What are the differences between Allah and the God of the Christian Bible?
Q: “Allah” is the word used to translate the word “God” in the Arabic translations of the Bible. Doesn’t that mean that Muslims believe that Allah is the same God as the Christian God?
A: No one is disputing whether or not Allah is the Arabic word for God. It is. When a Christian speaks of God he is referring to Yahweh, the God of the Bible, and when Muslim says, “Allah,” he is referring to the God of the Koran. The two are very different.
True, we say God is above all; Arabs say Allah is above all.
True, we say God is eternal; Arabs say Allah is eternal.
The principle thing to remember is that when a Christian refers to God, he is referring to Yahweh, whereas when a Muslim refers to Allah, he is making a reference to an entirely different being than Yahweh.
There are a variety of these similarities, but similarities are not as important as differences when it comes to whether two things are the same or not. When you go to the bookstore to buy a study Bible and compare two, you do not look for how they are similar. You do not pay attention to the fact that both have covers, both include Genesis, both have ribbons, etc. You look for differences: one has bigger print, one is thumb indexed, one has a concordance in back, etc. The same is true when deciding whether or not to “buy” into the idea God and Allah are the same.
There are some very important differences between the God of the Bible and Allah: (substitute the name Yahweh for the generic term God and it will become clear).
- God’s only begotten Son is Jesus. Allah has no begotten son.
- God made salvation available by sacrificing His Son and promises salvation by grace to those who believe. Allah sacrificed nothing, and only saves if sufficient works are done.
- God has a payment for sins—Jesus Christ. Allah has no payment for sins.
- God’s Christ paid for the sins of mankind. Allah paid for nothing, and all men pay for their own sins.
- God’s salvation is through Christ’s work. Allah’s salvation is through people’s works.
- God’s saving work is, “Come to Christ.” The major part of Moslem salvation is to believe Mohammed was the sum and seal of the prophets.
- God’s book is very different from Allah’s book. They contradict each other, so they cannot both be true. For example, the Bible says Christ was resurrected from the dead. The Moslems reject that as a lie.
- God says his Son is the Way, the Truth and the Life. Allah says Christ is “only a messenger” (Chap. 5, “The Food” sect. 10, par. 75).
- God treats men and women equally. Allah does not.
- God says marriages today (Christian) are to be monogamous. Allah allows more than one wife.
- There is no marriage in God’s Paradise. Faithful men get many virgins in Allah’s.
- God says it is not necessary to have special days. Allah does: for example, Ramadan, the Moslem holy month during which Moslems fast during the day.
This list could be multiplied many times over, but there is no point. We have a saying, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it is a duck. God and Allah do not walk alike or quack alike. They are not the same and anyone who tries to say they are is blind to these obvious differences. To my knowledge, most Moslems do not say that Allah and the God of the Jews and Christians are the same being, which is a major reason Moslems count Christians as “infidels.” Why would they say that if they really believed we were worshipping the true God?
I’ve read somewhere (can’t remember where now) that Allah was the name of the Moon God in Arabia before Mohammed. They were Pantheistic (if that’s the right word for lots of gods or a god for everything).
I stopped reading after you misspelled “Muslims” in the first few sentences. Proofread.
Thanks Dylan for pointing that out. That article was written many years ago and the author clearly made a mistake.
Thanks for replying to him. I really appreciate it.He forgets about the article and he is focusing on proof reading but still it doesn’t contradict the fact that God and allah are different.
I also heard that- That Mohammad wanted to start a new religion and he chose the Moon God for his model of Allah. The fact that Muslims believe you can be saved by works alone will tell you they are lost. They also believe you cannot see God. We in Christ know that we will see God face-to-face in Heaven.
Exactly
The god of the muslims is very different from the God of the Christians. PERIOD. The Christian God is supreme and Almighty.
That’s exactly what Muslims say about Allah. I understand that you feel differently and they are different God’s but that’s a terrible point to make.
The one difference of extreme importance concerning the difference between Allah and God that I have discovered, and believe, is that God is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Allah is the God of only the Muslims. Any god that is not the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob is not God at all.
Where do we stand- the Hausa Christians that believe Allah and God are one and the same. In the Hausa bible translation God is refers to Allah, the question is, are we worshipping the God of the bible or the Allah of Qur’an?
I suport u
Allah and god are the same concept,
Dumb ass .
Same “entity” different interpretations of
Not sure at all. be careful of such ignorance. It could get your head cut off because they are not the same.
I have a Wife
You might have a wife.
While we might both call them, “Wife” – they are very different people.
Sir that is uncalled for. Debate and conversation is a tool all of us can benefit from. Satan runs when uncomfortable. Listen love and Live in Jesus
I have no religious beliefs.
So maybe everyone should look into this and see what I mean.
It is called faith.
If you have it you follow it.
If you don’t you realize everyone is following the same faith with a different interpretation.
Not true ken. You have bought into the lie of relativism. Clearly there may be some similarities between religions, but there also many differences. If I gave you two pills, both the same size, color, and texture, and one is an aspirin and the other cyanide, then you should be more concerned about the differences, not the similarities. The same is true about religious worldview. There are some major differences, which means they could all be wrong, but they can’t all be right.
Nice analogy (or metaphor). I think I will use that one some time.
Thank you sir, i like your knowledge about the bible. Hope to see you some days sir.
Well said.
It is very much unfortunate today’s world equalize it but it is very much clear from activities, so Christians should follow only Christ.
There are stronger differences than what is listed here.
Example, the god of allah lies..THe God of Abraham, Issac, & Jacob cannot lie. He hates Lies.
The god of allah never says he loves his followers, the God of Enoch Loves all, including those that do not turn to Him.
YEs, that is true Lito, but this article was written over a decade ago. A lot has changed since then concerning our knowledge of Islam.
Yes indeed
. Father in Heaven and your Son Jesus Christ.. I love u so much . Thank you for everything. Your are the truth and the life
No one is disputing whether or not Allah is the Arabic word for God. It is. When a Christian speaks of God he is referring to Yahweh, the God of the Bible, and when Muslim says, “Allah,” he is referring to the God of the Koran. The two are very different
We believe there is only one true God, Yahweh, the Creator. The god of Islam is not the true God, he is the enemy of Yahweh and the deeds of his followers demonstrate that when they seek to kill those who follow Yahweh and His son, Jesus.
Jesus said anyone who believed in me Will be save. Anyone who know me know my Father too he who hates me hate my father too. who ever rejected me also rejected my father, do Muslim believes Jesus? NO. so God and Allah cannot be the same
Is Allah the Best of Deceivers?
According to the Qur’an, Allah is the “best of deceivers” (3:54; 8:30). The phrase is often translated into English as “best of planners,” “best of schemers,” or “best of plotters,” but the root word (makr) means “deception.” Hence, the following Qur’an verses should be rendered as follows:
Qur’an 3:54—And they (the unbelievers) planned to deceive, and Allah planned to deceive (the unbelievers), and Allah is the best of deceivers.
Qur’an 7:99—Are they then safe from Allah’s deception? No one feels safe from Allah’s deception except those that shall perish.
Qur’an 8:30—And (remember) when the unbelievers plotted deception against you (O Muhammad), to imprison you, or kill you, or expel you. They plotted deception, but Allah also plotted deception; and Allah is the best of deceivers.
Since the Bible declares that Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44), the question must be raised: Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God?
http://www.answeringmuslims.com/2014/03/is-allah-best-of-deceivers.html
Wonderful exposition. Bless you!
Thank you, Dan Gallagher for an interesting read in reply to a question I googled.
Too bad someone had to comment on the mis-spelling of Muslims, but each to their own.
I read in another blog that Allah does not suggest, promote or condone the random killing of anyone, especially Infidels, but rather to combat those who choose to harm Muslims.
As well, they also oppose Terrorism, so all of those things make me less concerned about whether I might be killed, for no reason other than that I am not a follower of Allah, and as a result, an Infidel.
Too bad we have to wait until we die to find out if there is a chance God and Allah are one.
Very similar to the suggestion that not all Christians will necessarily be accepted into Heaven, because they have not followed God’s instructions, in spite of being devout believers.
Our Saving Grace is we have a merciful God.
Religion is such an interesting discussion and no one is ever right or wrong, because it is still a Mystery and that is probably why you either have Faith or don’t and believe or not believe, with both sides being equally passionate.
So, while we may not agree with the opinion of someone else, we should respect it.
Hi Reg, Thanks for the reply. I don’t think we really have to wait until we die to know if there is a difference between Yahweh and Allah. Jesus taught that you know a tree by it’s fruit. I know many would argue that Christianity has also committed many atrocities in the name of Christ, which is true, but he difference is that Jesus never condoned that whereas Mohammed did. We know that because the Koran,the book he authored, clearly teaches it and history shows that he lived that way when he exterminated hundred’s. Also, his teachings have inspired his followers to kill multi-millions since his death. I also disagree that religion is a mystery. God tells us in the Bible that he has revealed certain truths to us, and once revealed they are ours to know. The problem is it is a mystery for many because they are ignorant of the scriptures.
Amen to that.!!
Amen! Amen!
Another significant difference.
Yaweh is a God of unconditional love. John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Allah’s love is conditional. It is dependent on the actions of the one seeking Allah’s love. In a sense, one must be deemed worthy of Allah’s love. One must earn the right to be loved by Allah.
Sura 2:222 Truly, Allâh loves those who turn unto Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves.
Sura 61:4 Verily, Allâh loves those who fight in His Cause in rows (ranks) as if they were a solid structure.
Thanks Dan for the simple analysis.
Just so that you know from my research, I’ve also come to understand that “Allah” with the exception of an extra “L” in Hebrew means cursed