God = Allah

al-ilah = “the god”or “the deity”

Quraysh and others viewing other deitiesas intercessors (e.g. Qur’an 39: 3).Refuted in Qur’an 112: 1-4

The “Pillars” of Islam

Shahada (testimony)

la ilaha illa Allah(There is no god except God)

Muhammadun rasul Allah(Muhammad is the messenger of God)

The “Pillars” of Islam

Shahada (testimony)

Salat (ritual prayer)

Zakat (alms tax)

Sawm (Ramadan fast)

Hajj (greater pilgrimage to Mecca)

God’s involvement in human life and life ofthe world (Qur’an 25: 45-50; 3: 26-27;40: 67)

God’s omnipotence vs. God’s justice(Qur’an 3: 26, 86)

Power of God’s word/voice (Qur’an 40: 68,recalls Gen 1: 3; Jn 1: 1)

Qur’an 2: 255: “The Throne Verse”

God as: EternalIndependent of othersMercifulOmniscientOmnipotentUniversal in power

bi’sm Allah al-Rahman al-Rahim“In the name of God, the Most Gracious,

the Most Merciful”

Qur’an 24: 35: “The Light Verse”

Injunction to mystical speculation?Source of Sufi practice

God is beyond limits of human understanding(e.g. Qur’an 6: 103)

Islam as the original religion (e.g. Qur’an42: 13; 2: 38-39)

Epithets of God:

e.g. al-Rahman ≈ “the Most Gracious”

Varying perspective of narrator (e.g. Qur’an21: 24-25)