4.1.4
The Nature of God
The Nature of God
The Nature of God
For Muslims, God is the greatest possible being. Muslims acknowledge this idea in prayer and throughout the day each time they say “Allahu Akbar”, which means "God is the greatest".
Names for God
Names for God
- In the Qur'an and the Hadith (the sayings of the Prophet), there are 99 names for God.
- Each name reveals something different about Allah. Muslims try and learn all these names so that they can better understand Allah.
Qualities of Allah
Qualities of Allah
- Allah is:
- omnipotent (all-powerful)
- omniscient (all-knowing)
- omnipresent (everywhere at once)
Just and beneficent
Just and beneficent
- Allah is just and beneficent (Adalat).
- Allah judges all people. This judgment is given with mercy.
- In daily prayers, Muslims refer to God as merciful. God understands human suffering and knows how difficult it is to live according to God’s demands.
- God is fair and just and demands that humans emulate His qualities and treat others fairly, justly and mercifully.
Immanent and transcendent
Immanent and transcendent
- Allah is both immanent and transcendent.
- Although Muslims believe that God is the greatest, He is also close to his people. The way to describe this is to say that God is immanent (near) and also transcendent (beyond this world).
- Only God can be both at once. As creator, God is not restricted or limited by the physical world.
- At the same time, Allah is attentive to his people, wants people to pray, and is in control of all events in the world.
1Buddhism
1.1Key Beliefs
1.2Practices
2Christianity
2.1Key Beliefs
2.1.1The Nature of God
2.1.2The Problem of Evil
2.1.3Monotheism
2.1.4Creation
2.1.5Bible Accounts of Creation
2.1.6The Trinity and Creation
2.1.7Afterlife
2.1.8Heaven and Hell
2.1.9The Influence of Afterlife on Life
2.1.10End of Topic Test - Christianity Key Beliefs
2.1.11Exam-Style Questions - Christian Beliefs
2.2Jesus Christ & Salvation
2.2.1The Incarnation
2.2.2Jesus - Divine & Human
2.2.3The Crucifixion
2.2.4Jesus' Betrayal
2.2.5Resurrection & Ascension
2.2.6Sin
2.2.7Original Sin
2.2.8Punishment
2.2.9The Means of Salvation
2.2.10Achieving Salvation
2.2.11Disagreements About Salvation
2.2.12The Role of Christ in Salvation
2.2.13Theories of Salvation
2.2.14End of Topic Test - Jesus Christ & Salvation
2.3Worship & Festivals
3Catholicism (Christianity)
3.1Key Beliefs
3.2The Seven Sacraments
4Islam
4.1Key Beliefs
4.2Authority
5Judaism
5.1Key Beliefs
5.2Covenant & The Mitzvot
Jump to other topics
1Buddhism
1.1Key Beliefs
1.2Practices
2Christianity
2.1Key Beliefs
2.1.1The Nature of God
2.1.2The Problem of Evil
2.1.3Monotheism
2.1.4Creation
2.1.5Bible Accounts of Creation
2.1.6The Trinity and Creation
2.1.7Afterlife
2.1.8Heaven and Hell
2.1.9The Influence of Afterlife on Life
2.1.10End of Topic Test - Christianity Key Beliefs
2.1.11Exam-Style Questions - Christian Beliefs
2.2Jesus Christ & Salvation
2.2.1The Incarnation
2.2.2Jesus - Divine & Human
2.2.3The Crucifixion
2.2.4Jesus' Betrayal
2.2.5Resurrection & Ascension
2.2.6Sin
2.2.7Original Sin
2.2.8Punishment
2.2.9The Means of Salvation
2.2.10Achieving Salvation
2.2.11Disagreements About Salvation
2.2.12The Role of Christ in Salvation
2.2.13Theories of Salvation
2.2.14End of Topic Test - Jesus Christ & Salvation
2.3Worship & Festivals
3Catholicism (Christianity)
3.1Key Beliefs
3.2The Seven Sacraments
4Islam
4.1Key Beliefs
4.2Authority
5Judaism
5.1Key Beliefs
5.2Covenant & The Mitzvot
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