Question:
Assalamu ‘Alaykum.
Are we dishonoring Allah by using the word God?
Answer:
Wa ‘alaykum assalam wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.
I pray you are well.
No. According to the Muslim theologians, it is permissible to refer to Allah with a noun from another language if it does not have any negative connotations and carries sufficient reverence. (Laqani, Hidayat al Murid)
The name ‘God’ with a capital g is used in English to refer to the supreme being who created everything. There are no negative connotations to it. Therefore it is permissible to refer to Allah with it, just as with the Persian word Khuda.
If you prefer, you can use the name ‘Allah’ – especially if you feel more reverence for it. This reverence is rewarded and a blessed quality to have.
May Allah grant you the best of both worlds.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani