What is love? Biblical answers versus the Quran

Love is one of the most sought-after experiences in a person’s life. Countless songs are written about love. Every year, movies are released with love as the main driving force behind characters. Whether it is love between family, friends, or romance, it is something every human wants.

There are many beliefs about what love is and how it is shown. Your worldview and faith determine what you believe about love, why people love, and how people should receive and give love.

The two largest world religions, Christianity and Islam, have very different concepts and teachings about love, and that is because the character of God is different. Some truly believe that Allah of the Quran and the God of the Bible are the same. However, though both religions refer to this god as the Creator, many of Allah’s characteristics are far from being even close to the God of the Bible. It is key to understand this fact because the god you follow dictates what you believe about love.

So what is the difference between how the God of the Bible loves, versus Allah’s love in the Quran? And what does it mean for Christians and Muslims who follow them?

Allah’s love according to the Quran

There are a few verses about Allah’s love that highlight the requirements and variables of it. But surprisingly, no Quranic verse says that Allah is love, or Allah loves the entire world, or the nature of Allah is love. Even in the 99 names or characteristics of Allah, which Muslims repeat daily, the closest word to Allah being loving is that He is affectionate. In Arabic, this word, “Wadud,” means friendly with some form of warm emotions.

Here’s the first question: Does Allah love anybody? Surah 2:195 tells us that Allah’s love is conditional; He loves those who do good. Notice the focus on loving is based on the Muslims’ works.

"Spend the cause of Allah and do not contribute to your destruction with your own hands, but do good, for Allah loves those who do good." Surah 2:195

Allah does not love those who are arrogant and proud (Surah 16:23).

So, there are clear requirements for Allah’s love. You must do good, you must be a Muslim. If you are not a Muslim, you are not included in Allah’s love. If you are too proud, Allah will stop loving you.

This is why one of Allah’s titles is “affectionate.” Affection is not a steady love. It is not without conditions. Allah is affectionate when he is pleased with you, but affection can be easily withdrawn.

How are Muslims instructed to love?

In light of how their god loves them, intermittently, conditionally, and unreliably, Muslims have particular standards for love. They understand that they have to earn Allah’s love by doing good works. Allah’s favor, which determines if they get into paradise or not, is works-based. The more good a Muslim does, the more Allah loves them, but they also increase their chances of paradise.

This leads Muslims to believe that love is always earned, never freely given. Most of the instructions Muslims are taught about how to love others are from the Hadith, which are instructions transcribed from Muhammad words and life.

“None of you has faith until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.” Sahih al-Bukhari 13

This first hadith is obviously a call-back to Jesus’ command (and Muhammad does try to include Christian principles in Islam to gain Christian favor). A historical Muslim scholar, Imam al-Nawawi, interprets this hadith and explains how Muslims should show this love for their brother, both the disbeliever and the Muslim:

“This is interpreted as brotherhood in general, such that it includes the disbeliever and the Muslim. So he should love for his brother, the disbeliever, what he loves for himself which is his entering Islam, just as he should love for his brother Muslim that he remains in Islam. For this reason, it is recommended to supplicate for the disbeliever to be guided. The meaning of love here is an intention for good and benefit, and this meaning is religious love, not human love.” (Sharḥ Matn al-Arba’īn al-Nawawīyah 1/49-50)

For the disbeliever, showing love to them is trying to get them to enter Islam. For Muslims, showing love to one another is keeping each other in Islam. They are instructed to show “religious love” which is specifically only for Allah’s notice.

One hadith is very explicit about what a Muslim should love the most: Allah and His Messenger, Muhammad; they are also told to love others only for the “sake of Allah.” (Sahih al-Buhkari 16) This is another reference to the “religious love,” or loving others for Allah’s notice and for the benefit of earning a place with Allah. So even loving others is considered good works to gain the favor and even the forgiveness of Allah. 

“Allah Almighty said: Those who love each other for the sake of my glory will be upon pulpits of light, admired by the prophets and the martyrs.” (Sunan al-Tirmidhi 2390)

The possibly confusing thing is that it feels like these instructions on love are close to what the Bible teaches, but if you look closely, they are not the same at all.

What does the Bible say about God’s love? 

The Bible is very explicit about God’s love. He is love, and He loved us before we were born (Psalm 139:13-16), before we believed, and before we repented of our sins (Romans 5:8, Ephesians 2:4-5).

"The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 1 John 4:8-10

In fact, God’s love is so powerful that nothing can separate us from God’s love – not our own sins, not our failures, not even death. (Romans 8:38-39)

How is God’s love for us different from how the Quran describes Allah’s love?

There is a core difference – God loves us unconditionally, without waiting for us to do anything to earn it, while Allah has requirements that must be met to earn his love. 

Remember, Allah is affectionate. His love is not consistent and is completely dependent on certain conditions being met (doing good, not being too proud, etc).

The God of the Bible is love.

How are Christians instructed to love in the Bible?

Our worldview on love is based on what we believe about God and His love. God loves us even though we cannot earn it and don’t deserve it.

“We love, because He first loved us. If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” 1 John 4:19-20

This means, even if we are the nicest and most loving people to our friends and those around us, it will not earn us more of God’s love. Yes, He rewards us for being obedient to His commands to love, but how we should love is very specific:

“And He [Jesus] said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:37-40

The entire base of God’s law and commands for us is summed up by loving God and loving others. This makes sense: God created the Law, and God is love. Therefore, we can expect that love would be essential to all of God’s actions and commands.

Christians do not love others to gain God’s favor, because we cannot “earn” our salvation from Him. Muslims are clearly told, “The more you love others, the better your odds of entering paradise are, because Allah will be more pleased with you.”

Christians are told, “Because you know God’s unending love for you, how can you not love others?”

What does the difference between Islamic and Biblical love mean for you and your Muslim friend?

The difference between love according to Islam and the Quran versus that in the Bible is key to opening the Muslim’s eyes to the truth about Jesus Christ.

Tell your Muslim friend, “God loves you. And there’s nothing you have to do to earn it.” It is a truth that can set them free from the chains of Islam that have enslaved them.

Remind yourself, God loves you with an eternal and unconditional love! This should be a reason for great joy and peace. Memorize scripture to hold this truth in your heart, even when you don’t feel it.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me unconditionally. Please open my Muslim friend’s heart to hear about this complete love and receive the gift of grace in Jesus Christ. Give me boldness to proclaim this love to those who need it! Amen.