Mahabbah
/məˈhæb.ə/noun
A Sufi term for profound love, especially spiritual or divine love.
Did you know?In Sufi thought, mahabbah is not simply romantic affection; it is a transformative love believed to draw the seeker toward divine union.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*ḥ-b-b
“A reconstructed Semitic root associated with love, affection, or being beloved; the exact prehistoric nuance is uncertain.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
ḥubb
“Love, affection, or passionate attachment.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
maḥabba
“Love or affection, formed from the Arabic root ḥ-b-b.”
8th–10th Centuries
Arabic
maḥabbat Allāh
“Love of God, a central devotional ideal in developing Sufi spirituality.”
19th–20th Centuries
English
mahabbah
“A transliterated Sufi term for divine or mystical love.”
Modern English
English
mahabbah
“Spiritual love, particularly the soul’s loving devotion toward God.”