In the name of our Creator, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

The simple definition of “Love” according to the dictionary is “an intense feeling of deep affection…”, an emotional state.

This got me pondering on the 99 beautiful, distinct names of God, each representing a specific attribute. We emphasise these traits to distinguish his Magnificence, his Superiority.

We don’t depict God visually as there is nothing like him. One of his names is “The Creator”, he created time, space and matter, we exist in this time and space, while he exceeds this. He has effectively created everything from nothing. In the context of this world we will never see him as it is beyond our comprehension…we will only see that which is relative to this world through our eyes which he too has created. The way I think about this is placing myself in the context of this ever expanding universe created by God, if our planet is but a mere spec, how could I possibly see this entire picture in one glance…My eyes cannot even see the radio frequency or the air I am breathing…We can’t see many things yet we have deep connections and relations to them…

“No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision. He is above all comprehension yet is acquainted with all things” (al-An’am, 6:103).

If you truly want to understand and appreciate the beauty of his Creation, just look in the mirror, test one of your many gifts, the gift of sight as an example, close your eyes for just a minute and try walking, eating, engaging with your phone or a friend, a book…This ties into another attribute “The giver of Gifts”…His gifts are endless…

I began reflecting on the attribute “Al-Wadud” which means “the Affectionate” or “the most Loving”. I wanted to unpack the essence of this attribute.

In researching and analysing this meaning, it goes quite deep, both linguistically as well as in the makeup of this attribute. The deeper I started sincerely seeking knowledge about it, the more I found just how beautiful its meaning. God knows best.

Given the context, I also researched a little around the Arabic language and construction thereof and came across a few common pieces which ties into understanding the essence of “Al-Wadud”.

As per Softschools.com, Arabic being a semitic language, it works on a “root” system. This means that all Arabic words are derived from a “root” set of consonants that contain the base meaning of the word. These root consonants are put into “patterns” which morph the meaning of the root to create a variety of related words. A common example, a pattern of three letters such as ‘k-t-b’, will always be the foundation of words that have the semantic field of ‘writing’, such as the word ‘kitaab’ which means ‘a book’ and ‘maktab’ which means ‘a desk or office’. The root system makes direct translations more challenging as the root word can contain a meaning that could take a few sentences to translate. The beauty however is that it conveys a depth of both meaning and emotion which is unmatched in many languages. This is evidenced below in unpacking the meaning of Al-Wadud.

Wadud is the stronger word for “Waad” which comes from the word “Wud”– which means the doer of actions.
It then goes deeper, “Wud” is derived from the root word “Hub” which means “Love”. “Hub” is derived from “Habab” (meaning “whiteness, cleanliness, purity of teeth”), signifying love as pure and sincere resembling a clean heart. There are many other words from which “Hub” shares a common root including the word “seed” – which signifies the potential to grow into something beautiful.

In summary the attribute “Al Wadud” (The affectionate, The most loving):
Hub = A feeling of love coming from purity and sincerity of heart, deep affection;
Wud = Is the behaviour which reflects the warm feeling in actions.

The essence of “Love” in this context is hence a feeling from a source of purity and sincerity demonstrated through behaviour in actions. The consistent manifestation of this emotion embodies the essence of love.

Wud cannot exist without Hub, but Hub can exist without Wud… Basically, a pure, sincere feeling (clean heart) can exist without corresponding actions…but the reflection of this feeling through behaviour or action cannot exist without the pure, sincere feeling…Ultimately your behaviour reflects the feeling…This combination is the true essence of love.

As I pause and deeply reflect on just how profoundly this single name is constructed, and just how blessed we are for this deep Love and Mercy that is bestowed upon us. How easily with each day we take this for granted. His love is “Al Wadud”… From his Creations, the Universe, the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Ocean and Rivers, the endless species of plants and animals, the Mountains, the air; closer to home, my beautiful Cat, my beloved daughter, my mom, my family, my friends who all fill my life with love and endless blessings…Everything he Created was for our benefit…Can we go a single day and not reflect and appreciate this…The source of all provisions is from him, the food we eat, the air we breathe…I reflect on the ability to see, to hear, to smell, to taste, to touch and feel…This comes from Pure and Sincere love and affection manifested in actions…

I continue to reflect on just how much the Almighty loves us…I reflect on my many challenges which in the moments you don’t fully understand,  yet the process always came with ease. The realisation that the moment you sincerely open your heart and truly surrender by placing every ounce of Trust in him, you will feel most secure. You accept his plans are the best of plans because it is filled with Al-Wadud.

If you seek his love, within your blessings you will find “humility” and within your challenges you will find “Security/Trust”.

FJ❤