89 - الْمَانِعُ

[Bint e Aisha]

 الْمَانِعُ

 

 

Translation
 

الْمَانِعُ is translated as The Preventer and The Defender. It comes from منع meaning to stop or prevent something. So The One Who counters the causes of destruction in a person’s religious or worldly life. 

 

It is similar to الْحَفِيظُ which also has the concept of protection and preservation. The difference is that in regard to الْحَفِيظُ it refers to the One Who frees from destruction and الْمَانِعُ referes to the One Who protects from the causes of destruction i.e. prevention of causes which lead to destruction and not necessarily being freed from them.

 

Therefore الْحَفِيظُ is inclusive of the concept of الْمَانِعُ and الْمَانِعُ does not include the concept of الْحَفِيظُ which has a general concept of preservation and protection while الْمَانِعُ is more specific in terms of being protected from the cause of destruction. 

 

 

Definition
 

The One Who makes specific means to protect His creation from loss. Allah ta’ala is  الْمَانِعُ and He stops the sky from falling and crashing onto the earth. He saves the universe and human beings individually. 

 

 

Protection is only from Allah ta’ala
 

The Ambiyaa had Yaqeen (Certainty) that Allah ta’ala is and can stop any destruction. An incident is mentioned by Jabir RA who said, 

 

“We accompanied the Prophet sallallaahu ’alayhi wasallam in the campaign of Dhat-ur-Riqa’. We left him to take rest under a shady tree. One of the polytheists came to him. The sword of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam  was hanging on a tree. He drew it and said: “Are you afraid of me?” The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “No”. Then he said, “Who will then protect you from me?'” He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam replied, “Allah”.

 

In another narration the polytheist asked: “Who will protect you from me?'” The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam replied, “Allah.” As soon as he said this, the sword fell down from his hand and the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam catching the sword, asked him, “Who will protect you from me.'” He said, “Please forgive me.” The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam said, “On condition you testify that there is none worthy of worship but Allah, and that I am His Messenger.” He said, “No, but I promise you that I shall not fight against you, nor shall I be with those who fight with you”. The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam let him go. He then went back to his companions and said: “I have come to you from one of the best of mankind”.
 

 

Du’a of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam

The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam used to recite this Du’a after every Salaah;

 

لَا إِلهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ، اللَّهُمَّ لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَلَا مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ، وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ
 

None has the right to be worshipped except Allah, alone, having no partner. Sovereignty is His and all praise is for Him, and He has full power over everything. O Allah no one can hold back what You give, and no one can give what You hold back, and no one’s riches can benefit them against You. [Bukhari]

 

Counsel

To be careful not to help those who prevent others from Deen and doing good. Allah ta’ala says, 

 

وَيَمْنَعُونَ الْمَاعُونَ - and refuse to share the necessities of life [Surah Maa’oon:7]

 

Therefore not to be مَانِع  in that way but to help others in their religious pursuits.

 

To have the Aqeedah that no one can stop / prevent anything except Allah ta’ala. 

 

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