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CONGRUITIES AND INCONGRUITIES BETWEEN THE BIBLE AND THE QUR'AN |
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Studied under three headings, namely Love of God, those that God favors and those that displease God.
LOVE OF GOD
« ….But those of Faith are overflowing in their love for Allah… »(Surah 2/165)
« Our Lord! Thou art indeed Full of Kindness, Most Merciful »(Surah 59/10)
Love is the primary cause of creation. God Almighty, the source of love and beauty has favored mankind with feelings of love as the source of all power. Man matures, having gone through the stages of love directed to oneself, one's parents, one's fellow beings, and, finally, to the Supreme Being, the only true love. At that final stage the Creator and the Created are united. « (To the righteous soul will be said) “O (thou) soul, in (complete) rest and satisfaction! Come back thou to thy Lord, well pleaseth (thyself), and well pleasing unto him! “Enter thou, then, among my Devotees! “Yea, enter thou my Heaven!”» (Surah 89/27-30).
One can not love God unless one loves the entire humanity: « Ah! ye are those who love them, but they love you not,…»(Surah3/119) All that is created being the reflection of God, one should love everybody, in fact the entire creation.
One cannot love God unless one has cleansed one's soul. « Truly he succeeds that purifies it »(Surah 1/9). True love of God requires the annihilation of self-hood. So that only through piety, namely through fidelity to natural obligations, devoted loyalty to parents, family, or race, through dutifulness in religion and habitual reverence for God and zeal in religious service or worship and through cleansing oneself from all impurities can one achieve this state.
One can not love God unless one loves his Prophet Say: "« If ye do love Allah, Follow me: Allah will love you and forgive you your sins: For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful." »(Surah 3/31)
One can not love God unless one loves faith But Allah has endeared the Faith to you, and has made it beautiful in your hearts, (Surah 49/7) Men can grasp the Creator only through senses beyond the confines of intelligence. « It was We Who created man, and We know what dark suggestions his soul makes to him: for We are nearer to him than (his) jugular vein.» (Surah 50/16) The initial inspiration comes from God« …. Allah chooses to Himself those whom He pleases, and guides to Himself those who turn (to Him)….» (Surah 42/13) The spirit of man that has undergone transitory love experiences and become whole is eventually filled by God's love.
THOSE THAT GOD FAVORS
The pious, the beneficent, the doer of good deeds, the repentant, the patient, the resigned, the just and the spiritually and bodily clean are loved by God.
« Those that keep their plighted faith and act aright,-verily Allah loves those who act aright.» (Surah 3/76)
God loves the pious, namely those who through fidelity to natural obligations, loyalty to parents, family, or race, through dutifulness in religion and habitual reverence for God and zeal in religious service or worship and through cleansing oneself from all impurities attain a state deserving the love of God. The primary condition of piety is to be conscious of one's state as being a servant of God. These people display excellence in their doings, faith and prayer; these are the persons to be saved. « Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you.» (Surah 49/13)
« For Allah loveth those who do good.» (Surah 3/148) The man who acts in this way reflects a sign of God.« To those who do right is a goodly (reward)- Yea, more (than in measure)! No darkness nor shame shall cover their faces! they are companions of the garden; they will abide therein (for aye)! » (Surah 10/26)
« On those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, will ((Allah)) Most Gracious bestow love.» (Surah 19/96)
The deeds of righteousness are those acts that are directed towards peace in the service of mankind.
« Those who have faith and do righteous deeds,- they are the best of creatures. Their reward is with Allah. Gardens of Eternity, beneath which rivers flow; they will dwell therein for ever; Allah well pleased with them, and they with Him: all this for such as fear their Lord and Cherisher. »(Surah 98/7-8)
God loves the Repentant
« For Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean. »(Surah 2/222) « To turn to God is to repent and not to repeat an evil act twice. But those who do wrong but repent thereafter and (truly) believe,- verily thy Lord is thereafter Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.» (Surah 7/153)
God loves the patient.
And Allah Loves those who are firm and steadfast. (Surah 3/146)
« Follow thou the inspiration sent unto thee, and be patient and constant, till Allah do decide: for He is the best to decide.» (Surah 10/109)
God loves the Resigned
« If Allah helps you, none can overcome you: If He forsakes you, who is there, after that, that can help you? in Allah, then, Let believers put their trust.» (Surah 3/160)
God loves the just
« …Allah loves those who are fair (and just)…» (Surah 49/9) Justice is the maintenance or administration of what is just, the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims: the assignment of merited rewards or punishments. According to the Qur'an it means giving everybody his due, behaving as enjoined by God and preventing injustice….« And when ye judge between man and man, that ye judge with justice… »(Surah 4/58)
God loves the pure in spirit and body
« He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean. …» (Surah 2/222)
« And thy garments keep free from stain! And all abomination shun!» (Surah 74/4,5)
THINGS THAT DISPLEASE GOD
The wrong doer, the idolater, the malefactor, the proud, the person who boasts of his wealth, the traitor, the spendthrift and the prodigal are condemned by God.
« …Allah loveth not those who do wrong…» (Surah 3/57) Under this heading come cruelty, injustice, maltreatment, torture, etc. Everything that runs counter to God's precepts should be considered as a wrong act . « Nay, the wrong-doers (merely) follow their own lusts, being devoid of knowledge. But who will guide those whom Allah leaves astray? To them there will be no helpers.» (Surah 30/29)
« … Allah loveth not those who reject Faith…» (Surah 3/32) Under this heading come impiety, veiling of truth, denial, ungratefulness, etc.
« For the worst of beasts in the sight of Allah are those who reject Him: They will not believe.» (Surah 8/55)
And Allah loveth not those who do mischief. Sedition, dissension etc. are such mischiefs But those who break the Covenant of Allah, after having plighted their word thereto, and cut asunder those things which Allah has commanded to be joined, and work mischief in the land;- on them is the curse; for them is the terrible home! (Surah 13/18)
God does not love the Arrogant
…He loveth not the arrogant… The arrogant is who has a feeling of superiority that shows or is inclined to show itself in an overbearing attitude or in claiming more consideration than is due to one's position, dignity, or power: « Allah loveth not any arrogant boaster. »(Surah 31/18)
« ….Allah loveth not the arrogant, the vainglorious;… » (Surah 4/36)
« Verily thy Lord doth provide sustenance in abundance for whom He pleaseth, and He provideth in a just measure. For He doth know and regard all His servants. » (Surah 17/30) « And in their wealth and possessions (was remembered) the right of the (needy,) him who asked, and him who (for some reason) was prevented (from asking). »(Surah 51/19)
God does not love the traitors
« Allah loveth not the treacherous.» (Surah 8/58) Treachery, ingratitude, break of promise, come under this heading « Allah loveth not one given to perfidy and crime: »(Surah 4/107)
God does not love the spendthrift and the prodigal
« Allah loveth not the wasters» (Surah 6/141); .« Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly, but hold a just (balance) between those (extremes);» (Surah 25/67)
SUMMARY