Does God Love a Prodigal?
The question at hand is, “Does God love the prodigal?” The prodigal is one who wastes or squanders all of his resources on his or her own selfish desires and then returns to his family seeking forgiveness.
THE KORANIC ACCOUNT
Do not be a prodigal. Observe this, Allah does not love the prodigal (Surah 6:141 or 142).
COMMENTARY ON THE KORANIC ACCOUNT
Clearly according to the Koran Allah does not love the prodigal, someone who waists his resources.
THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT
Ezekiel 18:23
“Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die?” saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?
Ezekiel 18:32
For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord GOD: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.
Luke 15:1-3
Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying,
Luke 15:4-7 The Parable of the Lost Sheep.
What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.
Luke 15:8-10 The parable of the lost coin.
Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
Luke 15:11-32 The parable of the prodigal son.
And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.
And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.
And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.
And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.
And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.
COMMENTARY ON THE BIBLICAL ACCOUNT
The three parables above, the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin and the Prodigal Son, are essentially saying the same thing. There is rejoicing at the end of each parable by God and the angles over finding what is lost. God is pleased when sinners, evil people, who repent and come to Him and find (eternal, spiritual) life.
God does not delight in the death of anyone. Instead He prefers that people repent of their sins and be saved. He is not willing that any should perish.
God’s provision for sin extends to all men and women. When Jesus received the sins of all mankind into His own body on the cross, no one was excluded. The Apostle John writes that Jesus is the propitiation, or payment, for sin but not only for our sins but also for the sins of the whole world. No one is excluded. Scripture says, “That He (Jesus) by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” No one is excluded. Jesus is the only mediator between God and men. This includes all men. Again; none is excluded.
People have a choice. It is written: He (Jesus) came unto His own and His own received Him not, but as many as received Him to them He gave the right or power to become the Children of God even to them that believe on His name (John 1:11,12). No one is excluded by God but some people choose to exclude themselves. God knew before creation who would exclude themselves and who would accept His gift of salvation. Those then that He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29).
COMPARING & CONTRASTING THE KORAN WITH SCRIPTURE
The Koran states that Allah does not love the prodigal. The statement is clear.
The father in the Prodigal Son parable represents God the Father. Jesus is using this parable to explain God’s love for even the worst of sinners. God clearly loves the prodigal.
CONCLUSION
The Allah of the Koran is different than the God of the Holy Bible. The God of the Holy Bible is the one who offers everyone, including you eternal life through His only begotten Son.
If you want eternal life you must believe that Jesus is God in flesh, that He received the wrath of God for your sins in His death and crucifixion, and rose from the dead. You can repent of your sins right now and invite Jesus into your heart. A sample prayer that you can speak to God is, “Lord Jesus Christ forgive me of my sins and come into my heart.”
REFERENCES
The Koran passages are a paraphrase of several English translations.
The Koran, translated by N.J. Dawood: A Penguin Classic
The Qur’an, translated by M.H. Shakir: Tahrike Tarsile Qur’an, Inc.
The Holy Qur’an, translated by Maulana Muhammad Ali: Ahmadiyya Anjumann Isha’at Lahore Inc. U.S.A.
The Koran, translated by Marmaduke Pickethall: Everyman’s Library
The Meaning of the Glorious Koran, An explanatory translation by Mohammed Marmaduke Pickthall, Dar al-Islamiyya, P.O.B. 45677-1298, Kuwait
The Holy Bible is the King James translation of 1611 from the WORD program by Tom Hills with the New Creations
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