Al-Wadūd - The Objectively Loving One The Loving-Kind
Al-Wadūd is the one who desires good for all mankind; he does good for them, and he praises them. This name approximates the concept underlying (the compassionate one) Ar-Rahīm. But compassion is related to the object of mercy, and the object of mercy is the needy one and the one under compulsion. The deeds of the compassionate one presuppose an object of mercy who is weak, whereas deeds of Al-Wadūd do not require that. Indeed, acts of kindness from the outset belong to the products of love. Just as the meaning of the compassion of God Most High is His desiring good for the object of mercy and His being sufficient (to bring) it (about) while remaining above the empathy (usually associated with human) compassion, likewise His love is His desiring honour and favour (for man), and is His (actual) beneficence and His bounty, while He remains above the feeling of love. But love and mercy are desired in respect of their objects only for the sake of their fruit and benefit and not because of empathy or feeling.
Thus the benefit is the quintessence of mercy and love and the spirit of these two. That is the conception (of these two characteristics) in respect of God Most High to the exclusion of that which (in human experience) accompanies them but is not a condition of producing the benefit.
Al-Wadūd among men is the one who desires for the creatures of God everything which he desires for himself. Even higher is the one who prefers the others to himself, even as one of them said, “I wish that I were a bridge over the fire upon which the people might pass over (safely) and not be harmed by it”. The perfection of that (characteristic in man) is that one should not be restrained from affection and beneficence by anger, hatred or (resentment) of that harm done to him, even as the messenger of God said – may blessings and peace be upon him – when his teeth were broken and his face was bloodied (at the Battle of Uhud), “O, God, guide my people for they do not know”. (Even) their evil action did not prevent (the prophet) from desiring (only) good for them”.
