means god/deity and Allah means 'the god'

I think arab christians do say Allah but I think they something after as well

[Insaanah]

Greetings Meg,

Allah literally means "The God" (contraction of al, [the], ilaah [God]). Yes, Arab Christians use the word Allah too, but because the English word God is mainly known as having trinitarian connotations, then we sometimes use the word Allah and use that as a springboard to explain the concept of God in Islam. This would only really be needed say, where someone didn't know what the Islamic concept of God was, and may assume that if a Muslim says, "God", that Muslims must also believe in a trinity. In the Arab world, the Muslims and Christians by and large get on well, know each others beliefs, and both use the word Allah. But using the word God generally isn't a problem, Muslims do use it, and can use it, but we do love the word Allah and Allah's beautiful names that He has called himself with.

Hope that clarifies it a bit.

Peace.

[manaal]

Greetings Meg,

Yes, Arab Christians use the word Allah too, but because the word God can have other connotations, (eg being composed of a trinity).

I knew of the first part of what I've quoted above. But do you mean to say that Arab X-tians do not believe in the trinity? Is it something do with most of them being "orthodox" x-tians?

[Insaanah]

But do you mean to say that Arab X-tians do not believe in the trinity?

No, I don't mean that. Sorry if I misphrased that. Have edited original post to hopefully make it a bit clearer.

[MEG]

Greetings Meg,

Allah literally means "The God" (contraction of al, [the], ilaah [God]). Yes, Arab Christians use the word Allah too, but because the English word God is mainly known as having trinitarian connotations, then we sometimes use the word Allah and use that as a springboard to explain the concept of God in Islam. This would only really be needed say, where someone didn't know what the Islamic concept of God was, and may assume that if a Muslim says, "God", that Muslims must also believe in a trinity. In the Arab world, the Muslims and Christians by and large get on well, know each others beliefs, and both use the word Allah. But using the word God generally isn't a problem, Muslims do use it, and can use it, but we do love the word Allah and Allah's beautiful names that He has called himself with.

Hope that clarifies it a bit.

Peace.

Thank you, that really clarifies it. So if you ever speak to a non-Muslim who speaks English, would you refer to Him as Allah, or God? When with me, my Muslim friend refers to Him as God, but says that Allah feels more natural.

[Woodrow]

Thank you, that really clarifies it. So if you ever speak to a non-Muslim who speaks English, would you refer to Him as Allah, or God? When with me, my Muslim friend refers to Him as God, but says that Allah feels more natural.

I live among the Lakotah and when discussing religion I have to use the Lakotah word for God(swt) which is Wakan Tanka. Actually I feel more comfortable with Wakan Tanka as it has no English equal and the attributes are that of a One God with no equals. For many reasons I much prefer living among the Native Americans than the wasichu invaders that now inhabit most of the USA. I find it as a life style that does not conflict with or interfere with my life as a Muslim. When my Lakotah neighbors ask me about Islam I do use the Name Wakan Takan when speaking of God(swt) Also since my wife is Native American, we fit in better than we do among the white population.

[manaal]

:sl:
I remembered surah An-nas (Mankind) just now and am a bit surprised none of us remembered to quote it. In this, the very last chapter of the Holy Qura'n Allah says (Sahih int'l translation):

In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
(1) Say, "I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind,
(2) The Sovereign of mankind.
(3) The God of mankind,"

In the original Arabic text, the words bolded above are, Rabb, Malik and Ilah.

[Ossama]

It's very confusing to use the word God as many english-speaking christians still consider Jesus as God

It's highly recommended to use the word Allah