ALLAH: Same as the Biblical God or Totally Other?
Class 1 — Theological Foundations: God in the Qur’an
Readings
- ALLAH in national and international news
NPR: A Texas school board rejects “In God We Trust” signs in Arabic
BBC: Malaysia High Court rules Christians can use “Allah”
“Who is God,” from Islam: Theology and Spiritual Practice in Islam, by Salih Sayilgan, (p. 73-84)
Discussion Questions
First small group discussion:
- Briefly introduce yourself and your religious/non-religious background
- Discuss the NPR and BBC articles in light of Miroslav Volf’s statement:
“The prevalent belief that [religious] traditions worship different gods is directly linked to increased hostility and violence around the globe. Theological wars fuel real wars.” (Miroslav Volf, Allah: A Christian Response)
- What do you think is at issue in these two scenarios in the NPR and BBC articles?
- What do you think are the underlying reasons for tension and conflict?
Second small group discussion:
Discuss the book excerpt, “Who is God?”
- Based on the reading and the presentation, what are some basic features of the nature of God in Islam?
- What has surprised you in that regard?
Class 2 — Embodied Practice: God in the Life of Prophet Muhammad
Readings
The 99 Names of Allah from IslamiCity
“God,” from The Vision of Islam, by Sachiko Murata and William Chittick, (p. 47-48)
Discussion Questions
Small group discussion:
- Which Divine Names are you able to identify in the natural world? Share some examples.
- After reading more about the Divine Names, to which names are you more drawn to and why?
- In your opinion, where have humans succeeded in displaying God’s Names or qualities? Where do they fall short or have failed completely?
Class 3 — Culture and Context: God in American Muslim Life
Readings
Is Allah a Different God Than the Biblical God?
Master List of Duas
Discussion Questions
- The example of the Muslim prayer book, shows how Muslims can pray to God. What are the Most Beautiful Names of God that are invoked in this supplication? Can you give some examples?
- How is the human being described in these prayers? How would you define the relationship between God and human beings?
- Given our interreligious context, what is your preliminary conclusion after taking this class? Do Muslims, Christian and Jews worship the same God or not? If not, what are the differences in your mind? How should we engage them in our interreligious encounters?