What will show the way to Almighty Creator? From where we will get the guidance for Life? This article will help you to know the answers of these questions… Name is an identification for each single being or object that we know. Visible or invisible everything has its own name. Surely, the Almighty Creator has one or more than one names. People call the Almighty in different names worldwide. Now, if someone says that, we can call the Almighty in any name and He will reply; then do you agree with this? Let us find out the answers of some questions:

Firstly, suppose your name is ‘Joy’, but if someone calls you as ‘David’ then will you reply? No, you will not. Then what is the surety that, if you call the Almighty Creator in such a name which is not His identity or not proper for Him, and He will reply? 

Secondly, if you call your Almighty Creator in such a name which the disbelievers (like pagans) also use to identify their Lords, then what is the surety that your Creator will answer you? 

Thirdly, if you call your Almighty Creator in such a name that has gender and plurality, then do you think that the Almighty will be happy hearing such a name? 

Finally, we can say that, there is an importance to know the true and best name of the Almighty Creator. . Now, let us find it out from the teaching of the Holy Books. At first, let us have a look over the names by which people call the Almighty Creator worldwide:

[Note: Aramaic is not used anymore anywhere in the world, but just surviving on the Old Scriptures.]   So, we find that, in all the languages the identifier name of Almighty Creator has Gender and Plurality, except the Arabic word Allah (ﺍﷲ). In this point of view, we can say that, Allah is a best name to identify the Almighty Creator. . Now, a question may arise that, is Allah a pagan name? And, was the word Allah created by someone or for any special purpose? Let us check out the answers: 

Firstly, in Bible the Almighty Creator is identified by different names, where one name is ‘Elohim’ (אלהים – Gods) which is a plural form of God. But, in Quran there is no such name that has plurality. According to Quran, Allah is such a name of Almighty Creator which has no plurality. If we find the root of the word Allah, we will find two words:‘Al’ and ‘Ilah’; where Al (the) + Ilah (GOD) = Allah (The GOD). So, the meaning of the word ‘Allah’ is “The GOD”, therefore, “One GOD”. That means, surely Allah can’t be plural. As it is written in Quran that:

“… your Ilah is One Ilah …”

(Quran, Al Kahf 18:110)

Here is an important matter to note that; although the Arabic word Ilah (إلاه) and the Hebrew word Elah (הלא) both sounds similar, but none is the root of another, and were used in their own languages in own form and expression. 

Secondly, the word Allah has no feminine. Some people say that, the Arabic word Al’Lat is the feminine of Allah. But, actually Al’Lat was a Goddess in Macca and was the wife of Babylonian idol Nergal who is found in history and also in Bible, 2 King 17:30. But, the people of that era and also this era have made some wrong beliefs just watching spelling similarities between the two words: Allah and Al’Lat. There is no historical, mythological or religious relation between Allah and Al’Lat. As, Quran says about the idol Al’Lat that:

“Have you then considered Al’Lat, and Al’Uzza? And Manat, the other third? … … They are but names which you have named – you and your fathers – for which Allah has sent down no authority …”

(Quran, An Najm 53:19-20, 23)

In these verses Quran teaches that, Al’Lat is nothing rather than a Pagan Idol whose name was set by the disbelievers. 

Thirdly, Allah is such a name which was never used as any Pagan God’s name or in any bad purpose. 

Fourthly, the name Allah is not a creation of Prophet Muhammad. If we look at the history we will find that, the name of the father of Prophet Muhammad was ‘Abdullah’ which is comes thus; Abd (servant) + Allah (Al’Ilah) = Abdullah (Servant of One God, therefore, Servant of Allah). That means, the name Allah is not created by Prophet Muhammad. 

Fifthly, if we look at the Arabic Bible we will also find the name Allah instead of God (Eloah/Elohim), although being a single word ‘Allah’ doesn’t mean just ‘God’, but “The-GOD”. Let us check such a verse from Arabic Bible with its pronunciation and translation:  

“Fee al-badi’ khalaqa Allahu as-Samaawaat wa al-Ard . . . “

“In the beginning God created the Heaven and the Earth . . . “

(Bible, Genesis 1:1)

Sixthly, from the history and also from Bible (Genesis 11:28, 11:31 & 15:7) we learn that: Prophet Îbrahîm was born in Ur of the Chaldees (a city of Mesopotamia) where people used to use a kind of Ancient Semitic Language. This Ancient Semitic Language is nothing rather than an Ancient form of Arabic Language; and the word Allah is found even in Ancient Arabic, also in Modern Arabic. Moreover, we find huge similarities between the Languages: Arabic (language of Prophet Muhammad) and Aramaic (language of Prophet Isa). And, the Arabic word Allah (ﺍﷲ) is also found in Aramaic Bible as Alaha (͕ܗ΅͕). 

Seventhly, maximum time people call the Almighty in such names which refer to any special act or capability of the Almighty, not all about the Almighty. But, Allah is not such any Attributive Name that expresses Him incomplete. 

Finally, we can surely say that, Allah a best name and a best identification for the Almighty Creator. Now one can think that, is ‘Allah’ the one and only name of the Almighty Creator? Let us investigate the answer of this question from Quran:

“And (all) the Most Beautiful Names belong to Allah, so call on Him by them …”

(Quran, Al Araf 7:180)

“… Call Him Allah or call Him Ar’Rahman (Most Gracious); whichever name you use, to Him belongs the Best Names …”

(Quran, Al  Isra 17:110)

. So, we find that, not only ‘Allah’, but also there are a lot of names which can be His name. But which are those? Let us go through the Quran to find some special Names of Allah as his identity:  

[Note: Because of the limitation of space only the spelling is shown above, not the way how to write the names. There are more other names of Allah in Quran.] Checking the Attributive Names above, we can surely say that, all these names are perfect only for Allah, not anyone else. So, according to the teaching of Quran, we can call Him in any of these Names. . Now, let us find what the existing portions of the Old Scriptures in Bible are teaching us about the Names of Almighty Creator. At first we check a verse where it is written that:

Moses said to GOD, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is His name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” GOD said to Moses, “I am who I am”. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you’.”

(Bible, Exodus 3:13-14)

If we concentrate on this verse, we find that, while Prophet Mûsâ asked the Creator about His name, then the Creator didn’t say any name in His first sentence, but said: “I am who I am”. Through this sentence the Creator actually taught Prophet Mûsâ that, human being needs a name to be identified among thousands and millions, but the Creator doesn’t need a name to be identified, just His everlasting nature is His identification which is unique from anyone. Next, the Creator said to Moses that, His name is “I AM” (אֶהְיֶה – Ehyeh) therefore ‘Yahweh’ (הוהי – YHVH) therefore “Ever Living” is His name. Again if we check another verse we will find that the Almighty is saying:

“I appeared to Îbrahîm, to Ishaķ and to Yaqûb as ‘Almighty-God’ …”

(Bible, Exodus 6:3)

Here, we see that, the Creator was known to Îbrahîm, Ishaķ and Yaqûb as “Almighty GOD” (ידּשׁלָאַ – El Shaddai).

By the name ‘Yahweh’ the Almighty expressed one of His qualities that, He has no birth or death and exists forever. Again, by the name “El Shaddai” He expressed his capability that, He has all the power over everything. Both the names are His Attributive Name that expresses some of His characteristics. Bible neither mentions about any specific name (or names) of Almighty Creator, nor it is written that only Yahweh and El Shaddai are His name.

Later, from the fragments of the teachings of Isa (in Bible) we get nothing specific about the name of Almighty Creator. We only get few verses where it is written that:

This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in Heaven …”

(Bible, Matthew 6:9)

“For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you”

(Bible, Matthew 6:14)

“In that hour Isa … said, ‘I thank You, (The) Father, Lord of heaven and earth …”

(Bible, Luke 10:21)

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Some people claim that, they should call the Almighty Creator as ‘Father’ or “Heavenly Father”. But Prophet Isa never said that, ‘Father’ or “Heavenly Father” is the name of our Almighty Creator. Even he never said that, we have to call the Almighty Creator in such name. Now, let us check the fact of using the word ‘Father’ and “Heavenly Father” by Prophet Isa:

Firstly, researches on the ancient scriptures and other historical records have proven that, Prophet Isa used to use Aramaic (as Mother Tongue) and Hebrew language; the disciples of Isa also did the same. But the Biblical chapters that hold the stories and teachings of Prophet Isa were found in Greek. From the Canonization History and different researches it is found that, the author of these chapters were neither any disciple of Prophet Isa, not any educated or scholar people. So, in the verses, where ‘Father’ was written, it is not clear that: was it spelled by Prophet Isa as ‘Father’ or “The Father”?

If we look at the grammatical rule, we will find that, it is the best practice to keep a ‘The’ before ‘GOD’. If we look at different ancient scriptures, we will get this practice. All the attributive names of Almighty Creator in Quran also give the same example; and thus Quran taught us that, using ‘The’ before any identical name of GOD is must. But the authors of New Testament Gospels did a mistake while writing ‘Father’, an attributive name of GOD; because they didn’t use a ‘The’ before ‘Father’ (πατήρ). Surely, Prophet Isa didn’t do the wrong, and surely used “The Father” (الأب – Al’Ab / האב – Al’Ab).

Secondly, the people of ancient ere were hard in mind and were blind in their beliefs. They just used to obey the Creator because of their fear of Curse from their Creator, not for their feelings of love for their Creator. Prophet Isa compared the Creator as “The Heavenly Father” and the mankind as “Children” to teach that: as a Worldly Father loves his Children and gives them gifts, the Creator also loves us and gives better gifts. Again, as the Children have respect, obedience, and love to their Worldly Father, just similarly we should keep respect, obedience, and love for the Creator (the Heavenly Father). One point must be noted that, Prophet Isa never identified the Almighty Creator as “Worldly Father (of Human Relation)”, but identified as “The (Heavenly) Father” to introduce Him as “The Loving” (Al’Wadud) and “The Guardian”(Al’Muhaymin).

Thirdly, if we look at the history of the world countries, we will find that, people call many nation leaders as the “Father of the Nation” who led their own nations to victory and success. It doesn’t mean that, a “Father of the Nation” has Father-Son Relationship with everyone of his nation. Actually, this “Father of the Nation” is an allegorical identification to the great nation leaders. Similarly, Prophet Isa identified the Creator as “The Father” to introduce Him as “The Guide” (Al’Rashid).

Finally, we learn that, Isa gave the conception of Father-Son Relationship so that people can understand the relation between Almighty and Mankind. Isa never said that we have any Blood Relation with the Almighty Creator. Actually, Isa called the Almighty Creator as “The Father” (الأب– Al’Ab / האב – Al’Ab) in the sense of Spiritual Relationship. Moreover it is just an attributive name that expresses some of the characteristics of Almighty Creator.

Now the problem is, day by day, people misunderstood the concept of Father-Son Relationshipand used wrong name for their Creator. People began to call the Almighty Creator just as ‘Father’ which is not a perfect name at all for the Creator; because people use the name in different purposes like: to call their Dad, to call Church Pastors etc. So, anyway, just ‘Father’ is not a good name to call the Almighty Creator.

In the probable fragments of the Old Revelations (in Bible) it is not mentioned that, the Creator has any fixed name. Some Attributive Names of Almighty Creator was given in the Old Scriptures. But, in Quran, the Creator gives us the perfect names of Almighty Creator, among which the best is ‘Allah’.

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After all these discussions, we surely can say that, Allah is the best name among all the names of Almighty, because:

• ‘Allah’ has no Gender, no Plurality.

• ‘Allah’ is not an Attributive Name.

• ‘Allah’ was never used to identify any Pagan Idol or for any bad purpose.

• ‘Allah’ was never used to identify anyone rather than Almighty Creator.

Now, let’s think about some questions:

• Is Quran teaching any Pagan or Bad Name for the Almighty Creator?

• Is Quran teaching that the Almighty has only one name, not more than that?

It is sure that the answer of all these questions are, NO.

Remember Some Facts

QURAN has come to introduce the Creator in the Best Names.

QURAN has come to glorify the Almighty Creator by His Best Names.

– By Preacher N. A. Abdullah