Al-Mâni`: The Protector

The Protector is Allah's quality which repels those things which cause destruction and deficiency in one's life--religious and otherwise-- by creating causes which are intended to preserve them (Al-Hafîzh). Whereas the Protector stresses the idea of prohibiting and suppressing obstacles, the Preserver (Al-Hafîzh) stresses the idea of guarding and protecting. All preservation necessarily implies an attraction and a repelling. The one who understands the meaning of the Preserver also understands the meaning of the Protector. Protection (mâni`) refers to destructive causes and preserving (hifzh) refers to being preserved from dest. Preserving is the aim of the protecting. Since all protecting is intended for the sake of preserving whereas preserving is not sought for the sake of protecting, it follows that every preserver is a protector, whereas every protector is not a preserver unless the one who protects does so in an absolute manner. In this case, the causes of destruction and deficiency are such that preservation follows of necessity.