The Koran does not contain any passages which comprise any kind of systematic description of the characteristics of God. In Arabic he is called “Allah”, which means simply “The God”. God does not introduce himself in the Koran like he does in the Old Testament, with the words “I am who I am”, (Exodus 3,14, NASB) but remains hidden – a mystery. He is completely separated from his creation, and cannot be compared at all with any of his created beings, for “Nothing is like him” (Surah 42,11). Because God is a mystery, it is impossible for anybody to try to paint a mental picture of him, or what he is like, and the very attempt would be forbidden.