Allaah, the almighty, says:
"And [yet], among the people are those who take other than Allaah as equals [to him]. They love them as they (must) love Allaah. But those who believe are stronger in love for Allaah. And if only they, who have wronged, would consider (that) when they see the punishment, (they will be certain) that all power belongs to Allaah and that Allaah is severe in punishment."
(Qur'an: Al-Baqarah: 165)
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Keywords and Phrases:
>>They love them as they (must) love Allaah: It means that those who worship false deities besides Allaah retain love and recverence for such deities.
General meaning of the Qur'anic verse:
Allaah, glorified and exalted be He, depicts the polytheists' affairs in this life and the recompense they will receive in the hereafter. They set rivals to Allaah by rendering love and reverence to them. On the contrary, the true believers' love for Allaah exceeds the polytheists' love for their false deities or the polytheists' love for Allaah. The reason is that the believers' love is dedicated to Allaah alone, whereas the polytheists' love is shared by other false deities. Had the polytheists been certain of the grave chastisement they would receive on the day of resurrection for the grave sins they perpetrated (committed), they would have abandoned all their aberrant practices. However, they did neither perceive nor believe in their inevitable destiny.
Relevance of the Qur'anic verse to the chapter:
The Qur'anic verse is one of the texts that clarifies the meaning of monotheism and the significance of a Muslim's testification of faith. The verse implies that whoever ascribes rivals to Allaah and loves them as he loves Allaah, is deemed a polytheist. Monotheism is, therefore, an act of rendering love and reverence (deep respect) to Allaah alone. Such love and reverence drive man to sincerely worship, submit and surrender to Allaah alone.
Lessons drawn from the Qur'anic verse:
>> Monotheism designates the retainment of love and reverence, which correlate submission and surrender, to Allaah alone.
>> Though they render great love to Allaah, the polytheists are not considered muslims, since they associate false deities with Allaah.
>> Polytheism is a form of injustice.
>> The verse warns the polytheists against the severe punishment prepared for them on the day of resurrection.
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Kitab ut Tawheed (An Islamic book)
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