--- title: "Who Is Allah? | Islam Is Mercy" description: "Allah is the Arabic word for the one God, Creator of everything. Learn how the Qur'an describes Him, His beautiful names, and why Arab Christians say Allah too." lang: en url: https://islamismercy.com/en/start/who-is-allah/ --- 1. [Home](https://islamismercy.com/en/) 2. [Start Here](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/) 3. Who Is Allah? # Who Is Allah? Written by **Islam Is Mercy Editorial Team**· 3 min readAwaiting scholar review ## The short answer Allah is simply the Arabic word for God — the one, unique Creator of the heavens and the earth, who has no partner, no child and no equal. It is not the name of a tribal or "Muslim-only" god; Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews also call God Allah. Muslims come to know Him through the names and qualities He uses for Himself in the Qur'an, such as the Most Merciful, the Ever-Living and the All-Knowing. ## On this page 1. “Allah” is the Arabic word for God 2. One God, with no partner and nothing like Him 3. How God describes Himself 4. The most beautiful names 5. Above everything, yet very near 6. Getting to know God Some people imagine that “Allah” is a different god, worshipped only by Muslims. In fact, the word is much simpler — and much more familiar — than that. To understand Islam, it helps to start with the God at its centre. ## “Allah” is the Arabic word for God *Allah* is the word for God in the Arabic language. It is a close linguistic relative of the Hebrew *Eloah* (plural *Elohim*) and the Aramaic *Alaha* — Aramaic being the language Jesus (peace be upon him) is thought to have spoken. Arabic-speaking Christians have used *Allah* for centuries: open an Arabic Bible and you will find it on the very first page, in the story of creation. So when Muslims say *Allah*, they mean the one God who created the universe — the God of Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Muslims and Christians understand God differently in important ways, which we discuss honestly in [Is Allah the Same God?](https://islamismercy.com/en/compare/is-allah-the-same-god/) But the word itself simply means God. ## One God, with no partner and nothing like Him The most important thing Muslims believe about God is that He is **One**. This belief is called *[tawhid](https://islamismercy.com/en/glossary/tawhid/)* — the oneness of God. One short chapter of the [Qur’an](https://islamismercy.com/en/glossary/quran/) sums it up so clearly that the Prophet ﷺ said it is equal to a third of the whole Qur’an ([Sahih](https://islamismercy.com/en/glossary/sahih/) al-Bukhari 5013): > قُلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ﴿١﴾ ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ ﴿٢﴾ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ ﴿٣﴾ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌۢ ﴿٤﴾ > 1Say, "He is Allah, \[who is\] One, 2Allah, the Eternal Refuge. 3He neither begets nor is born, 4Nor is there to Him any equivalent." [Qur'an, Al-Ikhlaas 112:1-4](https://quran.com/112?startingVerse=1&translations=20)Saheeh International This oneness is something Muslims share with the earliest teachings of the Bible: *“Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD”* (Deuteronomy 6:4, KJV) — words that Jesus himself repeated (Mark 12:29, KJV). The Qur’an also teaches that God is completely unlike His creation. He is not a man, He is not part of nature, and nothing we imagine can capture Him — nothing at all is like Him (Qur’an 42:11). For more, see [God Is One](https://islamismercy.com/en/core/god-is-one/). ## How God describes Himself Because we cannot see God, Muslims come to know Him through how He describes Himself in the Qur’an. One of the best-loved passages is known as *Ayat al-Kursi*, “the Verse of the Throne”: > ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌۭ وَلَا نَوْمٌۭ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ ﴿٢٥٥﴾ > Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of \[all\] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is \[presently\] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursi extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great. [Qur'an, Al-Baqara 2:255](https://quran.com/2?startingVerse=255&translations=20)Saheeh International This verse shows a God who is fully alive, never tired and never sleeping, who knows everything and holds the whole universe together — not a distant force, but a Lord who is constantly caring for His creation. ## The most beautiful names The Qur’an calls God by many names, each describing an aspect of who He is. Near the end of chapter 59, a series of them appears together: > هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ عَٰلِمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَٰدَةِ ۖ هُوَ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ﴿٢٢﴾ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِى لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱلْقُدُّوسُ ٱلسَّلَٰمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُ ٱلْمُهَيْمِنُ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْجَبَّارُ ٱلْمُتَكَبِّرُ ۚ سُبْحَٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ ﴿٢٣﴾ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْخَٰلِقُ ٱلْبَارِئُ ٱلْمُصَوِّرُ ۖ لَهُ ٱلْأَسْمَآءُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ ﴿٢٤﴾ > 22He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, Knower of the unseen and the witnessed. He is the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful. 23He is Allah, other than whom there is no deity, the Sovereign, the Pure, the Perfection, the Bestower of Faith, the Overseer, the Exalted in Might, the Compeller, the Superior. Exalted is Allah above whatever they associate with Him. 24He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Fashioner; to Him belong the best names. Whatever is in the heavens and earth is exalting Him. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise. [Qur'an, Al-Hashr 59:22-24](https://quran.com/59?startingVerse=22&translations=20)Saheeh International The Prophet ﷺ taught that knowing these names by heart is a path to Paradise: > …Allah has ninety-nine Names, one-hundred less one; and he who memorized them all by heart will enter Paradise.… [Sahih al-Bukhari 7392](https://sunnah.com/bukhari/97#:~:text=and%20he%20who%20memorized%20them)Grade: Sahih (in Sahih al-Bukhari) Some of the names Muslims call on most are *Ar-Rahman* (the Entirely Merciful), *Ar-Raheem* (the Especially Merciful), *Al-Ghafoor* (the Forgiving), *Al-Wadud* (the Loving), *Al-Adl* (the Just) and *Al-Hakeem* (the Wise). Notice how many of them speak of mercy and love — which is why we say that [Islam is mercy](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/why-islam-is-mercy/). ## Above everything, yet very near God in Islam is greater than anything we can imagine. Yet He is also close. Muslims do not need a priest, a saint or any go-between to speak to Him. Anyone can call on God directly, at any time, in any language: > وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِى عَنِّى فَإِنِّى قَرِيبٌ ۖ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ ۖ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُوا۟ لِى وَلْيُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِى لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ ﴿١٨٦﴾ > And when My servants ask you, \[O Muhammad\], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me \[by obedience\] and believe in Me that they may be \[rightly\] guided. [Qur'an, Al-Baqara 2:186](https://quran.com/2?startingVerse=186&translations=20)Saheeh International This is the heart of a Muslim’s relationship with God: awe at His greatness, love for His mercy, and the confidence that He hears every prayer. ## Getting to know God Muslims believe that every human being has a natural sense that there is a Creator. Learning about God’s names and qualities simply gives that inner sense a clear picture. If you would like to keep exploring, read [What Does the Word “Islam” Mean?](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/meaning-of-islam/) — about what it means to submit to this God — or return to [What Is Islam?](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/what-is-islam/) ![Who Is Allah?](https://islamismercy.com/_astro/who-is-allah-info.BzH7D3k6_17Lljt.jpg) ## Key takeaways - Allah is the Arabic word for God, used by Arabic-speaking Muslims, Christians and Jews alike. - God is One — He has no partner, no offspring and nothing is like Him. - Muslims know God through His names and attributes, many of which describe His mercy. - God is above His creation yet near to everyone who calls on Him. ## Share this article [WhatsApp](https://wa.me/?text=Who%20Is%20Allah%3F%20https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fstart%2Fwho-is-allah%2F)[Telegram](https://t.me/share/url?url=https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fstart%2Fwho-is-allah%2F&text=Who%20Is%20Allah%3F)[X](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Who%20Is%20Allah%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fstart%2Fwho-is-allah%2F)[Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fislamismercy.com%2Fen%2Fstart%2Fwho-is-allah%2F) ## Sources - [Qur'an, Al-Ikhlaas 112:1-4](https://quran.com/112?startingVerse=1&translations=20) - [Qur'an, Al-Baqara 2:255](https://quran.com/2?startingVerse=255&translations=20) - [Qur'an, Al-Hashr 59:22-24](https://quran.com/59?startingVerse=22&translations=20) - [Qur'an, Al-Baqara 2:186](https://quran.com/2?startingVerse=186&translations=20) - [Sahih al-Bukhari 7392](https://sunnah.com/bukhari/97#:~:text=and%20he%20who%20memorized%20them) ## Talk to a Muslim Have a question that isn't answered here? Ask a real person — no pressure, no judgement. [Ask your question](https://islamismercy.com/en/talk/) ## Keep reading [What Muslims Agree On ### God Is One: No Partner, No Son, No Equal The oneness of God (tawhid) is the foundation of Islam. Here is what Muslims mean by it, in plain words, with the Qur'an's own description of God. Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/core/god-is-one/)[Compare Faiths ### Is Allah the Same God Christians Worship? Allah is simply the Arabic word for God, used by Arab Christians too. Muslims worship the God of Abraham, but understand His nature differently from Christians. Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/compare/is-allah-the-same-god/)[Start Here ### What Is Islam? A Simple Introduction A clear, friendly introduction to Islam — what Muslims believe about God, the prophets and the Qur'an, and how faith shapes everyday life. Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/what-is-islam/)[Start Here ### What Does the Word "Islam" Mean? The word "Islam" means willing submission to God, and it shares an Arabic root with the word for peace. Here is what that means. Read article](https://islamismercy.com/en/start/meaning-of-islam/)