Verse 165 of Surah Al-Baqarah, like a radiant gem amidst the Quranic verses, delves into the profundity of the concepts of hub (love) and wudd (affection), inviting humanity to reflect upon the gradations of their emotional and theological dispositions. This verse, approached from theological, philosophical, and psychological perspectives, elucidates the distinction between the believers love for God and the idolatrous inclinations of the disbelievers towards divine counterparts. In this treatise, adopting a systematic and scholarly methodology, the content of the lecture and associated analyses concerning this verse are reformulated to present a coherent, profound, and elevated text suitable for specialised academic audiences. This work, whilst preserving all details and meanings, connects relevant Quranic verses and narrations to explicate the degrees of love and inclination within the frameworks of theology and psychology, utilising refined literary metaphors to enrich its eloquence.
Verse 165 of Surah Al-Baqarah, akin to a mirror reflecting the truth of the human heart, examines the notion of hub and its differential manifestation in the faith-based behaviours of believers and disbelievers. Theologically, this verse emphasises the intensity of the believers love for God, whilst psychologically, it conceptualises hub as an emotional force shaping human conduct and decision-making. Sociologically, the verse points to the belief structures of both faithful and unfaithful societies.
And of the people are some who take others besides Allah as equals [to Him], whom they love as they love Allah. But those who believe are stronger in love for Allah.
Hub, like a river flowing from various springs, is categorised into four types: Hub min Allah (love originating from God), Hub ila Allah (love directed towards God), Hub al-Mazahir (love of divine manifestations), and Hub bi al-Batil (love of falsehoods). This taxonomy, from a theological standpoint, delineates the hierarchical gradations of love within the cosmic order; philosophically, it refers to existential hierarchies and human orientations; and psychologically, it reveals the diversity of human emotions and inclinations in relation to truth and falsehood.
Hub, like a star in the firmament of Quranic lexicon, holds the highest rank in expressing love, with no term surpassing it in the sacred language. The intensity of this love is conveyed by the phrase ashaddu hubban (stronger love), indicating the pinnacle of emotional perfection in faith. From a rhetorical perspective, this choice underscores the primacy of love in the Quranic value system; theologically, it signifies faithful love; and psychologically, it guides humanity towards consummate spiritual excellence.
The term ishq (passionate love), due to its association with lust and romantic usages in poetry and mysticism, does not appear in the Quran. Instead, the phrase ashaddu hubban is employed. This lexical selection, rhetorically, reflects the Qurans precision in vocabulary to avoid vernacular connotations. Theologically, the phrase refers to epistemic and faithful love, distinct from instinctual emotions. Psychologically, this distinction highlights the primacy of rational love over carnal inclinations.
Verse 165 of Surah Al-Baqarah, by explicating the concept of hub and its gradations, invites reflection on the quality of ones love for God and its contrast with idolatrous inclinations. The verses categorisation of love and emphasis on its exalted Quranic status provide guidance for understanding human identity from multiple perspectives.
Hub, as a lofty summit in emotional gradations, represents the capacity for consummate desire, whereas wudd and mawaddah constitute the slopes of this summit, referring to natural inclinations and affections. Hub appears ninety-six times and wudd twenty-nine times in the Quran. Wudd, a lower degree of hub, connotes natural attraction, while hub is directed towards rational and faithful love. Philosophically, these levels allude to existential hierarchies in human emotions; psychologically, wudd relates to instinctive inclinations and hub to volitional choices; theologically, this distinction underscores the significance of faithful love.
The Quran, in the verse mawaddatan
