Muhammad and the Violation of the Third Commandment:

An Expanded Theological and Scholarly Assessment

By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute

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Introduction

The Ten Commandments are foundational to Judeo-Christian ethics and theology. The third commandment, in particular, underscores the seriousness with which God’s name is to be treated:

“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” (Exodus 20:7, ESV)

This commandment has historically been interpreted as a prohibition against the misuse, trivialization, or profanation of the divine name, establishing a clear boundary between what is sacred and what is secular or profane.

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Jewish Perspective on the Divine Name

In Jewish tradition, the reverence for the name of God (YHWH) is paramount. The Tetragrammaton is considered so holy that it is not pronounced in daily speech, replaced instead with “Adonai” (Lord) or “HaShem” (The Name). The Mishnah (Sanhedrin 10:1) and Talmud (Kiddushin 71a) elaborate on the grave sin of blasphemy or casual usage of the divine name. Rabbinic tradition interprets Exodus 20:7 as not only forbidding false oaths but also prohibiting any irreverent use of the divine name (see: Rashi on Exodus 20:7; Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Yesodei HaTorah 6:2).

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Christian Theological Reflection

Christian tradition upholds the sanctity of God’s name. The Lord’s Prayer itself begins, “Hallowed be Thy name” (Matthew 6:9), underscoring the principle that God’s name is to be revered and sanctified in all circumstances. Martin Luther, in his Large Catechism, writes that this commandment forbids any use of God’s name for swearing, lying, or cursing, and demands that it be invoked only in truth, prayer, and praise (Luther, Large Catechism, I. 54-56).
John Calvin further emphasizes that any “profanation” of the divine name, especially in contexts of violence or injustice, is an affront to the divine character (Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, II.8.22).

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Islamic Practice: The Invocation of “Allahu Akbar”

Contextual Use and Misuse

In Islam, the phrase “Allahu Akbar” (“God is Greatest”) is a central liturgical formula, used in daily prayers (Salah), call to prayer (Adhan), and various rituals. However, its use is not confined to worship but extends to moments of emotional intensity—including warfare, political protest, and, regrettably, acts of violence and terrorism.
Notably, radical groups have weaponized this phrase, uttering it before and during violent acts, thus tying the divine name directly to human acts of destruction.

Muhammad’s Precedent

Islamic sources attribute to Muhammad numerous injunctions to invoke “Allahu Akbar” in diverse situations—including battle (see: Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 2955; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 872) and moments of surprise or distress (Riyad as-Salihin, Book 17, Hadith 1320). This habitual invocation risks desacralizing the divine name by frequent and indiscriminate use, often detached from genuine reverence.

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Theological Critique

1. The Principle of Sanctity

If “Allah” is indeed the same as the God of Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, then His name must be treated with the same reverence as YHWH in Jewish and Christian traditions. The casual, political, or violent invocation of the divine name directly contravenes the principle of sanctity established in the Ten Commandments (cf. Leviticus 19:12; Ezekiel 36:21).

2. Ethical Implications

The biblical God consistently condemns the use of His name for false, manipulative, or violent ends (Jeremiah 23:25-27; Matthew 7:21-23). The invocation of “Allahu Akbar” during violence not only misrepresents God’s character but weaponizes the sacred for profane ends. As Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann notes, the commandment “forbids trivializing the name of the God who is holy” (Brueggemann, The Book of Exodus, p. 865).

3. Comparative Theology

While Islamic theology asserts the transcendence and uniqueness of Allah (tawhid), it lacks the strong biblical prohibitions against misusing the divine name. The Qur’an, while prohibiting false oaths (Qur’an 2:224), does not explicitly prohibit the casual or violent use of Allah’s name. The Hadith literature even records Muhammad encouraging repeated invocation of God’s name in various secular contexts, further weakening the distinction between sacred and profane.

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Scholarly and Interfaith Perspectives

The Problem of Religious Violence and the Divine Name

Contemporary scholars (e.g., Miroslav Volf, Allah: A Christian Response; Mark Durie, Revelation? Do We Worship the Same God?) argue that the invocation of the divine name in acts of violence is a critical area for interfaith reflection. Volf notes that “the name of God must never be invoked to justify what is contrary to God’s own nature as revealed in love and holiness” (Volf, 2011).

Historical Examples

Throughout history, the misuse of God’s name has been associated with religious violence—not only in Islam but also in Christian and Jewish contexts. However, the biblical commandment stands as an eternal critique of such abuses. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks remarks that “to invoke the name of God for violence is to violate the Third Commandment and to commit the ultimate blasphemy” (Sacks, Not in God’s Name, 2015).

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Conclusion

The expanded evidence from scriptural, theological, and historical perspectives confirms that Muhammad’s encouragement of indiscriminate invocation of “Allahu Akbar”—especially in contexts of violence or triviality—constitutes a clear violation of the third commandment. This practice desacralizes the divine name, making it a tool for human agendas rather than a means of true worship and reverence.

The God of the Bible demands that His name be kept holy, invoked only in prayer, praise, and truth, and never profaned for vain or evil purposes. Therefore, the use of “Allahu Akbar” as a slogan for violence or political gain stands condemned by the standard set forth in the Ten Commandments.

Shalom,
Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Servant of Jesus Christ, Our Great God (Titus 2:13)

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References and Scholarly Sources

• Primary Texts:

  • The Holy Bible, Exodus 20:7; Leviticus 19:12; Matthew 6:9; Ezekiel 36:21; Jeremiah 23:25-27; Matthew 7:21-23

  • The Qur’an: 2:224, 4:43, 16:91 (on oaths)

  • Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2955; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 872

  • Riyad as-Salihin, Book 17, Hadith 1320

• Jewish Commentary:

  • Rashi on Exodus 20:7

  • Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Hilkhot Yesodei HaTorah 6:2

  • Babylonian Talmud, Kiddushin 71a

• Christian Commentary:

  • Martin Luther, Large Catechism, I. 54-56

  • John Calvin, Institutes, II.8.22

• Scholarly Works:

  • Walter Brueggemann, The Book of Exodus: Introduction, Commentary, and Reflections (The New Interpreter’s Bible)

  • Timothy George, Is the Father of Jesus the God of Muhammad? (Zondervan, 2002)

  • Miroslav Volf, Allah: A Christian Response (HarperOne, 2011)

  • Mark Durie, Revelation? Do We Worship the Same God? (City Harvest, 2016)

  • Jonathan Sacks, Not in God’s Name: Confronting Religious Violence (Schocken, 2015)

  • Safi Kaskas and David Hungerford, The Qur’an with References to the Bible (2015) [for intertextual analysis]

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