الله
ALLAH
The Creator, the One and only true God
Meaning and Explanation
Allah is the proper name reserved for the Creator in Islamic belief — it gathers all the other beautiful names (asma al-husna) in itself, the name of the one true God unlike anything else. Linguists debate whether the word derives from another root: one view holds it is a proper name with no derivation, unique to God's essence; another holds it comes from "ilah" (the one worshipped), which with the definite article ("al-ilah") evolved into "Allah" over time. Either view leaves the core belief of tawhid — that there is no god but God — unchanged; Surah Al-A'raf (7:180) states "To Allah belong the best names, so invoke Him by them," tying every other beautiful name back to this one.
Traditional Note — Abjad Value
This name's abjad (letter numerical value) calculation is 66.
Letter-by-letter abjad calculation: ا (1) + ل (30) + ل (30) + ه (5) = 66 — the value most consistently repeated across sources.
This number is not a religious prescription or a guarantee of any outcome.
This Name in the Quran
Dhikr Counter
Dhikr Counter
Historical abjad note: this name's abjad value is 66; reciting a specific count carries no religious obligation.
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Dhikr Tradition
In some Sufi traditions, repeating only the name "Allah" (dhikr of the Supreme Name) is described as a common practice, resting on the Quran's general encouragement to remember God by His names (Al-A'raf 7:180) — but no specific count or method carries a religious obligation.
Remembrance (dhikr) through the beautiful names is a foundational act of worship in Islam. However, reciting a name a specific number of times (based on its abjad value) or at a specific day/time carries no religious obligation, and scholars are not unanimous on this point — some accept it as a traditional practice, others hold it has no basis in the primary sources. The information on this page does not constitute religious ruling.
Understanding This Name
Reading the proper name with the other names
The name Allah is not one quality placed beside the others. It identifies the One to whom every beautiful name belongs. Al-Araf 7:180 therefore joins the proper name with the instruction to call upon God through His beautiful names. A reader can move from the general confession of God to a more attentive knowledge of mercy, wisdom, justice, life, and power without imagining separate divine parts. The names disclose meanings for worship; they do not divide the One they name.
Other Names
Frequently Asked Questions
Is “Allah” the name of a different deity from the God named in English?
No. Arabic-speaking Muslims and Christians both use the word Allah for God. In Islamic belief it is the proper name of the one Creator, not a separate regional deity.
Sources
- TDV Encyclopedia of Islam, "Allah" maddesi
- Gazzâlî, el-Maksadü'l-Esnâ fî Şerhi Esmâillâhi'l-Hüsnâ
- Turkey's Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), Kur'an Yolu Tefsiri (Fâtiha 1:1-4, İhlâs 112)
- English Translation — Noor International Center (v1.1.2)
- TDV Encyclopedia of Islam — Esmâ-i Hüsnâ — in Turkish
- Diyanet High Council of Religious Affairs — The 99 Names of God — in Turkish
Prepared by: Kadir Özbek · Updated: