rached@ee.eng.ohio-state.edu (Rached Zantout) (05/09/91)
Assalmu alaykum (may the peace of Allah be on you) I have read the question about why muslims call Allah like that and not God when speaking in English. Well why is that because Allah called himself like that more than any other name (I think) and also I heared that is the way to call Allah (I don't have the proof ready now). As far as calling Allah God, if this is to clarify then you can at the beginning of a talk with someone who is not familiar with the name tell him that Allah is the creator .... but he is not the same as the God of the christians (which is Jesus or three in one). About that Allah in arabic means God, Ilah in Arabic means God and would be translated to God in english or Dieu in French but God is kind of like a proper name. Let me give an example here: My name is rached, Rached (the word) in arabic can be roughly translated to "Adult" (it has a vastwer meaning but for the sake of argument lets consider this right). Although it is like this, when I tell americans or non-arabic speaking people my name I tell them it is rached and not adult. I think you are making a big problem out of a very small issue. In fact calling Allah by his name benefits us because then we will make sure to explain to the people the difference between The God in Islam and their ideas about god. I hope I didn't offend anyone and may ALLAH forgive me for everything wrong I said, since I only had the Intention for him when I wrote this and for no other purpose. Waasalamu alaykum. -- "I bear witness that there is only one god, and that Muhammad is his messenger"
hishami@sco.COM (Hisham Ibrahim) (05/17/91)
Why is everyone forgetting that non-muslim Arabs use the word Allah to refer to God. Arab Christians do it, as well as people who don't even believe in a god. This is the same as atheists over here using the term God even though they don't believe in Him. I guess my point is clear. Hisham -- LAKERS all the way!