Understanding the Divine: Who is Allah and What Do Muslims Believe?

Arabs became acquainted with Allah when Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) traveled to Makkah and, together with his son Ismail (peace be upon him), established the Kaaba. The descendants of Prophet Ismail (peace be upon him) maintained specific worship practices and beliefs inherited from Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), which included the recognition of the one true deity, Allah. Some non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Muslims worship a different deity than the One true God.

This misunderstanding may stem from Muslims frequently using the term Allah to refer to God. However, it is important to clarify that Allah is the Arabic term for the one true God who is the creator of the universe and all mankind.

Regardless of their religion, Arabic individuals use the term Allah to refer to God. For instance, in an Arabic version of the Christian Bible, the word Allah is used instead of God as in English.

Therefore, Allah is not a distinct deity, but the same deity revered by all the prophets of God. Claiming that Allah is a different deity is unreasonable and erroneous, akin to suggesting that the Swahilis worship a different deity simply because they refer to Him as Mwenyezi Mungu, or that the Kikuyus worship a different deity because they call Him Ngai, or even that the Hebrews worship a different deity because they address Him as Yahweh.

The End