In Islam, الودود (al-Wadud) is one of the 99 names of God. It means the Most Loving. It was mentioned twice in the Quran, first in Surah Hud, which stated “Seek forgiveness from your Lord, then turn towards Him in repentance. Surely, my Lord is very merciful, most loving.” (90) The name was mentioned once again in Surah Al-Burooj, which stated, “And He is the Most-Forgiving, the Most-Loving.”(14) The Meaning For the people who know how to speak and write Arabic, love is recognized as الحب (al-Hub); however, الودود (al-Wadud) is derived from the word الود (al-Wud), which means love and an expression of love through the act of giving. As you can see الود (al-Wud) is a much stronger word than الحب (al-Hub). It does not only mean to love but to love with expression. For Instance, الحب (al-Hub) is an emotion that is settled in the heart, while الود(al-Wud) is your expression of that feeling, which is reflected in your behavior. If you love a person, what you feel towards them is love; however, the smile on your face, for example – that behavior is الود(al-Wud). If you…
