Who is Allah in Islam?
Allah is not a tribal deity. The word means, simply, the God. The classical scholars were careful not to reduce Him to a list of attributes — the Qurʾan calls Him Al-Awwal wa Al-Ākhir wa Al-Ẓāhir wa Al-Bāṭin: the First and the Last, the Apparent and the Hidden.
10 passages from 10 books in the library
Allah is the one God — the word itself means simply "the God," not a tribal deity. The classical scholars knew Him not chiefly through definition but through relationship and worship. The passages here show this lived knowledge: "In the name of Allah… there is no power except with Allah"; "Whoever gives for Allah, loves for Allah, hates for Allah, and marries for Allah" has fulfilled faith; and "Whoever fears Allah, everything fears him, and whoever does not fear Allah, Allah will make him fear everything." He is the One toward whom love, fear, and every action are turned.
Drawn from the classical sources below — in the scholars' own words.
The classical approach.
These passages are drawn from 10 books by Imam al-Ghazali, Ibn Battuta, and Ibn Kathir — part of the classical Sunni tradition that carries over a thousand years of reflection on the Qurʾān, the authentic Sunnah, and the consensus of the early community. Nothing below is a paraphrase. The words are the scholars' own, translated from the original Arabic manuscripts.
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"In the name of Allah, what Allah has willed, there is no power except with Allah what Allah"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"and say, In the name of Allah, with Allah, from Allah, and towards, in the path of Allah,"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"with, such as repeating Allah Allah, or Subhan Allah, Subhan Allah, or whatever words the"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"Whoever gives for Allah, loves for Allah, hates for Allah, and marries for Allah has"
14th century · Tangier, Morocco
The Riḥlah — a 30-year, 75,000-mile journey across three continents, and the most important travel account of the pre-modern world.
More on Ibn Battuta →
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"I prayed in the blessed mosque, may Allah purify it and increase its reverence, and visited those in al-Baqi from the companions of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and may Allah be pleased with them."
14th century · Bosra, Syria
Monumental history Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, the world's most widely read Qurʾanic commentary, and the classical Stories of the Prophets.
More on Ibn Kathir →
· Provenance →
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"Those who were certain that they would meet Allah said how often has a small group overcome a mighty host by Allah's permission and Allah"
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
-
"Whoever fears Allah, everything fears him, and whoever does not fear Allah, Allah will make him fear everything."
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"the words of return to Allah and said, A concealment that Allah covered and a provision that Allah"
14th century · Bosra, Syria
Monumental history Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, the world's most widely read Qurʾanic commentary, and the classical Stories of the Prophets.
More on Ibn Kathir →
· Provenance →
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"Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, with the assistance of Allah. Allah, the Exalted, informed"
14th century · Bosra, Syria
Monumental history Al-Bidāyah wa al-Nihāyah, the world's most widely read Qurʾanic commentary, and the classical Stories of the Prophets.
More on Ibn Kathir →
· Provenance →
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"knew what he witnessed of Allah's honour and his condition. Qatada also said, By Allah, Allah did"
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