Allah الله (dibaca Allaah)
Digunakan oleh umat
Islam sebagai ganti nama kepada
Tuhan mengikut dalam
bahasa Arab. Kata Allah tidak digunakan secara khusus dalam agama
Islam saja; penganut
Kristian Arab dan orang-orang
Yahudi, dan juga umat
Katolik dan
Protestan di
Indonesia,
Singapura,
Sarawak,
Sabah dan
Malta juga menggunakannya untuk merujuk kepada Tuhan; misalnya pada
Bible terjemahan bahasa Arab.
Perkataan Allah tidak boleh digunakan untuk menggambarkan jamak (banyak) atau melambangkan apa-apa jantina, atau dinamakan untuk apa-apa yang selain dari Tuhan. Asal perkataan Allah dari dua perkataan Arab; (Al-) yang memberi erti khusus dan (-ilah) memberi erti Tuhan. Sebaik-baik translasi perkataan Allah itu ialah Tuhan yang satu yang sebenar-benarnya.
Perlu juga ditekankan disini, bahawa usul perkataan Allah itu timbul dari kata buat Arab ta'allaha (atau alaha) yang memberi maksud yang disembah. Oleh itu, perkataan Allah itu boleh juga bermaksud: satu-satunya yang layak disembah.
Perlu difahamkan bahawa Allah,
Tuhan yang satu, yang disembah oleh umat
Islam adalah
Tuhan yang sama yang disembah oleh pengikut
Yahudi dan
Nasrani.
Islam menolak penjelmaan
Tuhan didalam rupabentuk manusia atau sesuatu apa jua pun. Tiada konsep individu terpilih atau bangsa terpilih dalam
Islam. Setiap manusia, tanpa mengira apa-apa tercipta dengan keadaan fitrah sama adil. Yang membezakan darjat masing-masing pada sisi Allah adalah amal dan ketakwaan individu itu sendiri.
Contoh kata-kata yang menggunakan kata Allah:
Allahu Akbar (الله أكبر) (Allah Maha Besar)
Bismillah (بسم الله ) (Dengan nama Allah)
Ya Allah (يا الله) (Oh Allah)
Insha'Allah (إن شاء الله) (Sekiranya Allah mengkehendaki)
Masha Allah (ما شاء الله) (Allah telah menentukannya)
Subhan Allah (سبحان الله) (Maha Suci Allah)
Alhamdulillah (الحمد لله) (Segala puji bagi Allah)
Allahu A`alam (الله أعلم) (Allah lebih mengetahui)
Jazaka Allahu Khairan (جزاك اللهخيراً) (Semoga Allah membalas kebaikan kamu)
Orang Islam tidak cuba menggambarkan Allah dalam apa cara sekalipun. Sebaliknya mereka memfokuskan kepada sifat/namaNya,
Sifat 20/
Asmaaulhusna. Bilangan sifat Allah tidak terhad kepada 20, bahkan ada banyak lagi sifat Allah yang disebut di dalam nas al-Quran dan Hadith Nabi SAW.
Oleh itu umat Islam hanya dituntut supaya beriman iaitu percaya dan membenarkan segala nama serta sifat Allah yang dinyatakan dalam nas-nas al-Quran dan Hadith yang jelas tanpa sebarang perincian, pengurangan, penyerupaan atau pengubahsuaian, sebaliknya beriman dengan semua nama dan sifat Allah yang telah dijelaskan sendiri oleh Allah dan RasulNya.
Beriman kepada Allah adalah Rukun (asas) Iman yang pertama. Iman kepada Allah merangkumi lima aspek keesaan (ketauhidan) iaitu Tauhid Rububiyah, Tauhid Uluhiyah, Tauhid Hakimiyah, Tauhid Asmaa' dan Tauhid Sifat. Aqidah tauhid (monotheism) adalah aqidah yang dibawa oleh para Nabi dan Rasul termasuklah Nabi Nuh, Ibrahim, Daud, Sulaiman, Musa dan Isa. Manakala Nabi Muhammad s.a.w adalah rasul terakhir yang menyempurnakan risalah aqidah tersebut kepada semua kalangan manusia tanpa mengira keturunan, bangsa, bahasa, budaya dan warna kulit.
(Surah al-Baqarah 2:213)
A Muslim believes in ONE GOD, ALLAH, Supreme and Eternal, Infinite and Mighty, Merciful and Compassionate, Creator and Provider. The word "Allah" simply means "God" in Arabic and is a more unique name than "God," since it cannot be changed into "gods"-plural or "goddess"-feminine. He has neither father nor mother, neither sons nor was He fathered. None equal to Him. He is God of all mankind, not of a special tribe or race.Allah (God) is High and Supreme, but He is very near to the pious thoughtful believers; He answers their prayers and helps them. He loves the people who love Him and forgives their sins.
He gives them peace, happiness, knowledge and success. Allah (God) is the Loving and the Provider, the Generous, and the Benevolent, the Rich and the Independent, the Forgiving and the Clement, the Patient and the Appreciative, the Unique and the Protector, the Judge and the Peace. Allah's (God's) attributes are mentioned in the Quran. Allah (God) creates in man the mind to understand, the soul and conscience to be good and righteous, the feelings and sentiments to be kind and humane.
If we try to count His favours upon us, we cannot, because they are countless. In return for all the great favours and mercy, Allah (God) does not need anything from us, because He is Needless and Independent. Allah (God) asks us to know Him, to love Him and to enforce His law for our benefit and our own good. At the very primal beginning, before the advent of pre-mordial time, the universe was one.
Then, it was cloven asunder by a mighty Force to form the heavens and the earth and all the galaxies and planets that swim in between. In Islam, this Force is known as Allah SWT, the true God of Creation. The term 'Allah' has no plural or gender. This is its uniqueness when compared with the word 'god' used by many other religions that can be made into the plural or feminine forms, gods and goddess respectively.Belief in Allah SWT is the core tenet of Islamic teachings, and it heads the six Articles of Faith, namely belief in:
. Allah SWT .
His Angels .
His Revelations .
His Messengers .
The Hereafter, and .
Fate & Destiny.
Allah SWT is the Almighty, Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, who is similar to nothing and nothing is comparable to Him. This He explicitly states in the Qur'an: ". "There is nothing whatever like unto Him, and He is the One that hears and sees (all things)." (Surah Ash-Shoor42:11) Allah's SWT rights upon His creation are absolute. He is the sole Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, the Almighty who created everything with absolute wisdom, the One who initiated every being from nothing. "And Allah (SWT) has brought you out from the wombs of your mothers while you know nothing. And He gave you hearing, sight and hearts that you might give thanks (to Allah SWT)." (Surah an-Nahl 16:78) Allah SWT has complete control over his slaves and His bounties are countless.
He demands that His Creation, including mankind, to worship Him alone without ascribing any partners to Him, and be His true slaves. "And I (Allah SWT) created not the jinn and mankind except they should worship Me (alone). I seek not any provision from them nor do I ask that they should feed Me. Verily, Allah (SWT) is the All-Provider, Owner of Power, the Most Strong." (Surah Az-Dhaariyaat 51:56-58) In order to be among those who are blessed with His guidance, one should make every effort to learn more about Allah SWT.
We can know more about Him from His Beautiful Names and Attributes and from the teachings of His Prophets (a.s.) who are receivers of Divine Revelations. All of them preach the same message that: "He is Allah (SWT), the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of Forms (or Colors). To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names." (Al-Hashr 59:24) Those who have been shown the Light are very fortunate as their hearts and minds are very receptive to His Words, and they readily accept the Reality as it comes. This power of guidance lies with Allah SWT alone as He says: "Allah (SWT) guided whom He will to a path that is straight