# In Allah we trust? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 26, 2022, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386 "2022-08-26T09:51:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/21 "2022-08-26T15:04:11Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > Or does Arabic have a different word for lesser gods, and “Allah” is analagous to Vishnu or some other god (vis a vis naming)? Lesser gods? _The Shahada (Arabic: ٱلشَّهَادَةُ, “the testimony”) also transliterated as Shahadah, is an Islamic oath, one of the Five Pillars of Islam and part of the Adhan. It reads: “I bear witness that there is no god but God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God.”_ > **[Shahada](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shahada)** > > The Shahada (Arabic: الشَّهَادَةُ aš-šahādatu; .mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}Arabic pronunciation: \[aʃʃahaːdatʊ\], "the testimony"),\[note 1\] also transliterated as Shahadah, is an Islamic oath and creed, and one of the Five Pillars of Islam and part of the Adhan. It reads: "I bear witness that there is no deity but God, and I bear... ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/22 "2022-08-26T15:05:00Z")
OK, but like how would Arabic refer to a god outside of Islam? As in, if an Arabic speaker were discussing the gods of Hinduism or what have you? ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/23 "2022-08-26T15:05:45Z")
Nevermind. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/24 "2022-08-26T15:06:31Z")
I believe in Arabic the gods of Hinduism would be referred to as “ilah”, a generalized term for any deity. However Arab Christians refer to God as Allah. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/25 "2022-08-26T15:08:03Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > However Arab Christians refer to God as Allah. REALLY??? Ignorance fought, by cracky. I’d have thought Arabic-speaking Christians would have used an Arabic transliteration of Yahweh/Jehovah. Now I know. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/26 "2022-08-26T15:14:52Z")
Your version and the version in the poster are equivalent (as far as I can tell), so maybe they chose the longer phrase for aesthetic reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/27 "2022-08-26T16:42:06Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > I read the other posts and see this wouldn’t be allowed. So we’ll have to game the system some other way. > [@](#): > > must display in a conspicuous place in each building of the school or institution a durable poster or framed copy of the United States national motto, “In God We Trust,” if the poster or framed copy meets the requirements of Subsection (b) and is: > (1)donated for display at the school or institution; > or > (2)purchased from private donations and made available to the school or institution So they “must” display any that we send. It must be displayed in a “conspicuous place”, so no locked filing cabinets in disused lavatories with signs on the door saying, “Beware of the leopard”. And they have to do this with every poster that is donated, or bought for the school using private funds. So, how many tons of posters do you think we can deliver to every school every week? Anyone know how much they cost? ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/28 "2022-08-26T16:54:40Z")
> [@flurb](#): > > Actually, I think that’s pretty clearly the requirement, as long as each poster meets the requirement of the law. You can interpret “ **a** durable poster or framed copy” to mean **one** poster. So it’s easy enough to say “Sorry, we already have a poster.” ---
**Author:** ![Horatius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/horatius/32/3572_2.png) [@Horatius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatius)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/29 "2022-08-26T17:06:48Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > So it’s easy enough to say “Sorry, we already have a poster.” So then we have the headline, “Anti-Christian schools refuse to display “In God We Trust” posters in defiance of State Law!” It’s time to fight fire with fire spin with spin. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/30 "2022-08-26T17:14:25Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > A bit irritating for those of us who do not trust in God, I trust in the Lord, and this law pisses me off greatly! ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/31 "2022-08-26T17:18:09Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > You can interpret “ **a** durable poster or framed copy” to mean **one** poster. So it’s easy enough to say “Sorry, we already have a poster.” The statute also says that a poster must be displayed, “in each building” of the school or university, which seems to assume more than one poster. Universities in particular could have dozens of buildings, each required to display a properly formatted poster. The shame of it, though, is that it’s the school districts and universities that are going to get sued by whichever side is pissed off by how they implement the requirement. They didn’t ask for this law, yet they’re going to be the ones incurring the expense of having to defend it. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/32 "2022-08-26T17:56:46Z")
I still hold that printing the motto and flags in small letters at the bottom of a Pride flag will annoy them more than Arabic. ---
**Author:** ![Moonrise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonrise/32/14764_2.png) [@Moonrise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonrise)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/33 "2022-08-26T18:19:39Z")
> [@HeyHomie](#): > > > [@zimaane](#): > > > > However Arab Christians refer to God as Allah. > > REALLY??? Ignorance fought, by cracky. > > I’d have thought Arabic-speaking Christians would have used an Arabic transliteration of Yahweh/Jehovah. Now I know. A common misconception is that Allah is a name, but it literally means THE God (Al-lah). So it’s fine for Christians too. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/34 "2022-08-26T18:22:11Z")
and Arabic-speaking Jews. I might say HaShem or Adonai when praying. But if I’m speaking English, I’m going to use God. A French Jew would say Dieu. A Hispanic Jew woud say Dios. A Jew speaking Arabic would say Allah. ---
**Author:** ![Moonrise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moonrise/32/14764_2.png) [@Moonrise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonrise)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/35 "2022-08-26T18:25:03Z")
I didn’t know that. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/36 "2022-08-26T19:56:58Z")
“Allah” is not the name of a _particular_ God in Arabic, it is “God”. Jews and Christians who pray in Arabic refer to God as “Allah” because that’s the Arabic word for God. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/37 "2022-08-26T21:18:49Z")
I was a little irritated, now I’m really pissed. Separation of church and state my white shinny ass. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/38 "2022-08-26T21:30:53Z")
> **[Ceremonial deism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceremonial_deism)** > > Ceremonial deism is a legal term used in the United States to designate governmental religious references and practices deemed to be mere ritual and non-religious through long customary usage. Proposed examples of ceremonial deism include the reference to God introduced into the Pledge of Allegiance in 1954, the phrase "In God We Trust" on U.S. currency, and the Ohio state motto, "With God, all things are possible". > The term was coined in 1962 by the then-dean of Yale Law School, Eugene Rostow,... Separation of church and state, you been Trumped. ---
**Author:** ![Dahnlor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dahnlor/32/533_2.png) [@Dahnlor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dahnlor)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/39 "2022-08-26T21:42:12Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I still hold that printing the motto and flags in small letters at the bottom of a Pride flag will annoy them more than Arabic. I think it’s mentioned above that the law specifies that the poster(s) in question must only have the motto, the US and Texas flags, and nothing else. It’s possible that even having a background that consists of the Pride flag’s colors might run afoul of that. That said, the idea of “small letters” seems to make sense considering the law (AFAIK) does not specify any requirements for size and proportion. So maybe an AIDS-Memorial-Quilt sized poster that is plain white, except for a tiny “in god we trust” and two teeny tiny flags. Alternatively, donate business-card sized “posters” that can be placed conspicuously at the top of the clock tower. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2022, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386/40 "2022-08-26T22:20:03Z")
Umm, are folks really still confused by the fact that Jews, Christians (even the Mormons), and Muslims worship . . . the same god? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-allah-we-trust/970386.md?page=3)