In the name of Allah (God)[1], The All-Merciful, The Ever-Merciful; and praise be to Allah the Lord of the worlds[2]. All prayers and blessings be upon the Prophet of Allah (SAWS)[3]. Today we will live with a new name of Allah’s most beautiful names, The Ever-Affectionate. It is a name full of love, compassion, and mercy. It is mentioned twice in the holy Qur’an. Allah says what can be translated as, “And He is The Ever-Forgiving, The Ever-Affectionate” (TMQ, 85:14)[4] and “…surely my Lord is Ever-Merciful, Ever-Affectionate” (TMQ, 11:90).

2- The difference between affection and love and why Allah has no name called the lover.

It means love and compassion; it is the purest form of love, without any malice or envy. The Ever-Affectionate loves His devoted servants and they love Him with all their might to the extent that His love fills their hearts, eyes, ears, and souls. For them, The Ever-Affectionate is dearer than their souls, children and the whole world. In addition, The Ever-Affectionate approaches His loyal and devoted servants with love, the sinners with mercy and forgiveness, and the whole people with ample blessings in the universe. It is of our creed to believe that as Allah is The Creator and The Superb Provider, Allah is truly The Ever-Affectionate. You are so tiny compared to His kingdom and He can dispense with you as there are many creatures that worship Him more than you, angels. However, you are dear to The Creator (SWT)[5].

Affection is more comprehensive than love. Love is inner feelings, yet affection is the translation of these feelings into actions and behaviors. Thus Allah (SWT) called Himself The Ever-Affectionate not the lover because affection is more powerful than love. Therefore, each affectionate person is a lover but not each lover is an affectionate one. The Prophet (SAWS) said that when Allah (SWT) loves someone, Jibril (AS)[6] (Gabriel) calles on the dwellers of the Heavens that Allah loves that person and orders them to love him and calls on the creatures on earth to please him.

Man is very weak and has many needs and desires. Man wants compassion and sympathy together with food, drink, knowledge, and money; thus Allah (SWT) revealed Himself as The Ever- Affectionate along with The Ever-Merciful, The Superb Provider, The Generous, and The Almighty. The Prophet (SAWS) said that Allah is more merciful than the mother to her child, that is, to show you how much Allah loves you.

The Ever-Affectionate loves in two ways. The first love is for the benefit of the whole universe. Allah created everything with a certain role in addtion to the signs of The Ever-Affectionate’s love. Allah created the night for people to rest; however He (SWT) says what can be translated as, “And (by) the night when it (comes) with its dark stillness” (TMQ, 93:2), the night has its beauty in which lovers sit and talk. Moreover, Allah created the hot weather in the morning; therefore, He (SWT) created the shade, a kind of affection, and says what can be translated as, “Have you not regarded your Lord, how He has extended the shade?” (TMQ, 25:45). Notice that this ayah[7] is in surat[8] al-Furqan (The Criterion) in which it talks about how The Ever-Affectionate is kind to the Prophet despite the harm of the rejecters of faith.

The second way of love and affection is directed solely to the believers and the righteous worshipers. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Surely the ones who have believed and done deeds of righteousness, for them The All-Merciful will soon show (Literally: make for them) affection” (TMQ, 19:96). For example, the cave of mount Hira' takes the shape of a hug and the first thing Jibril did after descending was hugging the Prophet (SAWS). When the rejecters of faith harmed the Prophet (SAWS), Allah tells him what can be translated as, “And (endure) patiently under the Judgment of your Lord, (for) then surely you are under Our Eyes” (TMQ, 52:48). In the Battle of Uhud, the Prophet was injured, seventy of the companions were killed, and Muslims felt grieve, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “And do not feel feeble nor grieve; and you are the most exalted in case you are believers. In case a blow touches you, (This refers to the Battle of ’Uhud) then a like blow has already touched the (disbelieving) people. And such days We interchange (i.e. the change of fortune) among mankind and that Allah may know (the ones) who have believed and take to Him martyr-witnesses from among you” (TMQ, 3:139--140). If you cannot feel the love of The Ever-Affectionate, it is either Allah (SWT) loves you but you cannot feel His affection or He does not love you because you do not deserve His affection, and that is a catastrophe!

Allah tries to get close to us, the Quran says: “… then Allah will eventually come up with a people He loves and who love Him” (TMQ, 5:54) Allah first mentions that He will love them, and then He mentions that they will love Him too.

The hijab (covering of the woman) is yet another example of Allah’s kindness to mankind. The Quran says “O you Prophet, say to your spouses and your daughters and the women of believers, that they draw their outer garments closer to them; that will (make) it likelier that they will be recognized and so will not be hurt. And Allah has been Ever-Forgiving, Ever-Merciful.” (TMQ, 33:59) Thus, Allah asks women to wear the scarf in order to be protected.

The kindness and love we have to the dear people to us is all just a little part of the kindness and love Allah has for us.

Al-Wadood wants us to complain to Him, tell him about our hardships, and to have this close relationship with him. There is a difference between Allah’s names al-Mojeeb (The Supreme-Answerer) and al-Wadood. There is a difference between asking Allah for something, and just talking to him about your problems, and remembering how close he is to you. Telling Allah about your concerns is an act of worship that has its own beauty, and is very special because of how close it makes you feel you are to Allah. The Quran mentions that through the story of the mother of Virgin Mary (Maryam) as related in the ayah that can be translated as, “Lord! Surely I have vowed to you what is in my belly in dedication; so (graciously) accept (it) from me. Surely You, (Ever) You, are The Ever-Hearing, The Ever-Knowing. So, as soon as she brought her forth, (i.e. gave birth to her) she said, “Lord! Surely I have brought her forth, a female.” And Allah knows best what she brought forth, and the male is not as the female. “And surely I have named her Maryam. (Mary) And surely I take refuge with You for her and her offspring from the outcast Ash- shaytan.” (The all vicious, i.e., the Devil) (TMQ, 3:35-36).

Mary’s mother had a very close relationship with Allah. She talked to him about all her thoughts and hardships. Now, when she faced the problem of delivering a girl instead of a boy as she thought she would, Allah did not turn her away. He replied saying, what can be translated as, “Then, her Lord graciously accepted her with fair acceptance, and caused her to grow a fair growth, and He made Zakariyya (Zechariah) her sponsor. Whenever Zakariyya entered the Chamber to her, he found (a) provision in her presence. He said, “O Maryam however does this (come) to you?” She said, “It is from the Providence of Allah; surely Allah provides whomever He decides without reckoning” (TMQ, 3:37)

2- Be sure that Allah tries to get you closer to him, when you have a problem, talk to Allah, tell him about your hardships and ask him to help you with them.

3- Be kind to people. Be nice to your spouse, to your family, and to your friends.

[1] The word Allah is the Arabic term for God. Although the use of the word "Allah" is most often associated with Islam, it is not used exclusively by Muslims; Arab Christians and Arabic-speaking Jews also use it to refer to the One God. The Arabic word expresses the unique characteristics of the One God more precisely than the English term. Whereas the word "Allah" has no plural form in Arabic, the English form does, and the word 'Allah' in Arabic has no connotation of gender. Allah is the God worshipped by all Prophets, from Adam to Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad.

[2] Mankind, jinn and all creation.

[3] Salla Allah alayhe Wa Salam [All Prayers and Blessings of Allah be upon him].

[4] TMQ=Translation of the Meaning of the Qur'an. This translation is for the realized meaning, so far, of the stated (Surah:Ayah) of the Qur'an. Reading the translated meaning of the Qur'an can never replace reading it in Arabic, the language in which it was revealed.

[5] SWT = Suhanahu wa Ta'ala [Glorified and Exalted Be He].

[6] AS = Alayhi as-salam [Peace be upon him].

[7] A verse in the Qur'an.

[8] A chapter; the Qur’an is comprised of 114 surahs.

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