Here I would like to discuss the name of God. Many muslims get really irritated when someone says "Allah is not the name of God."
Why? They rightly point out that "Allah" is the word "God" in arabic. But what they are missing is there is a difference between a
title and a name.
If I call out to a group of people, "Person" and all of the group turned would any of them be wrong in responding? No. However if
I said, "John Doe" would it be appropriate for anyone but the one identified by name to respond? No. So what does God say his name
is?
Exd 3:13 - And Moses said unto God, Behold, [when] I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your
fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What [is] his name? what shall I say unto them?
Exd 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent
me unto you.
So we see that God does in fact have a name. "I Am" or in hebrew "Yaweh" or "Jehovah" or to a christian "Jeshua" or "Yeshua". What
does "Yeshua" mean? "God's salvation" or "God saves" or more literally "I am salvation" Since "God" is a title and not a name "I
am salvation" seems the most appropriate. For Jesus is the physical manifestation of God's salvation.
Now the muslims also have what is known as the 99 beautiful names of God. I will list them here.
Allah The Greatest Name
Ar-Rahman 1 The All-Compassionate
Ar-Rahim 2 The All-Merciful
Al-Malik 3 The Absolute Ruler
Al-Quddus 4 The Pure One
As-Salam 5 The Source of Peace
Al-Mu'min 6 The Inspirer of Faith
Al-Muhaymin 7 The Guardian
Al-'Aziz 8 The Victorious
Al-Jabbar 9 The Compeller
Al-Mutakabbir 10 The Greatest
Al-Khaliq 11 The Creator
Al-Bari' 12 The Maker of Order
Al-Musawwir 13 The Shaper of Beauty
Al-Ghaffar 14 The Forgiving
Al-Qahhar 15 The Subduer
Al-Wahhab 16 The Giver of All
Ar-Razzaq 17 The Sustainer
Al-Fattah 18 The Opener
Al-'Alim 19 The Knower of All
Al-Qabid 20 The Constrictor
Al-Basit 21 The Reliever
Al-Khafid 22 The Abaser
Ar-Rafi' 23 The Exalter
Al-Mu'izz 24 The Bestower of Honors
Al-Mudhill 25 The Humiliator
As-Sami 26 The Hearer of All
Al-Basir 27 The Seer of All
Al-Hakam 28 The Judge
Al-'Adl 29 The Just
Al-Latif 30 The Subtle One
Al-Khabir 31 The All-Aware
Al-Halim 32 The Forebearing
Al-'Azim 33 The Magnificent
Al-Ghafur 34 The Forgiver and Hider of Faults
Ash-Shakur 35 The Rewarder of Thankfulness
Al-'Ali 36 The Highest
Al-Kabir 37 The Greatest
Al-Hafiz 38 The Preserver
Al-Muqit 39 The Nourisher
Al-Hasib 40 The Accounter
Al-Jalil 41 The Mighty
Al-Karim 42 The Generous
Ar-Raqib 43 The Watchful One
Al-Mujib 44 The Responder to Prayer
Al-Wasi' 45 The All-Comprehending
Al-Hakim 46 The Perfectly Wise
Al-Wadud 47 The Loving One
Al-Maj'd 48 The Majestic One
Al-Ba'ith 49 The Resurrector
Ash-Shahid 50 The Witness
Al-h Haqq 51 The Truth
Al-Wakil 52 The Trustee
Al-Qawi 53 The Possessor of All Strength
Al-Matin 54 The Forceful One
Al-W'li 55 The Governor
Al-Hamid 56 The Praised One
Al-Muhsi 57 The Appraiser
Al-Mubdi 58 The Originator
Al-Mu'id 59 The Restorer
Al-Muhyi 60 The Giver of Life
Al-Mumit 61 The Taker of Life
Al-Hayy 62 The Ever Living One
Al-Qayyum 63 The Self-Existing One
Al-Wajid 64 The Finder
Al-M'jid 65 The Glorious
Al-Wahid 66 The Only One
Al-Ahad 67 The One
As-Samad 68 The Satisfier of All Needs
Al-Qadir 69 The All Powerful
Al-Muqtadir 70 The Creator of All Power
Al-Muqaddim 71 The Expediter
Al-Mu'akhkhir 72 The Delayer
Al-Awwal 73 The First
Al-Akhir 74 The Last
Az-Zahir 75 The Manifest One
Al-Batin 76 The Hidden One
Al-Wal' 77 The Protecting Friend
Al-Muta'ali 78 The Supreme One
Al-Barr 79 The Doer of Good
At-Tawwib 80 The Guide to Repentance
Al-Muntaqim 81 The Avenger
Al-Afu 82 The Forgiver
Ar-Ra'uf 83 The Clement
Malik al-Mulk 84 The Owner of All
Dhul-Jalali
Wal-Ikram 85 The Lord of Majesty and Bounty
Al-Muqsit 86 The Equitable One
Al-Jami 87 The Gatherer
Al-Ghani 88 The Rich One
Al-Mughni 89 The Enricher
Al-Mani' 90 The Preventer of Harm
Ad-Darr 91 The Creator of The Harmful
An-Nafi 92 The Creator of Good
An-Nur 93 The Light
Al-Hadi 94 The Guide
Al-Badi 95 The Originator
Al-Baqi 96 The Everlasting One
Al-Warith 97 The Inheritor of All
Ar-Rashid 98 The Righteous Teacher
As-Sabur 99 The Patient One
Now even a cursory glance again reveals the misunderstanding of these people. All of these "names" at best are descriptive terms
but all in all just more titles. The Jews had a more practical view of describing God. God's majesty was such that it is easier to
describe who God isn't rather than who He is. I don't necessarily agree with all the above descriptions but in proper context a
case could be made for all of them. That is not the point I am making here though.
Furthermore "I Am" perfectly identifies His eternal prescence as well as His eternal state of being as attributed by the above
titles. In other words "I Am all the above titles and more." Literally He is all these things. As a state of existence. But "I Am"
encompasses all these things.
God is used as a general term to describe any deity real or imagined. So we capitalize the G when we refer to the only real God.
Otherwise we leave it lowercase. But to get to the core of the matter we should properly identify Him by name rather than title.
But tradition held by the Jews is that it is blasphemous to completely write or properly say God's name. To do so by our
iniquitous lips is to bring ourselves into contempt. I don't know where they came up with this idea when God specifically told
Moses to identify His being as "I Am" but that is where the tradition started and held through until now. That is probably why we
say "God" instead of "I Am". But even some Jews will not spell out "God" for fear of blasphemy. Perhaps they should review the
nature of the name of God. Either way "I Am" is God's name. "God" is God's title. Very general but sufficient to identify Him to
those who only believe in one God. However, in the question of God's name the verse in the first part of the post says it all.
God bless
