Love is a variety of different feelings, states, and
attitudes that ranges from interpersonal affection ("I love
my mother") to pleasure ("I loved that meal"). It can refer
to an emotion of a strong attraction and personal It can also be a virtue representing human
kindness, compassion , and affection—"the unselfish
loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another".
attachment. It may also describe compassionate and affectionate
actions towards other humans, one's self or animals.
*Christianity*
The Christian understanding is that love comes from
God. The love of man and woman— eros in Greek—and
the unselfish love of others (agape ), are often contrasted
as "ascending" and "descending" love, respectively, but
are ultimately the same thing.
There are several Greek words for "love" that are
regularly referred to in Christian circles.
Agape: In the New Testament , agapē is charitable,
selfless, altruistic, and unconditional. It is parental
love, seen as creating goodness in the world; it is the
way God is seen to love humanity, and it is seen as
the kind of love that Christians aspire to have for one
another.
Phileo: Also used in the New Testament, phileo is a
human response to something that is found to be
delightful. Also known as "brotherly love."
Two other words for love in the Greek language , eros
(sexual love) and storge (child-to-parent love), were
never used in the New Testament.
Christians believe that to Love God with all your heart,
mind, and strength and Love your neighbor as yourself
are the two most important things in life (the greatest
commandment of the Jewish Torah, according to Jesus ;
cf. Gospel of Mark chapter 12, verses 28–34).
*Islam*
Love encompasses the Islamic view of life as universal
brotherhood that applies to all who hold faith. Amongst
the 99 names of God (Allah ), there is the name Al-
Wadud, or "the Loving One," which is found in Surah
[Quran 11:90 ] as well as Surah [ Quran 85:14 ]. God is also
referenced at the beginning of every chapter in the
Qur'an as Ar-Rahman and Ar-Rahim , or the "Most
Compassionate" and the "Most Merciful", indicating that
nobody is more loving, compassionate and benevolent
than God. The Qur'an refers to God as being "full of
loving kindness."
The Qur'an exhorts Muslim believers to treat all people,
those who have not persecuted them, with birr or "deep
kindness" as stated in Surah [ Quran 6:8-9 ]. Birr is also
used by the Qur'an in describing the love and kindness
that children must show to their parents.
Ishq , or divine love, is the emphasis of Sufism in the
Islamic tradition. Practitioners of Sufism believe that
love is a projection of the essence of God to the
universe. God desires to recognize beauty, and as if one
looks at a mirror to see oneself, God "looks" at himself
within the dynamics of nature. Since everything is a
reflection of God, the school of Sufism practices to see
the beauty inside the apparently ugly. Sufism is often
referred to as the religion of love.
God
in Sufism is referred to in three main terms, which are
the Lover, Loved, and Beloved, with the last of these
terms being often seen in Sufi poetry. A common
viewpoint of Sufism is that through love, humankind can
get back to its inherent purity and grace. The saints of
Sufism are infamous for being "drunk" due to their love
of God; hence, the constant reference to wine in Sufi
poetry and music.
