There is a verse in the second chapter of the Quran (AI-Baqarah) which reads like this:

There are some who make others equal to God, bestowing on them the adoration due to God, and the love of God is stronger in the faithful. But if only they could see their punishment, the wrong-doers would know that might is His alone, and that God is stern in retribution. (Quran, 2:165)

Man is forced by his very nature, and by the circumstances in which he finds himself on earth, to seek some external source of dependence. Unable to rely on his own scant inner resources, he seeks a prop in life—one who will compensate for his own shortcomings. To take another person or thing to oneself in this way is to worship it. Feelings of adoration and devotion are then directed towards one’s object of worship, for to worship something is to love it above all things.

Since God is not visible in this world, man—wanting to see something before he will believe it—usually stands one who can be seen in the place that should be allotted to God alone. Usually it is charismatic leaders who occupy this spot, “greats” in the sight of men, people who have captured the popular imagination. Such leaders are accorded the adulation that should be accorded to God alone. Faced with an inner vacancy, a yawning gap in his soul that had to be filled, man should have turned to God for replenishment, but he turned instead to other men.

The highest form of spiritual consciousness is true, pure love. How can one not love God when one sees that all sublime qualities come together in His majestic Being; when one realizes that whatever man owns is His divine gift; when one observes the world of nature, and is filled with wonderment at the beauty and perfection of the Maker of such a magnificent work of art. Such is God, and when one discovers one like Him, then it is only natural that one should be filled with love and devotion for Him.

Man has nothing greater to give anyone than love. This being the case, it is impossible for one to discover God—in all His perfection—and then to offer Him something less than love. Neither is any offering less than love acceptable to God, nor is it proper for man to offer his Lord anything less than pure, true love. □