The love of Al Wadūd

Inspired by Hauwa MG.

Al Wadūd is the One who is the source of all love & affection. His love is intense, constant and lasting and Al Wadūd is the One Who is deserving of all love and affection!

Does Allah love me? This is a question I find myself asking a lot. I believe I’ve looked up “Signs of Allah’s love” more than a million times and I’m pretty sure you have too. So what exactly is the answer to this question?

It’s simple. God loves you and He loves you in infinite ways. He created you, didn’t He? He gave you the senses of feel, sight, hearing, smell and taste. Think about your health, think about your family and friends, think about the opportunities He has laid in your path. Just take a look around you and contemplate; the skies, the stars, the sun and the moon, all of the creations on this earth.

The entire universe and everything in it is proof of Allah’s love for all of mankind. He loves us so much that He gave us an endless variety of food,

a vast array of wildlife,

the ability to see changes in our surroundings by the changes in weather, and the sun, moon, and stars,

companions to share our lives with, and offspring to share in the world with us.

Love is part of the essence of Allah as expressed in the Beautiful Name Al Wadūd which is often translated as ‘The Most Loving.’

His love for us manifests through all of the wonderful blessings and gifts that He bestows upon us every single second of each and every day without us even needing to ask of Him! (Let’s take a moment to say a true Alhamdulillah!)

Al Wadud is mentioned twice in the Quran-  once in Surah Hud and once in Surah Burooj. In Surah Hud Verse 90, Allah SWT says:

“Seek forgiveness from your Lord, then turn towards Him in repentance. Surely, my Lord is very merciful, most loving.”

And in Surah Al-Burooj Verse 14, He says:

“And He is the Most-Forgiving, the Most-Loving.”

Subhanallah. Kindly Pause, look at your immediate surroundings and reflect… (take a minute or two, we’ll do this again)

As you reflect on Allah’s love and expression of love for you, I would like to remind you about the importance of allowing yourself to embrace Allah’s love for you and allowing it to result in you loving yourself more. Too often we fall into carrying a lot of negative thoughts about ourselves, and feelings of regret, guilt, disappointment, sadness and self-loathing can end up overshadowing the sense of self love and respect that Allah SWT wants for us.

Remember that just as Allah SWT is Al Wadud, Endlessly Loving both you and I, we must also ask ourselves who are we to think, feel and talk negatively to ourselves?

If Allah SWT loves us and we proclaim to Love Him then should we not also love ourselves? 

Subhanallah! Allah even commands the angels to love you!

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When Allah loves a slave, calls out Jibril and says: 'I love so-and-so; so love him'. Then Jibril loves him. After that he (Jibril) announces to the inhabitants of heavens that Allah loves so- and-so; so love him; and the inhabitants of the heavens (the angels) also love him and then make people on earth love him".

Subhanallah Subhanallah! It would have been more than enough for Allah to love a person, for what more could someone want? But because Allah is Al-Wadūd (the Most Loving) and Al Kareem (the Most-Generous), He declares this love to the Angels, not only that, the love does not stay in the heavens but descends to the earth because Allah puts acceptance of this person in the hearts of people.

In order to truly feel Allah’s love in your life, take a few minutes to reflect…(yet again)

Think about the care you were given as a child. You didn’t ask for it, it just came when you were born. Think of your family and of your friends. Think of the opportunities you were given in your life.

Then look at the world around you – the beauty of nature.

Skógafoss in Skógar, Iceland

It didn’t have to be this way. The world could have been bland and ugly. But there is so much beauty that only you can truly enjoy.

Allah has created us, and yet we worship other gods that we make up. They may not be physical statues, but things like money or status. God blessed us with bounties, yet we attribute those blessings solely to people. Allah’s Mercy descends to us while our bad deeds ascend to Him, and still He sends us gifts in order to bring us closer to Him, though He doesn’t need us.

The Prophet ﷺ tells us that “Allah Almighty will stretch out His hand during the night, turning towards the one who did wrong during the day, and stretch out His hand during the day, turning towards the one who did wrong during the night, until the day the sun rises from the place it set.” [Muslim]

Allah makes it so easy to go to Him and be close to Him. The Prophet ﷺ  tells us:

“Whosoever intends to do a good deed but does not do it, Allah records it with Himself as a complete good deed; but if he intends it and does it, Allah records it with Himself as ten good deeds, up to seven hundred times, or more than that. But if he intends to do an evil deed and does not do it, Allah records it with Himself as a complete good deed; but if he intends it and does it, Allah records it down as one single evil deed.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

His Generosity is so great that not only does He give us, but if we thank Him for the blessings, HE GIVES US MORE! And Allah uses the example of the greatest possible love – that of a mother to her child – and then says that He has even MORE love and mercy towards us. *sobs*

The truth is there are always good days and bad days. While we are able to be grateful when we’re feeling joy, let us not forget the blessings of Allah in times of distress too. It is important to remind ourselves that Allah s.w.t. is always there for us and even if we might be feeling our low, there is always something to thank Allah for. 

وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا ۗ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ

And if you should count the favours of Allah, you would never be able to number them. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful

(Surah An-Nahl, 16:18) *sobs yet again*

What is amazing is that Allah gives us so much so that we can seek to come closer to Him. Sometimes we despair and are unforgiving towards ourselves.

But the Prophet ﷺ reminds us that, “Our Lord (glorified and exalted be He) descends each night to the earth’s sky when there remains the final third of the night, and He says: Who is saying a prayer to Me that I may answer it? Who is asking something of Me that I may give it him? Who is asking forgiveness of Me that I may forgive him?” (Bukhari)

Subhanallah Subhanallah, we really do not deserve Him. This is an open invitation to EVERYONE. Some of us may feel so far – where do we even begin? Yet Allah says in a hadith qudsi,

“If my servant comes closer to Me a hand span, I come closer to him or her an arms-length; and if he or she comes to Me walking, I come to him or her at speed.” (Bukhari)

So just take that first step. Make the intention to do one new thing or to fix something you weren’t doing so well. And Remember to not be so hard on yourself in the process.

Conclusion;

How can we not fall in love with Al Wadūd, when He showers us with affection daily?

Tips on how to live by Allah’s attribute, Al Wadūd; Have a close relationship with Him (Tell Him everything), Love Him above everything & everyone, Let your love for people be for His sake, Love for others what you love for yourself, Keep your tongue wet with Dhikr & ponder upon his blessings.

Oh Allah, Al Wadūd. Grant me Your love, the love of those whom You love, the love of those deeds that will make me earn Your love.