Who is Allah?

Who is Allah?

Allah (Arabic: الله) is the Arabic name of God, the Creator of the universe. More precisely, Allah translates to ‘The God’ implying that there is no other god or deity to worship than Him. God describes himself in chapter 112 of the Holy Quran in clear and straightforward words: 

“Say, ‘He is Allah, the One. Allah is the All-embracing. He neither begat nor was begotten. Nor has He any equal (112:1-4).”

Hence, Nothing is like, similar or equivalent to Him nor does He have any partner. God is One, the creative cause of all beings, who has always existed and whose existence is eternally everlasting. He has absolute sovereignty over the universe and that which it contains. 

Imam Ali (p) beautifully describes Allah in sermon 179 of Nahj al-Balagha with the following words: “He (Allah) cannot be perceived by the sight of our eyes. Rather, He can be perceived by hearts through the reality of belief and faith”.

God’s unlimited essence is unperceivable and cannot be grasped with our senses and intellect. However, by contemplating His design and creation, from orbiting planets to the intricate human brain, the existence of God and some of His attributes are provable by our senses, intellect, and instinct. 
The renowned ninety-nine attributes of God, called Asma’ul-lahil-husna (Arabic: أَسْماءُ اللهِ الْحُسْنى), allow us to familiarize ourselves with Allah, which is derived from the Holy Qur’an, traditions, or even common sense. To read further about Allah and His attributes visit this link.