Originally Answered: Why do Muslim people use 'Allah' instead of 'God' when speaking English?

Allah is the Arabic word for God, although only a relatively small amount of Muslims actually speak Arabic as their first language. Yet, Muslims around the world use the same word for God, Allah. This gives the word a unifying quality. There is nothing wrong with a Muslim saying ‘God’ in his/her own language, but most Muslims prefer to use the word Allah. However, the word Allah also has a unique quality.

For example, the English word God is spelled with a capital ‘G’ and we understand it to mean the one almighty God. But if it is spelled with a lower case ‘g’, god, it could refer to anything that people worship. Since capitalisation does not come across in speech, there is no way to distinguish between God and god. The word ‘god’ can also become plural, gods, and it can be male or female, god or goddess.

On the other hand, Arabic has two different words for God and god. The word for god is illah, and the word for God is Allah. Furthermore, the word Allah is unlike other Arabic words in that it cannot become plural, or take the role of gender. So when you say Allah, there is no confusion. You are not referring to any god, but the one and only God. Allah is not only exclusive to Muslims, Arab Christians also use the same word.

It is interesting to note that the word Allah is also mentioned in the bible,

If you read the Bible in the Hebrew language, it calls ‘God Almighty’ as ‘Elohim’. ‘Him’ is a sign of respect in the Semitic languages, so the word God in Hebrew is actually ‘Elo’. And also if you read The Old Testament , it uses the words ‘Elo’ or ‘Ela’ for God. And in the English Bible, revised by Reverend Scofield, he gave the spelling of ‘Ela’as alternatively, either as ‘Elah’ or ‘Alah’.

Muslim say Allah, although it is spelt slightly differently from the Hebrew word, they are pronounced the same.

Furthermore according to the Bible, when Jesus Christ (peace be upon him) allegedly was crucified - it is mentioned thatwhen he was put on the cross, he cried out ‘Elai Elai Lama Sabach thani’ (Oh God, Oh God, why have thou forsaken me) (Mathew 27:46). This is a Hebrew quotation, but it has been maintained - even in the English Bible. If you translate ‘Elai Elai Lama Sabach thani’ into Arabic… it is ‘Allah Allah Lama Sabachtani’. Does it sound similar? - Yes! Hebrew and Arabic are sister languages.


Abuh Alam
Updated August 20, 2012

Allah is the one and only Creator who deserved to be worshiped. He begets not and is not begotten!

God can be subjected to debasing use depending on its usage.