September 12, 2024
What to do when Muslim students refer to God as Allah.
El, Allah, and Theos mean “God” in ancient Hebrew, Arabic, and Greek. How these words are defined affects their meaning, which can be correct or incorrect.
The Canaanites worshiped Baal as El. The Israelites, chosen people of God, worshiped Elohim as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the only true and living God who made the world and everything in it.
In Greek mythology, Theos was Zeus. The apostle Paul preached Jesus to the Greeks. He shattered their mythology when he corrected their theology. Theos (God) was defined as “God who made the world and everything in it. . . He is the Lord of heaven and earth . . .” (Acts 17:24).
Islam’s God is Allah, which is Arabic for God. But in Islam, Allah is not the Father of the Lord Jesus Christ. This makes a student’s use of Allah a serious problem when answering their WEI Thought Questions. Should we admonish a student and insist that they correct their answers? How can we help our Muslim students correct their misunderstanding about God?
Sample Question: In what ways are human beings like God?
Student answer: Humans are not made like Allah.
Response: We have many qualities that reflect the image of God, our Creator. We can be forgiving, merciful, loving, and giving. We are moral beings, unlike animals. These are spiritual qualities that show that we are made in God’s likeness.
Notice that I ignored the student’s use of Allah. I do not make it an issue. It will resolve itself as we study. Typically, they will see my continued reference to “God,” and soon, they follow my example.
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