Why ‘Allah’ and Not ‘God’ - Dr Zakir Naik
Dr. Zakir Naik explains why Muslims prefer using the Arabic word 'Allah' over the English word 'God.' He argues that 'Allah' is linguistically superior because it cannot be pluralized, feminized, or manipulated, unlike the English word 'God.' He supports this with a Quranic verse affirming that Allah can be called by any of His beautiful names.
Summary
Dr. Zakir Naik opens by citing the Quran, Chapter 17, Verse 110, which states that God can be called upon by the name 'Allah' or by any of His beautiful names. He emphasizes that while Muslims are permitted to use various names for God, those names must be beautiful and divinely sanctioned — not invented by humans. He notes that Allah has no fewer than 99 attributes and names in the Quran, with 'Allah' being the most exalted among them.
Naik then addresses the central question of why Muslims specifically prefer the Arabic word 'Allah' over the English word 'God.' His core argument is linguistic: the word 'God' is vulnerable to grammatical manipulation in ways that distort its meaning. He demonstrates this by pointing out that adding an 'S' to 'God' produces 'Gods,' implying a plural — which contradicts Islamic monotheism. Similarly, adding 'D-E-S-S' produces 'Goddess,' implying a female deity — a concept that does not exist in Islam. The word 'Allah,' by contrast, has no plural form and no gendered variation, making it a more precise and theologically accurate term for the singular, genderless God of Islam.
Key Insights
- Dr. Naik cites Quran Chapter 17, Verse 110 to argue that Muslims are permitted to call upon God by any beautiful name, but that name must be divinely given — not self-invented.
- Naik states that Allah has no fewer than 99 attributes and names in the Quran, and that 'Allah' is the most supreme among them.
- Naik argues that the English word 'God' is linguistically inferior because adding 'S' creates 'Gods' — a plural form that contradicts Islamic monotheism — whereas 'Allah' has no plural.
- Naik points out that the word 'God' can be converted to 'Goddess' by adding 'DES,' implying a female deity, which he says has no equivalent or basis in Islam.
- Naik asserts that 'Allah' is gender-neutral — there is no male Allah or female Allah in Islam — making it a more theologically precise term than 'God.'
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