Why does Allah (SWT) love His slaves?

Dear Brother / Sister,

When we open the Quran, the first verse that we see is, Bismillahirrahmanirrahim (In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful). Our Lord introduces Himself as the Beneficent (ar-Rahman) and the Merciful (ar-Rahim). Both holy names express that Allah has infinite mercy. Doubtlessly, Allah, who has infinite mercy, loves every person that He creates. 

Is it possible that He should not love the creature that he takes out of the darkness of the realm of non-existence to the luminous hills of the realm of existence?

When the bounties that are given to man are taken into consideration, man will understand that Allah loves him. Let us explain some of the manifestations of the love of Allah toward His slaves:

1. Creating man out of nothing: Man owned a soul in a very nice form thanks to the mercy of Allah although he was not existent. Allah did not leave man in non-existence; He gave him the bounty of existence. It is the greatest bounty. Allah did not leave him lifeless and gave him the bounty of life. He did not leave man without a spirit and gave him the bounty of spirit. He did not leave man without consciousness and mind and gave him the bounties of the mind and consciousness. He gave man the bounty of humanity. He also gave man the bounties of guidance and belief. They are all the bounties that were given to man. The issue is explained as follows in the Quran:

"Him Who created thee. Fashioned thee in due proportion, and gave thee a just bias; In whatever Form He wills, does He put thee together"(al-Infitar, 82/7-8)

"We have indeed created man in the best of moulds." (at-Tin, 95/4)

2. Giving man numerous bounties: Bounty means giving man all kinds of good things and keeping all kinds of harms away from him. It is the manifestations of the names ar-Rahman and ar-Rahim.

Beneficence and mercy mean to will the good and to grant endless favors and bounties.

The following definition of mercy is very nice:

“Mercy is the feeling of eliminating the pains, disasters, and troubles and replacing them with goodness, joy and happiness.”

The name ar-Rahman means ‘the one that gives the sustenance of every living thing, whether man or animal, whether believer or unbeliever, and that takes care of and protects them’.

The name ar-Rahim means ‘the one that makes His slaves that use their will correctly reach the happiness of belief, worshipping and guidance and that prepares eternal gardens (Paradise) for them’.

The name ar-Rahman looks at the first creation. As a matter of fact, God Almighty gives so many grants and bounties to the beings that He created without their willing.

The name ar-Rahim looks at the second creation and bears the glad tiding that the slaves that use their will in the good and correct way will be given endless blessings, bounties and grants in the second creation.

“It is He Who hath created for you all things that are on earth" (al-Baqara, 2/29).

3. Sending prophets that warn people: Sending prophets is an indication of the mercy of Allah. The right and the wrong were presented to each ummah through a messenger and they were informed about the orders and prohibitions of Allah. Prophets are also guides for worldly affairs. The development of the civilizations took place thanks to the guidance of the prophets. 

“Allah did confer a great favor on the Believers when He sent among them an Messenger from among themselves, rehearsing unto them the Signs of Allah, sanctifying them, and instructing them in Scripture and Wisdom, while, before that, they had been in manifest error." (Aal-i-Imran, 3/164)

4. The religion of Islam being a religion of ease: Allah, who created man out of nothing, definitely knows what he needs, what kinds of worshipping he can perform and how he can be healthy, peaceful and happy. Therefore, the religion of Islam provides man with an easy, nice and comfortable life as a grant from Allah. 

"... He has chosen you and has imposed no difficulties on you in religion; it is the cult of your father Abraham. It is He Who has named you Muslims, both before and in this (Revelation); that the Messenger may be a witness for you, and ye be witnesses for mankind! So establish regular Prayer give regular Charity, and hold fast to Allah! He is your Protector― the― Best to protect and the Best to help!!" (al-Hajj 22/78)

5. Giving some time for repentance in the life of the world: Allah does not punish His slaves who disobey him at once. He gives them some time so that they will understand their mistakes and repent.   

“Mocked were (many) messengers before thee: but I granted respite to the Unbelievers, and finally I punished them; then how (terrible) was My requital!." (ar-Rad 13/32)

6. Rewarding His slaves who believed in Him with Paradise: Paradise is a bounty and grant of Allah.

“Except those who repent and believe, and work Righteousness: for these will enter the Garden and will not be wronged in the least. Gardens of Eternity, those which (Allah) Most Gracious has promised to His servants in the Unseen: for His promise must (necessarily) come to pass. They will not there hear any vain discourse, but only salutations of peace: and they will have therein their sustenance, morning and evening. Such is the Garden which We give as an inheritance to those of Our Servants who guard against evil.."  (Maryam, 19/60-63).

7- Answering prayers: Dua (prayer, supplication) is another superior manifestation of the names ar-Rahman and ar-Rahim of our Lord. A believing man asks power and patience from Allah without losing hope even if he is under very difficult conditions. He begs only from Allah with hope knowing that He always creates the best thing.  He knows that what he asks from Allah will end up in a good way. This opportunity, which Allah gives to His slaves, is doubtlessly a manifestation of His infinite mercy. Allah owns all the power. Allah, who is ar-Rahman and ar-Rahim, informs people through the following verse that He will make it easy for the people that are in need if they turn toward Him and ask from Him: 

“And those who dispense their charity with their hearts full of fear, because they will return to their Lord " (al-Muminun, 23/60).

“When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to them); I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me."  (al-Baqara, 2/186)

8. Being Happy when His slaves repent: Our Lord expresses clearly that He will accept the repentance of those who repent appropriately, that he will reward them, that they will feel safe regarding their future and that they will obtain their hope again if they do so.

“For such the reward is forgiveness from their Lord and gardens with rivers flowing underneath an eternal dwelling; how excellent a recompense for those who work (and strive) " (Aal-i-Imran, 3/136).

“Allah loves those who turn to Him constantly and He loves those who keep themselves pure and clean” (Bakara, 2/222)

9.  Making man superior to all other creatures: Some of the verses regarding the superiority of man are as follows:

“Behold thy Lord said to the angels: "I will create a vicegerent on earth." They said "Wilt thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood? Whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name)?" He said: "I know what ye know not." (al-Baqara, 2/30)

" We have honoured the sons of Adam; provided them with transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and pure; and conferred on them special favours, above a great part of Our Creation."(al-Isra, 17/70)

“We have indeed created man in the best of moulds, Then do We abase him (to be) the lowest of the low― Except such as believe and do righteous deeds: for they shall have a reward unfailing.."(at-Tin, 95/4-6)

Allah created man in the best form, made him superior to all beings and made him the vicegerent in the universe. Man must keep this superior quality through belief and worshipping.  Otherwise he will fall to the lowest of the low and lose the vicegerency, and, as it is expressed in the Quran, he may become more misguided than animals. While belief takes man to a rank superior to angels, unbelief throws man into the lowest of the low down into the depths of Hell. 

As a matter of fact, Allah says “the best of moulds“ for man. That the phrase “the best of moulds“ is used for man means that there is nothing more beautiful than him among the creatures. 

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How can we understand whether Allah loves us? Do the troubles that we have show that Allah does not like us?

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