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Sunday 16 February 2020

99 Attributes of Allah: Al Wadud - The Most Affectionate


Al Wadūd " ٱلْوَدُودُ " (pronounced Al Wadood) is the attribute of Allah which shows immense affection of Allah to His servants for He alone is the Most Affectionate, the One Who Tenders and Warm Hearts.


وَهُوَ الۡغَفُوۡرُ الۡوَدُوۡدُۙ‏ 


"and He is the Ever Forgiving, the Most Loving" (Surah 85 Al Buruj: 14) 

If we look around we will witness the marvel of Allah's endless and enduring love to His servants whether they believe in Him or not. He gives to everyone irrespective of caste, creed, colour or religion one follows for His love is for every living being. In fact He endears Himself to His slaves by bestowing His divine love in the form of innumerable favors and gifts.

Al Wadūd is an emphatic name derived from the Arabic word “Woudd”, which means “Houbb” (Love), to be affectionate and to long for, to desire, to wish for.
There is a delicate difference between both words. “Al-Houbb” means “love as a noble feeling dwelling in the heart”; while “Al-Woudd” means “love substantiated by action”. In other words, if you love someone, your inner feelings towards him are called “Houbb” (i.e. love that exists in your heart), but when you translate such love into action by smiling to him, for example, or doing him a favor, this is “Woudd” (i.e. love that you put into action). If you offer him a present, it is “Woudd”. If you help him out of a problem, it is “Woudd”. If you visit him when he is ill, it is “Woudd”. If you offer him a present when he gets married, it is “Woudd”. In short, inner feelings of love are “Houbb”; while ostensible substantial acts of love are “Woudd”. All those who have “Woudd” must necessarily have “Houbb”, but not vice versa. This means that someone might love another but does not show that in his behavior, but if someone shows love to another, this means that he loves him.
Herein under is a fine example of word "Woudd":

اِنَّ الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ سَيَجۡعَلُ لَهُمُ الرَّحۡمٰنُ وُدًّا‏ 

"Indeed, the Most Compassionate Lord will soon create enduring love for those who believe and do righteous works." (Surah 19 Maryam: 96) 
This is to comfort the righteous people who were being persecuted and insulted in the streets of Makkah. They are being assured that the time is coming near when the people will honor and love them because of their righteous deeds and good conduct. Hearts will be attracted towards them and the world will hold them in high esteem. And this will happen according to a universal principle. Those who are wicked, proud and haughty and try to rule over the people with falsehood and hypocrisy can never captivate the hearts of the people. On the other hand, those who invite the people to the right way with truth, honesty, sincerity and good conduct succeed in winning their hearts in the end, even though at first they might have to face the indifference and opposition of the dishonest people.  So, We have only made this (Quran) easy in your tongue that you may give good tidings therewith to those who are righteous, and warn with it a contentious people.
In the above verse,  the "love" referred to here means that Allah will make His creation love them, that is, He will make His servants experience love and affection on their own account. Supporting this explanation is a tradition wherein the Messenger of Allah says, "If Allah loves one of His servants, He calls upon Gabriel to tell him so, whereupon Gabriel loves that person, so he calls upon the residents of the heavens saying, `Allah loves so-and-so; therefore, you, too, should love him,' whereupon the residents of the heavens respond to him in the affirmative. Love for him will thus be disseminated among the residents of the earth." 

Allah loves and likes to be loved. And if a people find Allah's love for them insignificant and show ingratitude toward Him, Allah has a stern warning for them:

يٰۤـاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا مَنۡ يَّرۡتَدَّ مِنۡكُمۡ عَنۡ دِيۡـنِهٖ فَسَوۡفَ يَاۡتِى اللّٰهُ بِقَوۡمٍ يُّحِبُّهُمۡ وَيُحِبُّوۡنَهٗۤ ۙ اَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى الۡمُؤۡمِنِيۡنَ اَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى الۡكٰفِرِيۡنَ يُجَاهِدُوۡنَ فِىۡ سَبِيۡلِ اللّٰهِ وَلَا يَخَافُوۡنَ لَوۡمَةَ لَاۤـئِمٍ​ ؕ ذٰ لِكَ فَضۡلُ اللّٰهِ يُؤۡتِيۡهِ مَنۡ يَّشَآءُ​ؕ وَاللّٰهُ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيۡمٌ‏ 

"Believers! If any of you should ever turn away from your faith, remember that Allah will raise up a people whom He loves, and who love Him; a people humble towards the believers, and firm towards the unbelievers; who will strive hard in the way of Allah and will not fear the reproach of the reproacher. This is the favour of Allah which He grants to whom He wills. Allah is vast in resources, All-Knowing." (Surah 5 Al Maida: 54)  

There is no one more loving and caring than the Al Wadūd. His Love is intense, constant and lasting. Al-Wadūd is the One Who is deserving of all love and affection! Al-Wadūd loves the believers and the believers love Him more than anything.

Please listen to an enlightened commentary on this attribute of Allah beautifully explained and elaborated by Imam Hasan Khalil:
You may refer to our post "99 Attributes of Allāh" for complete list of 99 attributes of Allah Almighty with meaning and explanation.

You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran

Photo References1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |

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