semantic evolution

Verse 21 of Surah Ar-Rum states: “And of His signs is that He created for you spouses from among yourselves so that you may find tranquility in them, and He placed between you affection ( mawaddah ) and mercy. Indeed, in that are signs for a people who reflect”. This verse, which conveys the Qur’ānic philosophy of marriage, notably employs the word mawaddah to express affection, a choice that warrants deeper investigation. Analyzing the semantic evolution of key Qur’ānic terms is a valuable and emerging approach in Qur’ānic studies. The vocabulary of the Qur’ān often draws from the lexicon of pre-Islamic Arab culture, including terms common in tribal discourse and poetic expression. Like many such words, mawaddah retained its semantic core but underwent significant development in its meaning within the Qur’ānic worldview. This paper explores the semantic trajectory of mawaddah and offers a critical analysis of its usage in Surah Ar-Rum, verse 21. It concludes that no other synonymous term would convey the depth and intended meaning as effectively as mawaddah in this context