Linguistically, Allah’s name Al-Qahhar (القهار) is derived from the verb Qahar (قهر) that means to subdue, to subjugate, to overpower, to compel against one’s wishes, to prevail, to conquer, to vanquish, to humiliate, etc.  Also, Al-Qahhar (القهار) is an emphatic form of the name “Al-Qahir” (القاهر) and thus implies exaggeration of the degree and extent of the domination.

Allah’s name Al-Qahhar (القهار) which is translated as the Subduer, the All Dominant, the Ever-Dominator, the Irresistible, Almighty, the One who hold absolute sway over all that exists, the All-Prevailing, and the Supreme came in the Quran in six verses, all of them are associated with Allah’s name Al-Wahid “the Only One”.

{يَاصَاحِبَيِ السِّجْنِ أَأَرْبَابٌ مُتَفَرِّقُونَ خَيْرٌ أَمِ اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ}(يوسف:39)،

“(Yusuf said) “O fellow prisoners, are different gods better or Allah, the One, the Subduer” (Yusuf 12:39)

{قُلِ اللَّهُ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ}(الرعد:16)،

“Say: “Allah is the Creator of all things: He is the One, the Subduer.” (Al-Rad 13:16)

{يَوْمَ تُبَدَّلُ الْأَرْضُ غَيْرَ الْأَرْضِ وَالسَّمَاوَاتُ وَبَرَزُوا لِلَّهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ}(إبراهيم:48)،

“The day on which the earth will be changed to a different earth, and so will be the skies, and (all) will appear before Allah the One, the Subduer.” (Ibrahim 14:48)

{ قُلۡ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۟ مُنذِرٌ۬‌ۖ وَمَا مِنۡ إِلَـٰهٍ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡوَٲحِدُ ٱلۡقَهَّارُ }(ص:65)،

“Say: I am only a warner, and there is no god but Allah, the One, the Subduer” (Sad 38:65)

{لَوْ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا لَاصْطَفَى مِمَّا يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ سُبْحَانَهُ هُوَ اللَّهُ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ}(الزمر:4)،

“Had Allah wished to take to Himself a son, He could have chosen whom He wished out of those whom He had created: but Glory be to Him! He is Allah, the One, the Subduer.” (Al-Zumur 39:4)

{يَوْمَ هُمْ بَارِزُونَ لَا يَخْفَى عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْهُمْ شَيْءٌ لِمَنِ الْمُلْكُ الْيَوْمَ لِلَّهِ الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ}(غافر:16).

“The Day when they will (all) come out, nothing of them will be hidden from Allah. To whom belongs the kingdom today? To Allah, the One, The Subduer.” (Ghafir 40:16)

The combination of Al-Qahhar and Al-Wahid emphasizes that Al-Qahhar cannot be but only one and that it is impossible that He would have a partner with Him.  Kingship, ability, power, and glory belong to Al-Wahid Al-Qahhar (الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ) and everything else is subdued, dominated and under His control.

In addition to Allah’s name “Al-Qahhar” which is an emphatic form, the name “Al-Qahir” (القاهر) which is the non-emphatic form came in the Quran in two Ayat:

(وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ وَهُوَ الْحَكِيمُ الْخَبِيرُ) (الأنعام: 18)

“And He (Allah) is the Dominant (Al-Qahir) over His slaves, and He is The All-Wise, the All-Aware.” [Al-Anaam 6:18]

وَهُوَ الْقَاهِرُ فَوْقَ عِبَادِهِ وَيُرْسِلُ عَلَيْكُم حَفَظَةً حَتَّىَ إِذَا جَاء أَحَدَكُمُ الْمَوْتُ تَوَفَّتْهُ رُسُلُنَا وَهُمْ لاَ يُفَرِّطُونَ }  (الأنعام: 61)

 “And He (Allah) is the Dominant (Al-Qahir) over His slaves, and He sends guardians (Angels) over you, until when death approaches one of you, Our Messengers take his soul, and they never neglect their duty.” [Al-Anaam 6: 61],

Allah’s name Al-Qahhar should fill the heart with fear, it should also fill the heart with confidence and hope because no one else has any power except to the limit granted by Allah.

Allah’s name Al-Qahhar came in the Quran explicitly and implicitly in Ayat that demonstrates Allah’s power of domination.  His power is manifested in our lives in many ways:

1/ Allah “Al-Qahhar” subdues the non-existence into existence by brining all things into existence by His word “Be” and He is able to send all that exist into non-exitance again by His word “Perish!”.   All things maintain their existence only by His Divine sustenance and protection. Compare an active living person, who is in full power and energy, moving, thinking, judging, acting, seeing, hearing, smelling, touching, feeling, taking attitudes, running businesses, and building up human civilization, to a motionless dead body! The difference between a dead body and a living person full of energy and power is simply such Divine blessing from Al-Qahhar who compels non-living matter to become a living human being.

2/ Allah, Al-Qahhar, has subdued all beings by death, even the angel of death. And when Allah decrees death on anyone or anything, nothing can prevent it.  Allah says:

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ [آل عمران:185 [

“Every soul will taste death.” (Al-E-Imran 3:185)

 لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ أَجَلٌ‌ۚ إِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمۡ فَلَا يَسۡتَـٔۡخِرُونَ سَاعَةً۬‌ۖ وَلَا يَسۡتَقۡدِمُونَ [يونس:49]

“For every nation, there is an appointed term. When their time comes, then they cannot put it off an hour, nor hasten it.” (Yunus 10:49)

قُلۡ إِنَّ ٱلۡمَوۡتَ ٱلَّذِى تَفِرُّونَ مِنۡهُ فَإِنَّهُ ۥ مُلَـٰقِيڪُمۡ‌ۖ ثُمَّ تُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَـٰلِمِ ٱلۡغَيۡبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ (٨)

“Say: “Indeed, the death from which you are running a way will truly meet you: then you will be sent back to the Knower of the Unseen and the seen, and He will tell you what you used to do.” (Al-Jumma 62:8)

The time will come when the whole universe perishes.  Only Allah, Al-Wahid Al-Qahar (الْوَاحِدِ الْقَهَّارِ) will exist.   Then Allah will bring them back to existence to face His final Judgement. Allah says:

(كُلُّ شَيْءٍ هَالِكٌ إِلَّا وَجْهَهُ) [القصص:88]،

“Everything is bound to perish except His eternal self. (Al-Qasas 28:88)

3/ Allah, Al-Qahhar has compelled the contradictory forces to be complementary.   As an example: hydrogen is highly flammable, and oxygen is the most effective in supporting combustion, yet Allah combined these two elements to form water, which is used in putting off fires.  Allah combined the soul which is a weightless non-material heavenly thing with the human body that is made of a massy material to create mankind.

 

4/ Allah, Al-Qahhar compelled the stars in the universe to keep moving in their orbits to prevent collapsing the whole universe into an immense mass. Allah “Al-Qahhar” reminds mankind of this by saying:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُمْسِكُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ أَنْ تَزُولَا وَلَئِنْ زَالَتَا إِنْ أَمْسَكَهُمَا مِنْ أَحَدٍ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًا

 “Verily! Allah grasps the heavens and the earth lest they should move away from their places; and if they were to move away from their places, there is none who could grasp them after Him. Truly, He is Most Forbearing, Oft-Forgiving” (Fatir 35:41)

 5/. Allah, Al-Qahhar who subdued many things in support of humankind and without Allah compelling them, man cannot survive.  Allah reminds us of this by saying:

هُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ ذَلُولًا فَامْشُوا فِي مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُوا مِنْ رِزْقِهِ وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ﴾.

“He is the One who has made the earth subjugated for you, so walk through its tracts and eat out of His provisions, and to Him the Resurrection” (Al-Mulk 67:15)

 Allah subjugated many animals to man.  Thus, a child is able to totally control a camel, a cow, a horse, etc.   Allah reminds us by saying:

﴿وَذَلَّلْنَاهَا لَهُمْ فَمِنْهَا رَكُوبُهُمْ وَمِنْهَا يَأْكُلُونَ﴾.

“And that We have subjected them to their (use), so some of them are their means of transport, and some of them they eat.” (Ya Seen 36:72)

6/ Allah provided us with a clear example on how He can compel tyrants to do what he wants.  The Pharaoh who wanted to slaughter all the male infants of the children of Bani Israel in order to prevent fulfillment of a dream that he saw.  He dreamt that a male infant from among the children of Israel would destroy his kingdom. Allah, Al-Qahhar, forced him to raise Moses in his own palace, the one infant who would destroy the Pharaoh’s kingdom.  Truly, Allah is in control as He says:

” وَاللهُ غَالِبٌ عَلَى أَمْرِهِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ” [يوسف:21]

“And Allah has full power and control over His Affairs, but most of the people do not know.” (Yusuf 12: 21)

 7/ There are many other examples that demonstrates Allah’s full domination regarding how to address the injustice and transgressions from some people.   Allah uses many approaches including:

7/1 Allah brings results contrary to what is expected.  The brothers of Yusuf wanted to kill him, but their evil plan resulted in making Yusuf the most powerful person in the most powerful nation at that time, Egypt.

7/2 Allah interferes to fail evil plans:  The people of Quraish raised the biggest army to destroy the Muslims in the battel of the trench (معركة الخندق) but Allah forced them to withdraw without even engaging the Muslims’ army.

7/3 Allah compels the transgressors to self-destruct. Allah granted Muslims victory over the Jews by putting fear in their hearts and forcing them to destroy their own defenses. Allah says:

﴿ هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَخۡرَجَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنۡ أَهۡلِ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ مِن دِيَـٰرِهِمۡ لِأَوَّلِ ٱلۡحَشۡرِ‌ۚ مَا ظَنَنتُمۡ أَن يَخۡرُجُواْ‌ۖ وَظَنُّوٓاْ أَنَّهُم مَّانِعَتُهُمۡ حُصُونُہُم مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ فَأَتَٮٰهُمُ ٱللَّهُ مِنۡ حَيۡثُ لَمۡ يَحۡتَسِبُواْ‌ۖ وَقَذَفَ فِى قُلُوبِہِمُ ٱلرُّعۡبَ‌ۚ يُخۡرِبُونَ بُيُوتَہُم بِأَيۡدِيہِمۡ وَأَيۡدِى ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ فَٱعۡتَبِرُواْ يَـٰٓأُوْلِى ٱلۡأَبۡصَـٰرِ﴾.

“He is the One who expelled the disbelievers of the People of the Book from thier homes unto the first exile. You did not expect that they would leave, while they deemed that their fortresses would protect them from Allah. But Allah reached them from where they did not expect and cast fear in their hearts so that they destroyed their homes with their own hands and with the hands of the believers. So, learn a lesson, O you who have eyes to see!” (Al-Hashr 59:2)

7/4. Allah, Al-Qahhar, compels the transgressors to destroy each other.  Allah says:

” وَكَذَلِكَ نُوَلِّي بَعْضَ الظَّالِمِينَ بَعْضاً ” [الأنعام:129] .

“Thus, We set the wrong-doers on one another because of that of which they have earned.” (Al-Anaam 6:129)

7/5:  Allah, Al-Qahhar, destroyed many past nations such as the people of Nuh, the people of Ad, the people of Thamud, the people of Lot and the people of the Pharaoh.  Allah says:

أَلَمۡ تَرَ كَيۡفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ (٦) إِرَمَ ذَاتِ ٱلۡعِمَادِ (٧) ٱلَّتِى لَمۡ يُخۡلَقۡ مِثۡلُهَا فِى ٱلۡبِلَـٰدِ (٨) وَثَمُودَ ٱلَّذِينَ جَابُواْ ٱلصَّخۡرَ بِٱلۡوَادِ (٩)  وَفِرۡعَوۡنَ ذِى ٱلۡأَوۡتَادِ (١٠) ٱلَّذِينَ طَغَوۡاْ فِى ٱلۡبِلَـٰدِ (١١) فَأَكۡثَرُواْ فِيہَا ٱلۡفَسَادَ (١٢) فَصَبَّ عَلَيۡهِمۡ رَبُّكَ سَوۡطَ عَذَابٍ (١٣) إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِٱلۡمِرۡصَادِ [الفجر]

“Have you not seen how your Lord dealt with (the people of) Ad. (6) Of Iram, the men of tall pillars. (7) The like of which were not created in the land? (8) And (with the people of) Thamud, who had carved out rocks in the valley (to make dwellings). (9) And with Pharaoh, the man of firm of might, (10) Who has rebelled in the lands, (11) And spread a lot of mischief therein. (12) So, the Lord let loose on them the whip of tournament. (13) Surely, your Lord is ever on the watch.” (Al-Fajr 89:6-14)

Elements to Adopt in our Character.

1/ To personify Allah’s name Al-Qahhar, one must subdue his/her own Nafs, and vanquish all desires and deeds that are violating Allah’s commands, and this can be done by repentance and seeking forgiveness (الاستغفار والتوبة).

وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ (40) فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ هِيَ الْمَأْوَىٰ ” [النازعات]

“And for the one who feared that standing before his Lord’s (tribunal) and restrained his self from its (evil) desires. (40) The Paradise will be the Abode.” (Al-Naziat 79:40-41)

2/ One also needs to subdue his ignorance through knowledge and subdue tyrants by seeking refuge in Allah alone, and by patience and Taqwa as Allah commanded prophet Moses to command Bani Israel as means for overcoming the Pharaoh.

{قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ اسْتَعِينُوا بِاللّهِ وَاصْبِرُواْ إِنَّ الأَرْضَ لِلّهِ يُورِثُهَا مَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ} [الأعراف:128].

“Musa said to his people: “seek help from Allah and be patient.  Surely, the land belongs to Allah.  He lets whomsoever He wills inherit it from among His servants; and the end-result is in favor of those who have Taqwa.” (Al-Araf 7:128)

3/ By always remembering Allah, Al-Qahhar makes us humble, forgiving, and kind.  It helps us in shunning arrogance, revenge, and rudeness.

4/ By Invoking the meanings of Allah’s name Al-Qahhar, the person will not fear anyone by Allah:

إِنَّمَا ذَٲلِكُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنُ يُخَوِّفُ أَوۡلِيَآءَهُ ۥ فَلَا تَخَافُوهُمۡ وَخَافُونِ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِينَ (١٧٥)

“It is only Satan who frightens associates, so do not fear them, but fear Me, if you are believers.” (Al-E-Imran 3:175)

The Prophet (PBUH) stated that those who fear of Allah in this world will feel safe and secure in the Hereafter, He (PBUH) said:

قال صلى الله عليه وسلم: ” يَقُولُ اللهُ ـ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ ـ: وَعِزَّتِي لَا أَجْمَعُ عَلَى عَبْدِي خَوْفَيْنِ، وَلَا أَجْمَعُ لَهُ أَمْنَيْنِ. إِذَا أَمِنَنِي فِي الدُّنْيَا، أَخَفْتُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَإِذَا خَافَنِي فِي الدُّنْيَا، أَمَّنْتُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ” ] ابن حبان والبزار والبيهقي وابن المبارك وأبو نعيم وصححه الحافظ ابن حجر و الألباني[

“Allah the Almighty says: By my Glory, I do not combine two fears in the heart of my servant, nor do I combine two securities for him. If he felt secure from me in this world, I will put fear in Him on the Day of Judgement and if he fears Me in this world, I will make him secure on the Day of Judgment.”

5/ Beware that nothing happens but by the decree of Allah and no plan will ever get materialized unless it is part of Allah’s plan. The Prophet (PBUH) advised Ibn Abbas (عبد الله بن عباس) by saying:

عن ابن عباس، رضي الله عنهما، قال‏:‏ ‏”‏ كنت خلف النبي، صلى الله عليه وسلم، يوماً فقال‏:‏ ‏”‏ يا غلام إني أعلمك كلمات‏:‏ ‏”‏احفظ الله يحفظك، احفظ الله تجده تجاهك، إذا سألت فاسأل الله ، وإذا استعنت فاستعن بالله، واعلم‏:‏ أن الأمة لو اجتمعت على أن ينفعوك بشيء، لم ينفعوك إلا بشيء قد كتبه الله لك، وإن اجتمعوا على أن يضروك بشيء، لم يضروك بشيء إلا بشيء قد كتبه الله عليك؛ رفعت الأقلام، وجفت الصحف‏”‏ ‏(رواه الترمذي (

“Be watchful of Allah (Commandments of Allah), He will preserve you. Safeguard His Rights, He will be ever with you. If you beg, beg of Him Alone; and if you need assistance, supplicate to Allah Alone for help. And remember that if all the people gather to benefit you, they will not be able to benefit you except that which Allah had foreordained (for you); and if all of them gather to do harm to you, they will not be able to afflict you with anything other than that which Allah had pre-destined against you. The pens had been lifted and the ink had dried up”. (Tirmidhi)