Editor's Note: This Ramadan we will be exploring various names and attributes of Allah (S) in a series, which will be featured throughout the holy month. This post focuses on Al-Wadud.

“God does not love you just because of who you are; He loves you because love is who He is. So never stop praying. Even when the pain is too much to bear, even when you have broken a thousand promises, even if all that comes out is a silent whisper that only God can hear. No matter what storms you are facing, no matter how bad you mess up, no matter how painful life becomes, the door to prayer is always open for you. After all, as Imam Ali said, “When the world pushes you to your knees, you’re in the perfect position to pray.” [A. Helwa, Secrets of Divine Love: A Spiritual Journey into the Heart of Islam]

Week One of Ramadan is almost over. How do you feel? Close your eyes and breathe. Give yourself a moment to just be. Release yourself of all expectations you placed on yourself, or social media placed on you. Shed that weight. Drop your shoulders. (They’re sitting tense, aren’t they?)

Now, remind yourself of the purpose of Ramadan – to get closer to Allah (S). To recharge your spiritual battery. Your soul is tied to Him. Your soul needs Him. He is who you need to seek. Not the spiritual high, like Dr. Marwa Assar (here is the HH Halaqa Melanie did with her) has emphatically stated:

Remember who your Lord is.

Now, read the above quote by A. Helwa again: “God does not love you just because of who you are; He loves you because love is who He is.”

To know Him is to love Him, and amid all the ibadah (worship) we do and everything we are managing, we must never forget how Allah (S) is love. TAs we continue our journey together to get to know some of Allah (S) names and attributes better, (Last week we talked about Al-Rahman Al-Raheem.) this week we’re doing a deep dive into another one of Allah’s (S) attributes: Al-Wadud, “The Affectionate” or “The Most Loving.”

Author’s note: The following is what I’ve learned over the years from various credible scholars, imams and teachers on the topic. I am in no way a scholar myself.

Al-Wadud comes from the Arabic word, “wud,” which means love (a special kind of love, which we’ll get into). There are other words in Arabic that also mean love, like “hub.” However, Allah (S) intentionally chose Al-Wadud. Why?

Hub is a generic word for love, while wud is a higher, purer, more perfect form of love that doesn’t have a romantic connotation and doesn’t have any conditions. It’s a nurturing love that makes you want to care for the person you love without expecting anything in return. It is an active love and not just an abstract feeling that lives in the heart.

Allah (S) is Al-Wadud.

He has no need for you, and you cannot benefit Him in any way. And yet, He created you in the best way to be uniquely you. He nourishes you, loves you, teaches you, guides you and protects you, even when you do not know it; and most importantly, even if you reject Him. He doesn’t stop, out of His love to you.

Worldly love is often conditional. We love because there’s always something coming back to us, benefitting us or giving us fulfillment. But Allah (S)’s love is unconditional and all encompassing.

Once you truly understand Allah (S) love for His creation, and His mercy (as we spoke about last week), you will fall in love with your Creator.

Al-Wadud also has a second meaning: the one who is beloved.

He loves when you make a mistake then repent to Him; He loves when you remember Him, in good times and in bad times.

In Surat Al-Buruj, Allah (S) says:

​​وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الْوَدُودُ

Think about how many times you have made a mistake, and Allah (S) helped you out, whether he saved you from others or from your own self. When he counts our deeds on the scale, he counts one good deed as 10, and one bad deed as one. And, the bad deeds can be erased.

When you understand that the premise of worshiping Allah (S) is out of love for Him, and not out of fear (although a dose of fear is healthy), this is an important manifestation of your belief in Him. There is mercy in this concept – when you love Allah (S), it becomes easy to love Him, trust Him with all your affairs (would that not solve a lot of stress in your life?!) and come to Him in worship.

Ibn Taymiyyah said, “There is no love that you have for any created object except that that very love will end up hurting you as well.”

Think about it? What hurts the most? It’s when what you love is taken away, or when a loved one hurts you. But the love of Allah (S) will never hurt you.

So when you feel lost, when you’re questioning, “Why is this happening to me?!,” when you’re searching for the light at the end of the tunnel, when you feel like the whole world is plotting against you, remember that Allah (S) is Al-Wadud. Trust that He loves you unconditionally, and that He has knowledge of what we do not. Everything He does is for the better. It might not feel like it at the moment, but He has your back. Invoke this name when you need His mercy and blessings, when you want His forgiveness, and when you want to feel Him near. After all, who other do you need than the one who will love you unconditionally and eternally?

I leave you with the du’a of Prophet Dahud:

"اللهم إني أسألك حبك وحب من يحبك، والعمل الذي يبلغني حبك، اللهم اجعل حبك أحب إلي من نفسي وأهلي ومن الماء البارد"

May our love for Allah (S) stir in us the desire to stay up worshiping Him, to pray extra and seek Him in du’a and in all matters of our lives. Ameen.