In all the 114 chapters of the lengthy Quran, there are remarkably few verses in which Allah, the god of the universe, exhorts people to love him. In Quran 2:165, we read: “Yet there are men who take (for worship) others besides Allah, as equal (with Allah.: They love them as they should love Allah.” Other verses encouraging love for Allah include “…to spend of your substance, out of love for Him…” (Quran 2:177); “And they feed for the love of Allah (Quran 76:8).
Yet it is striking that there are more than 60 verses in the Quran commanding the believers to fear Allah! An instructive, worthwhile sample of these verses is found here. (Please do take the time right now to visit this webpage, before returning back) Three notable verses are the following:
1. "O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam. (Quran 3:102)
Allah chose not to say “Love Allah as he should be loved.” Allah very much wants to be feared.
2. “O you who believe! if you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion (to judge between right and wrong), remove from you (all) evil (that may afflict) you, and forgive you: for Allah is the Lord of grace unbounded.” (Quran 8:29)
3. “As for those who fear their Lord unseen, for them is Forgiveness and a great Reward.” (Quran 67:12)
Allah pointedly declares that those who fear him will benefit greatly. They will be given the capacity to judge between right and wrong, they will be protected from evil, and they will obtain forgiveness and a “great reward.” Yet in the Quran Allah never promises all this to those who merely love Allah. So our debate questions are:
Why does Allah so strongly emphasize that he wants to be feared moreso than to be loved?
Is the god of the Muslms a God of Love, or is he instead a God of Fear?
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