allah

IPA/ˈælə/
KK[ˈɑlə]IPA/ˈælə/

allah — noun

1. the word used by Muslims, and also by Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews, to re

1.nounB2
Definition

the word used by Muslims, and also by Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews, to refer to the one supreme God who created and rules the universe.

Example

Five times each day, Yusuf knelt on his prayer mat and offered his prayers to Allah.

preposition pattern: pray to Allah

Before her exam, Layla whispered, "In the name of Allah," and opened her notebook.

fixed phrase: in the name of Allah

Common collocations
  • pray to Allah
  • praise Allah
  • thank Allah
  • in the name of Allah
  • Allah willing
  • believe in Allah
  • the will of Allah
  • fear Allah
Synonyms
  • God

    the general English term; Allah is the specific Arabic name used in Islamic contexts

  • the Almighty

    respectful title for God shared across faiths; less culturally specific than Allah

Grammar Patterns

Allah + verb (singular)

in/by/to + Allah

Usage Note

Always written with a capital A and used without an article (not 'the Allah'). Many Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews also use this word for God, so it is not exclusive to Islam, though it is most strongly associated with Muslim worship.

Common Mistakes

She prayed to the Allah every morning.
She prayed to Allah every morning.
Allah is a proper name, so no article is needed.
They believe in many allahs.
They believe in many gods.
Allah refers to one God only and has no plural form.
Idioms

Allah willing

idiom

an expression used by Muslim speakers to mean that something will happen only if God permits it; a translation of the Arabic phrase "inshallah".

We will visit my grandmother in Istanbul next summer, Allah willing.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words can refer to a single supreme being, but they carry different cultural and religious associations. "God" is the broadest English term and works in almost any context, religious or casual. "Allah" is the Arabic word for God; English speakers use it mainly when talking about Islam, although Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews also use it in their own worship. "The Almighty" is a formal, respectful title that avoids naming any specific tradition; it is common in literature and speeches. "Yahweh" is the Hebrew name found in Jewish scripture and academic discussion of the Old Testament. Compare: a news report might say "Muslims gathered to pray to Allah," while a Christian hymn might address "the Almighty," and a Bible scholar might write about "Yahweh."

Allah ↗God ↗the AlmightyYahweh

Etymology

Proto-SemiticArabicEnglish

Allah comes from the Arabic word "Allāh," which most scholars believe was formed by joining the Arabic article "al" (meaning "the") with "ilāh" (meaning "god" or "deity"), giving the literal sense "the God." The word shares an ancient Semitic root with the Hebrew "Eloah" and "Elohim" and the Aramaic "Elah," all used for the divine. It entered English in the sixteenth century through European travel writing about Arabia and Islam.