Hubb
/hʊb/noun
Love, especially divine or spiritual love in Islamic and Sufi writing.
Did you know?Sufi writers often used hubb for divine love, describing it as a transformative force that dissolves the lover’s separate sense of self.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*ḥ-b-b
“A root associated with love, affection, and belovedness”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ḥubb
“Love, affection, or deep attachment”
Medieval Islamic Philosophy
Arabic
ḥubb Allāh
“Love of God, a central spiritual concept”
Medieval–Early Modern Period
Persian/Urdu
muhabbat
“Love or affection, developed from the Arabic root”
20th Century
English
hubb
“A transliterated Arabic term for spiritual or divine love”
Modern English
English
hubb
“Love, especially in Sufi, Islamic, or comparative-religion contexts”