From time to time, we come across people who say that Muslims believe in another God than the Lord of the heavens and the earth, since they call Him 'Allah'. It is essential to point out that this is a unique name and an exclusive title that no one except Him has been called.

The Encyclopedia Britannica states : "The name's origin can be traced back to the earliest Semitic writings in which the word for god was Il or El, the latter being an Old Testament synonym for Yahweh. Allah is the standard Arabic word for "God" and is used by Arab Christians as well as by Muslims".

When we use the word ‘Allah’ we mean the same God that created Adam and Eve, the same God that sent Prophets such as Abraham, Lot, Moses, David, Jesus and Mohammad peace be upon them. We do not mean a different God than the God that spoke to Moses, and split the sea for him. We mean the exact same God that saved Noah in the ark, Jonah in the Whale. We mean the exact same God that created Jesus in the womb of Virgin Mary (peace and blessing of Allah be upon them).

According to the Quran, the final testament, no being is worthy of worship except Allah, and Allah is Absolutely One and Absolutely Unique: He is the eternal, the absolute. He wasn't begotten and He doesn't beget, and there is none like unto Him. [Quran 112:1-5].

Allah alone caused all things to exist when there was nothing “And among His signs are the night and the day and the sun and the moon; do not prostrate to the sun nor to the moon; but prostrate to Allah Who created them, if Him it is that you serve” [Quran 41:37]. He sustains and maintains creation without any need from it, and nothing happens in the creation except what He allows to happen. “Allah is Creator of all things, and He is Guardian over all things” [Quran 39:62].  In recognition of this reality, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing be upon him) used to often say: “There is no movement nor power except by Allah's will”. 

Finally, we believe that Allah has the most magnificent names and the sublime perfect attributes as mentioned in the Quran and the teachings of the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him)."He is Allah the one and only, than Whom there is no other god besides him, the Knower of the Invisible and the Visible. He is the Beneficent, Merciful. He is 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)."  [Quran 59:22-24]  

These are the three main fundamentals of Tawheed (Islamic Monotheism): To maintain the Unity of Worship, the Unity of Lordship, and the Unity of Allah’s Names and Attributes.   

Abdullah Al-Qenaei  -  PhD researcher - University of Bath