الْوَدُودُ
One of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah
Al-Wadud
The Most Loving
Al-Wadud is the Most Loving and the Beloved. Shu'ayb used the Name when he urged his people to repent (11:90), and in 85:14 it comes straight after the All-Forgiving. Al-Sa'di reads it both ways: He loves the believers, and He is the One they love.
Key verse
﴿وَهُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلْوَدُودُ﴾And He is the All-Forgiving, All-Loving
The scholar's text
The Most Loving, The Most Affectionate, The Beloved
(وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الْوَدُودُ ) البروج 85: 14
(And He is the All-Forgiving, All-Loving.) Al-Buruj 85:14
It is mentioned 2 times in the Holy Quran
الأشد محبة، الأشد مودة، المحبوب.
(وَهُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلْوَدُودُ) البروج 85: 14
ورد في القرآن الكريم مرتين.
Loving, and Beloved
﴿وَٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى رَحِيمٌ وَدُودٌ﴾So seek your Lord’s forgiveness and turn to Him in repentance. Surely my Lord is Most Merciful, All-Loving.”
Shu'ayb ended his call to his people with this Name, right after telling them to seek forgiveness and repent (11:90). The word can point either way, al-Sa'di explains, at the one who acts or at the one acted on. So, he concludes, al-Wadud loves His believing servants and is loved by them. Al-Baghawi lists both. Ibn Abbas, in Ibn Kathir, needed one word: al-Habib, the Beloved. The definition above holds both sides too, the Most Loving and the Beloved.
Arabic: المحب والمحبوب
ختم شعيب دعوة قومه بهذا الاسم بعد أمرهم بالاستغفار والتوبة: ﴿وَٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى رَحِيمٌ وَدُودٌ﴾ (هود 11: 90). قال السعدي: «ومعنى الودود، من أسمائه تعالى، أنه يحب عباده المؤمنين ويحبونه، فهو فعول بمعنى فاعل وبمعنى مفعول». وقال البغوي: «وللودود معنيان: أحدهم:، أنه محب للمؤمنين، وقيل: هو بمعنى المودود أي محبوب المؤمنين». وقال ابن كثير: «والودود قال ابن عباس وغيره هو الحبيب». والتعريف أعلاه يجمع الوجهين: الأشد محبة والمحبوب.
He Forgives, Then He Loves
In 85:14 the Name comes straight after the All-Forgiving, and al-Sa'di sees a fine point in that order. When people who sinned turn back to Allah in repentance, He forgives their sins and He loves them. It is wrong, he says, to claim, as some have, that their sins are forgiven but the love does not come back. Al-Qurtubi reports from Ibn Abbas that al-Wadud is the One who shows His love to His friends by forgiving them, and from Mujahid that the word means the One who loves His friends. 2:222 says it outright: “Surely Allah loves those who always turn to Him in repentance”.
Arabic: يغفر لهم ويحبهم
قال السعدي: «وفي هذا سر لطيف، حيث قرن الودود بالغفور، ليدل ذلك على أن أهل الذنوب إذا تابوا إلى الله وأنابوا، غفر لهم ذنوبهم وأحبهم، فلا يقال: بل تغفر ذنوبهم، ولا يرجع إليهم الود، كما قاله بعض الغالطين». ونقل القرطبي عن ابن عباس: «الودود أي المتودد إلى أوليائه بالمغفرة»، و«وقال مجاهد الواد لأوليائه، فعول بمعنى فاعل». وفي البقرة: ﴿إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلتَّوَّٰبِينَ﴾.
Love Placed in the Hearts
﴿إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ سَيَجْعَلُ لَهُمُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ وُدًّا﴾As for those who believe and do good, the Most Compassionate will ˹certainly˺ bless them with ˹genuine˺ love.
In 19:96 the gift promised to those who believe and do good is love. Al-Sa'di says it is love placed in the hearts of Allah's friends and of the people of heaven and earth, and with it many of their affairs become easy. The Prophet ﷺ described how it happens: “If Allah loves a person, He calls Gabriel saying, 'Allah loves so and-so; O Gabriel! Love him.' Gabriel would love him and make an announcement amongst the inhabitants of the Heaven. 'Allah loves so-and-so, therefore you should love him also,' and so all the inhabitants of the Heaven would love him, and then he is granted the pleasure of the people on the earth” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3209). Al-Sa'di gives the reason: Allah made them loved because they loved Him.
Arabic: سيجعل لهم الرحمن ودا
وعد الله المؤمنين العاملين الصالحات: ﴿إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ سَيَجْعَلُ لَهُمُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ وُدًّا﴾ (مريم 19: 96)، قال السعدي: «أي: محبة وودادا في قلوب أوليائه، وأهل السماء والأرض، وإذا كان لهم في القلوب ود تيسر لهم كثير من أمورهم»، «وإنما جعل الله لهم ودا،لأنهم ودوه، فوددهم إلى أوليائه وأحبابه». وقال النبي ﷺ: «إِذَا أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ الْعَبْدَ نَادَى جِبْرِيلَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ فُلاَنًا فَأَحْبِبْهُ . فَيُحِبُّهُ جِبْرِيلُ، فَيُنَادِي جِبْرِيلُ فِي أَهْلِ السَّمَاءِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ فُلاَنًا فَأَحِبُّوهُ . فَيُحِبُّهُ أَهْلُ السَّمَاءِ، ثُمَّ يُوضَعُ لَهُ الْقَبُولُ فِي الأَرْضِ» (صحيح البخاري 3209).
The Test of a Claim to Love
﴿قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ ٱللَّهَ فَٱتَّبِعُونِى يُحْبِبْكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ﴾Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “If you ˹sincerely˺ love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive your sins. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”
Love of Allah is easy to claim, and 3:31 sets a test for it. Al-Sa'di says the claim alone is not enough. The sign that it is true is following the Messenger ﷺ in all his ways, his words and his deeds, outwardly and inwardly. Whoever follows him has proved the claim, and Allah loves him, forgives him and keeps him on course in everything he does. Then al-Sa'di gives the verse its full weight: by it every one of the creation is weighed, and faith and love of Allah rise or fall with how closely a person follows the Messenger.
Arabic: علامة محبة الله
قال السعدي في ﴿قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ ٱللَّهَ فَٱتَّبِعُونِى يُحْبِبْكُمُ ٱللَّهُ﴾: «فلا يكفي فيها مجرد الدعوى، بل لابد من الصدق فيها، وعلامة الصدق اتباع رسوله صلى الله عليه وسلم في جميع أحواله، في أقواله وأفعاله، في أصول الدين وفروعه، في الظاهر والباطن»، «فمن اتبع الرسول دل على صدق دعواه محبة الله تعالى، وأحبه الله وغفر له ذنبه، ورحمه وسدده في جميع حركاته وسكناته». وقال: «وبهذه الآية يوزن جميع الخلق، فعلى حسب حظهم من اتباع الرسول يكون إيمانهم وحبهم لله، وما نقص من ذلك نقص».
Until I Love Him
﴿يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَن يَرْتَدَّ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِۦ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِى ٱللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُۥٓ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى ٱلْكَـٰفِرِينَ يُجَـٰهِدُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لَآئِمٍ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ﴾O believers! Whoever among you abandons their faith, Allah will replace them with others who love Him and are loved by Him. They will be humble with the believers but firm towards the disbelievers, struggling in the Way of Allah; fearing no blame from anyone. This is the favour of Allah. He grants it to whoever He wills. And Allah is All-Bountiful, All-Knowing.
In a hadith qudsi Allah describes the way to His love, the obligations first and then voluntary deeds: “My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him”. What follows: “so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks” (Sahih al-Bukhari 6502). 5:54 names the people He loves and who love Him, and al-Sa'di calls His love for a servant the greatest blessing He can give. When Allah loves someone, he says, He makes the way easy for them, lightens every hardship and turns the hearts of His servants toward them, and He accepts a little work from them and forgives many slips.
Arabic: حتى أحبه
قال الله تعالى في الحديث القدسي: «وَمَا تَقَرَّبَ إِلَىَّ عَبْدِي بِشَىْءٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا افْتَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَا يَزَالُ عَبْدِي يَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَىَّ بِالنَّوَافِلِ حَتَّى أُحِبَّهُ، فَإِذَا أَحْبَبْتُهُ كُنْتُ سَمْعَهُ الَّذِي يَسْمَعُ بِهِ، وَبَصَرَهُ الَّذِي يُبْصِرُ بِهِ، وَيَدَهُ الَّتِي يَبْطُشُ بِهَا وَرِجْلَهُ الَّتِي يَمْشِي بِهَا» (صحيح البخاري 6502). وقال السعدي في ﴿يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُۥٓ﴾: «فإن محبة الله للعبد هي أجل نعمة أنعم بها عليه، وأفضل فضيلة، تفضل الله بها عليه، وإذا أحب الله عبدا يسر له الأسباب، وهون عليه كل عسير، ووفقه لفعل الخيرات وترك المنكرات، وأقبل بقلوب عباده إليه بالمحبة والوداد». «وإذا أحب الله عبدا قبل منه اليسير من العمل، وغفر له الكثير من الزلل».
From the Sunnah
If Allah loves a person, He calls Gabriel saying, 'Allah loves so and-so; O Gabriel! Love him.' Gabriel would love him and make an announcement amongst the inhabitants of the Heaven. 'Allah loves so-and-so, therefore you should love him also,' and so all the inhabitants of the Heaven would love him, and then he is granted the pleasure of the people on the earth
إِذَا أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ الْعَبْدَ نَادَى جِبْرِيلَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ فُلاَنًا فَأَحْبِبْهُ . فَيُحِبُّهُ جِبْرِيلُ، فَيُنَادِي جِبْرِيلُ فِي أَهْلِ السَّمَاءِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ فُلاَنًا فَأَحِبُّوهُ . فَيُحِبُّهُ أَهْلُ السَّمَاءِ، ثُمَّ يُوضَعُ لَهُ الْقَبُولُ فِي الأَرْضِ
Allah said, 'I will declare war against him who shows hostility to a pious worshipper of Mine. And the most beloved things with which My slave comes nearer to Me, is what I have enjoined upon him; and My slave keeps on coming closer to Me through performing Nawafil (praying or doing extra deeds besides what is obligatory) till I love him, so I become his sense of hearing with which he hears, and his sense of sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he grips, and his leg with which he walks; and if he asks Me, I will give him, and if he asks My protection (Refuge), I will protect him
إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَالَ مَنْ عَادَى لِي وَلِيًّا فَقَدْ آذَنْتُهُ بِالْحَرْبِ، وَمَا تَقَرَّبَ إِلَىَّ عَبْدِي بِشَىْءٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَىَّ مِمَّا افْتَرَضْتُ عَلَيْهِ، وَمَا يَزَالُ عَبْدِي يَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَىَّ بِالنَّوَافِلِ حَتَّى أُحِبَّهُ، فَإِذَا أَحْبَبْتُهُ كُنْتُ سَمْعَهُ الَّذِي يَسْمَعُ بِهِ، وَبَصَرَهُ الَّذِي يُبْصِرُ بِهِ، وَيَدَهُ الَّتِي يَبْطُشُ بِهَا وَرِجْلَهُ الَّتِي يَمْشِي بِهَا، وَإِنْ سَأَلَنِي لأُعْطِيَنَّهُ، وَلَئِنِ اسْتَعَاذَنِي لأُعِيذَنَّهُ،
A du'a with this Name
أَسْأَلُكَ حُبَّكَ وَحُبَّ مَنْ يُحِبُّكَ وَحُبَّ عَمَلٍ يُقَرِّبُ إِلَى حُبِّكَ
And I ask You for Your love, the love of whomever You love, and the love of the deeds that bring one nearer to Your love
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3235, graded sahih by al-Albani: part of a du'a the Prophet ﷺ taught his companions, saying it is true, so study it and learn it
Related Names
Questions about Al-Wadud
What does Al-Wadud mean?
Al-Wadud is the Most Loving, the Most Affectionate and the Beloved.
How many times is Al-Wadud in the Quran?
Al-Wadud is mentioned 2 times in the Quran.
Does Allah love someone who sinned and repented?
He does. In 85:14 forgiveness is named first and love second, and al-Sa'di takes the order as the answer: the one who repents is forgiven and loved.
Is being loving praised in people?
It is. Asked about a woman of rank and beauty who could bear no children, the Prophet ﷺ said: “Marry women who are loving and very prolific, for I shall outnumber the peoples by you” (Sunan Abi Dawud 2050, graded hasan sahih by al-Albani).
Alhamdulillahi rabbil alameen.
November 24, 2025 at 5:30 am