A Critical Analysis of the Entry “Love (Ḥubb)” in the Encyclopaedia of the Qurʾān (Leiden)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 . Ph.D. Candidate in Quran and Psychology, Al-Mustafa International University, Qom, Iran, “Corresponding Author”

2 . Associate Professor, Department of Comparative Quran Studies, Al-Mustafa International University, Qom, Iran;

3 Assistant Professor, Department of Islamic Psychology, Institute for Quranic and Hadith Research, Qom, Iran

4 . Ph.D. Candidate in Islamic Psychology, Imam Khomeini (RA) Research Institute, Qom, Iran;

10.22034/jqopv.2025.18252.1367

Abstract

This paper analyzes and critiques the entry “Love and Affection (Ḥubb)” by the French Orientalist Denis Gril in the Encyclopaedia of the Qurʾān (Leiden). Gril examines God’s love for humans, human love for God and others, and love between men and women through the Qur’anic keywords ḥubb and wudd, identifying God as the source and ultimate goal of love. However, he confines love to the circle of believers. Using library resources and a descriptive-analytical method, this study seeks to clarify the Qur’anic concept of love and address questions and ambiguities that may arise for readers of Gril’s entry. Among the strengths of Gril’s article are the precise selection of keywords, efforts to collect and categorize relevant verses, avoidance of incorporating tradition or exegetical opinions into his analysis, attributing the realization of love to divine will, and emphasizing the necessity of aligning love with faith for its validity. However, the article suffers from several weaknesses, including a lack of logical coherence, digressions, and the absence of a clear conclusion. Content-wise, it overlooks the lexical meanings of maḥabbah (love) and mawaddah (affection), lacks an analysis of the concept of love in God, fails to provide a clear picture of divine will in the realization of love, neglects the hierarchical levels of love, wrongly contrasts human love for God with love for the world, and claims that the Qur’an pays little attention to love in spousal relationships. This study, through a structured report on Gril’s article, an explanation of the lexical meanings of key terms, an exploration of the nature of love and divine will, an analysis of the levels of love, and a clarification of the role of love in spousal relationships, aims to address the article’s shortcomings and provide a more comprehensive understanding for its readers.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 22 April 2024
  • Revise Date: 09 July 2024
  • Accept Date: 06 November 2024

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