On Sept. 14, 2001, American churchmen were called upon by government leaders to emphasize the religious unity of American Christians and American Muslims. This they did during a “National Prayer Service” using phrases like “God of Abraham, Mohammed, and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ,” in prayer. ¹

The blatant repudiation of the exclusive claims of Jesus Christ required a vigorous response. Unfortunately, the response coalesced around the question, “Is Allah the God of the Bible?” with a negative answer. ²

Answering this question does serve to answer polytheism. But it is a bad question because it virtually attacks the suffering Arab church, is based on ignorance of some linguistic and historical realities, and unnecessarily makes the task of evangelism to Muslims even more difficult than it already is. Furthermore, it sows confusion among Christians about the right response to Islam.

The reality of the Arab church is the most important reason why the question, “Is Allah the God of the Bible?” is a bad question. Ignorance of the existence of the Arab church means that Arab equals Muslim in the minds of many. This is why people think of Islam when they hear the word Allah.³ But Arab Christians have used Allah as the proper name of God for centuries! When an Arab Christian prays, he addresses his prayer to “Allah al Aab“—God the Father. Allah is the Arab Christian’s name for the God of the Bible.

They have good reason to use the word Allah. Arabic is a Semitic language like Hebrew. Semitic languages share many features, most notably a common phonology (sounds), a core of shared vocabulary, and a three-letter root system for words. The Hebrew Elohim and the Arabic Allah are based on the same three-letter root. Ordinarily, the words stand alone as the proper name of God. Sometimes the word Elohim is found in the Hebrew text with a definite article, signifying “The God.” The Arabic translations of the Old Testament follow suit quite naturally. Allah is not a different name for God; it is the name for God in a different language.

To insist that the Arab Christian find a different proper name for Allah would be wrong and arrogant. History, linguistics. and usage are on the side of the Arab Christian. Allah is an Arab Christian word. The intrusion of Islam into the Arab Christian world does not necessitate a revamp of Christian vocabulary. No one has called for English-speaking Christians to find a new proper name for God simply because Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses use the word.

What about Allah in Islam? Should we say that the Allah of Islam is not the God of the Bible? The question is still poorly posed. A better question is, “Is the teaching about Allah in Islam the same as the teaching about Allah in the Bible?” To this question we firmly answer no! In this way we both affirm the legitimate use of the Arabic proper name for God, while safeguarding the message of the gospel. This clears away a lot of the brush, avoids an unnecessary offense, and directs our Muslim friends to the Word of God. In this way the offense will more likely come from the Cross, rather than partisan nuances in our words.

Why does it matter? It matters because pantheism is not the only battle. We must answer both Islam and pantheism. I have long felt that the posing and answering of “The Bad Question” has contributed to complacency about the work of the gospel in Muslim countries because it spawns a “we versus them” mentality. Let us be clear in our response to Muslims as well as to polytheists. Let the Cross be the ground of offense. And may we repent of our nonchalance about the work of the gospel in Muslim countries and “stand in the breach,” praying for God’s grace to be poured out on Muslims to the glory of His Son.

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