Divine Disapproval and the Absence of Hatred in the Qur’an -- A Quantitative and Linguistic Analysis

Abstract

This paper investigates the theological and linguistic distinction between divine disapproval and hatred in the Qur’an, with a specific focus on the use of the phrase “Allah does not love” (lā yuḥibb allāh) versus the verb “to hate” (kariha). While the Qur’an repeatedly expresses God’s disapproval of certain behaviors and moral traits through the former expression, it never explicitly attributes the act of hatred (karaha) to God toward any individual or group of people. To substantiate this pattern, the study conducts a comprehensive quantitative analysis of all 6,600 verses of the Qur’anic text, examining every occurrence of karaha and related morphological forms in relation to divine agency. This empirical survey confirms an extraordinary linguistic consistency: karaha is only used with God in reference to disliking actions, intentions, or outcomes—not people themselves. The analysis is supported by classical theological interpretations from scholars such as al-Ghazālī, Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī, and Ibn Taymiyya, who emphasize the metaphysical distinction between divine justice and emotional hatred. The paper argues that this linguistic precision reflects a deliberate Qur’anic theology that upholds God's mercy and the perpetual possibility of human redemption, even in the context of divine judgment.