They Love Them as They Should Love Allah
✒️ “They Love Them as They Should Love Allah”: A Conceptual Analysis of Shirk, Love, and Following through Surah al-Baqara 165–167 In the Qur’an, shirk is not merely about worshipping stone idols—it is a multi-layered deviation. Surah al-Baqara verses 165–167 powerfully show that this deviation has an emotional dimension, especially highlighting how turning one’s love away from Allah toward others constitutes a form of shirk . 1. Shirk through Love: “They Love Them as They Love Allah” “They love them as they should love Allah” (al-Baqara 2:165) This expression redefines shirk beyond the classical framework: attributing divine value to anyone or anything other than Allah can sometimes occur not through the intellect, but through the heart—particularly through excessive love. 🔍 Word Analysis: يُحِبُّونَهُمْ (yuḥibbūnahum) – “They love them” – root: ḥ-b-b This root conveys emotional affection and loyal attachment. In the Qur’an, it is used in various contexts: Allah loving...