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It is a known fact that every
language has one or more terms that are used in reference to
God and sometimes to lesser deities. This is not the case
with Allah. Allah is the personal name of the One true God.
Nothing else can be called Allah. The term has no plural or
gender. This shows its uniqueness when compared with the
word god which can be made plural, gods, or feminine,
goddess. It is interesting to notice that Allah is the
personal name of God in Aramaic, the language of Jesus and a
sister language of Arabic.
The One true God is a
reflection of the unique concept that Islam associates with
God. To a Muslim, Allah is the Almighty, Creator and
Sustainer of the universe, Who is similar to nothing and
nothing is comparable to Him. The Prophet Muhammad was asked
by his contemporaries about Allah; the answer came directly
from God Himself in the form of a short chapter of the Quran,
which is considered the essence of the unity or the motto of
monotheism. This is chapter 112 which reads:
"In the name of God, the
Merciful, the Compassionate.
Say (O Muhammad) He is God the One God, the Everlasting
Refuge, who has not begotten, nor has been begotten, and
equal to Him is not anyone."
Some non-Muslims allege
that God in Islam is a stern and cruel God who demands to be
obeyed fully. He is not loving and kind. Nothing can be
farther from truth than this allegation. It is enough to
know that, with the exception of one, each of the 114
chapters of the Quran begins with the verse: "In the name of
God, the Merciful, the Compassionate." In one of the sayings
of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) we are told that "God is more
loving and kinder than a mother to her dear child."
But God is also Just. Hence
evildoers and sinners must have their share of punishment
and the virtuous, His bounties and favors. Actually God's
attribute of Mercy has full manifestation in His attribute
of Justice. People suffering throughout their lives for His
sake and people oppressing and exploiting other people all
their lives should not receive similar treatment from their
Lord. Expecting similar treatment for them will amount to
negating the very belief in the accountability of man in the
Hereafter and thereby negating all the incentives for a
moral and virtuous life in this world. The following Quranic
verses are very clear and straightforward in this respect:
"Verily, for the
Righteous are gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their
Lord. Shall We then treat the people of Faith like the
people of Sin? What is the matter with you? How judge
you?" (68:34-36)
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