The concept of love is clearly expressed in the
Quran. God has specifically and precisely used
the word "love" in the Quran along with
twenty two of its different Arabic derivatives
to teach us that love is a normal, logical,
and realistic feeling which coincides with our
God-given gift of freedom (18:29, 2:148, 33:72).
With our freedom of choice, we are to prefer
certain things, people, morals, talents, etc.
Favoring, preferring, and making certain choices
demonstrates our freedom to love.
Our Creator has expressed for us that He, too, has His
own preferences. He has cited for us His favorite traits
and detailed for us who exactly is worthy of earning His
love and mercy. Within the Quran, God has clearly stated
what He loves and doesn't love, likes and dislikes.
His wisdom behind this is to set for us the basic
guidelines for an ideal and righteous community, and to
help us realize what constitutes evil and what leads to
corruption.
Also, by stating what He loves and what He doesn't, who
is worthy of His love and who is not, God has made it
clear for us that His love is conditional when adhering
to certain commands. By our own volition, we end up
either close or favored by God (Heaven), or far from Him
(Hell). We either follow His criteria of love or face
the consequences of our own criteria. This system is
clearly spelled out in the following verses:
[3:30] The day will
come when each soul will find all the good works it
had done brought forth. As for the evil works, it
will wish that they were far, far removed.
GOD alerts you that you shall reverence Him
alone.
GOD is Compassionate towards the people.
[3:31] Proclaim:
"If you love GOD,
you should
follow me."
GOD will
then love you, and forgive your sins.
GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.
[3:32] Proclaim:
"You shall obey
GOD and the messenger." If
they turn away, GOD does not love the
disbelievers.
If God's love was unconditional, this would defeat the
whole purpose of our existence on earth - a final chance
to choose Him over Satan.. His love
would serve as permission to commit all kinds of evil.
There would be no straight or crooked path, no point
behind any clear commands, because God's love would be
awaiting at the end of the road to save us all. This is
a myth about God that is based on conjecture and
ignorance.
It is our duty as believers and submitters to seriously
study the boundaries set for us in the Quran in order to
pursue love in a safe and constructive manner - the
manner that would please God alone within His guidelines
and make us earn His love and compassion:
- God loves
those who repent when they make a wrong choice and
transgress the limits of God set in the Quran ( 2:222).
He even reward them by transforming their sins into
credit ( 25:70).
- He loves the
good doers (3:148) and he dislikes the evil doers
(5:64). He loves
the righteous (3:76), and righteousness is defined only
by God through His teachings and commands in
the scripture (2:189).
- God advocates justice and
loves those
who are just (49:9) and equitable (5:42). He doesn't
love the unjust (3:57).
- He loves the
steadfast (3:146) and He
loves those
who put their trust in Him (3:159).
- God loves
the charitable (2:195) and
doesn't love
the transgressors (7:55, 5:87), the corruptors (28:77)
or any betrayer, unappreciative ( 4:107, 22:38).
- He doesn't love
those who are arrogant (16:23, 4:36, 31:18)
nor does He love
those who are boastful, proud (57:23).
- God loves
those who are clean (2:222) and
doesn't love
the gluttons (7:31).
- God loves
those who strive in His cause (61:4), with no fear of
any blame (5:54), united on His word (3:103). The kind
of believers God loves
are the ones who are kind among one another and stern
with the disbelievers (5:54). These three verses,
together, explain the concept of unity loved
and dictated by God.
[61:4]
GOD loves those
who fight in His cause united in one
column, like the bricks in
one wall.
[5:54] O you who believe, if you
revert from your religion, then GOD will substitute in
your place people whom He loves and who love
Him. They will be kind with the
believers, stern with the disbelievers, and will strive
in the cause of GOD without fear of any blame.
Such is GOD's blessing; He bestows it upon whomever He
wills. GOD is Bounteous, Omniscient.
Believers are United
[3:103] You shall hold
fast to the rope of GOD, all of you, and do not be
divided. Recall GOD's blessings upon you -
you used to be enemies and He reconciled your hearts. By
His grace, you became brethren. You were at the brink of
a pit of fire, and He saved you therefrom. GOD thus
explains His revelations for you, that you may be
guided.
In the light of the Quran, we learn that God's love is
always a consequence of our choice of loving Him the
most and upholding His commands. He is in no need of our
love. We are the desperate ones who need to earn His
love. This, in return, leads to earning His redemption
and Support:
Believe For Your Own Good
[39:7] If you
disbelieve, GOD does not need anyone. But He dislikes to
see His servants make the wrong decision.
If you decide to be appreciative, He is pleased
for you. No soul bears the sins of
any other soul. Ultimately, to your Lord is your return,
then He will inform you of everything you had done. He
is fully aware of the innermost thoughts.
[61:11] Believe in GOD
and His messenger and strive in the cause of GOD with
your money and your lives. This is
the best deal for you, if you only knew.
[61:12] In return,
He forgives your sins, and admits you into
gardens with flowing streams, with beautiful mansions in
the gardens of Eden. This is the greatest triumph.
[61:13] Additionally,
you get something you truly love: support from
GOD and guaranteed victory. Give good news to the
believers.
This temporary life is very short and we get wrapped up
in it too easily. We need to always remember that the
end of our lives could be in the blink of an eye. We
experience death and resurrection through our sleep
everyday of our lives (6:60, 39:42). This should serve
as a lesson to learn how easy our life span and our only
chance of salvation can be over, quickly and
unexpectedly, at any second. When our life span is
terminated, those who have not wasted their chances of
earning God's love will surely be His loved, favorite,
close, and chosen ones. Those are the ultimate winners.
[56:88]
If he is one of
those close to Me -
[56:89] then joy, flowers,
and gardens of bliss.
[56:90] And if he is one of
the right -
[56:91] peace is the lot of
those on the right.
[56:10] Then there is the
elite of the elite.
[56:11]
They are those
who will be closest (to God).
[56:12] In the gardens of
bliss.
[56:13] Many from the first
generations.
[56:14] Few from the later
generations.
[83:19] Do you know what `Elleyyeen
is?
[83:20] A numerically structured
book.
[83:21]
To be witnessed by
those close to Me.
[83:22] The righteous have
deserved bliss.
[83:23] On luxurious furnishings
they watch.
[83:24] You recognize in their
faces the joy of bliss.
[83:25] Their drinks will be
spiced with nectar.
[83:26] Its spice is like musk.
This is what the competitors should compete for.
[83:27] Mixed into it will be
special flavors.
[83:28] From a spring that is
reserved for those
close to Me.
Peaceful Friday salaam and God bless you.
