Allah is the supreme deity in Islam. According to the Islamic statement of witness, or shahada, "There is no god but Allah." Muslims believe that Allah created the world and sent prophets such as Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus, and Muhammad. The word "Islam" means submission and refers to the original religion of all mankind. Muslims believe that earlier prophets and their followers were all submitters to Allah. The name "Allah" is usually thought to mean "the god" in Arabic and is recognized by both Muslims and most Christians, although their understandings may differ. Arabic-speaking Christians also call God "Allah"
. The Catholic Church has taught that Muslims and Christians worship the same God, and Pope Saint John Paul II famously declared that Muslims, who profess to hold the faith of Abraham, adore the one and merciful God
