“Do not dispute with the People of the Book except in a manner which is best, barring such of them as are wrongdoers, and say, We believe in that which has been sent down to us and has been sent down to you; our God and your God is one [and the same], and to Him do we submit.” (Al-Ankabot 29: 46)
The Qur’an confirms that the God both “Ahlal Al-Kitab” People of the Book and the Muslims worship is the same. We want to look together at some names of God in both the Bible and the Qur’an.
- “In the beginning God [Elohim] created the Heavens and the Earth” Genesis (1:1)
The first name we see that the Bible uses for God is Elohimإلوهيم , in Hebrew language when the suffix ‘-im’ is added to Eloah, it speaks of plurality, and ‘Elohim’ means Almighty God or gods, in plural. In Aramaic, the word that is used for God is Elah إله, the same word is used for God in Arabic. Also, in Arabic the name is used for God in the Qur’an is Allah الله, which is derived from Eloah, Elohim, and Elah. These names come from the same root, as the three languages have sematic roots.
- “And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful [Rakhum] رخوم أو رحيم and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth” (Exodus 34:6).
Each chapter of the Qur’an begins with this phrase “In the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful (Rahim)” بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمٰنِ الرَّحيمِ.
Rachum and Rahman have the same Semitic root R-H-M رحم. Both mean Compassionate and Merciful.
- “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one (Echad).” (Deuteronomy 6:4)
In this verse, one is a translation of the Hebrew Echad أخاد أو أحد. This verse in Jewish tradition is the declaration of belief in the One True God YAWH.
Isa Al-Masih quoted the same verse answering a question, “The most important one, answered Jesus, is this: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one (Echad).” (Mark 12:29)
The Qur’an uses thje same name, “Say, ‘He is Allah, the One (Ahad).” قُل هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ (Al-Ikhlas 112: 1).
Ahad is the Arabic and Echad in Hebrew both mean One, Only, and Alone.
- “Which He will bring about at the proper time–He who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords” (1 Timothy 6: 15)
The Qur’an also use the same name for Allah, “Say, ‘O Allah, Master of all sovereignty (Malik Al-Molk) ملك الملك! You give sovereignty to whomever You wish, and strip of sovereignty whomever You wish; You make mighty whomever You wish, and You abase whomever You wish; all good is in Your hand. Indeed You have power over all things.” (Al-Imran 3: 26)
