 The word Allah has been used by Arabs of different religions since pre @-@ Islamic times . More specifically , it has been used as a term to refer to God by Muslims ( both Arab and non @-@ Arab ) and Arab Christians . It is now mainly used by Muslims and Arab Christians to refer to God . It is also often , albeit not exclusively , used in this way by <unk> , Bahá <unk> , Indonesian and Maltese Christians , and <unk> Jews . Similar usage by Christians and <unk> in West Malaysia has recently led to political and legal controversies . 
