 The etymology of the word Allāh has been discussed extensively by classical Arab <unk> . <unk> of the Basra school regarded is as either formed " spontaneously " ( <unk> ) or as the definite form of <unk> ( from the verbal root <unk> with the meaning of " <unk> " or " hidden " ) . Others held that it was borrowed from Syriac or Hebrew , but most considered it to be derived from a contraction of the Arabic definite article <unk> " the " and <unk> " deity , god " to al @-@ <unk> meaning " the deity " , or " the God " . The majority of modern scholars <unk> to the latter theory , and view the <unk> hypothesis with skepticism . 
