… God loves the righteous (3:76)
… He does not love the disbelievers (30:45)
During existence, one usually harbors feelings of love towards someone or something. “Love” describes feelings of fondness, deep affection, high preference and/or enjoyment. One can love anything or anyone.
Sometimes love is a virtue. For example, a love for exercise or knowledge tends to benefit a person. Sometimes love is harmful. A love for drugs or crime may be destructive. Reasons for love are obvious. Someone loves whatever supports his/her cause. Realistically, people do not love that which contradicts their own interests. One must remember the definition of love (fondness, preference) to accept these facts. So if a person’s objective is to stay healthy, he/she does not love to smoke. If a person’s objective is to have fun, he/she loves to hangout and play.
Our Creator is also One who loves. A prevalent myth throughout the world is that the god of Islam (Submission) is not a loving god. This idea has no basis in truth. First, the concept of a "god of Islam" is wrong as God of Islam (Submission) is the same God of all the human beings, whether they call themselves Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists...etc. Second, since the Quran is the only scripture upheld by true Islam (Submission), and is considered the true word of God, we can look to the Quran to see whether God (of Islam and all other religions) is a loving god or not.
According to the Holy Quran, the love of God is expressed and emphasized many times over, throughout the book. God loves: the charitable (2:195; 3:134); the righteous, those who fulfill obligations (3:76; 5:93); the steadfast (3:146); the good doers (3:148); those who trust Him (3:159); the benevolent (5:13); those who purify themselves (9:108); the equitable (5:42); the just (49:9); those who are clean (2:222); and those who fight in his cause united in one column, like bricks in one wall (61:4).
These values earn God’s love because they support His cause, guarantee a peaceful, loving and responsible community of believers who encourage each other to be righteous, care for the poor, the relative, the orphans, the neighbors, the traveling aliens and each other. Please note that if God willed, everyone would support His cause and earn His love, but the Most Gracious provides us with freedom, a freedom we, the humans asked for and which was granted to us.
People who do not support God and spread corruption on earth, do not earn His love that was offered to them by following simple and clear commandments. They cannot get closer to God on the Last Day. Being away from God is, what will be Hell to these people. God does not put a single person in Hell. On the contrary, God put in our way many reasons to find Him, love Him, follow His message and be close to Him on the Last Day (Heaven). Because of our freedom (which is a gift) we are the ones who make the choice whether we go to Heaven or Hell.
Another major misunderstanding throughout the world today, is that God loves everyone and everything. This concept is illogical. Why would God love those who are spreading corruption on earth, killing the innocent, torturing the weak and disabled, robbing people of their belongings and freedom, polluting our environment, raping women or girls and abusing our children?. Why should God love someone like Hitler, Stalin, Mao or any other tyrant?!!. These are our enemies and God's enemies.
Some people commit evil and blaspheme regularly, disregard commandments and do not believe in the One who created and provides for them. If God loved us all unconditionally, why would we uphold commandments? Why would God even issue any command if He loves us regardless of what we do? Surely, if God loved us all unconditionally, we would all have a license to commit the worst of evils while assured that we will end up in Heaven. This would throw the world into a state of chaos and disorganization that will end any meaningful civilization.
The Quran gives us the truth in this matter. Each trait that God does not love, dislikes and worse is specifically laid out in the Quran. For example God does not love: the aggressors (2:190); corruption, corruptors (see 2:205, 28:77); the unjust (3:57, 140; 42:40); the arrogant (4:36; 16:23; 28:76); the betrayer, guilty (4:107; 8:58); the evildoers (5:64); the wasters (6:141); the gluttons (7:31); the transgressors (7:55); the disbelievers (3:32; 30:45); betrayer, unappreciative (22:38) and the boastful, proud (57:23).
Now we have the truth about what God loves and what He does not. God loves us for the good we do and does not love those who do evil. God, the Most Gracious, Most Merciful did not close the door for those who commit evil, He gave them the chance to repent, reform and come back to Him. If they do that before they die or get closer to death, God guarantees them forgiveness, guidance and eternal happiness in the Hereafter. This is true love, a truely constructive love not a destructive unconditional one.. God who loves us gave us all the reasons and means to be happy in this world and in the Hereafter and for that we must be most appreciative to Him. His love is abundant and we need to go for it.
Praise be to God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
Reader's comment: Believers strive to imbibe all the values and virtues which earn GOD's love. For example, the Quran says - God loves: the repenters (2:222); those who love GOD and follow GOD's messenger, those who obey GOD and His messenger (please read 3:31- 32); those who love GOD (5:54); those who will be kind with the believers and stern with the disbelievers (context of conflict with disbelievers indicated in 5:52) and strive in the cause of GOD without fear of any blame (5:54), and believe and lead a righteous life (see 19:96).