Al-Mani (الْمَانِعُ) means The Preventer. It is name 90 in the well-known list of the 99 Names of Allah. Al-Māniʿ holds back what He wills, out of wisdom or protection. When He holds something back from a believer, it is often to spare them harm.
The root and its meaning
Al-Mani comes from the Arabic root م ن ع (m-n-ʿ), which carries the sense of preventing and protecting.
Where it is in the Quran
The exact name is not in the Quran. 35:2 shows its meaning: what Allah withholds, no one can release.
Surah Faatir 35:2
مَّا يَفْتَحِ ٱللَّهُ لِلنَّاسِ مِن رَّحْمَةٍۢ فَلَا مُمْسِكَ لَهَا ۖ وَمَا يُمْسِكْ فَلَا مُرْسِلَ لَهُۥ مِنۢ بَعْدِهِۦ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْحَكِيمُ
Maa yaftahil laahu linnaaasi mir rahmatin falaa mumsika lahaa wa maa yumsik falaa mursila lahoo mimb'dih; wa Huwal 'Azeezul Hakeem
Whatever Allah grants to people of mercy - none can withhold it; and whatever He withholds - none can release it thereafter. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.
Quran 35:2. Arabic: Uthmani text (Tanzil). English: Sahih International.
Calling on Allah by this Name
Scholars mention this Name together with Al-Fattah, so that both sides of what Allah does are kept in mind, and it is not used on its own to call on Him. In your dua, ask for what fits its meaning. For example: "O Allah, keep from me what would harm me."
From the Sunnah
اللَّهُمَّ لَا مَانِعَ لِمَا أَعْطَيْتَ، وَلَا مُعْطِيَ لِمَا مَنَعْتَ، وَلَا يَنْفَعُ ذَا الْجَدِّ مِنْكَ الْجَدُّ
Allāhumma lā māniʿa limā aʿṭayt, wa lā muʿṭiya limā manaʿt, wa lā yanfaʿu dhal-jaddi minkal-jadd
O Allah, no one can hold back what You give, no one can give what You hold back, and no one's wealth helps him against You. (Said after the obligatory prayers.)
Sahih al-Bukhari 844; Sahih Muslim 593
- Quran 35:2, translation by Sahih International.
- Sahih al-Bukhari 844; Sahih Muslim 593.
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The rulings on this page are pending review by the scholars on our team.