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X.—ALLAH OR GOD.
The name of the Creator of the universe in the Qurán is Allah, which is the title given to the Supreme Being by Muhammadans of every race and language. It is called the special, or essential, name of God, the ism-i-zát; all other names being considered merely ism-i-safát, or attributes, of which there are said to be ninety-nine.[1] It is supposed to have been derived from the word iláh, a deity or god, with the addition of the definite article al, thus Al-iláh, The God. But Imám Hanífa says that, just as God's essence is unchangeable so is His name, and that Alláh has always been the name of the great Eternal Being (vide Ghyás-ul-Loghát). It appears to be an Arabic rendering of the Hebrew אֵל el, God. It is expressed in Per-
- ↑ Vide the ninety-nine names of God in the article on Zikr. There is also the Ism-ul-ʾAzam, the exalted name of God, which is said to be unknown.
