Don’t be shy to love [Archives:2007/1081/Community]
By: Lamis Abdulkarim Shuga'a.
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'Love' is a short word that has noble and merciful meanings. It was defined by many writers and in poetry, stories, novels, dramas, etc. It is a strong relationship whether it is among members of a family or a society.
Some simple definitions of love are mentioned here, just to have better understanding of it. Love is patient, peaceful and kind. It is not being jealous, proud, rude, or selfish. By love, we learn how to sacrifice for others and how to give and never wait to receive. It holds no grudges. In other words, it is not easily angered or happy about evil but it is happy about the truth.
Moreover, it doesn't brag nor lie. Love always protects, trusts, hopes, and perseveres. In short, only real love will last forever. Of course this perfect (ideal) love can rarely be found. Even parents' love for their children is not up to that standard of perfect love.
Socially speaking, everyone wants to be loved and respected by others. However, that doesn't mean that we ask others directly to love us. Instead, our kind behavior and polite treatment will certainly help others respect and love us. According to our traditions and customs, love must occur only with a limited kind of people, i.e., members of a family, relatives, and friends. That is because the idea of love, especially in some villages in Yemen, is something happening between a man and a woman just after their marriage.
In addition, it has been noticed that it is a shame for boys and girls to talk about love in front of their parents. That happens, maybe, because those 'kind of people' ignore the fact that there are three kinds of love, according to the Greek tradition, not only that which is created between a husband and a wife.
The first one is (Agape) sacrificial love. It is that kind of love in which there isn't any gain or profit; it is just like parents' love towards their children and vice versa. The second one is (Konoinia) community love. That is found within friendship relations and within people groups, particularly people who belong to one country or society. The third one, on the other hand, is (Eros) sexual or romantic love which can be represented by wives and husbands.
Whatever the strength of love, of these kinds, is, there is still no perfect love. However, the ideal love can be found around us. Yes!! It is God's love for us because He wants us to be good people. Through the Holy Quran, He gives instructions and orders for all nations to obey Him and always to do the best deeds, to bring us happiness, to live safely in life, and to win paradise. As a matter of fact, God doesn't need our good or bad deeds, we have to understand that. He orders us to do the right and to avoid the evil, just for our own sake.
So, we have to do the right thing, because we really love our God who gives us innumerable gifts. Above all, our God forgives us whatever we sin only if we truly repent. This is our God, “the most merciful and the most gracious “”.
What I want to say
