"The Two Names of God: Unveiling the History of Allah and Yahweh from Antiquity to Monotheism"

Two Names, Two Paths to Monotheism

In a world increasingly shaped by religious dialogue, conflict, and curiosity, few questions carry more weight than this: Do Muslims and Jews (or Christians) worship the same God? The name Allah is used by nearly two billion Muslims daily, while Yahweh (or Jehovah) forms the sacred foundation of Jewish and Christian worship. But are these two names simply cultural or linguistic differences for the same divine being—or are they fundamentally distinct?

This book is not a theological polemic, but a historical investigation. It traces the origins, development, and transformations of Allah in ancient Arabia and Yahweh in ancient Israel, revealing how two separate cultures conceived, named, and worshipped their highest deity. Along the way, we will examine archaeological records, inscriptions, sacred texts, and linguistic studies to uncover when and where each name emerged, and how the people behind those names understood their God.

We begin in the deserts of Egypt and the mountains of Edom, where the name Yahweh appears in Egyptian inscriptions over 3,300 years ago. Then we shift to the Arabian Peninsula, where Allah was acknowledged among a pantheon of tribal deities before becoming the centerpiece of Islamic monotheism in the 7th century CE.

This journey will take us across 2,000 years of history, through prophetic revelations, religious reforms, theological revolutions, and the birth of world-changing faiths. Along the way, we'll see how names for God carry more than sound—they carry meaning, identity, and sometimes, division.

By the final chapter, you’ll not only know which name came first, but you'll also gain insight into why it matters—for theology, interfaith dialogue, and understanding the roots of our modern religious world.

Let us now begin with the earliest known appearance of one of these divine names—etched in stone by ancient Egyptians: the name Yahweh.