Monotheistic Naming Conventions: Shared Attributes and Distinct Divine Names in Islam and Judaism

Monotheistic faiths, which affirm a singular Creator, utilize a multitude of appellations to articulate the diverse facets of the one Divine Personality, even while possessing a unique, sacred, personal name distinct from these descriptive titles. This practice is evident in traditions tracing their lineage through Prophet Abraham, specifically Islam and Judaism.

In Islam, the proper name for God is Allah, a term appearing over 2,700 times in the Qur'an, which also indicates that the best names belong to Him. Descriptive titles include Ar-Rahman (the Most Merciful), cited 57 times, and Ar-Raheem (the Very Merciful), which occurs 123 times in the scripture. Islamic tradition frequently references the 99 Beautiful Names of Allah as a means to reinforce the believer's connection with the Almighty.

Judaism centers on the Tetragrammaton, YHVH, the four-consonant name revealed intimately to Moses. Exodus 3:13-15 records God identifying Himself as Ehyeh asher Ehyeh, often interpreted to signify “the One who causes being and becoming.” The name YHVH appears approximately 6,800 times in the Hebrew Bible, representing God's personal and covenantal identity. Due to the profound sanctity of the Tetragrammaton, pious Jews substitute terms like HaShem (“the Name”) or Adonai (“Lord”) in speech and scriptural readings. This personal name succeeded the earlier appellation El Shaddai, often rendered as “God Almighty.”

Generic West Semitic terms for 'a god' or 'God' predate these specific covenants, appearing in Hebrew as El, Elah, Elohei, and Elohim, and in Arabic as Al-Ilahi. These function as generic designations, contrasting with the unique, personal names like Allah or YHVH. The shared Abrahamic heritage results in overlapping attributes; for instance, the concept of 'Merciful' is reflected in the Islamic Ar-Rahman and the Jewish El Rakhum. Jewish tradition sometimes references 70 names of God, contrasting with the Islamic reference to the 99 Beautiful Names, both sets reinforcing the Deity's infinite and multifaceted nature.

The non-pronunciation of YHVH developed around the 2nd century BCE, leading the Septuagint to use Kyrios ("Lord"). These numerous designations, whether descriptive or personal, ultimately serve to articulate the infinite nature of the one universal Creator, a concept central to both Islamic and Jewish theology.