Nine Variations of Love and Romance in Arabic

Which one are you in?

The ancient Arabs were wanderers in the vast desert plains. They were not like the Romans on one side with all their medical knowledge, resources and military power; nor were they like the Persians with all their treasure, artistry and luxury.

The ancient Arabs had only one thing to offer, and this was language. Through mastery of the ways of articulation, the Arabs produced one of the richest methods of communication the world has ever known; a speech which, due to its depth and eloquence, became featured by God as the main language to reveal the Holy Qur’an.

Here is an example of how advanced Arabic can get: There are around 100 variations of the word “camel” which — in the classical language — used to have around 1000!

Imagine that! 1000 ways to say “camel”

But lets talk about love:

Here is a list of nine variations of love in the Arabic language— including the type of love God is; the list starts at the lowest level and moves up as we go on. As you read on, see if you can relate any to the type of love in your own life:

1. Al-Hawa (desire)

This type of love is the least in terms of affection and selflessness. It involves a simple look or desire for another. In the Qur’an and Bible, this type of love can be defined as, “To Covet”, “to desire something with the eyes that one should not desire”, because that desire would most likely lead to sin. In the Bible, Al-Hawa would be linked to the desires of the flesh, so this type of love is not truly love, but more like lust.

This could also be the controversial “love at first sight” concept that people have experienced, or the feeling of having a “crush” on someone. It is the first stage of Love, and can be good or bad, but has more of a negative connotation in the religious and spiritual context.

“The Second Truth is that suffering is caused by selfish craving and personal desire “— Buddha

2. Al-Sabwah (deeper mutual desire)

This type of love is when both feel the same desire and enjoy each other’s company. It is still more about wanting someone like Al-Hawa above, but is expressed more deeply and in a mutual manner. This is where your crush moves to possibly becoming a part of your life. At this stage, you both desire each other and can feel the cool winds gently brush your faces as you both contemplate setting sail for the sea of love you could embark on.

3. Al-Wajd (longing)

This is when you cannot stop thinking about the person you desire. By now you’ve realised you’re in love and want to be around the person more.

4. Al-Alaqah (attachment)

This is the stage where things become official for the two people in love. There is now an attachment deep down where the couple can simply no longer be without one another. Al-Alaq is also a chapter in the Qur’an which means “to cling”. This is where you and your loved one are glued together by love and can’t seem to be without the other.

5. Al-Ishq (adoration)

The root of this word means to “be nested in”. You are now in a deep state of love brimming with intimacy and adoration. This, mostly, has a negative connotation within the Arabic language because it refers to a person who has lost their moral senses to an extent. If you are in a state of Ishq, it means love has taken a hold of you, and you cannot see past it.

6. Al-Khalaf (infatuation)

Right, we are getting more intense now; Al-Khalaf is a type of love that hurts. This is where you love your partner to a level where it is painful to be without them or even think about breaking up. At this stage, you are willing to go through the ups and downs with your partner, no matter what.

7. Al-Najwa (sadness)

You know the sad love songs; the classical Romeo and Juliet stories; the powerful poems and anecdotes about the pains of love. This is Al-Najwa — a type of love that can be personified as heartburn. It simply means “salvation”, and this is the stage where lovers become incredibly vulnerable and need saving by the other. This is where you open up and express feelings that are incredibly personal and deep. This type of love requires 100% trust and the ability to confide in your other half with anything.

8. Al-Huyyum (insanity)

This is the fullest and deepest level of love, and because love does not have a limit in any language; You can decide how far this goes. Imagine if love was the entire ocean — and you just drank it all. That’s Al-Huyyum; basically, you’ve lost it — respectfully speaking. This type of love is the highest level and can be both healthy and unhealthy.

This is where you and your partner have lost all moral reasoning and have given yourself to love and romance. You have both completely flown into outer space and left the boring ol’ world behind; together floating in an avalanche of love. Like two mad people walking down a busy highway; you are both blinded by the oncoming traffic, or simply unfazed by it — because at this stage, your love conquers all!

9. Al-Wodd (selflessness)

Although Al-Huyyum is the deepest level of love where both recipients have totally lost it; Al-wodd is the most complete and purest! This is also the type of love God is, as mentioned in the Qur’an as one of His holy names — “Al Wadood”. If you are at this level then I am really happy for you, because this is the type of love everyone seeks.

This is that “Relationship goals” kind of love. A love so pure and selfless that you don’t even know why you love the other person — you just do. They are your best friend, your soul mate, and your light in the dark. They are your vessel through the stormy seas, or the custard to your cake. They are your twin-flame or your other half; they complete you — absolute soul-simmering completion.

I hope you enjoyed the different levels of love in the Arabic tongue, and remember! The list is not exhaustive; there are many more words with dynamic meanings that you can check out for yourself, but here were a few worth mentioning to you.

Thanks for reading! I love you — Number 9 if you want to be exact…

Peace!