overwhelming Power, controls all His creatures; He subdues everyone and everything in His
domain. He decreed, so existence came to be as a manifestation of His might: `... and Allah
holds power over all things'" (Qura'n, 18:45).
One of the signs of the good manners of a believer in as far as al-Muqtadir is concerned is
that this Attribute will always fill his heart, and he always remembers it, so much so that a
glimpse of its light will shine upon him and will always surround him. The following is a
tradition related by Jabir ibn Abdullah al-Salami:
The Messenger of Allah used to teach his companions to follow istikhara in all matters just as
he used to teach them the text of the Holy Qura'n. He used to always repeat saying, "If one of
you decides to do something, let him prostrate twice besides what is incumbent upon him then
say: `Lord! I seek Your istikhara and Your help to enable me to achieve what I aspire to
achieve! I plead to You to grant me of Your favours, for You can and I cannot, and You know
and I do not, and You know the unknown. Lord! If You know that this matter (and here you
indicate what it is) is good for me sooner or later, or good for my creed or sustenance, or for
the ultimately good end of my affairs, then decree it for me and ease it for me, then bless it for
me. Lord! If You know that it is evil for me regarding my creed or the ultimate end of my
affairs, or regarding my matter sooner or later, then take me away from it and enable me to
acquire goodness wherever it may be, then make me pleased therewith.'"
The Attribute "al-Muqtadir", Praised and Glorified is He, is mentioned verbatim in two verses
of the Holy Qura'n: in verses 42 and 55 of Surat al-Qamar, and once in verse 45 of Surat al-
Kahaf.
- "Al-Muqaddim"
Allah has said, "... so that Allah may forgive your past faults and your faults to come, to
complete His favour unto you, and to guide you on the right path" (Qura'n, 48:2).
Linguistically, taqdeem, the root word of this Attribute, means advancing, promoting, or
preferring; "al-Muqaddim" means: the One Who presents things and places them in their right
place. Whoever deserves to be advanced, preferred or favoured over others, the Almighty, al-
Muqaddim, advances his rank or status. And He advances the living, each according to his
sincerity of worshipping Him, protecting them against falling into disobedience of Him. Al-
Muqaddim since the beginning of time advanced those whom He loves and made them happy
through accurate comprehension and sound judgment. He prefers those who know over those
who do not. He opens the gates of true conviction (iman) for everyone. He prefers humans
over all others, making them Imams. And He advances, prefers, favours scholars over
ignorant folks, making the first party like stars guiding others to righteousness. He has
advanced the Messenger of Allah from the very beginning and will advance him at the very
end, in the Hereafter. He took a covenant from all those whom He sent into this world that: