Does the Qur'an define the word "Allah" before using it for the first time?

Question

Would one assume that the reader has already heard of "Allah"?

Answer 1

Here's a though.

Muhammad's father was Abdul Allah(Abdullah)

And this was of course, before the advent of Islam.

Allah is merely the arabic word for God.

Answer 2

The attributes/names of God in the Qu'ran are many

Firstly, think logically if I say
Dios - I am saying God in Spanish
Gott - I am saying God in German
Dieu I am saying God in French
Yahweh- I am saying God in Hebrew
Allah - I am saying God in Arabic

Here this should make clear that whom we pray to,

# Transliteration Translation
1 Allah (الله) God
2 Ar-Rahman (الرحمن) The All Beneficent
3 Ar-Rahim (الرحيم) The Most Merciful
4 Al-Malik (الملك) The King, The Sovereign
5 Al-Quddus (القدوس) The Most Holy
6 As-Salam (السلام) The Peace and Blessing
7 Al-Mu'min (المؤمن) The Guarantor
8 Al-Muhaymin (المهيمن) The Guardian, The Preserver
9 Al-Aziz (العزيز) The Almighty, The Self Sufficient
10 Al-Jabbar (الجبار) The Powerful, The Irresistible
11 Al-Mutakabbir (المتكبر) The Tremendous
12 Al-Khaliq (الخالق) The Creator
13 Al-Bari' (البارئ) The Maker
14 Al-Musawwir (المصور) The Fashioner of Forms
15 Al-Ghaffar (الغفار) The Ever Forgiving
16 Al-Qahhar (القهار) The All Compelling Subduer
17 Al-Wahhab (الوهاب) The Bestower
18 Ar-Razzaq (الرزاق) The Ever Providing
19 Al-Fattah (الفتاح) The Opener, The Victory Giver
20 Al-`Alim (العليم) The All Knowing, The Omniscient
21 Al-Qabid (القابض) The Restrainer, The Straightener
22 Al-Basit (الباسط) The Expander, The Munificent
23 Al-Khafid (الخافض) The Abaser
24 Ar-Rafi (الرافع) The Exalter
25 Al-Mu'izz (المعز) The Giver of Honour
26 Al-Mudhill (المذل) The Giver of Dishonour
27 As-Sami (السميع) The All Hearing
28 Al-Basir (البصير) The All Seeing
29 Al-Hakam (الحكم) The Judge, The Arbitrator
30 Al-`Adl (العدل) The Utterly Just
31 Al-Latif (اللطيف) The Subtly Kind
32 Al-Khabir (الخبير) The All Aware
33 Al-Halim (الحليم) The Forbearing, The Indulgent
34 Al-Azim (العظيم) The Magnificent, The Infinite
35 Al-Ghafur (الغفور) The All Forgiving
36 Ash-Shakur (الشكور) The Grateful
37 Al-AlAla or Al-Aala (العلى) The Sublimely Exalted, (has nothing to do with the name Ali, the cousin of Muhammad. They are both different, in Arabic way of writing and reading them).
38 Al-Kabir (الكبير) The Great
39 Al-Hafiz (الحفيظ) The Preserver
40 Al-Muqit (المقيت) The Nourisher
41 Al-Hasib (الحسيب) The Reckoner
42 Al-Jalil (الجليل) The Majestic
43 Al-Karim (الكريم) The Bountiful, The Generous
44 Ar-Raqib (الرقيب) The Watchful
45 Al-Mujib (المجيب) The Responsive, The Answerer
46 Al-Wasi (الواسع) The Vast, The All Encompassing
47 Al-Hakim (الحكيم) The Wise
48 Al-Wadud (الودود) The Loving, The Kind One
49 Al-Majid (المجيد) The All Glorious
50 Al-Ba'ith (الباعث) The Raiser of The Dead
51 Ash-Shahid (الشهيد) The Witness
52 Al-Haqq (الحق) The Truth, The Real
53 Al-Wakil (الوكيل) The Trustee, The Dependable
54 Al-Qawiyy (القوى) The Strong
55 Al-Matin (المتين) The Firm, The Steadfast
56 Al-Waliyy (الولى) The Protecting Friend, Patron and Helper
57 Al-Hamid (الحميد) The All Praiseworthy
58 Al-Muhsi (المحصى) The Accounter, The Numberer of All
59 Al-Mubdi' (المبدئ) The Producer, Originator, and Initiator of All
60 Al-Mu'id (المعيد) The Reinstater Who Brings Back All
61 Al-Muhyi (المحيى) The Giver of Life
62 Al-Mumit (المميت) The Bringer of Death, The Destroyer
63 Al-Hayy (الحي) The Ever Living
64 Al-Qayyum (القيوم) The Self Subsisting Sustainer of All
65 Al-Wajid (الواجد) The Perceiver, The Finder, The Unfailing
66 Al-Majid (الماجد) The Illustrious, The Magnificent
67 Al-Ahad (الاحد) The One, the All Inclusive, The Indivisible
68 As-Samad (الصمد) The Self Sufficient, The Impregnable, The Eternally Besought of All, The Everlasting
69 Al-Qadir (القادر) The All Able
70 Al-Muqtadir (المقتدر) The All Determiner, The Dominant
71 Al-Muqaddim (المقدم) The Expediter, He Who Brings Forward
72 Al-Mu'akhkhir (المؤخر) The Delayer, He Who Puts Far Away
73 Al-Awwal (الأول) The First
74 Al-Akhir (الأخر) The Last
75 Az-Zahir (الظاهر) The Manifest, The All Victorious
76 Al-Batin (الباطن) The Hidden, The All Encompassing
77 Al-Wali (الوالي) The Patron
78 Al-Muta'ali (المتعالي) The Self Exalted
79 Al-Barr (البر) The Most Kind and Righteous
80 At-Tawwab (التواب) The Ever Returning, Ever Relenting
81 Al-Muntaqim (المنتقم) The Avenger
82 Al-'Afuww (العفو) The Pardoner, The Effacer of Sins
83 Ar-Ra'uf (الرؤوف) The Compassionate, The All Pitying
84 Malik-al-Mulk (مالك الملك) The Owner of All Sovereignty
85 Dhu-al-Jalal wa-al-Ikram (ذو الجلال و الإكرام) The Lord of Majesty and Generosity
86 Al-Muqsit (المقسط) The Equitable, The Requiter
87 Al-Jami' (الجامع) The Gatherer, The Unifier
88 Al-Ghani (الغنى) The All Rich, The Independent
89 Al-Mughni (المغنى) The Enricher, The Emancipator
90 Al-Mani'(المانع) The Withholder, The Shielder, the Defender
91 Ad-Darr (الضار) The Distressor, The Harmer (This attribute can only be found in hadith)
92 An-Nafi' (النافع) The Propitious, The Benefactor
93 An-Nur (النور) The Light
94 Al-Hadi (الهادي) The Guide
95 Al-Badi (البديع) The Incomparable, The Originator
96 Al-Baqi (الباقي) The Ever Enduring and Immutable
97 Al-Warith (الوارث) The Heir, The Inheritor of All
98 Ar-Rashid (الرشيد) The Guide, Infallible Teacher and Knower
99 As-Sabur (الصبور) The Patient, The Timeless

All these names are used in the Qu'ran for God

And remember the meaning for God is different than god

God
- supreme being: the being believed in monotheistic religions such as Judaism, Islam, and Christianity to be the all-powerful all-knowing creator of the universe, worshiped as the only god


Peace Be With You

Answer 3

The word "Allah" is simply the Arabic word for Almighty God, and is the same word used by Arabic speaking Christians and Jews. If one were to pick up an Arabic translation of the Bible, one would see the word "Allah" being use where the word "God" is used in English. Actually, the Arabic word for Almighty God, "Allah", is quite similiar to the word for God in other Semitic languages — for example, the Hebrew word for God is "Elah". For various reasons, some non-Muslims mistakenly believe that Muslims worship a different God than Jews and Christians. This is certainly not the case, since the Pure Monotheism of Islam calls all people to the worship of the God of Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and all of the other prophets. However, even though Jews, Christians and Muslims worship the same God — since there is only one God — their concepts concerning Him differ in some significant ways.

Muslims believe in GOD(in arabic Allah), the Supreme and Eternal, Infinite and Mighty, Merciful and Compassionate, The Creator and The Provider, He begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none equal or comparable unto Him.



Islam is the only religion which recognizes and believes that all the prophets brought the same essential message This message was, still and will be the belief in and submission to ONE God (the Creator and the Sustainer of all things, the Exalted and the Redeemer of all things. The word Islam itself means "submission and surrendering" to God

Answer 4

Good Question...

For the Arabs who were Idol-worshippers, the term 'ALLAH' was NOT new to them. They believed in ALLAH, the ONE and ONLY GOD.

But the problem was here. They did NOT want to refrain from associating partners with GOD. For example, it was their belief that 'Hubal' will give life, 'Uzza' will protect their caravans etc...

And this is 'Shirk' - associating partners with ALLAH...

When the Prophet Muhammed (Peace Be Upon Him) called the people to worship ONE GOD, the term 'ALLAH' was NOT new to them BUT by worshipping idols, the pagan Arabs were earning a lot during the festivals, which they did NOT want to lose out by worshipping ALLAH alone and destroying the Idols.

So when the Quran was revealed, the first audience to which it was targeted were the Makkan people, who were AWARE of ALLAH.

BUT, since the Quran is for the eternity, ALLAH has defined HIMSELF in the most beautiful way in several places. So this serves those who have NOT known Almighty GOD.

Peace Be with You.

Answer 5

Yes the Quran defines the meaning of Allah on a number of occasions:

Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god; Who knows (all things) both secret and open; He, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god; the Sovereign, the Holy One, the Source of Peace (and Perfection), the Guardian of Faith, the Preserver of Safety, the Exalted in Might, the Irresistible, the Supreme: Glory to Allah! (High is He) above the partners they attribute to Him. He is Allah, the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of Forms (or Colors). To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names: whatever is in the heavens and on earth, doth declare His Praises and Glory: and He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise." [Al-Qur'an 59:22-24]

Answer 6

Allah is only the Arabic word for God, not an entirely separate Deity. This is a common mistake.

For instance, Christian Arabs say Allah when referring to God as well.

And my Colombian Grandmother who's Muslim, well she says Dios, which is the Spanish word for God.

It's all the same God.

Answer 7

The Qur'an is the word of ALLAH.

Answer 8

Allah is the Arabic and Aramaic word of God. Watch the PASSION OF THE CHRIST; It states the names "Allah" and "Achmad" (Ahmed, who was the Prophet Muhammad)...truly!

Answer 9

No. It simply means "the god".