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Colin McElduff

Mr. Plinske

English II Honors

13 December 2016

Allah Research Paper

The omnipotent god of the Islamic faith, Allah is an Arabic deity typically referring to the god

of the Abrahamic religions. He is described as being the divine creator of the universe and is depicted in

both pre-Islamic texts and the Quran. Throughout The Alchemist, written by Paulo Coelho, Allah is

frequently mentioned when talking about a higher power, especially as the protagonist Santiago travels

across Arabic lands.

Tracing back to the earliest semitic writings, the name Allah has been used to refer to a supreme

deity in Arabic regions. While some have speculated that it may have been derived from either Hebrew or

Syriac languages, studies on the origin of the name have concluded that it most likely developed as a

contraction of the words al and ilh to form. al-lh (Encyclopdia Britannica). This term

translates from Arabic to mean either the deity or the God. Allah is written in varying styles of Arabic

calligraphy, often demonstrating historical context and artistic interpretations. In pre-Islamic times, this

name may have been used as a title when referring to the chief god of the arabic pantheon. Scholars have

hypothesized that polytheistic cults believed that Allah was a creator deity, and thus the God above all

others. The three well-known goddesses A-Lat, Al-Uzza, and Manat, were also supposedly his daughters.

While the name Allah comes up in early texts, there is controversy on his relationship to another Arabic

deity. Hubal, an arabic moon god, has often been viewed as another name of Allah due to his notable

worship in the Kaaba in Mecca. He was supposedly the most important idol of the 360 idols celebrated in

Mecca, and thus appears as a major deity. Despite this many argue that Allah was just a distant god who
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is thought to be the original creator due to the lack of representation of Allah as a major figure in the

Kaaba.

In the Quran, Allah is depicted as the one, true creator and the God of Abraham. Initially

appearing in visions to the Prophet Muhammad in early 600 AD, Allah declared himself to be the one

and only divine presence (The Nature and Triumph of Islam). This message to Muhammad came as a

final attempt to save humanity from its own destruction, leaving him to be the last great prophet. Allah

provided Muhammad with divine guidance to salvation in form of his final revelation, which Muhammad

recorded in the Quran. Through these texts Allah is revealed to be beyond human comprehension,

bestowing his will to all people. While the bond between God and man is highlighted in other Abrahamic

religions, Allahs omnipotence and merciful nature calls for the complete surrender of one's will to him

(Is Allah of Islam the Same as Yahweh of Christianity?"). All actions and events are done through

the will of Allah, whose commandment and will alone govern what happens. This demonstrates that while

more distant, Allah acts within peoples lives as he understands their struggles. He is the final judge on

the Day of Judgement, and will reward those who he deems worthy. Thus he is both a formidable and

benevolent supreme ruler.

Though a singular deity, Allah has different characteristics described in the 99 Names of God, or

the most beautiful names. While Allah is the Greatest Name and is used the most often when

referring to God, this is just one of many. Of the the other 98 names, the two other most widely used

names are Al-Rahman, the Merciful; and Al-Rahim, the Beneficent ("The Most Beautiful Names of

Allah"). These names are used to invoke different of aspects of Allahs nature, but are not separate

deities as this would go against the Islamic profession of faith of Allah as the only God. They can be used

in prayers to Allah, which is done five times a day by practicing Muslims in accordance with the five

pillars of Islam. Despite not having any idols or iconic imagery other than the calligraphy form of the

name Allah, Muslims face the Kaaba in Mecca when they are praying. This site is extremely holy, as it
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is believed to be the House of Allah in a similar way to the Christian Tabernacle or Jewish Holy of

Holies.

Throughout The Alchemist religious discussion and thoughts on a higher power are often brought

up, with frequent mentionings of God and Allah. Santiago, having gone to a convent and initially getting

visions from God, explores his own beliefs as he travels to the pyramids. Along the way he meets many

people from different faiths, most notably Islamic Arabs. Many Muslims make references to Allah and his

characteristic, such as how the future [is] already written by Allah (Coelho 105). Not only a major

thematic element, the Soul of the World is equated to being a part of Allah. Throughout it Allah speaks to

people in the language of omens and signs in order to try to help everyone achieve their Personal

Legends. This what sets Santiago on his quest to the Pyramids of Giza, guides him along the way, allows

him to turn himself into the wind, and ultimately discover his treasure. His discovery that everything has

been written by the same hand propels the story forward, eventually allowing Santiago to achieve

spiritual enlightenment (Coelho 114). Thus power that Allah poses and his will over the Soul of the

World demonstrate his importance to The Alchemist.

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Works Cited

"1320: Section 14: The Nature and Triumph of Islam." 1320: Section 14: The Nature and

Triumph of Islam. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2017.

<http://www.usu.edu/markdamen/1320hist%26civ/chapters/14islam.htm>.

Coelho, Paulo, and Alan Clarke. The Alchemist. 25th Anniversary ed. New York:

HarperCollins, 1993. Print.

The Editors of Encyclopdia Britannica. "Allah." Encyclopdia Britannica.

Encyclopdia Britannica, Inc., 04 Aug. 2016. Web. 12 Feb. 2017.

"How to Think of God." Inside Islam. N.p., 13 Aug. 2014. Web. 11 Feb. 2017.

<https://insideislam.wisc.edu/2012/04/how-to-think-of-god/>.

"Is Allah of Islam the Same as Yahweh of Christianity?" Columbia International

University. N.p., 30 Oct. 2015. Web. 11 Feb. 2017.

<http://www.ciu.edu/content/allah-islam-same-yahweh-christianity>.

"The Most Beautiful Names of Allah." The Threshold Society. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2017