Fajr Thoughts: Nearness to Him Part 16
Love so firm, Mercy so vast.
In the name of Allah, the entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful
إِنَّ الَّذينَ ءامَنوا وَعَمِلُوا الصّٰلِحٰتِ سَيَجعَلُ لَهُمُ الرَّحمٰنُ وُدًّا
Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds - the Most Merciful will appoint for them affection. Surah Maryam (19:96)
Our hearts long for love.
And ودّ is that love, not fleeting admiration, not attachment tainted by expectation, but a love that lingers, that is pure, that is real.
Think of the words that have the same root, al-Wadud [one of Allah’s names] and mawaddah [love]
Allah ties this gift of love to īmān and righteous action, while reminding us that love is something He places. And when He places it, it is not fragile. It does not depend on circumstances or the approval of people, neither is it a love we manipulate. It is a love that settles in the hearts.
And notice who is placing it, Ar-Raḥmān, the One whose Mercy encompasses all things. The same name echoes through the Qur'an as a reminder that everything good flows from His Mercy. The same Ar-Raḥmān who nurtures, who softens, who heals. It is from His Mercy that this love is written for the believers, a love that exists not because they are seeking validation, but because they have chosen faith and righteous action.
I do not need to mould myself to fit into places where I was never meant to belong. The love that is real, the love that lasts, the love that matters, is the one that is placed by Him—not the one we exhaust ourselves trying to earn.
I do not need to force belonging where it does not naturally exist. I need to trust that as I walk this path of faith, sincerity, and striving, that it suffices.
It reminds me of the deepest love, the love of Allah ﷻ for His believing servant. Because what greater sign of being loved is there than knowing that Ar-Raḥmān Himself has set love in motion for you?
It is gifted. It is granted. It is placed. And you just need to do righteous deeds.
And so, I remind myself: Walk the path of īmān. Choose the action that pleases Him. Live for Ar-Raḥmān, and then let Him.
The love that He writes for you, that is the love that will hold.
Ya Rahman, Ya Wadud! Place in our hearts a love for You that overrides all else, love for the Qur’an that pulls us closer to You, love for righteous actions that keeps our feet firm on this path. Let our relationships be built on sincerity, our companionships be anchored in faith, and our presence in the lives of others be a means of mercy.
If you would like to reflect on least one ayah daily this blessed month, then go ahead and get your copy of Fajr Thoughts. It contains a summary of each juz, an ayah or passage from each juz, some notes from tafasir and then some questions to get you started on your reflections.