Xeper in response to my post about predestination asked a couple of questions. To paraphrase;
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Why the usage of the name Allah for non native Arabic speakers instead of God?
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Why the usage of the name Rabb which is fairly uncommon amongst Muslims outside of Egypt let alone a British Muslim convert?
In my post I interchanged between the names Allah and God for two reasons. When I mentioned my life and beliefs as a Muslim now, I used Allah and when I referred to my pre-Islam days I used God. This is because this is what He was known to me as then. God. It was I guess, a way of highlighting my relationship with Him in my past.
He wasn’t much for me back then. My main knowledge of Him was as the creator and the cause of any distress I was in and any success when I deemed to remember Him; usually as an offhand “Thank God”. People were sometimes fanatical in His name and on occasion others would writhe around on the floor speaking in a strange “tongue” which even they didn’t understand; because they felt His spirit. I was frequently accosted in the street by the bashers of his holy book, urging me to “seek salvation”; I preferred to seek ….. other pleasures and be “true to myself”.
My mum used to reel off many other names for Him in her spiritually induced lectures (read “ramblings” as I considered them), my Dad called Him Jah and my aunt called Him Jehovah. Other family members and friends sometimes called Him on a Sunday. But still to me He was just God. I didn’t know Him as they seemed to.
Jesus loves you. God is good. God will make you pay for your sins. The only way to God is through Jesus. Jesus is Salvation. Follow Jesus. God works in mysterious ways. God is the Judge. To God we will return. Jesus loves you. Oh yes he does. STOP! Who is He?!!?
In the year or so preceding my reversion to Islam, He became a bit more to me. He was still a mystery, but one I wanted to solve. I saw him manifest in various ways and He started to become the source of my guilt. I was doing the wrong things. How did I know? I could just feel it. He was going to punish me. How did I know? I could feel it. But still to me He was just God. I didn’t know any other way to view Him.
Then I found Islam. Or did it find me? I’m not sure, but reading the Quran (translation) gave me an insight into who He is in a way I could understand. Now as a Muslim He means so much more to me than He ever did before. He is my life and reason for living. For Him I wake in the morning, I eat, I work, I think, I dream, I hope, I succeed, I strive, I laugh, I cry, I am happy and I am sad. He is my life. He is The One. He is Allah.
He didn’t change; He didn’t become a new god; He was and always will be the same. But I feel that “Allah” says everything about Him without having to explain. When I speak to another person who also calls Him “Allah” it’s like an unspoken understanding…. Even if that perception is all in my head!
Can it create confrontation? Yes it can. When I first reverted to Islam, my Mum would refer to Him as “Your Allah” in a condescending way and I would have to explain He wasn’t mine, He’s the same God that she prays to. By time, I found it made more sense when discussing Him with non Muslims, to use a neutral name. God for my Mum and most others; the creator for my Dad and any other person with uncommon beliefs. This way I create a platform where we can both stand on common ground and discuss the similarities and differences in our beliefs. Any other way I find causes the discussions to be conducted as if we are two people standing on opposing enemy lines.
Why do I use Rabb? This one is much simpler. Partly, as I explained in my reply, it’s something I picked up from living in Egypt. The other reason is that I read once that Lord is a poor translation of Rabb which has a deeper meaning. I’ve also picked up the habit of using Arabic words mixed with my English when I feel it suits the meaning better Ya3ni…. J Maybe it’s because you can say more with less words in Arabic.
Growing Pains 