And perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you…

Think back to a memory of when you just barely avoided an accident while driving. Or when your child just barely avoided falling on the edge of the table. Who is the One who prevents this harm from reaching us? It is Allah SWT, Al-Mani’, The Preventer.Allah SWT does not just prevent harm from coming our way; He also prevents us from doing undesirable things. Have you ever been in a situation where you are about to commit a sin, but something stops you? It could be you’ve had a change of heart or a physical obstacle gets in the way of sinning. Once again, it is Al-Mani’ who has prevented us from committing this sin.

Al-Mani’ is also the one who withholds things from us that we perceive to be good, but that he knows may not be. Sometimes we find that we have made so much dua for a certain thing, but we do not get it, even though we think it is what is right and good for us. But Allah SWT knows what is best, and he withholds or grants based upon this. Remember His words in the Quran:

But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you, and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not. [2:216]

We must remember, there is no one who can give what He prevents and no one who can prevent what He will give. Therefore, we can take away the following lessons:

• Everything that is good and of benefit should be sought from Him
• Everything that we wish to be protected from, we should seek protection from Him
• Turn to him for everything for no one can give us what we want but him, and no one can prevent the bad but him SWT.

This beautiful name reminds us of the hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas, the prophet (PBUH) told him:

Be mindful of God, and He will take care of you. Be mindful of Him, and you shall find Him at your side. If you ask, ask of God. If you need help, seek it from God. Know that if the whole world were to gather together in order to help you, they would not be able to help you except if God had written so. And if the whole world were to gather together in order to harm you, they would not harm you except if God had written so. The pens have been lifted, and the pages are dry.

May Allah prevent any harm from reaching us in the dunya, may He prevent us from all sins and undesirable acts, and may He prevent us from the hellfire. Ameen.