al-Muʾakhkhir

The Delayer, who puts back

Say it: al-Muʾakhkhir. A recording by our own reciter is on its way.

Heard together with: al-Muqaddim / al-Muʾakhkhir

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

We postpone, defer, wait.

But: Waiting costs us.

Episode 2

Dormant seeds wait years for rain; Silene tissue lay frozen ~32,000 years (PNAS 2012).

Episode 3

The pitch-drop experiment (University of Queensland, flowing since 1930): nine drops by 2014; nobody has ever seen one fall.

But: Delay we can watch but not hurry.

Episode 4

Take away impatience, deadlines, forgetting.

Delay is not forgetting. (16:61).

From the tradition: Bukhari 1120. Delay as mercy: (16:61).

On screen

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In scripture: Q 14:42; 16:61; 35:45; 2 Pet 3:9.
The same thread in Jewish and Christian scripture: Eccl 3:1; 2 Peter 3:9 'The Lord is not slow… but is patient with us'. Moderate.
In the universe: Light from distant galaxies arriving billions of years late (Webb).
In nature: Desert blooms after rain.
In people: Late repentance accepted (cf. at-Tawwāb).
In science: Viscosity; dormancy; seed banks.

Living it

Patience in waiting; give others time to change.

Its kind

Act: something done: mercy shown, provision given, a prayer answered.

In the Qur'an: 14:42 (verb yuʾakhkhiruhum)

Sources for this page

news.uq.edu.au/2014-11-10-explainer-pitch-drop-experiment