Quran verses about love
The Quran speaks about love, hubb and mawadda, in several directions. It names Allah al-Wadud, the Loving, twice. It describes a people whom Allah loves and who love Him, and it says that the believers' love for Allah is stronger than any other attachment. It also lists, again and again, the kinds of people Allah loves: those who do good, the patient, the just, those who trust Him, those who turn back to Him.
Love between people appears too. Allah places affection and mercy between spouses, promises love to those who believe and do good, and holds out hope that He may even place affection between people who were once enemies. The early believers of Medina are praised for loving the emigrants who came to them. The verses below move from Allah's love, to what earns it, to love among people.
وَهُوَ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ٱلۡوَدُودُ ﴿١٤﴾
And He is the Forgiving, the Loving.
Al-Buruj 85:14 Surah Al-Buruj names Allah as the Forgiving and the Loving, al-Wadud.
وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ ثُمَّ تُوبُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِۚ إِنَّ رَبِّي رَحِيمࣱ وَدُودࣱ ﴿٩٠﴾
“And ask your Lord for forgiveness, and repent to Him. My Lord is Merciful and Loving.”
Hud 11:90 The prophet Shu'ayb urges his people to seek forgiveness and repent, assuring them that his Lord is merciful and loving.
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مَن يَرۡتَدَّ مِنكُمۡ عَن دِينِهِۦ فَسَوۡفَ يَأۡتِي ٱللَّهُ بِقَوۡمٖ يُحِبُّهُمۡ وَيُحِبُّونَهُۥٓ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى ٱلۡكَٰفِرِينَ يُجَٰهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوۡمَةَ لَآئِمٖۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضۡلُ ٱللَّهِ يُؤۡتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُۚ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿٥٤﴾
O you who believe! Whoever of you goes back on his religion—Allah will bring a people whom He loves and who love Him, kind towards the believers, stern with the disbelievers. They strive in the way of Allah, and do not fear the blame of the critic. That is the grace of Allah; He bestows it upon whomever He wills. Allah is Embracing and Knowing.
Al-Ma'idah 5:54 Allah speaks of a people whom He loves and who love Him, humble toward believers and unafraid of anyone's blame.
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ أَندَادٗا يُحِبُّونَهُمۡ كَحُبِّ ٱللَّهِۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَشَدُّ حُبّٗا لِّلَّهِۗ وَلَوۡ يَرَى ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوٓاْ إِذۡ يَرَوۡنَ ٱلۡعَذَابَ أَنَّ ٱلۡقُوَّةَ لِلَّهِ جَمِيعٗا وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلۡعَذَابِ ﴿١٦٥﴾
Yet among the people are those who take other than Allah as equals to Him. They love them as the love of Allah. But those who believe have greater love for Allah. If only the wrongdoers would realize, when they see the torment; that all power is Allah’s, and that Allah is severe in punishment.
Al-Baqarah 2:165 Some people love other things as they should love Allah, but the verse says those who believe are stronger in their love for Allah.
قُلۡ إِن كُنتُمۡ تُحِبُّونَ ٱللَّهَ فَٱتَّبِعُونِي يُحۡبِبۡكُمُ ٱللَّهُ وَيَغۡفِرۡ لَكُمۡ ذُنُوبَكُمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورࣱ رَّحِيمࣱ ﴿٣١﴾
Say, “If you love Allah, then follow me, and Allah will love you, and will forgive you your sins.” Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
Ali 'Imran 3:31 The Prophet ﷺ is told to say that whoever loves Allah should follow him, and Allah will love them and forgive their sins.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِ سَيَجۡعَلُ لَهُمُ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنُ وُدّٗا ﴿٩٦﴾
Those who believe and do righteous deeds, the Most Merciful will give them love.
Maryam 19:96 Allah promises that for those who believe and do good, the Most Merciful will create love.
وَأَنفِقُواْ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا تُلۡقُواْ بِأَيۡدِيكُمۡ إِلَى ٱلتَّهۡلُكَةِ وَأَحۡسِنُوٓاْۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ ﴿١٩٥﴾
And spend in the cause of Allah, and do not throw yourselves with your own hands into ruin, and be charitable. Allah loves the charitable.
Al-Baqarah 2:195 Believers are told to spend for good and to do good, because Allah loves those who do good.
وَيَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلۡمَحِيضِۖ قُلۡ هُوَ أَذٗى فَٱعۡتَزِلُواْ ٱلنِّسَآءَ فِي ٱلۡمَحِيضِ وَلَا تَقۡرَبُوهُنَّ حَتَّىٰ يَطۡهُرۡنَۖ فَإِذَا تَطَهَّرۡنَ فَأۡتُوهُنَّ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ أَمَرَكُمُ ٱللَّهُۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلتَّوَّـٰبِينَ وَيُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُتَطَهِّرِينَ ﴿٢٢٢﴾
And they ask you about menstruation: say, “It is harmful, so keep away from women during menstruation. And do not approach them until they have become pure. Once they have become pure, approach them in the way Allah has directed you.” Allah loves the repentant, and He loves those who keep clean.
Al-Baqarah 2:222 Allah loves those who turn back to Him often and those who keep themselves pure.
فَبِمَا رَحۡمَةٖ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمۡۖ وَلَوۡ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ ٱلۡقَلۡبِ لَٱنفَضُّواْ مِنۡ حَوۡلِكَۖ فَٱعۡفُ عَنۡهُمۡ وَٱسۡتَغۡفِرۡ لَهُمۡ وَشَاوِرۡهُمۡ فِي ٱلۡأَمۡرِۖ فَإِذَا عَزَمۡتَ فَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُتَوَكِّلِينَ ﴿١٥٩﴾
It is by grace from Allah that you were gentle with them. Had you been harsh, hardhearted, they would have dispersed from around you. So pardon them, and ask forgiveness for them, and consult them in the conduct of affairs. And when you make a decision, put your trust in Allah; Allah loves the trusting.
Ali 'Imran 3:159 The Prophet ﷺ is told to consult his companions and then, once decided, to trust Allah, because Allah loves those who trust Him.
وَكَأَيِّن مِّن نَّبِيّٖ قَٰتَلَ مَعَهُۥ رِبِّيُّونَ كَثِيرࣱ فَمَا وَهَنُواْ لِمَآ أَصَابَهُمۡ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا ضَعُفُواْ وَمَا ٱسۡتَكَانُواْۗ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ ﴿١٤٦﴾
How many a prophet fought alongside him numerous godly people? They did not waver for what afflicted them in the cause of Allah, nor did they weaken, nor did they give in. Allah loves those who endure.
Ali 'Imran 3:146 Earlier believers who did not weaken or give in under hardship are praised, and the verse says Allah loves the patient.
لَّا يَنۡهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمۡ يُقَٰتِلُوكُمۡ فِي ٱلدِّينِ وَلَمۡ يُخۡرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَٰرِكُمۡ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمۡ وَتُقۡسِطُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهِمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُقۡسِطِينَ ﴿٨﴾
As for those who have not fought against you for your religion, nor expelled you from your homes, Allah does not prohibit you from dealing with them kindly and equitably. Allah loves the equitable.
Al-Mumtahanah 60:8 Believers are not forbidden from being kind and fair to those who have not fought them, and Allah loves those who are fair.
وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَنۡ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَٰجٗا لِّتَسۡكُنُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيۡنَكُم مَّوَدَّةٗ وَرَحۡمَةًۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴿٢١﴾
And of His signs is that He created for you mates from among yourselves, so that you may find tranquility in them; and He planted love and compassion between you. In this are signs for people who reflect.
Ar-Rum 30:21 Allah created spouses so that people find rest in each other, and placed affection and mercy between them.
وَٱلَّذِينَ تَبَوَّءُو ٱلدَّارَ وَٱلۡإِيمَٰنَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ يُحِبُّونَ مَنۡ هَاجَرَ إِلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا يَجِدُونَ فِي صُدُورِهِمۡ حَاجَةٗ مِّمَّآ أُوتُواْ وَيُؤۡثِرُونَ عَلَىٰٓ أَنفُسِهِمۡ وَلَوۡ كَانَ بِهِمۡ خَصَاصَةࣱۚ وَمَن يُوقَ شُحَّ نَفۡسِهِۦ فَأُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلۡمُفۡلِحُونَ ﴿٩﴾
And those who, before them, had settled in the homeland, and had accepted faith. They love those who emigrated to them, and find no hesitation in their hearts in helping them. They give them priority over themselves, even if they themselves are needy. Whoever is protected from his natural greed—it is they who are the successful.
Al-Hashr 59:9 The people of Medina are praised for loving those who emigrated to them and preferring them over themselves even when in need.
۞عَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَجۡعَلَ بَيۡنَكُمۡ وَبَيۡنَ ٱلَّذِينَ عَادَيۡتُم مِّنۡهُم مَّوَدَّةٗۚ وَٱللَّهُ قَدِيرࣱۚ وَٱللَّهُ غَفُورࣱ رَّحِيمࣱ ﴿٧﴾
Perhaps Allah will plant affection between you and those of them you consider enemies. Allah is Capable. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
Al-Mumtahanah 60:7 Allah may yet place affection between believers and people they currently see as enemies.
Read together, these verses suggest that love for Allah is shown in ordinary character: patience, fairness, trust, doing good, coming back after mistakes. They also leave the door open for love between people to grow in unlikely places. If you want to act on them, pick one quality Allah is said to love and practice it this week.
Questions
What does the Quran say about love?
It describes Allah as al-Wadud, the Loving (85:14, 11:90), speaks of a people Allah loves who love Him (5:54), and says Allah places affection and mercy between spouses (30:21).
Who does Allah love according to the Quran?
The Quran says Allah loves those who do good (2:195), the patient (3:146), those who trust Him (3:159), those who repent and keep pure (2:222), and those who are just (60:8, 49:9).
Is there a verse about loving Allah?
Yes. 2:165 says the believers are stronger in their love for Allah, and 3:31 says that whoever loves Allah should follow the Prophet ﷺ and Allah will love them.