# Does Allah Love Me? | Allah's Names: The Name I Need - Ep. 10

**Author:** Dr. Omar Suleiman
**Series:** The Name I Need | Ramadan 2026
**Published:** 2026-02-27
**YouTube:** https://youtu.be/t--rezLMP1c
**URL:** https://yaqeeninstitute.org/watch/series/the-name-i-need-ramadan-2026/does-allah-love-me-allahs-names-the-name-i-need-ep-10
**Topics:** Allah, Faith

## Summary
This episode explores three of Allah's beautiful names — Al-Wadud (the Loving), Al-Muhsin (the Ultimate Good-Doer), and Ash-Shakur (the Most Appreciative) — and addresses the profound question of whether Allah loves everyone. The lecture clarifies that Allah's love is nuanced: He does not love the persistent sinner and the striving worshipper equally, but He loves repentance and good for all people. Rather than saying 'Allah loves sinners,' the speaker encourages saying 'Allah loves the repenters,' referencing the words of Prophet Shu'ayb (alayhi salam) who called his people to seek forgiveness, describing Allah as 'rahimun wadud' (merciful and loving). The name Al-Wadud is distinguished from mere 'hubb' (feeling of love) as 'wudd' — love translated into action. When Allah loves a servant, He announces it to Jibril (alayhi salam), who announces it to the angels, and that love descends to earth. Following the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), Al-Habib, is the pathway into the circle of Al-Wadud's love, as stated in the Quran [Al-Imran 3:31]. The lecture warns against 'shirk al-mahabbah' — loving something equally to Allah — as love itself can become a false idol. As Al-Muhsin, Allah rewards even imperfect deeds with Jannah, and mirrors acts of kindness shown to others with immeasurable divine generosity, including forgiving sins in exchange for relieving others' burdens or canceling transactions. Ash-Shakur appreciates even the smallest deeds beyond measure, unlike humans who often deny the greatest good done to them. The Prophet (ﷺ) exemplified the highest gratitude by praying extra night prayers until his feet swelled, saying 'Shall I not be an extremely grateful servant?' The lecture concludes with a heartfelt du'a to Ya Wadud, Ya Muhsin, and Ya Shakur, asking for transformative love, excellence in deeds, and boundless gratitude.

## Key Points
- Allah's love is nuanced — He does not love the persistent sinner and the striving worshipper in the same way, but He loves repentance and good for everyone.
- The correct framing is 'Allah loves the repenters,' not 'Allah loves sinners,' so as not to cheapen His love or make people feel hopeless about their past sins.
- Al-Wadud means love translated into action (wudd), not merely a feeling (hubb) — when Allah loves a servant, He announces it throughout the heavens to Jibril and the angels.
- Following the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), Al-Habib, is the pathway to entering the circle of Al-Wadud's love, as stated in the Quran.
- Shirk al-mahabbah — loving something or someone equally to Allah — is a spiritual danger because love itself can become a false idol.
- As Al-Muhsin, Allah rewards even imperfect acts of worship with Jannah and mirrors acts of kindness to others with immeasurable divine generosity.
- Acts of ihsan (excellence) toward others — relieving burdens, canceling debts, covering faults — are met by Allah with equal or greater relief on the Day of Judgment.
- As Ash-Shakur, Allah appreciates even the smallest deeds beyond measure, while many humans deny even the greatest good done to them.
- Allah gives worldly blessings to both those He loves and those He doesn't, but He gives iman (faith) only to those He loves.
- Gratitude transforms worship from bare minimum obligation to loving devotion, deepening one's relationship with Allah and inviting even greater blessings.

## Chapters
- 0:00 Opening Scene
- 2:53 Allah Loves Repentance, Not Sin
- 4:05 Al-Wadud: Love That Acts
- 5:21 Loving Allah Above Everything
- 6:06 A Duʿa for Transformative Love
- 6:58 Stories of Devotion That Moved the Heavens
- 8:11 Allah Loves the Muhsinin
- 9:09 Ihsan in How We Treat Others
- 11:28 Ash-Shakur: The One Who Rewards Beyond Measure
- 13:51 Gratitude That Deepens Divine Love
- 15:03 Closing Duʿa: A Du'a For Allah's Boundless Love

## Transcript
**[0:00]** ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪

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**[2:10]** ♪♪ ♪♪

**[2:30]** ♪♪ Does Allah love everyone? It's a question that makes people uncomfortable,

**[2:46]** but the answer is more nuanced than a simple yes or no. Allah doesn't love the persistent sinner and the striving good-doer in the same way, but He loves good for you, and He loves repentance from you. So we need to change how we phrase this. Instead of saying Allah loves the sinners,

**[3:02]** say Allah loves the repenters. That way you don't belittle the sin or cheapen His love, but you also don't make a person hopeless thinking they can never reach Allah's love because of their past sins. It's your present sins that serve as barriers, not your past.

**[3:17]** And if you're repenting, then know that divine love doesn't expire with failure. Shu'ayb 'alayhi salam said to his people, "Wastaghfiru rabbakum thumma tubu ilayhi. Inna rabbi rahimun wadud." Seek your Lord's forgiveness,

**[3:33]** then turn back to Him. Indeed, my Lord is merciful and loving. Notice how he says "rabbakum," your Lord, and then he says "rabbi," my Lord. As if to say, follow the way I follow, and then you'll experience His love

**[3:48]** the way I experience His love. Because it's not for free. And Allah says, "Qul in kuntum tuhibbun Allaha fattabi'uni yuhbibkum Allahu wa yaghfir lakum dhunubakum." Say, if you truly love Allah, then follow me and Allah will love you back

**[4:03]** and forgive your sins. So Allah's love is expensive and unique, but not inaccessible. Allah's name is Al-Wadud, the Loving. There's a difference in our tradition between hubb and wudd. Hubb can be a mere feeling of love.

**[4:20]** Wudd is love translated into action. We're more used to the word habib, which also means beloved one. Al-Wadud is the One who loves and acts upon His love. And when Allah 'azza wa jall loves you, it never stops at just feelings.

**[4:35]** He announces that love throughout the heavens. He calls Jibril 'alayhi salam and says, "Ya Jibril, inni uhibbu fulana, I love so-and-so, so love them as well." So Jibril loves that person too. And then Jibril announces it to the angels in the heavens.

**[4:50]** And then they love you too. And then that love descends to the earth. And it's like the current of love runs from the throne of Ar-Rahman through the angels of light into the lives of people you may not have even met yet. Wudd is to love someone

**[5:05]** and then to constantly look for them and do what they love for them. He is Al-Wadud, the One who loves and acts upon His love. And His Messenger is Al-Habib, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, the most beloved,

**[5:20]** who was always seeking his Lord's pleasure. So when you follow the Habib, you enter into the circle of Al-Wadud. And just like no one else loves you like Allah, no one else deserves to be loved the way you love Allah. "Wa min an-nasi man yattakhidhu min duni Allahi andadan

**[5:37]** yuhibbunahum ka-hubbi Allahi." From those who take partners beside their Lord are those who love them the way they should love Allah. Because that can translate into preference. If you love someone or something equally to Allah,

**[5:52]** then you will conform to what it wants of you. And that's called shirk al-mahabbah, associating partners in love. Because love itself can become a false idol. Al-Wadud is willing to love, but you have to be loyal in that love. And you're not asking Allah for an empty love,

**[6:09]** you're asking Him for a transformative one. Hence the beautiful du'a of the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, "Allahumma inni as'aluka hubbaka wa hubba man yuhibbuka wa hubba kulli 'amalin yuqarribuni ila hubbika." O Allah, I ask You for Your love

**[6:25]** and the love of those who love You and the love of every deed that brings me nearer to Your love. "Summiyat al-mahabbah li-annaha tamhu min al-qalbi ma siwa al-mahbub." It's called mahabbah, love, because it erases from the heart

**[6:40]** everything other than the object of your love. So His love overwhelms your heart in a way that makes the hate or the hardship of this world bearable. "Idha sahha minki al-wadd, fa al-kullu hayyin. Fa kullu alladhi fawqa at-turab turab."

**[6:56]** If I have Your love, then everything else is easy because everything above the dirt is dirt itself. I will never forget this young girl in France who, when hijab was banned in schools, she shaved her head and then, as she was being interviewed,

**[7:12]** this teenage girl says these beautiful words, "If being ugly in the sight of the creation means being beautiful in the sight of the Creator, then it's worth it." Where do you think that spiritual clarity comes from? And can you imagine Al-Wadud looking at her at that moment

**[7:28]** and then the conversation that must have happened in the heavens if she was sincere in what she said? And at night when you rise from the comfort of your bed and maybe even from your beloved spouse just to stand before Him, Allah turns to His angels and says,

**[7:45]** "Undhuru ila 'abdi. Look at My servant. Taraka firashahu wa lihafahu min bayna ahlihi wa hubbihi fa-qama li as-salati raghbatan fima 'indi wa makhafatan mimma 'indi." He left his bed and his comfort

**[8:01]** and his family and his beloved, yearning for what is with Me and fearing what is with Me. That's Al-Wadud loving you back, announcing your name in the heavens for the simplest act of love on earth. And think about it,

**[8:16]** if Al-Wadud loves the repentant sinner so much and rejoices for him, how much more do you think He loves the striving worshipper? "Wallahu yuhibb al-muhsinin." Allah loves the good-doers, but Allah Himself is Al-Muhsin,

**[8:32]** the ultimate good-doer. Ihsan means doing more than what's expected of you, outmatching every good. And Allah will never let you outdo Him in good to Him or anyone else. So imagine for your half-distracted prayers, your fasting from just before sunrise to sunset

**[8:49]** that sometimes ends with feasting, your charity that didn't sting too much, He gives you Jannah in return. He takes your one dollar and He turns it into mountains of gold. The tasbih that barely cost you a breath earns you a palace in Jannah.

**[9:04]** That's Him being Muhsin to you for what you do between you and Him. And when it involves being a muhsin to others, Allah 'azza wa jall even rewards more. The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said that a man from the nations before you was called to account

**[9:19]** in the Hereafter. Nothing good was found with him except that he would overlook people's loans and he would relieve debt. So Allah said, "Nahnu ahaqqu bi-dhalika minhu. We are more worthy of this leniency than him,

**[9:34]** so overlook all of his sins." And the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said, "Whoever simply cancels a transaction with his brother or sister because they regretted it..." So someone agrees to purchase something from you, but they quickly regret it, and now you're not bound to release them

**[9:49]** from that transaction, but you say, "You know what, don't worry about it." Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said, "For that, Allah will cancel his mistakes on the Day of Judgment." So if it's in the realm of relieving someone or helping them from a place of ihsan, Al-Muhsin will meet it with so much more

**[10:06]** in this life and the next. The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said, "Whoever relieves a Muslim of a burden from the burdens of this world, Allah will relieve him of a burden from his burdens on the Day of Judgment. And whoever eases a difficulty in this world,

**[10:21]** Allah will grant him ease from a difficulty in this world and in the Hereafter. And whoever covers the faults of his Muslim brother or sister, Allah will cover his faults in this life and in the Hereafter. Allah is engaged in helping His servant

**[10:38]** so long as his servant is engaged in helping his brother." And your ihsan can sometimes come in the smallest extra details, because Al-Muhsin pays attention to the smallest things that you do for Him and then rewards it unimaginably.

**[10:53]** Now imagine something far bigger than those small deeds, like freeing someone from slavery. The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said, "Whoever frees a believing slave, then Allah will free every part of his body from the Fire." So the same way that you freed that person

**[11:08]** from captivity, Allah frees you from eternal captivity. Now, this ihsan isn't even limited to acts of kindness to humans. Remember that lifelong sinner who gave water to a dog and Allah forgave them for all of their sins? But for what?

**[11:23]** You gave water to a dog, not Allah. But Allah is grateful to you for taking care of one of His creation with the blessing that He provided for you in the first place. And this unveils the next layer. Allah is Shakir, Appreciative,

**[11:38]** just as He is Ghafir, Forgiving. And He has the capacity of forgiveness and gratitude that is unimaginable. And for the smallest single act of kindness, He rewards in the most incredible of ways. But His name is also Ash-Shakur,

**[11:53]** the Most Appreciative. And just as Al-Ghafur forgives beyond measure, Ash-Shakur rewards beyond measure. Now what's the difference between shukr and ihsan? Ihsan is more general in that you may show it to someone who did nothing for you,

**[12:08]** like overlooking a shortcoming, or holding a door for a stranger, or picking up a piece of garbage from in front of someone's house. But shukr is specifically how you show appreciation for good. So Al-Muhsin won't be outmatched in the extra effort

**[12:23]** that goes beyond what's deserved. And Ash-Shakur will not be outmatched in thanking someone for any good that they put forth. And as He appreciates even your smallest deed, think about how many humans deny the most significant good done to them.

**[12:38]** "Inna hadaynahu as-sabila, imma shakiran wa imma kafura." Verily, We have guided him to the path. Either he is shakir, grateful, or intensely ungrateful. Iblis said, "Wa la tajidu aktharahum shakirin."

**[12:53]** And you will find that the majority of them are indeed ungrateful. And Iblis specifically said that he could disconnect you from prayer by making you ungrateful. Think about it. People are not willing to pray five times a day. You realize how ungrateful

**[13:08]** that is to Allah? He provides for you day and night, and you can't even spare a few minutes for Him to say thank You. And he used the term shakir, basic gratitude, to describe human beings, not even shakur, which is the higher,

**[13:23]** more intensive form. At least let them be shakir and not kafur, not intensely ungrateful. But then look at the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, when he was asked why he prays not just five times a day, but so much extra at night that his feet swell up.

**[13:39]** And the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, has already been forgiven for all of his sins. And he replies, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, "Afala akunu 'abdan shakura?" Shall I not be an extremely grateful servant? He wanted to do even more.

**[13:55]** And Allah says, "Wa la'in shakartum la-azidannakum." If you are grateful, then I will increase you even more. And there's another thing about being grateful to Him. When you realize His blessings upon you, you're increased in your love towards Him.

**[14:10]** And the Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said, "Ahibbu Allaha lima yaghdukum min ni'amihi." Love Allah for the blessings that He provides for you. But here's the thing, those blessings can be provided out of love for you, or despite His not loving you.

**[14:25]** Just like we said about divine aid and nasr. The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said, "Inna Allaha yu'ti ad-dunya liman yuhibbu wa man la yuhibbu, wa la yu'ti al-iman illa man ahabba." Allah gives of this world

**[14:40]** to those He loves and those He doesn't love. But He only gives iman, faith, to those whom He loves. He begins by loving you enough to guide you. And then He loves you again when you love Him back through repentance. And then He loves you most

**[14:55]** when gratitude transforms your worship from bare minimum obligation to extra loving devotion. And the extra He may give you may not just be extra reward, but extra in regards to your relationship with Him.

**[15:15]** Ya Wadud, love me even after I falter and let Your love reach me through every mercy I overlook. Teach me to love You more than what You give and to find sweetness in every test that draws me closer to Your love.

**[15:32]** Announce Your love for me in the heavens until I hear that announcement myself in Paradise. Surround me with it in everything around me and let me feel it deep inside myself. Ya Muhsin,

**[15:47]** You perfect everything You touch. Make me one of those who do good because You do good. Guide me to the ways of good in every single one of my dealings. Then let my deeds of excellence to others be a reflection of Your unmatched perfection.

**[16:04]** Ya Shakur, for every small effort I make, reward me beyond measure. Let me never grow tired of thanking You and never forget that gratitude itself is a gift from You. Accept from me what is broken

**[16:19]** and multiply it until it becomes whole.

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