Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

Is Allah a deity ? or is he a God?If he is a deity then wouldnt it make us Muslims idol worshippers?

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

Answer:

Is Allah a deity

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

Only the One Who Created everything in existence, is All-Powerful, All-Mighty, All-Knowing, All-Seeing, All-Hearing, and Ever-Living Who has the right to be termed or called a ‘Deity’ or a ‘God’…….and it is the Sole Right of this Deity and God Alone that He Alone be worshipped, that His Laws and His Commands are unconditionally obeyed, and that His Will be fulfilled!

An idol on the other hand is a mere image one makes of something or someone one assumes to be their ‘deity’ or their ‘god’, and gives the rights that are due to The One and Only Real and True Deity or Lord God Who created to their self-invented idol/s…..that would be idol-worship…… the absolute biggest and the most heinous crime one can possibly commit in the Sight of the One and Only True Lord, God and Deity Who created everything in existence.

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 6 Surah Anaam verse 19 (part):

19 ….. Can ye possibly bear witness that besides Allah there is another ‘illah’ (deity)?" Say (O Prophet (saws)): "Nay! I cannot bear witness!" Say (O Prophet (saws)): "But in Truth He (Allah) is the One and Only ‘Ilaah’ (Deity), and I truly am innocent of (your blasphemy of) joining other deities with Him!”

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verse 163:

163 And your ‘Ilaah’ (Deity) is but one ‘Ilaah’ (Diety); there is no other ‘ilaah’ but He, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful (ie. Allah Subhanah wa Taala)!

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 38 Surah Saad verses 65-66:

65 Say (O Prophet (saws)): "Truly am I a warner: no other ‘ilaah’ (diety) is there but the One Allah, The Absolute Supreme, The Irresistible

66 The Lord of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them; The Exalted in Might, Able to enforce His Will, forgiving again and again."

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale-Imraan verse 18:

18 There is no other ‘ilaah’ but He (Allah Subhanah): that is the witness of Allah, His Angels, and those endued with knowledge standing firm on justice. There is no other ‘Ilaah’ but He, The Exalted in Power, The Wise.

A ‘diety’ or Arabic ‘ilaah’ is one who deserves to be worshipped….and Islam guides and commands that there is but only One Deity and One ‘Ilaah’ Who Alone deserves worship and that too in the absolute ‘unseen’, without any image or idol….and that Deity, that ‘Ilaah’, that God, that Lord is Allah Subhanah wa Taala Alone, the Lone Creator, Sustainer and Cherisher of the heavens and the earth and everything that exists in between!

Your Question: ….If he is a deity then wouldnt it make us Muslims idol worshippers? 

For one to be termed or called an ‘idol worshipper’ one has to have an idol or an image which one worships believing or assuming it to be one’s ‘deity’……the Muslims are Commanded and Guided by their Lord Creator to worship Him and Him Alone, unconditionally obey and follow His Revealed Guidance, submit their will unto His Will in the absolute ‘unseen’….without any image or idol whatsoever!

If Allah forbid, any in creation makes or finds oneself an idol/s or an image/s and assumes or believes it to be a deity and worships it…..without an iota of a doubt, such a person will be a ‘mushrik’ (polytheist) and an idol-worshipper in the Sight of the Lord Most Supreme Who Created!

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

Burhan