Who is Allah?

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Did you know?

Christians and Jews
say “Allah” too

Yes. Arabic-speaking Christians have no other everyday word for God, and Arabic-speaking Jews used it for over a thousand years.

The Word · Do Christians and Jews say “Allah”?

Next: Have all Christians believed in the Trin… →

A church, in 512

The oldest dated Arabic inscription naming God is on a church. At Zabad in Syria, in 512 CE, Christians carved al-ilāh, “the God”, into a lintel of the church of St Sergius. The stone is now in Brussels.

A rabbi's Torah

A thousand years ago the great Jewish scholar Saadia Gaon translated the Torah into Arabic. He used “Allah” about 1,650 times. His Shema reads:

“Know, O Israel: Allah is our Lord, Allah the One.”Saadia Gaon's Arabic rendering of Deuteronomy 6:4 (10th century)

Arabic Bibles

The earliest dated Arabic Bible manuscript, Sinai Arabic 151, was finished in Damascus in 867 CE. Arabic Bibles today say “Allah” on their first page: “In the beginning Allah created the heavens and the earth.” In Indonesia, Christians have read “Allah” in their Bibles since 1629.

Watch

Watch

A Christian telling

The Bible in Arabic - part 2 - the world that gave birth to the most influential Arabic BibleWorking for the Word - A Bible Translation Podcast · 31 minThe Bible in Arabic, part 2.

In London, this week

At St Luke's in Kentish Town, a congregation prays the Lord's Prayer in Arabic, and the word they say is Allah. Watch the 27-second clip ▶

Watch

Watch

A Christian telling

The Lord's Prayer | Arabic · St Luke's Kentish TownPlays on “Allah beyond Islam” →
The Lord's Prayer | ArabicSt Luke's Kentish Town · 0 minThe Lord's Prayer sung in Arabic.

Same God?

Saying the same word does not settle the bigger question. Christians give three answers, each in good faith: the same God, differently understood (the Catholic Church's teaching since 1965); the same God intended, but described so differently that “same” misleads; or not the same, because God is known only as Trinity. Jews and Muslims have their own debates. We set them side by side in Is it the same God?

Keep going

60 sec
The WordWhat does “Allah” mean?One word, its root and its family: Elohim, Alaha, Allah.
5 min
The WordOne GodFour lines, fifteen words, a third of the Qur'an.
5 min
The WordWhy there's no pictureWhat does Allah look like? Nothing you have seen.

Watch and listen

Documentaries and short films on the word and its story.

filmThe MessageThe classic telling of the birth of Islam, made so that the Prophet (peace be upon him) is never seen or heard, only felt through those around him.1976 · 178 · Moustapha Akkad (dir.); Filmco International · Widely available to stream or buy
Trailer ▶F-ILM
filmAr-Risalah (The Message, Arabic version)The same story filmed again, scene for scene, with an Arab cast: a lovely way to show the Arabic of Allah in its own voice.1976 · 206 · Moustapha Akkad (dir.); Arabic-language version · Widely available to stream or buy
Trailer ▶F-ILM
Shows prophets
subscriptionseriesThe ChosenA Christian series about the people around Jesus (peace be upon him): Christian faith in its own words.2019 · 60 · Dallas Jenkins (creator); 5&2 Studios · Widely available to stream or buyShows prophets as people, as its makers chose; labelled here, never pictured by us.
F-ILM
Shows prophets
FreefilmThe Ten CommandmentsThe grand Hollywood telling of Moses (peace be upon him), the Exodus and the Law at Sinai.1956 · 220 · Cecil B. DeMille (dir.) · Widely available to stream or buyShows prophets as people, as its makers chose; labelled here, never pictured by us.
F-ILM
Shows prophets
FreeseriesJesus of NazarethThe most loved screen life of Jesus (peace be upon him), still shown every Easter: Christian faith in its own words.1977 · 97 · Franco Zeffirelli (dir.); ITC / RAI · Widely available to stream or buyShows prophets as people, as its makers chose; labelled here, never pictured by us.
F-ILM
Shows prophets
filmBen-HurA prince wronged and enslaved learns that mercy is stronger than revenge.1959 · 212 · William Wyler (dir.); MGM · Widely available to stream or buyShows prophets as people, as its makers chose; labelled here, never pictured by us.
F-ILM
Shows prophets
paiddocuseriesThe Story of God with Morgan FreemanMorgan Freeman travels the world asking how every faith answers the biggest questions, including who God is.2016 · 3 seasons x ~45 min · National Geographic; Revelations Entertainment · Widely available to stream or buyShows prophets as people, as its makers chose; labelled here, never pictured by us.
F-ILM

Watch more: Christians and Jews say “Allah” too

6 films and talks, chosen for this page. They play here.

  • Jewish, Muslim and Christian Arabic: Dr Esther-Miriam Wagner

    WoolfInstitute · 8 min

  • The Lord's Prayer | Arabic

    St Luke's Kentish Town · 1 min

    St Luke's Kentish Town: the Lord's Prayer in Arabic.

  • Podcast: Arabic Music in Middle Eastern Jewish Worship

    WoolfInstitute · 15 min

  • Types of Jews: Ashkenazi, Sephardi, Mizrahi and More

    myjewishlearning · 2 min

  • Coptic Christianity Explained

    ReligionForBreakfast · 40 min

    ReligionForBreakfast: Coptic Christianity, Arabic-speaking Christians of Egypt.

  • Is Allah God? | Prof. Miroslav Volf

    Emir-Stein Center · 9 min

  • More films and talks on F-ILMWatch free