The Observer, March 2, 2007
Volume XXXIX, Issue 19
Difference between Islamic and Arabic stated
Letter to the Editor
To the Editor:
One Saturday afternoon while taking a break from my studies, I attempted to complete none other than The Observer crossword puzzle. Not knowing the first three words, of course, I get to "14 Across – Islamic name for God." I am a follower of the Islamic faith, and I was stumped; why were there five empty blocks for a three letter word: G-O-D? Then it hit me – surely it was a typo, I told myself. The editor of the "Fun Page" must have mistakenly typed "Islamic" instead of "Arabic." Either that was the case, or he thought that those two words are interchangeable.
However, I have no hard feelings for the editor, as it has become an increasingly common belief in America that "Islamic" and "Arabic" mean the same thing. Islam, as many people know, is a monotheistic religion – the second largest in the world (to Christianity) and the fastest growing. Arabic, however, is a language that is predominantly spoken in the Middle East.
Now, here is something that will really blow your mind – there are Arab Christians! That is correct, and do you know what their "Christian" name for God is? Allah. In English you say God; in Arabic you say Allah. Who would have thought Christians worshipping Allah? In fact, there are Christians in every Middle Eastern country, including: Egypt (8 percent Christian), Lebanon (30 percent Christian), Syria (10 percent Christian), and Palestine – the birthplace of Christianity (Jesus was born in Bethlehem, Palestine, not Bethlehem, Pennsylvania).
Many Muslim-Americans, including myself, find it especially frustrating in the media when a reporter says "Allah" (completely butchering the pronunciation, by the way) instead of "God." It is either that they want to show off the one Arabic word they know, or they want to replace a very common word in our vocabulary with a foreign-sounding word to deepen the divide between Islam and America. My guess is it is the latter of the two. If you were to go to a church service in the Middle East, chances are you will not hear the word "God." Instead, you will hear the word "Allah," because that is the Arabic word for "God," regardless of what religion you follow.
Rami Mikati
Undergraduate Student
