“Allah” in calligraphy Calligraphic representation of the word Allāh in Arabic on the domed ceiling of Türkmenbaşi Ruhy mosque in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. (more) What Is the Difference Between Allah and God? Written by Adam Zeidan Adam Zeidan is an Assistant Managing Editor, having joined Encyclopædia Britannica in 2018. Adam Zeidan Fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors Last updated Apr. 28, 2026 •History Allah (الله) is the Arabic word for “God” and is used as a proper noun. In Arabic it is used by Muslims, Christians, and Jews alike to refer to God. It is known especially from the basmalah, the formulaic prayer in the first verse of the Qurʾān: bism Allāh al-Raḥman al-Raḥīm. The Christian Nicene Creed in Arabic describes rabb wāḥid Yasūʿ al-Masīḥ, ibn Allāh al-waḥīd (“One Lord Jesus Christ, the only son of God”). Although...

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