Allah

A core belief of Islam is the belief in one God, named Allah (Al-laah) in Arabic. The fundamental belief in the oneness of Allah is the cornerstone of Islamic theology. Allah is considered the sole creator, sustainer, and ruler of the universe. This belief entails that Allah has no partners, equals, or offspring, and He is incomparable to any of His creation in any way, shape, or form. Muslims believe Allah possesses attributes of perfection such as omniscience, eternality, and self-sufficiency. Although Muslims believe that Allah has power over all things in Creation, they do not believe that He has power to do what is rationally impossible such as creating another God or becoming human.

Muslims believe that Allah (exalted and glorified is He) is attributed with all attributes of perfection and is free from any attributes of deficiency. We believe that He is attributed with existence, timelessness, difference to originated beings, self-sufficiency, oneness, living, knowledge, power, will, hearing, seeing, and speaking. The opposites of these are impossible for God.

The Quran provides a powerful argument for God’s existence: “Or were they created by nothing? Or were they the creators [of themselves]? Or did they create the heavens and Earth? Rather, they are not certain.[1]” The Quran’s own summary of God’s oneness is its short chapter al-Ikhlas: “Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Self-Sufficient. He does not beget, nor was He begotten, and there is none comparable to Him” (Quran 112). More arguments for God’s existence can be found here and here.

Points to note: The translation of the Quran from Arabic refers to God as “He” even though we believe that God is genderless because there is no gender-neutral pronoun in Arabic, everything animate or inanimate must be given a gender pronoun. The plural “We” is also used as a plural form of respect even though Muslims believe that God is one in His essence and attributes.

[1] Quran 52:35–36.