Ridiculous Claims of Some Christians Regarding Word “Allah” (1)

“Among His Signs are the Night and the Day, and the Sun and the Moon. Adore not the sun and the moon, but adore Allah, Who created them, if it is Him ye wish to serve” (Quran 41:37)

Some Christians have argued that Arabic word “Allah” is the name of moon-god (na’oozu billah). Following is the link of a website, the authors of whom have tried to establish this claim on the basis of pseudo-archaeology and pseudo-etymology:

Allah-the Moon God

It is claimed on this website that, “The Moon-god was called al- ilah, i.e. the god, which was shortened to Allah in pre-Islamic times.” It is also claimed, “Under Mohammed's tutelage, the relatively anonymous Ilah, became Al-Ilah, The God, or Allah, the Supreme Being.” These ignorant people have claimed, “To the Jews and the Christians, he (Muhammad) said that Allah was their God too. But both the Jews and the Christians knew better and that is why they rejected his god Allah as a false god.”

Interestingly, the write up consists of claims only, without any evidence to prove the thesis suggested.

The view expressed in the write up is originated from a misconception that prevails in most of the Jews and Christians: Allah is name for God used only by Muslims. This is not true. As a matter of fact word Allah, as Arabic alternate of God, is used by all the Arabic-speaking followers of the Abrahamic religions, including Jews and Christians (Columbia Encyclopaedia: Allah). There are about 15 to 20 million Arabic speaking Christians. All of them use word Allah for God. Does this mean that they are worshippers of moon-god?

As Muslims, we know that Allah is not moon-god. In Quran Allah is introduced as the Lord of all the worlds, and the creator of the sun and the moon. But with the help of Arabic Bible, which is considered authentic to both the Protestant and Catholic Churches, it can be proved to Christians that Allah is not moon-god, as in Arabic Bible word “Allah” is used throughout for God. Here are some of the examples:

Genesis 1:1 says:

In the beginning Allah created the heaven and the earth.

Genesis 20:17 says:

So Abraham prayed to Allah: and Allah healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his maidservants; and they bore children.

Exodus 3:14 says:

And Allah said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shall you say to the children of Israel, I AM has sent me to you.

In Matthew 5:8 Jesus Christ says:

Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see Allah.

1 Thessalonians 1:1 records:

Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, to the church of the Thessalonians which is in Allah the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be to you, and peace, from Allah our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Please note that according to Christian belief, authentic translations of Bible are done with the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit. That is why every translation is considered to be Word of God. "Arabic Cavalry Chapel" wesite states about Arabic Bible, "God opened the door to Arabic people to enjoy the gifts of the Holy Spirit and a new dimension in the relationship with the person of the Holy Spirit. We believe in the Holy Bible From Genesis to Revelation to be the word of God, and the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God and the saviour."

This evidence from Arabic Torah and New Testament is enough to prove to Christians and Jews that Allah was not moon-god, but the God the Creator, and the God of Abraham, Mose and Jesus Christ. Allah is the one to whom Paul referred to as God the Father. But will Jews and Christians correct themselves now? Surely only those who are "the pure in heart".