“And He is the Most Loving”
In contemporary Western society, Islam is not know as a religion of love. Even amongst the most open-minded and tolerant individuals, Islam is known as a religion of austerity and strictness. Unfortunately, love is not the first word that comes to mind when others hear about our religion. Of course these opinions are developed from the cruel terrorism of extremists and the constant media bombardment of the war torn landscapes of Iraq, Palestine and Afghanistan. But we as Muslims know that Islam teaches a message of love and mercy and it is in these times when reflecting on the love and mercy of God is most crucial.
It is so easy to think that the whole world is a horrible place. When I turn on the television, I see war, crime, poverty and disease. I see people who are starving because of famine and societal apathy. I see children dying from curable diseases because corrupt governments do not provide affordable health care. Also, I see how Muslims are turned against each other, such as in Iraq and Sudan, and how neocolonial powers come in to their countries to exploit their natural resources. Such human suffering and oppression may convince a person that God is far removed from His creation and unconcerned for our well being. But we must not forget that one of the names of God that is oft repeated in the Qur’an is Ar-Rahman, the Merciful.
God has many names that informs us as believers that our struggles, our deeds and our trials do not go unnoticed. He is As-Salaam, the Giver of peace, who sends down His tranquility when we are in state of crisis. He is Ar-Raqeeb, the Caretaker, who gives us all of our spiritual and material needs. And He is Al-Wadud, the Loving, the source of love in its purest and most beautiful form. It is because of His love that He forgives us of our sins. His love is expressed through the everyday miracles of our lives. The comfort we receive from our parents and children, the joy of laughter, the miracles of a rising sun and cool rains to nourish the earth and the happiness we experience through helping others. Aren’t these human expressions of love simply a reflection of the all encompassing love of the Creator of the universe?
The problems of this temporal world seem to be so monumental, so hard to solve, that they can weigh down a faithful heart with doubt and depression. And yet, I see that there are thousands of people who are moved by love for their fellow human being to do so about it. For every act of cruelty, there are at least a dozen acts of kindness. Even in the face of the horrific murder of Alia Ansari, a pious Muslima and mother of six children, was met with the outpouring of sympathy and sorrow from her Fremont community and mercy from her husband who stated that he forgave the murderer for this terrible act.
God wants us to know of His love and to realize that we are here for the purpose of taking care of each other and for establishing peace and justice throughout the world. I know these times seem bleak and people with diseased hearts will always find a way to express their spiritual illness through war and injustice. But it is important to keep our hearts soft, to occasionally weep out of love and fear of God Most High, and to remember that our small acts of kindness are also small acts of worship and appreciation to the Most Loving of all.
You’re right Aaminah. I think that sometimes we get to wrapped up in politics and when we mix that with religion, we can forget that this is a spiritual path, too. 
