Allah, the Arabic name for God

The only word in Arabic for God, the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe, is 'Allah', and it is used by Arabic-speaking Christians and Muslims alike; it is not the name of a different god.  English-speaking Muslims prefer to use the word 'Allah' because it implies Oneness; it has no plural or feminine form, unlike the word 'god' ('gods', 'godesses').  Ninety-nine additional names of Allah are metioned in the Qur'an; these refer to Divine attributessuch as the Almighty, the Ever-Living, and the All-knowing, and serve to define the Islamic understanding of God.  The most important and frequently metioned of Allah's names are 'Most Compassionate' and 'Most Merciful'.