al-Qawiyy

The All-Strong

Begin the series ↓

Recited as it sounds in the Qur'an, 42:19.

Heard together with: al-Qawiyy / al-Matīn; al-Qawiyy al-ʿAzīz

Start with what we know

Then take away everything it needs. What is left is not a bigger version of us. It is the Name.

Episode 1

In us

A trained human body; strength depends on muscle, food and rest.

But: Tires within minutes at maximum effort; declines with age.

Episode 2

In nature

Dung beetle Onthophagus taurus pulled about 1,141 times its body weight (Knell & Simmons 2010). Trade-off: strength suited to a burrow, useless for flight.

Episode 3

At our best

The strong nuclear force: 'the strongest of all four fundamental interactions', acting only over very short distances.

But: Strongest, but short-ranged; gravity is weakest but reaches infinitely (CERN). Every force has a range and a law it obeys.

Episode 4

The Break

Take away a body, fuel, a range, a law above it, fatigue.

Not the strongest force, but strength that needs no range, no carrier and no rest.

Read: 2:165; 51:58; 42:19.

From the tradition: 'Lā ḥawla wa lā quwwata illā billāh', 'a treasure of Paradise' (Bukhari 7386, ). Ashʿarī: every created strength is created by Him at each moment.

On screen

Superman's strength comes from a yellow sun and fails near kryptonite. al-Qawiyy's strength comes from nothing outside Him.

Where it shows up

In scripture: Q 2:165; 22:74; 51:58; Isa (peace be upon him) 40:26.
The same thread in Jewish and Christian scripture: El Gibbor (Isaiah 9:6); Isaiah 40:26 'Given such great might and vast power, not one fails to appear'. Moderate.
In the universe: NASA/ESA: neutron stars, where matter is crushed to nuclear density.
In nature: Ants card (BBC Earth leaf-cutter ants).
In people: Strength in service: lifeboat crews (RNLI).
In science: The four fundamental forces (strong, weak, electromagnetic, gravity); gravity not in the Standard Model.

Living it

Strength used for the weak; 'no might nor power except through Allah'.

Its kind

Capacity: a quality we know a little of: hearing, knowing, seeing.

In the Qur'an: 22:40; 22:74; 42:19

Watch and listen

Films, documentaries and voices that reach towards this Name. Each links out to where you can watch it.

subscriptionfilmChariots of FireA Christian Scot and a Jewish Londoner run for Britain, each for his own faith.1981 · 123 · Hugh Hudson (dir.); Enigma / Allied Stars · Stream: Disney Plus; Rent/buy: Apple TV Store, Rakuten TV, Amazon Video, Sky Store, YouTube

Trailer ↗Where to watch in the UK ↗

Sources for this page

home.cern/science/physics/standard-model;;; api.quran.com