“Allahu Akbar” Means “God is Great”, but We Need to Shout “God is Love”

This past week another radical Muslim committed an act of terror while shouting “Allahu Akbar!” “Allahu Akbar” is Arabic for “God is great.”

This brought to my mind a poem I wrote 17 years ago.  At that time I was living in Indonesia on the island of Sulawesi.  On another part of the island there had been waves of attacks against Christian villages by radical Islamic militants.  Hundreds of Christians were slaughtered.  Some of my Indonesian Christian friends had family members who had escaped from that area.  They shared heart breaking stories of hearing the attackers yell “Allahu Akbar!” as homes were burned. They also spoke of hiding in the jungle for days to escape.  As I pondered these stories, I tried imagined what my brothers and sisters in Christ might feel and think when facing such horrific evil.  This led me to write the following poem:

"Allahu Akbar!" is the shout I hear

as angry young men come near.

The shout is such an awful sound,

as they burn my home down to the ground.

I'm hiding in the jungle here,

I'm hungry, cold, and full of fear.

In my mind I still can hear that shout;

I start to question, "What's this about?"

"Allahu Akbar" means "God is great!"

...  I ponder

...  I weep

"and that is true..." I finally state.

But who will tell them God is love...?

Who will show them God is love...?

God, will you prove that You are Love?

Muslims and Everyone Else

In my experience, people rarely struggle with the concept that God is great.  If a person believes that God somehow created the universe (which is a pretty widespread belief across many religions), then it immediately becomes quite obvious that God is super incredibly powerful. This truth is important, but it is not enough to lead us to a right understanding of God, which in turn leads us to the right way to live.  For that to happen we need an additional truth:  God is love.

From its earliest days, Islam put much greater emphasis on God’s power than on His love.  It’s not that the concept of God’s love is entirely absent in Islam, but it is not emphasized in the Quran the same way it is in the Bible. Islam does not have an example of God showing sacrificial, costly love in order to rescue us. There is nothing comparable to the Good News of Jesus giving Himself to die for our sins. Beliefs have consequences.

It would be a mistake to think that only Muslims need a greater understanding and a stronger grasp of God’s love.  This is a human problem.  We see suffering and evil all around us and this causes many people to question, doubt, or even deny that God is love. And even when people agree in theory that God is loving, many struggle to hold on to the truth that God specifically loves them.

Of course, God has proved that He is love. He proved His love when Christ left His home in Heaven to be born into a poor family in a humble setting. He proved it when He walked through this dirty, sad world, where He didn’t even own a home. He proved it when He spent His time  giving good news to the poor and healing the broken.  He proved it when He hung on the cross.  With His dying breath He proved it.

God has proved that He is love. But people need to see evidence of His love in their lives here and now. That’s where we come in.  Those of us who have heard and believed the Good News of God’s great love in Christ are called to imitate that love:

NIV Ephesians 5:1-2 Follow God's example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

So love your neighbor.  Visit the sick.  Reach out to those in need.  Give your money to help the poor. Be kind.  Gently share God’s truth. As people see His love shining through us, they will more easily believe the truth about His love through Christ. Most people already understand at some level that “God is Great.” When we follow God’s example and loves others sacrificially, we are shouting “God is Love!”

If this message resonates with you, you might also be encouraged by this post about one of the greatest songs ever written, Jesus Loves Me this I Know.

Hebrews 13:16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others . . .