Love for God

I

n the creation of the heavens and the earth; in the alternation of night and day; in the ships that sail the ocean with cargoes beneficial to men; in the water which God sends down from the sky and with which He revives the dead earth after its death, dispersing over it all kinds of beasts; in the swirling of the winds and in the clouds that are driven between earth and sky; surely in this there are signs for people who understand. Yet there are some people who choose from other beings besides God, as rivals to God, loving them as God alone should be loved—whereas those who believe love God more than all else. If the evil-doers could only see, when they behold the doom, that power lies with God alone and that God is severe in punishment. When those who were followed disown their followers and they behold the doom, and their cords are cut asunder, those who followed will say, “If only a return were possible for us, we would disown them, as they have disowned us.” Thus God will show them their own work as anguish for them. They shall never emerge from the Fire. Mankind, eat of what is in the earth lawful and wholesome, and do not follow in the steps of Satan, for he is your sworn enemy. He commands you only to evil and indecency and that you should assert about God what you do not know. (2:164-169)