God's love is conditional, according to the Quran: He loves the charitable, the righteous and the just, and does not love aggressors, the arrogant or disbelievers. Freedom of choice means people decide their own fate, with repentance always open. A second article surveys snakes and lizards, from locomotion and feeding to the Komodo dragon and chameleon, as proofs of God's creation.
D uring existence, one
usually harbors feelings of love towards someone or something. “Love”
describes feelings of fondness, deep affection, high preference and/or
enjoyment. One can love anything or anyone.
Sometimes love is a virtue. For example, a love for exercise or knowledge
tends to benefit a person. Sometimes love is harmful. A love for drugs
or crime may be destructive. Reasons for love are obvious. Someone loves
whatever supports his/her cause. Realistically, people do not love that
which contradicts their own interests. One must remember the definition
of love (fondness, preference) to accept these facts. So if a person’s
objective is to stay healthy, he/she does not love to smoke. If a person’s
objective is to
have “fun,” he/she loves to hangout
and play.
Our Creator is also One who loves. A prevalent myth throughout the world
is that the god of Islam (Submission) is not a loving god. This idea has
no basis in truth. First, the concept of a “god of Islam”
is wrong, as God of Islam (Submission) is the same God of all the human
beings, whether they call themselves Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists...etc.
Second, since the Quran is the only scripture upheld by true Islam (Submission),
and is considered the true word of God, we can look to the Quran to see
whether God (of Islam and all other religions) is a loving god or not.
According to the Holy Quran, the love of God is expressed and emphasized
many times over,
throughout the book. God loves: the charitable
(2:195); the righteous (3:76); the steadfast (3:146); the good doers (3:148);
those who trust Him (3:159); the benevolent (5:13); those who purify themselves
(9:108); the equitable (5:42); the just (49:9); those who are clean (2:222);
and those who fight in His cause (61:4).
These values earn God’s love because they support His cause; guarantee
a peaceful, loving and responsible community of believers who encourage
each other to be righteous, care for the poor, the relative, the orphans,
the neighbors, the traveling aliens and each other.
Page 2
REPTILES I
SNAKES AND LIZARDS
And God created every
living creature from water. Some of them walk on their bellies,
some walk on two legs, and some walk on four. God creates whatever
He wills. God is Omnipotent. (24:45)
This verse clearly refers to all of God’s creatures but
it specifically covers reptiles. Reptiles are a class of animals,
made up of snakes, lizards, turtles, crocodilians and tuatara. The
last is a rare, lizardlike reptile that lives only on a few islands
near New Zealand. They are called living fossils since all the rest
of their order is extinct, having died out millions of years ago.
Why they survive, no one knows and little is known about them.
Much, however, is known and written about the other reptiles because
we interact with them regularly, and like all of God’s creations
there is much that is fascinating. There are more than 2500 species
of snakes, about 2500 species of lizards, 250 different kinds of
turtles, and about 22 different crocodiles.
SNAKES
Snakes live in most of the warm places in the world, ranging from
harmless to deadly, from plain to colorful, from a tiny four inches
to over 30 feet in length. Snakes do not have a good reputation.
Biblical references to snakes are very negative since it’s
a snake which tempted Eve to eat the apple and thus caused the downfall
of mankind. And when Moses’ staff is turned into a serpent,
he harbors fear. Plus, we have some pretty negative expressions
in the English language taken from reptiles and reptile behavior.
We call a cheating, conniving person a “snake in the grass”;
a cowardly person “crawls on his belly”; a very
callous action is “in cold blood,”
even the dictionary definition of snake includes: “a treacherous
person.” A snake pit is a mental institution or any very dangerous
place. But interestingly, for some cultures, the snake represents
rebirth and renewal, perhaps because of its ability to shed its
skin and thus start over.
With all the amazing variety of other animals, why did God create
something that has to walk on its belly? It, of course, has a very
important place in the food chain—eating large numbers of
rodents, lizards and such, and being eaten by others. But more importantly,
like all the other variety, I think it’s for us to study and
marvel at. Part of the proof of God’s creation.
Snakes are fascinating in that, as God says, they walk on their
bellies, with amazing agility. There are actually four quite different
types of locomotion. The most frequently used method is the simple,
undulating crawl, which is called the serpentine method. The snake
pushes against the ground and flows smoothly forward, using muscles
specifically designed for this. Heavier-bodied snakes may use a
method called caterpillar where the skin is moved forward and backward
by strong muscles, and the broad belly scales grip the ground, moving
the snake forward in a straight line.
Several desert-dwelling species use sidewinding to move on loose
sand. In this method the snake rolls its body sidewise along the
ground in a looping motion. The fourth method is known as concertina,
because the body is alternately stretched out and pulled together
as the snake moves from one anchor point to another. The concertina
is used in crossing smooth surfaces and in climbing. So they don’t
actually walk, but they can move right along, some going as fast
as 8 miles per hour.
Also fascinating are the adaptations
God has provided which allow a snake to eat. You have to wonder
how something that long and narrow can eat at all, let alone eat
an animal that may be many times wider than the snake’s mouth.
Although they have teeth, snakes cannot tear apart an animal and
eat it in pieces. It must swallow its food whole, so the snake must
actually decide whether or not he can get it down. Snakes eat everything
from ants to rabbits, frogs, lizards, mice and eggs. Large snakes
like anacondas and pythons may take down deer, antelope, crocodiles
and even humans. Most normal sized meals are swallowed easily and
quickly, but a truly large meal may require several hours to consume
and weeks or months to digest. A python may eat only once a year.
God has provided several adaptations to make eating possible for
snakes. A special hinge in the jaw allows the mouth to open wide
enough and rows of teeth pointed back pull the food in. While swallowing
very large animals, the snake would not be able to breath so God
provided an additional organ, a tracheal lung, around the windpipe
which allows lung function to continue in spite of the pressure,
and the windpipe itself can be pushed outward past the animal being
swallowed to allow air in.
With over 2500 species there is great variation in color, size
and of course, how they interact with humans. One of the more deadly
is the black mamba of Africa which grows to 14 feet in length and
moves through trees as easily as through the tall grass. It can
hold its head up to 20 inches off the ground even as it moves. It’s
considered the fastest snake in the world and has a very deadly
bite, with 100 % mortality. The victim dies very quickly, within
minutes.
Page 3
REPTILES I
Cobras are also virulent with 30,000 deaths reported annually
in China alone. They hang around crumbling ruins and lurk in roofs
of huts. They’re waiting for rodents and lizards, but if disturbed
by a human they will react defensively. They strike swiftly and
accurately or they spit venom several feet in front of them. The
venom acts as an anesthetic so the victim feels no fear, no anxiety,
no pain, almost as if hypnotized.
Rattlesnakes also have deadly venom. The young are born live, rather
than from eggs, and they are born ready to strike with venom sacks
full. In fact, the bite of a young rattler may be more potent than
an adult’s, plus multiple bites may occur as a litter of as
many as 20 emerge. Emulating the rattlesnake is the harmless gopher
snake. God has provided them with similar coloration and they mimic
the behavior—flattening their heads, hissing, and rattling
their tails (even though they don’t have rattles). Most predators
don’t take any chances and leave them alone.
Snakes come in so many colors and wonderful patterns of spots,
stripes and bands. When we study them, we see that they are one
of God’s miraculous creations. They should be respected not
reviled.
LIZARDS
Lizards too come in a huge variety of shapes and colors. Most lizards
walk on all four legs, but there are legless lizards (which are
not snakes) and there’s the basilisk lizard which, when running
very fast, will get up on two legs. He can even race across the
surface of water on his two back legs. There’s also a lizard
that “flies”—it opens out flaps of skin along
its sides as it leaps off a tree branch and glides from tree to
tree.
The largest lizard is the Komodo Dragon
which may be ten feet long and weigh over 350 pounds. The Komodo
Islands of Indonesia are a dangerous place, with more deadly snakes,
scorpions and poisonous spiders than anywhere else on earth. Earthquakes,
tidal waves, and monsoon rains occur over half the year, followed
by wildfires in the dry grass the other half, and all around are
active volcanoes. It’s no surprise, then, that a huge monitor
lizard evolved here and was referred to as a dragon. It seemed so
fantastic that early accounts were discounted as myth until 1912,
and they are still not a well-understood animal.
Komodo dragons live 50 years or more, and they’re considered
quite smart. To hunt, they lie in ambush, remembering a place they
were successful before and preparing their hiding place hours in
advance. When a herd of deer passes by the hideout, the dragon lunges
out with great speed to knock the deer over. If they miss, they
can’t run down the prey so they just go back to wait some
more. If they’re successful, they will take several weeks
to digest the meal, probably eating only about 12 meals a year.
Smaller but still large for a lizard is the Gila Monster, the
only venomous lizard of North America and one of only two in the
world. This desert dweller moves slowly, feeding on eggs laid on
the ground and small rodents. Since food and water are sometimes
scarce in the desert, God has provided by allowing him to store
fat in his tail and live off that resource in lean times.
Another desert dweller is the horned lizard or “horney toad.”
Their specific adaptations include a dull color and a flat body
which makes them difficult to see, and horns and spiny scales which
make them difficult to swallow. In addition, a unique defense mechanism
allows the horned lizard to squirt blood from its eyes when severely
threatened.
The smallest lizard in the world is the British Virgin Island
gecko, which is less than half an inch long. Geckos are interesting
little creatures, one of few lizards that vocalize—they emit
a high squeak. They can climb anything,
even walk on ceilings, because they
have special toe pads which contain microscopic hooks for hanging
on. Their tails detach easily when grabbed by a predator and will
continue to wiggle for several minutes, allowing the gecko time
to get away. They regenerate a new tail within a few weeks.
And (He created) for you on earth things of various
colors. This is a (sufficient) proof for people who take heed. (16:13)
Lizards are colorful indeed. They come in all shades of green
and are adorned with yellows, oranges, and reds, even blue. And
if that weren’t enough, there’s the chameleon that can
change colors at will. Chameleons are also the “sharpshooters
of the lizard kingdom.” They can move their eyes independently
so they can keep one eye on prey as they sneak up on it and use
the other eye to watch out for predators. When they get close they
focus both eyes on the prey giving them an excellent binocular view.
The tongue is as long as the body and tail combined and it sits
rolled up in the mouth. When they let it go with a lightning strike,
they are incredibly accurate. And the tip is large and sticky so
they zap their prey and draw it back into their mouth.
Snakes and lizards both play an important part in preserving the
balance of nature. They eat large numbers of insects and rodents,
which make them beneficial to man. Their variety and their fascinating
characteristics make them another proof of God’s creation.
The heavens and the earth are full of proofs for
the believers. Also in your creation, and the creation of all the
animals, there are proofs for people who are certain. (45:3-4)
Lydia Kelley
Page 4
GOD’S LOVE
Please note that if God willed, everyone would support His cause and
earn His love, but the Most Gracious provides us with freedom, a freedom
we, the humans asked for and which was granted to us.
People who do not support God and spread corruption on earth, do not
earn His love that was offered to them by following simple and clear commandments.
They cannot get closer to God on the Last Day. Being away from God is
what will be Hell to these people. God does not put a single person in
Hell. On the contrary, God put in our way many reasons to find Him, love
Him, follow His message and be close to Him on the Last Day (Heaven).
Because of our freedom (which is a gift) we are the ones who make the
choice whether we go to Heaven or Hell.
Another major misunderstanding throughout the world today is that God
loves everyone and everything. This concept is illogical. Why would God
love those who are spreading corruption on earth,
killing the innocent, torturing the weak and
disabled, robbing people of their belongings and freedom, polluting our
environment, raping women (or girls) and abusing their children? Why should
God love someone like Hitler, Stalin, Mao or any other tyrant?!!. These
are our enemies and God’s enemies.
Some people commit evil and blaspheme regularly, disregard commandments
and do not believe in the One who created and provides for them. If God
loved us all unconditionally, why would we uphold commandments? Why would
God even issue any command if He loves us regardless of what we do? Surely,
if God loved us all unconditionally, we would all have a license to commit
the worst of evils while assured that we will end up in Heaven. This would
throw the world into a state of chaos and disorganization that would end
any meaningful civilization.
The Quran gives us the truth in this matter. Each trait that God does
not love is specifically laid out in the Quran. God does not love: the
aggressors (2:190); corruption (2:205); the unjust (3:140); the arrogant
(4:36); the betrayer
(4:107); the evildoers (5:64); the wasters
(6:141); the gluttons (7:31); the transgressors (7:55); the disbeliever
(3:32); and the boastful (57:23).
Now we have the truth about what God loves and what He does not. God
loves us for the good we do and does not love those who do evil. God,
the Most Gracious, Most Merciful did not close the door for those who
commit evil; He gives them the chance to repent, reform and come back
to Him. If they do that before they die or get closer to death, God guarantees
them forgiveness, guidance and eternal happiness in the Hereafter. This
is true love, a truly constructive love, not a destructive unconditional
one. God who loves us gave us all the reasons and means to be happy in
this world and in the Hereafter and for that we must be most appreciative
to Him. His love is abundant and we need to go for it.
Praise be to God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
James Burnett
About this work
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International Community of Submitters
Publisher
International Community of Submitters / Masjid Tucson