Allah

Pronunciation

• IPA: /əˈlɑː/,

Origin

Arabic الله, contraction of اَل + إِلَه ("ilāh"); cognate with the Aramaic אלה and אלהא, and Hebrew אֵל, אֱלוֹהַּ
אֱלֹהַּ (elóah) and אֱלוֹהִים
אֱלֹהִים (elohím); ultimately from Proto-Semitic *ʾil-.

Full definition of Allah

Proper noun

1. God, in Islamic or Arabic contextsWhat is the Shia Islamic view on the attributes of Allah?

Derived terms

• ayatollah, Hezbollah

Usage notes

While the Arabic الله is used generically to refer to God in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic contexts, current English usage almost always restricts the corresponding term Allah to Islamic contexts only. Various newspaper style manuals recommend translating the Arabic word in English as God, as this better reflects Arabic usage, but the term is often left untranslated in Islamic contexts. Thus either “Allah is great” or “God is great” may be seen.

Anagrams

• halal