Who Is Allah? What Is the Origin of Belief in Allah?
The term Allah is central to Islamic theology, but its origins stretch back long before the rise of Islam. In pre-Islamic Arabia, Meccan and nomadic peoples practiced polytheism, honoring many local deities connected to war, fertility, weather, trade, and tribal identity. Among these gods was a figure known as Allah, widely regarded as a “high god” or supreme deity within a large pantheon. Historical and linguistic evidence indicates that Allah was not originally a unique monotheistic name but a title meaning “the god” (al-ilah). While many Arab tribes acknowledged Allah as a higher being, their devotion largely centered on lesser deities, who were believed to be more accessible in daily life.
Muhammad did not introduce the name Allah to Arabia; he redefined it. His proclamation, “There is no god but Allah,” transformed a pre-existing high god of Arabian polytheism into the singular, exclusive deity of Islamic monotheism. Islam’s doctrine of tawhid—the absolute unity of Allah—became the foundation of Islamic belief. Although the English word God and Allah can function as linguistic equivalents, the Islamic concept of Allah differs significantly from the God revealed in Scripture (John 1:18; Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14). The Christian understanding of God is rooted in Father, Son, and Spirit, whereas Allah is defined by absolute undivided oneness and impersonal transcendence. This distinction makes careful theological definition essential when discussing Allah from a Christian perspective.
1. The Pre-Islamic Origin of Allah
Before Islam, Arabian religion was overwhelmingly polytheistic. Archaeology, inscriptions, and early historical texts reveal:
A pantheon of hundreds of deities, often tied to tribal identity.
Local gods associated with nature, fertility, astral bodies, and protection.
Shrines and cult centers scattered across Arabia, including Mecca.
Within this environment:
Allah existed as a recognized high god, but not as the only god.
Devotees frequently honored “the daughters of Allah”—al-Lat, al-Uzza, and Manat.
The Kaaba housed around 360 idols, representing many deities.
The name Allah most likely developed from al-ilah, meaning “the god”, a generic title for the highest deity in a pantheon. Different tribes used the title while also naming their preferred gods, including Hubal, Sin, Ilmaqah, and others.
Thus, the original cultural setting of Allah was pagan and polytheistic, not monotheistic. This aligns with the biblical understanding that nations created and worshiped many gods that were not the true God (Deuteronomy 32:16–17; Psalm 96:5; Acts 17:22–23).
2. How Muhammad Reinterpreted the Pre-Islamic Allah
When Muhammad began preaching in the early seventh century, he encountered Meccans who already acknowledged a supreme god called Allah. His message did not introduce a new deity but redefined the existing one:
“There exists no god except the one whom you already call Allah.”
All lesser deities were rejected as false.
Allah became the only god, not simply the highest god.
This transformation effectively overturned Arabian polytheism while retaining its most familiar name for the divine. Islam’s monotheistic identity was formed by this reinterpretation of the pre-Islamic Allah.
From a Christian perspective, this reflects the biblical pattern where human societies create or redefine gods according to cultural needs (Romans 1:21–23). Islam’s claim of returning to the original faith of Abraham conflicts with Scripture’s presentation of God as Father, Son, and Spirit (Matthew 28:19; John 8:58). Therefore, while the name Allah is linguistically usable for “God” in Arabic, the identity revealed in the Qur’an does not match the God revealed in Scripture.
3. The Islamic Understanding of Allah
In Islamic theology, Allah is the absolute, singular, transcendent, and sovereign deity. The heart of Islamic belief is tawhid, the oneness of Allah. According to Surah 112:
Allah is one.
Allah is eternal.
Allah does not beget.
Allah was not begotten.
Nothing is equal to Him.
Islam describes Allah through 99 names, such as:
the Compassionate
the Merciful
the All-Seeing
the All-Hearing
the Just Judge
the Giver of Life
the Bringer of Death
Key distinctions in Islamic theology include:
a. Allah’s revelation focuses on His will, not His being
The Qur’an does not present Allah as relational or personal in the biblical sense (John 17:3).
B. Allah is strictly singular
Islam rejects any plurality within the divine nature, denying the Trinity (Matthew 28:19; John 1:1–3).
C. Allah is overwhelmingly transcendent
Islam emphasizes Allah’s distance and absolute otherness, whereas Scripture reveals a God who is both transcendent and deeply immanent (Psalm 113:5–6; Psalm 34:18).
D. The greatest sin is “shirk”
Shirk—associating anything with Allah—is considered the unforgivable sin in Islam. By contrast, the Bible presents forgiveness through Christ even for idolatry (1 Corinthians 6:9–11).
4. Allah in Contrast with the God of the Bible
From a biblical perspective, the God of Scripture is not the Allah of Islam. Key theological differences include:
God’s identity
The Bible presents God as Father, Son, and Spirit—three persons, one God (Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14).
Islam rejects this completely.
God’s revelation
The biblical God reveals His character, love, and intimate relationship with His people (Exodus 34:6–7; Hosea 11:1–4).
Allah reveals primarily commands, laws, and decrees.
God’s covenant
The God of the Bible enters covenant relationship with His people (Genesis 17:7; Jeremiah 31:31–34).
The Islamic Allah relates to humanity through submission to His will, not covenantal adoption.
God’s salvation
Scripture teaches that salvation is through Christ’s atoning work (John 3:16; Acts 4:12).
Islam denies Christ’s death, resurrection, and divine sonship.
For these reasons, Christians should use the term Allah carefully, recognizing linguistic overlap but theological difference.
5. Why the Origin of Allah Matters for Christian Theology
Understanding the origin of Allah is not merely historical—it is theological. It helps clarify:
why Islamic monotheism differs from biblical monotheism
why the God of the Bible cannot be equated with Allah
why Christian and Islamic worship are fundamentally distinct
how cultures reconfigure concepts of deity over time (Romans 1:21–23)
From Scripture’s perspective, the one true God makes Himself known through revelation, covenant, and His Son, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1–3). Any deity that arises from human culture or denies the Son cannot be the same God (1 John 2:23; John 5:23).
Conclusion
Allah began as a pre-Islamic high god in a polytheistic pantheon. Muhammad redefined Allah as the only true deity, forming the basis of Islamic monotheism. Although the word Allah is linguistically equivalent to “God” in Arabic, the identity described in the Qur’an does not correspond to the God revealed in Scripture. The biblical God is Father, Son, and Spirit, relational, covenantal, and revealed in Jesus Christ. Understanding the origin of Allah helps Christians engage Islam with clarity and faithfulness, grounded in the truth that the LORD alone is God (Deuteronomy 6:4).
Bible Verses Related to the Uniqueness of God and False Gods
Deuteronomy 32:17, “They sacrificed to demons that were no gods.”
Psalm 96:5, “For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.”
Isaiah 44:6, “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.”
Exodus 20:3, “You shall have no other gods before me.”
Deuteronomy 6:4, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.”
Isaiah 43:10, “Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.”
John 1:18, “No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.”
John 17:3, “This is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.”
1 Corinthians 8:4–6, “There is no God but one… yet for us there is one God, the Father… and one Lord, Jesus Christ.”
1 John 2:23, “No one who denies the Son has the Father.”
