Is Yhwh, the Same God as Allah? Part 1
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The Biblical Narrative And the Name of God.
When God revealed Himself to Moses He told him that His very personal and eternal name is YHWH (Yahweh/Jehovah). Later, He emphasized the importance of using His name, YHWH, if anyone claims to be a messenger from Him.
YHWH, Hayah-[Asher]-Hayah, I AM, the LORD, the Eternal, all basically mean and stand for the same thing, God’s proper name, character and nature of being transcendent and infinite in time and space. But linguistically, Allah has no connection with those different expressions of God’s name.
“And God said to Moses, I AM THAT I AM. And He said, So you shall say to the sons of Israel, I AM has sent me to you. And God said to Moses again, You shall say this to the sons of Israel, Jehovah the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My title from generation to generation..”
Exodus 3:14-15; JPS
“Thus saith the LORD the Maker thereof, the LORD that formed it to establish it, the LORD is His name:”
Jeremiah 33:2; JPS
“For let all the peoples walk each one in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever,”
Micah 4:5 JPS
“For I (Jesus) say to you, from now on you shall not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord (Adonai/Yahweh)’ ”
Matthew 23: 39; ISV
“Jesus (Yehshua) said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I AM (YHWH)”
John 8:58; ISV
Thus do we see a consistent message throughout the writings of Judaism and Christianity, and such we should for these two faiths claim to worship the Same God. Both the Jews and the Christians, along with the Muslims claim to worship the same God of Abraham, the Creator and Sustainer of the Biblical and Quran narratives.
The Recitation of Muhammad.
“The most beautiful names belong to Allah: so call on Him by them:”
Surah 7:180 PIC
“Verily, I am Allah: there is no god but I: so serve thou me (only), and establish regulate prayer for celebrating my praise”
Surah 20:14 PIC
“;In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, The Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds. Most Gracious, Most Merciful;”
Surah 1:1-3 PIC
“Say, "He is Allah, the One and only”
Surah 112:1 PIC
“Allah is He; than Whom there is no other god (Hu); who knows (all things) both secret and open; He, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Allah is He, than Whom there is no other god (Hu); 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”
Surah 59:22-24 PIC
“And He is Allah; there is no god but Him (Hu)”
Surah 28:70 PIC
“Allah: there is no god but He (Hu): of a surety he will gather you together against the day of judgment, about which there is no doubt. And whose word can be truer than Allah's?”
Surah 4:87 PIC
“That is Allah, your Lord! There is no god but He, the Creator of all things: then worship ye him:”
Surah 6:102 PIC
Muhammads instruction to his followers:
“Narrated by Abu Huraira: Allah's Apostle said, "Allah has ninety-nine names, ie, one-hundred minus one, and whoever knows them will go to Paradise.”
(Shahi Bukhari Vol. 3, Book 50 Hadith 894 see also: Vol 8, 75, 419; Vol 9, 93, 489: Plus many instances of similar sayings in the "Shahi Muslim")
The Problem Is This..
According to the Holy Bible the name of the God of Abraham is Yahweh/Jehovah, it is not Allah: “And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH (YHWH) was I not known to them.”
(Exodus 6: 2-3. ASV)
Most people are aware that the name "Allah" is used by Arab speaking Christians for the God of the Bible. But the real problem arises from the fact that Islam insists that "Allah" is the personal name of the One True God.
However, "Allah", was the name of one god among the numerous idols in the Kaaba in Mecca. Many believe the word was derived from the middle eastern word "el" which in Ugaritic, Caananite and Hebrew can mean a true or false God. According to the encyclopedia of Religion, "Allah" corresponded to the Babylonian god Baal, and the Arab peoples knew of him long before Muhammad worshiped him as the supreme god.
Allah was known as the Moon God, and he had 3 daughters who were viewed as intercessors for the people to Allah. Their names were Al-Lat, Al-uzza, and Al-Manat, thus three goddesses to intercede. Hubal was the chief God of the Kaaba among the other 360 deities. The Kaabah in Mecca is also named Beit-Allah (House of Allah).
The Qur'an tells us that Muhammad drove the other idols away; he made "Allah" the only god and he was "Allah's" messenger. What it does not tell us, but history does is that Muhammad was a member of the Qurish tribe, and their cheif deity was , "Allah".
Interestingly Muhammad continued to use the name "Allah", which was the name of a specific idol, and more importantly he did not distinguish this "Allah" that he preached, from the idol the Meccans and his tribe already knew of and were worshiping.
Conclusion:
Thus do we see Muhammad's and Islams pagan roots, and also proof that "Allah" was part of a polytheistic system of worship before "Allah" was made the supreme and only god from the many others, by Muhammad. The most telling note in all of this is that "Allah" was the god of the local Qurish tribe which was Muhammad's tribe before he conceived of Islam.
Contrast of Christian Preaching.
Now let us contrast this position with that in which Paul at one time found himself. As he traveled preaching the Good News of God in Christ, the book of Acts relates for us, an incident in the city of Athens.
"Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry. Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him." (Acts 17: 16-17 ASV)
Notice that in some regard here Paul was stirred to speak against the idolatry of the people, and this he did daily. However, Paul does not accept the idolatry, but rather seeks to persuade people against such, beginning with the Jews and "devout people" and encompassing all peoples by speaking "in the market place daily."
Consider:
In this regard his actions are very similar to those of Muhammad at the beginning of his preaching; yet there is a major difference. Muhammad does not explain the error of pagan worship as Paul does. In fact Muhammad takes the opposite approach and actually incorporates many of the symbols and aspects of this idolatry directly into his religion.
Paul discovers an altar to an "unknown God", "For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;" (Acts 17: 23-24 ASV)
Notice again that Paul in his preaching does not incorporate any paganism and idolatry into his narrative; "Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:" (Acts 17: 29-30 ASV)
The Apostle of Jesus, simply and clearly explains to those who listened that this "Unknown God" was and is in fact "the One True God", who calls all men everywhere to "repent" (ie; turn away from idolatry) to God.
Consider:
If Muhammad understood that he was speaking of the One True God, why did he not explain this as carefully as others before him? Why did he include so much of the peoples current idol worship within his recitation? Surely if one is called by God to bring people away from idolatry then one does not then incorporate idolatry practices into the worship of the One True God?
Question Of A Most Difficult Nature For Muslims?
If "Allah" was not revealed before the recitation and teaching of Muhammad, how then is it that Muhammad's father was "Abdullah" (meaning "the servant of Allah") ? Does this not show positively that before Muhammad recited and taught, that "Allah" was known to the people of Muhammad's tribal affiliation?
Does this not show positively that "Allah" was already revered by some who took or, were given as their names " the servant of Allah"?
Why did Muhammad in reciting the Qur'an incorporate the existing pagan idolatry practices into his recitation. Why were these not so clearly shown to be error, and false?
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