al-Māniʿ

The Withholder and Protector, who prevents harm

Begin the series ↓

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

Heard together with: al-Māniʿ / (al-Muʿṭī)

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

Guards, doctors, parents who say no.

But: Partial; mistakes.

Episode 2

In nature

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Episode 3

At our best

NASA: 10 to 40 tons of meteoric dust enter Earth's atmosphere each day; meteor trails form 40–60 miles up (NASA via phys.org, 9 Aug 2013).

But: Large impactors still get through.

Episode 4

The Break

Take away gaps, error, partial knowledge.

The sky burns up tons a day before it reaches you. (35:2).

Read: 35:2; 10:107.

From the tradition: Bukhari 844: 'O Allah! Nobody can hold back what You gave, nobody can give what You held back' (said after every obligatory prayer).

On screen

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Where it shows up

In scripture: Q 35:2; Bukhari 844.
The same thread in Jewish and Christian scripture: No close parallel.
In the universe: Meteors, magnetosphere (NASA).
In nature: —
In people: Vaccination as protection
In science: Atmosphere; ozone layer; magnetosphere.

Living it

Withhold harm; sometimes 'no' is care.

Its kind

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

In the Qur'an: none; supplication 'lā māniʿa li-mā aʿṭayta' (Bukhari)

Sources for this page

phys.org/news/2013-08-heliophysics-nugget-tons-meteoric-sky.pdf; hadith-api eng-bukhari 844