Question(s): 

      What is the view of Islam on love (vs. mercy)?  There seems to be conditional love in the Qur'an -- such as "Allah will deprive usury of all blessing but will give increase for deeds of charity:  for He loveth not creatures ungrateful and wicked" (Q 2:276) or "Say: 'Obey Allah and His Apostle'; but if they turn back Allah loveth not those who reject Faith" (Q 3:32).  This seems to be not loving the sinner rather than the sin.

     What is the Arabic word for unconditional love -- such as a mother has for her innocent newborn who has done nothing that needs mercy?  Is this word used in the Qur'an?

Thank you,

Don Jones

 

Answer

Hi Don!

Welcome!

Let me answer the second question, first. It will then automatically explain the meaning of the word love, too.

In the Qur’an and in the ahadith (Traditions of the Messenger of Allah (S)) the word used for the unconditional love (such as the love of mother for her innocent child) is Rahmah. It is derived from another word rahama which means the womb of a mother. Thus, Rahmah means the love that is shown by a mother to her child. Allah shows this love to all his creation (Q7:156); and he is the best of all those who have this quality (Q12:64). It is this quality that he shows to all mankind, irrespective of their color, creed, race or religion (Q2:143). The Messenger of Allah (S) has used this word Rahmah (for love) when he said that Allah shows a greater love to his creation than what a mother shows to her child (Bukhari, Abu Dawood).

Now the answer to your first question: When Allah says that he does not love the wicked or ungrateful; he is warning the people of the consequences of their sins. I will explain the point further by giving some examples, one each from the law of a state and from the old and new Testaments.

A state enacts a law that it will treat all its citizens equally, but it will punish those who break its laws. Does the second sentence put a condition on equal treatment? Whom the state is punishing-the one who breaks the law or breaking the law?

Old Testaments: God slew Judah’s two sons Er and Onan, because of their sins (Gen. 38:7-10). Did not God punish the sinners rather the sin? Had he no love for them them?

New Testaments: Jesus (A) ordered the sinner to be drowned alive; he further asked the sinners to cut their body-parts here in the world rather than to be thrown in the hell, because of their sins (Mat. 18:6-9). Did Jesus (A) not love the sinners?

I hope I have explained the points quite clearly. Allah knows the best.

  

Dr. Syed Hasanuddin Ahmad