We who believe in God, whom do we think God loves most? May be the followers of every religion would think that they are the ones. God loves them most! Jews are the chosen people, Gods children, so He loves them most. Christians, who believe in the Christ, deserves to be saved and loved by the Lord. Or Muslims who worship the one God who begets not and has not been begotten. Which group is the most loved by God? Supposing that every group even thinks that the others are OK, let alone are loved by Him.
I, as a Muslim who believe that true Islam is misunderstood, misrepresented, misquoted and attacked both by stupid or superficial Muslims and islamophobists, as such, I believe that God loves none of the previous groups, just for belonging to any one of them. I learn from and believe the prophet Muahammad, and here is his answer to this question:
GOD LOVES MOST… THOSE WHO ARE MOST USEFUL TO PEOPLE.
Now here is a new group. This is THE religious leader of Islam saying that those whom God, Allah loves most are simply those who are most useful to their fellow humans. Note that he didn’t even say: those who are most useful to Muslims. Just to people. He doesn’t even specify what type of usefulness. That’s why a Muslim believes that he is rewarded by God for any benefit that he brings to people. Islam considers work as an act of worship, and work useful to others goes higher, to the Love of God. This is a very well-known saying of the prophet among Muslims as well. It’s not Muhammad’s fault then when Bin Laden has a different opinion. Muhammad delivered the message then he passed away. He can’t come back to life to correct everyone’s illusions. This is our own mission now!
This saying is not an isolated event in the Islamic understanding:
According to the Quran, 49:13
“Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).”
Here it is stated that God doesn’t give preference for anyone except for how righteous and mindful of Him they are. No names here, no labels (Islam, Muslims). Just values.
In another passage, the Quran refutes the idea that Jews and/or Christians have any special place just for being so:
Quran 5:18
“(Both) the Jews and the Christians say: 'We are the sons of Allah, and his beloved.' Say: 'Why then would He punish you for your sins? No! You are but humans among all those he has created”.
I like that! We’re all just humans, like all other humans He has created. He judges us not based on what religion we were born following or we say we follow. He judges us according to how righteous we are. Labels don’t matter to Him. Here comes to my mind another saying of the Prophet: “God does not look at your images and your bodies, He looks at your hearts.” Beautiful! Note the distinction between "images" and "bodies".
Yet another meaning the Prophet mentioned, where he particularly talks to Arabs, warning them from the silliness of ever thinking that because the Quran was revealed in Arabic, they as Arabs would have any advantage in the sight of God: “All people are as equal as the teeth of a comb, there is no virtue (nothing better or superior) to an Arab over a non-Arab nor white over colored except by the fear and mindfulness of God".
To finish this post, I'd like to mention an even more astonishing verse from the Quran, 2:62
"Those who believe, and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve. "
Give me anything close to that in any other scripture! Here the Quran even names those "others", and establishes one simple criterion for all: believing in God and Judgement Day and doing good deeds, resulting in them being rewarded and having no fear. The same meaning is repeated in other verses as well. I for one didn't find any other religion that has this same message as clearly, and that's why I chose to be a true Muslim!
That was just one of the hidden treasures of Islam!
