Who Is ALLAH?

If you are close to accepting Islam, the most important question you need to answer is this: who is ALLAH?

Everything in Islam begins with knowing ALLAH. The Shahada — the declaration of faith — begins with accepting that ALLAH alone deserves worship. Before a person says those words, it helps to understand who ALLAH is and why He alone deserves worship.

This step introduces ALLAH as Islam describes Him: the Creator, the Sustainer, the All-Knowing, the Most Merciful, and the only One worthy of worship. This is the foundation every Muslim builds their faith upon.

ALLAH is the Arabic name for the One true God. It is the name used throughout the Quran — the name ALLAH used for Himself.

Arabic-speaking Muslims, Christians, and Jews may use the word ALLAH when referring to God — because it is simply the Arabic word for the One Creator.

In Islam, ALLAH is not a tribal god, moon god, or a created being. ALLAH is the Creator of all people and everything that exists — the same God who sent Adam, Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus), and Muhammad ﷺ (Peace Be Upon Them All).

The foundation of Islam is that ALLAH is One. This belief is called Tawheed — worshipping ALLAH alone without any partners.

• ✓ALLAH is One in His Lordship — He alone creates, controls, and sustains.
• ✓ALLAH is One in His right to be worshipped — worship belongs to Him alone.
• ✓ALLAH is One in His names and attributes — He is perfect and complete.

Muslims do not worship prophets, angels, saints, idols, nature, or created things. ALLAH alone deserves worship.

The Quran has an entire chapter — Surah Al-Ikhlas (Chapter 112) — dedicated to this truth. It is short but one of the most profound in the Quran:

These four verses directly address the most common mistakes people have made about God throughout history: ALLAH is not composed of persons, He has no children, He was not born, and nothing is equal to Him.

ALLAH created the heavens, the earth, life, death, time, and everything we know and do not know. He did not create the universe and then leave it alone.

ALLAH sustains, provides, controls, knows, and sees everything at every moment. Every breath, every blessing, and every moment of life depends entirely on Him.

One of the most beloved verses in the Quran is Ayat al-Kursi — the Verse of the Throne. It speaks about ALLAH’s sustaining presence over all of creation:

ALLAH is not like humans. He is not a man, woman, image, statue, force, or any part of creation. ALLAH is above His creation in a way that befits His Majesty.

Muslims believe what ALLAH tells us about Himself without comparing Him to creation. The Quran states this directly:

This does not mean ALLAH is unknowable. It means the human mind should not imagine ALLAH as looking like a person, or as being limited by physical form, or as experiencing the needs that created things experience.

ALLAH is not only powerful. He is also merciful — more merciful than people can imagine.

Two of ALLAH’s most emphasized names in the Quran are Ar-Rahman (the Most Gracious) and Ar-Raheem (the Most Merciful). Every chapter of the Quran — except one — begins with: In the name of ALLAH, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

ALLAH forgives those who sincerely repent. A person should never think they are too sinful to turn back to ALLAH. No matter what a person has done, the door of repentance is open while they are alive and sincerely return to ALLAH.

Authentic hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim also describe ALLAH’s mercy and His acceptance of sincere repentance.

ALLAH knows what is public and what is hidden. He knows what people say, think, feel, and intend. Nothing is hidden from Him — not the smallest detail in the heavens or the earth.

This should bring both humility and comfort. ALLAH knows your questions, struggles, sincerity, and search for truth. You do not approach ALLAH as a stranger. He already knows what is in your heart.

Knowing ALLAH is the foundation of Islam because:

• •Worship begins with knowing who deserves worship.
• •Love of ALLAH grows when a person learns about His mercy.
• •Trust in ALLAH grows when a person learns about His knowledge and power.
• •The Shahada begins with accepting that no one deserves worship except ALLAH.

The first part of the Shahada — the Islamic declaration of faith — is:

This statement does two things. It rejects worship of everything besides ALLAH. And it affirms ALLAH alone as the One worthy of worship.

Before becoming Muslim, a person should understand this basic meaning. You do not need to know everything — but you should sincerely accept that ALLAH alone deserves worship and that everything else besides Him is created.