سُوْرَةُ مَرْيَمَ
Surah Maryam (19) — Ayah 96
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ سَيَجْعَلُ لَهُمُ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ وُدًّا ﴿96﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Verily, those who believe [in the Oneness of Allâh and in His Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم)] and work deeds of righteousness, the Most Gracious (Allâh) will bestow love for them (in the hearts of the believers).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
ءَامَنُوا۟
āmanū
believed
وَعَمِلُوا۟
waʿamilū
and did
ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ
l-ṣāliḥāti
good deeds
سَيَجْعَلُ
sayajʿalu
will bestow
لَهُمُ
lahumu
for them
ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ
l-raḥmānu
the Most Gracious
وُدًّۭا
wuddan
affection
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 96) { سَيَجْعَلُ لَهُمُ الرَّحْمٰنُ وُدًّا: ’’ وُدٌّ ‘‘} and {’’ حُبٌّ ‘‘} are synonymous. The tanween of {’’ وُدًّا ‘‘} is for glorification. After mentioning the evil beliefs and deeds of the disbelievers and their evil end, Allah mentioned His favors upon those who have faith and do righteous deeds. This verse has three possible meanings, and all three are correct, each supported by the Qur’an and Hadith. There is no speech more comprehensive than the speech of Allah, in which many meanings are gathered in a few words. The first meaning is that those who sincerely believe and, to confirm this claim, act with sincerity according to the Book and Sunnah (because righteous deeds have three components: faith, sincerity, and following the Book and Sunnah), Allah will soon place great love for them in the hearts of the believers, while He will cast awe and fear of them into the hearts of their enemies, just as the awe of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) would reach an enemy a month’s journey away. Asbahani said that this love is granted purely by the grace of the Most Merciful, without any effort to win people’s love or any means of friendship among people, such as kinship, favor, generosity, or good character, etc. (even those who have never met him love him). (Biqā‘ī) The connection between the attribute of the Most Merciful and the creation of love in hearts is absolutely clear. An example of this in the Qur’an is making Musa (peace be upon him) beloved to the creation, as He said: «{ اَلْقَيْتُ عَلَيْكَ مَحَبَّةً مِّنِّيْ }» [ طٰہٰ : ۳۹ ] “And I cast upon you great love from Me.” Similarly, to those who say {’’رَبُّنَا اللّٰهُ ‘‘} (Our Lord is Allah) and remain steadfast, the angels give glad tidings: «{ نَحْنُ اَوْلِيٰٓؤُكُمْ فِي الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا وَ فِي الْاٰخِرَةِ}» [ حٰمٓ السجدۃ : ۳۱ ] “We are your friends in the life of this world and in the Hereafter.” And it is narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ إِذَا أَحَبَّ اللّٰهُ الْعَبْدَ نَادَی جِبْرِيْلَ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُحِبُّ فُلاَنًا فَأَحْبِبْهُ فَيُحِبُّهٗ جِبْرِيْلُ فَيُنَادِيْ جِبْرِيْلُ فِيْ أَهْلِ السَّمَاءِ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُحِبُّ فُلاَنًا فَأَحِبُّوْهٗ فَيُحِبُّهٗ أَهْلُ السَّمَاءِ ثُمَّ يُوْضَعُ لَهٗ الْقَبُوْلُ فِي الْأَرْضِ ] [ بخاري، بدء الخلق، باب ذکر الملائکۃ صلوات اللہ علیہم : ۳۲۵۹، ۷۴۸۵ ] “When Allah loves a servant, He calls Jibril and says: ‘Indeed, Allah loves so-and-so, so you should love him too.’ So Jibril loves him, and then he announces among the inhabitants of the heavens: ‘Allah loves so-and-so, so you all should love him.’ So the inhabitants of the heavens love him, then acceptance is placed for him on earth.”
In Sahih Muslim, there are further words: [ وَإِذَا أَبْغَضَ اللّٰهُ عَبْدًا دَعَا جِبْرَئِيْلَ فَيَقُوْلُ إِنِّيْ أُبْغِضُ فُلَانًا فَأَبْغِضْهُ، قَالَ: فَيُبْغِضُهُ جِبْرَئِيْلُ ، ثُمَّ يُنَادِيْ فِيْ أَهْلِ السَّمَاءِ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُبْغِضُ فُلَانًا فَأَبْغِضُوْهُ، قَالَ فَيُبْغِضُوْنَهُ، ثُمَّ تُوْضَعُ لَهُ الْبَغْضَاءُ فِي الْأَرْضِ ] [مسلم، البر والصلۃ، باب إذا أحب اللہ عبدا، أمر جبرئیل… : ۲۶۳۷ ] “And when He hates a servant, He calls Jibril and says: ‘I dislike so-and-so, so you should dislike him too.’” He said: “So Jibril dislikes him, then he announces among the inhabitants of the heavens that Allah dislikes so-and-so, so you all should dislike him.” He said: “So they dislike him, then hatred is placed for him on earth.” It should be noted that this verse was revealed in Makkah, where the Muslims were living in extreme oppression and hardship, as if Allah promised them that soon the situation would change (people would enter Islam in crowds) and instead of living in humiliation and disgrace, you would live as beloved to the creation. Thus, this promise was fulfilled, and until the end of time, such love for the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) has been placed in people’s hearts that it is hard to find an example of it. The second meaning of this verse is that Allah will create mutual love among the believers who do righteous deeds, so that those who were once mortal enemies will become sincere friends after faith, as Allah said: « { هُوَ الَّذِيْۤ اَيَّدَكَ بِنَصْرِهٖ وَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ (62) وَ اَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوْبِهِمْ لَوْ اَنْفَقْتَ مَا فِي الْاَرْضِ جَمِيْعًا مَّاۤ اَلَّفْتَ بَيْنَ قُلُوْبِهِمْ وَ لٰكِنَّ اللّٰهَ اَلَّفَ بَيْنَهُمْ اِنَّهٗ عَزِيْزٌ حَكِيْمٌ } » [الأنفال : ۶۲، ۶۳ ] “He is the One who supported you with His help and with the believers, and He brought their hearts together. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have brought their hearts together, but Allah brought them together. Indeed, He is All-Mighty, All-Wise.” It is the result of this mercy of the Most Merciful that the Aws and Khazraj, who fought for years, became brothers, and Bilal of Abyssinia, Suhayb of Rome, Salman of Persia, the Ansar of Madinah, and the Quraysh of Makkah all became brothers, and the practical example of {’’ اِنَّمَا الْمُوْمِنُوْنَ اِخْوَةٌ ‘‘} was presented to the world. And if any mutual resentment remained among them, Allah promised to remove it before they enter Paradise. See Surah Al-Hijr (47) as mentioned above. This love is created in the hearts of the believers, not in the hearts of the disbelievers. An example is Thumamah bin Uthal and Hind bint Utbah (may Allah be pleased with them), who testified that before accepting Islam, there was no one more hated to them than the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), but after accepting faith, there was no one more beloved to them than him.
The third meaning is that {’’ وُدًّا ‘‘} is a verbal noun with the meaning of a passive participle, i.e., a beloved thing, meaning that whatever the people of faith and righteous deeds love and desire, the Most Merciful will grant them that in Paradise, as He said: «{ وَ لَكُمْ فِيْهَا مَا تَشْتَهِيْۤ اَنْفُسُكُمْ وَ لَكُمْ فِيْهَا مَا تَدَّعُوْنَ }» [ حٰمٓ السجدۃ : ۳۱ ] “And for you therein is whatever your souls desire, and for you therein is whatever you ask for.” This meaning was stated by Abu Muslim. (Qasimi)
In Sahih Muslim, there are further words: [ وَإِذَا أَبْغَضَ اللّٰهُ عَبْدًا دَعَا جِبْرَئِيْلَ فَيَقُوْلُ إِنِّيْ أُبْغِضُ فُلَانًا فَأَبْغِضْهُ، قَالَ: فَيُبْغِضُهُ جِبْرَئِيْلُ ، ثُمَّ يُنَادِيْ فِيْ أَهْلِ السَّمَاءِ إِنَّ اللّٰهَ يُبْغِضُ فُلَانًا فَأَبْغِضُوْهُ، قَالَ فَيُبْغِضُوْنَهُ، ثُمَّ تُوْضَعُ لَهُ الْبَغْضَاءُ فِي الْأَرْضِ ] [مسلم، البر والصلۃ، باب إذا أحب اللہ عبدا، أمر جبرئیل… : ۲۶۳۷ ] “And when He hates a servant, He calls Jibril and says: ‘I dislike so-and-so, so you should dislike him too.’” He said: “So Jibril dislikes him, then he announces among the inhabitants of the heavens that Allah dislikes so-and-so, so you all should dislike him.” He said: “So they dislike him, then hatred is placed for him on earth.” It should be noted that this verse was revealed in Makkah, where the Muslims were living in extreme oppression and hardship, as if Allah promised them that soon the situation would change (people would enter Islam in crowds) and instead of living in humiliation and disgrace, you would live as beloved to the creation. Thus, this promise was fulfilled, and until the end of time, such love for the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) has been placed in people’s hearts that it is hard to find an example of it. The second meaning of this verse is that Allah will create mutual love among the believers who do righteous deeds, so that those who were once mortal enemies will become sincere friends after faith, as Allah said: « { هُوَ الَّذِيْۤ اَيَّدَكَ بِنَصْرِهٖ وَ بِالْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ (62) وَ اَلَّفَ بَيْنَ قُلُوْبِهِمْ لَوْ اَنْفَقْتَ مَا فِي الْاَرْضِ جَمِيْعًا مَّاۤ اَلَّفْتَ بَيْنَ قُلُوْبِهِمْ وَ لٰكِنَّ اللّٰهَ اَلَّفَ بَيْنَهُمْ اِنَّهٗ عَزِيْزٌ حَكِيْمٌ } » [الأنفال : ۶۲، ۶۳ ] “He is the One who supported you with His help and with the believers, and He brought their hearts together. If you had spent all that is in the earth, you could not have brought their hearts together, but Allah brought them together. Indeed, He is All-Mighty, All-Wise.” It is the result of this mercy of the Most Merciful that the Aws and Khazraj, who fought for years, became brothers, and Bilal of Abyssinia, Suhayb of Rome, Salman of Persia, the Ansar of Madinah, and the Quraysh of Makkah all became brothers, and the practical example of {’’ اِنَّمَا الْمُوْمِنُوْنَ اِخْوَةٌ ‘‘} was presented to the world. And if any mutual resentment remained among them, Allah promised to remove it before they enter Paradise. See Surah Al-Hijr (47) as mentioned above. This love is created in the hearts of the believers, not in the hearts of the disbelievers. An example is Thumamah bin Uthal and Hind bint Utbah (may Allah be pleased with them), who testified that before accepting Islam, there was no one more hated to them than the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), but after accepting faith, there was no one more beloved to them than him.
The third meaning is that {’’ وُدًّا ‘‘} is a verbal noun with the meaning of a passive participle, i.e., a beloved thing, meaning that whatever the people of faith and righteous deeds love and desire, the Most Merciful will grant them that in Paradise, as He said: «{ وَ لَكُمْ فِيْهَا مَا تَشْتَهِيْۤ اَنْفُسُكُمْ وَ لَكُمْ فِيْهَا مَا تَدَّعُوْنَ }» [ حٰمٓ السجدۃ : ۳۱ ] “And for you therein is whatever your souls desire, and for you therein is whatever you ask for.” This meaning was stated by Abu Muslim. (Qasimi)
