Sūratu’l-Baqarah [The Cow] : (2:165)

وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَتَّخِذُ مِنْ دُونِ اللّٰهِ أَنْدَادًا يُحِبُّونَهُمْ كَحُبِّ اللّٰهِۘ وَالَّذ۪ينَ اٰمَنُۤوا أَشَدُّ حُبًّا لِلّٰهِ

“Yet, there are among humankind those who take to themselves objects of worship as rivals to God, loving them with a love like that which is the due of God only—while those who truly believe are firmer in their love of God.” (Al-Baqarah 2:165)

This verse relates the following general fact:

There should be no firmer and greater love for true believers than the love for God.

Rather than being natural, the believers’ love of God is acquired by will, and it increases to the extent of their knowledge of God until it becomes a part of their nature, which would turn them almost mad. This love is of the character of volitional interest and preference.

The Prophetic saying –

“None of you will have (true, perfect) faith until he loves me more than his parents, his children, and all human-kind,”(Bukhārī, Īmān, 8; Ayman, 3; Muslim, Īmān, 69–70; Nasā’ī, Īmān, 19; Ibn Majah, Muqaddima, 9.)

– points to this fact, bearing in mind the reality that love of God requires loving His most beloved servant and Messenger and thus follow his perfect example in both worship and sublime character. In fact, true love begins with this first step, that is, with taking interest. As for the natural love towards one’s parents, children, spouse, property, and so on, it should be in accordance with God’s commands. Otherwise, God Al-mighty either tests His servants with some troubles in this world, or He reprimands them in the Hereafter. In short, believers are balanced people and need to have a balanced life. They have to keep the balance in each period of their life time despite all their personal desires and pleasures.

▪Some people go so far as to adopt as deities those whom they admire. They claim that those admired people are their “lord” and “deity.” Moreover, they talk about their “dominion and control” over the existence in the world, and they attempt to substitute them for God, Who is the real Creator of everything in the Universe and the One Who uniquely deserves worship. Others commit the same wrong by revering others highly as if worthy of adoration and expecting from them and attributing to them that which is far beyond their human capacity. This amounts to association of partners with God. The verse above forbids people to be in the first category severely while it warns people not to be among the latter ones.

The verse also draws the attention to the fact that there is a relationship between Divinity and love.

▪Human beings love and feel deep relationship with those they deify. If such false deities are loved by some people, the Unique, Real Deity, Almighty God, should be loved madly and from the bottom of hearts; believers set their hearts and fix their eyes on Him solely, find the value of their lives in obedience to Him, and make the acquisition of His good pleasure the goal of their lives. Those who cannot love Him must be afraid of their end. Believers should love God to the extent that they love Prophets, saints, and saintly scholars out of love of God and due to their place in God’s sight. Whatever and whoever they love, they love for God’s sake and on account of God and His love.