الْقَابِضُ
One of the Most Beautiful Names of Allah
Al-Qaabid
The Constrictor
Al-Qaabid has the same definition as Al-Baasit: provision narrowed by His wisdom, made wide by His generosity and mercy. It is not in the Quran as a Name; it is in the hadith where the Prophet ﷺ, asked to fix prices, said that prices are set by Allah, and called Him Al-Qaabid and Al-Basit.
Key verse
﴿مَّن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يُقْرِضُ ٱللَّهَ قَرْضًا حَسَنًا فَيُضَـٰعِفَهُۥ لَهُۥٓ أَضْعَافًا كَثِيرَةً ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْصُۜطُ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ﴾Who will lend to Allah a good loan which Allah will multiply many times over? It is Allah ˹alone˺ who decreases and increases ˹wealth˺. And to Him you will ˹all˺ be returned.
The scholar's text
The One who constricts the sustenance by His wisdom and expands and widens it with His Generosity and Mercy.
It is mentioned 0 times in the Holy Quran, but it was mentioned in the Hadith
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَجَّاجُ بْنُ مِنْهَالٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، وَثَابِتٍ، وَحُمَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ غَلاَ السِّعْرُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ سَعِّرْ لَنَا . فَقَالَ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمُسَعِّرُ الْقَابِضُ الْبَاسِطُ الرَّزَّاقُ وَإِنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ أَلْقَى رَبِّي وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ يَطْلُبُنِي بِمَظْلَمَةٍ فِي دَمٍ وَلاَ مَالٍ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Narrated Anas:
"Prices became excessive during the time of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), so they said: 'O Messenger of Allah! Set prices for us!' So he said: 'Indeed Allah is Al-Musa'ir, Al-Qabid, Al-Basit, Ar-Razzaq. And I am hopeful that I meet my Lord and none of you are seeking (recompense from) me for an injustice involving blood or wealth.'"
[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Sahih.
الذي يقبض الرزق بحكمته، ويبسطه ويوسعه بجوده ورحمته.
ورد في القرآن الكريم 0 مرة، لكنه ورد في الحديث.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَجَّاجُ بْنُ مِنْهَالٍ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادُ بْنُ سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، وَثَابِتٍ، وَحُمَيْدٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ غَلاَ السِّعْرُ عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ سَعِّرْ لَنَا . فَقَالَ " إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمُسَعِّرُ الْقَابِضُ الْبَاسِطُ الرَّزَّاقُ وَإِنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ أَلْقَى رَبِّي وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ يَطْلُبُنِي بِمَظْلَمَةٍ فِي دَمٍ وَلاَ مَالٍ " . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Prices Are in His Hand
When prices climbed, the Companions asked the Prophet ﷺ to set them. In the hadith he named Allah the One who sets prices, Al-Qaabid, Al-Basit and Ar-Razzaq, and then gave his own reason for staying his hand: “And I am hopeful that I meet my Lord and none of you are seeking (recompense from) me for an injustice involving blood or wealth” (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1314; at-Tirmidhi calls it hasan sahih). Al-Tabari quotes the same words when he comes to 2:245 and explains them: dearness and cheapness, plenty and scarcity are in Allah's hand and no one else's.
Arabic: إن الله هو المسعر القابض
غلا السعر فسأل الناس النبي ﷺ أن يسعر لهم، فقال: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْمُسَعِّرُ الْقَابِضُ الْبَاسِطُ الرَّزَّاقُ وَإِنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ أَلْقَى رَبِّي وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ يَطْلُبُنِي بِمَظْلَمَةٍ فِي دَمٍ وَلاَ مَالٍ» (جامع الترمذي 1314، وقال: حسن صحيح). وذكره الطبري عند آية البقرة، وقال في معناه: «أن الغلاء والرخص والسعة والضيق بيد الله دون غيره».
Spend, and Do Not Worry
2:245 asks who will lend to Allah a good loan, then says: it is Allah alone who decreases and increases. Ibn Kathir reads it as an instruction. Spend and do not worry, for Allah is the Provider; He narrows provision for some of His servants and widens it for others, and the perfect wisdom in that is His. Al-Tabari keeps an older reading from Ibn Zayd that brings the verse down to two men: He gave plenty to you, who would rather stay at home, and held it back from the other, who is eager to go out in Allah's cause, so equip him from what is in your hand and you will have a share in it. Al-Qurtubi adds that the verse is general: in everything, He is Al-Qaabid and Al-Baasit.
Arabic: والله يقبض ويبسط
تسأل آية البقرة من يقرض الله قرضا حسنا ثم تقول: ﴿وَٱللَّهُ يَقْبِضُ وَيَبْصُۜطُ﴾، قال ابن كثير: «أي: أنفقوا ولا تبالوا فالله هو الرزاق يضيق على من يشاء من عباده في الرزق ويوسعه على آخرين، له الحكمة البالغة في ذلك». ونقل الطبري عن ابن زيد في رجلين، أحدهما ذو سعة يتثاقل عن الخروج في سبيل الله والآخر مقتر يحب الخروج، فيؤمر الأول أن يقوي الثاني مما في يده: «بسط عليك وأنت ثقيل عن الخروج لا تريده، وقبض عن هذا وهو يطيب نفسا بالخروج ويخف له، فقوه مما في يدك، يكن لك في ذلك حظ». وقال القرطبي: «هذا عام في كل شيء فهو القابض الباسط».
The Shade Drawn Back
﴿ثُمَّ قَبَضْنَـٰهُ إِلَيْنَا قَبْضًا يَسِيرًا﴾causing the shade to retreat gradually?
25:45 and 25:46 point at something everyone has watched: your Lord extends the shade, then makes the sun its guide, causing the shade to retreat gradually. Al-Sa'di describes it: the shade is spread before sunrise, and as the sun climbs it shrinks little by little until it is gone. Shade and sun taking turns, and with them night and day and the seasons, are among the clearest signs, he says, of Allah's power, His greatness, His full mercy and His care for His servants.
Arabic: ثم قبضناه إلينا قبضا يسيرا
تشير آيتا الفرقان إلى ما يشاهده الناس كل يوم: ﴿أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ كَيْفَ مَدَّ ٱلظِّلَّ وَلَوْ شَآءَ لَجَعَلَهُۥ سَاكِنًا ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَا ٱلشَّمْسَ عَلَيْهِ دَلِيلًا﴾ ﴿ثُمَّ قَبَضْنَـٰهُ إِلَيْنَا قَبْضًا يَسِيرًا﴾. قال السعدي: «أي: ألم تشاهد ببصرك وبصيرتك كمال قدرة ربك وسعة رحمته، أنه مد على العباد الظل وذلك قبل طلوع الشمس»، و«فكلما ارتفعت الشمس تقلص الظل شيئا فشيئا، حتى يذهب بالكلية»، وتعاقب الظل والشمس وما يترتب عليه من اختلاف الليل والنهار والفصول «من أدل دليل على قدرة الله وعظمته وكمال رحمته وعنايته بعباده».
When People Close Their Hands
﴿ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقُونَ وَٱلْمُنَـٰفِقَـٰتُ بَعْضُهُم مِّنۢ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَقْبِضُونَ أَيْدِيَهُمْ ۚ نَسُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ فَنَسِيَهُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقِينَ هُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ﴾The hypocrites, both men and women, are all alike: they encourage what is evil, forbid what is good, and withhold ˹what is in˺ their hands. They neglected Allah, so He neglected them. Surely the hypocrites are the rebellious.
Withholding is a fault in people. 9:67 describes the hypocrites, men and women alike: they encourage what is evil, forbid what is good, and withhold what is in their hands. Al-Sa'di explains: they close their hands to charity and to every way of doing good, and so they are described by stinginess. Allah withholds by wisdom, as the definition says; a person who closes his hand on what Allah gave him is blamed for it.
Arabic: ويقبضون أيديهم
وقبض اليد في الناس وصف مذموم: ﴿ٱلْمُنَـٰفِقُونَ وَٱلْمُنَـٰفِقَـٰتُ بَعْضُهُم مِّنۢ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَقْبِضُونَ أَيْدِيَهُمْ﴾، قال السعدي: «عن الصدقة وطرق الإحسان، فوصفهم البخل». فالله يقبض بحكمته كما في التعريف، والعبد يلام إذا قبض يده عما أعطاه الله.
He Took Your Souls
On a journey the Companions slept through the dawn prayer, and when they woke the Prophet ﷺ said: “Allah captured your souls (made you sleep) when He willed, and returned them (to your bodies) when He willed.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 7471). He also spoke of something no one sees leaving: “Allah does not take away the knowledge, by taking it away from (the hearts of) the people, but takes it away by the death of the religious learned men” (Sahih al-Bukhari 100), and when none of them is left, he went on, people take ignorant leaders who give rulings without knowledge.
Arabic: إن الله قبض أرواحكم
نام الصحابة في سفر عن صلاة الفجر، فلما استيقظوا قال النبي ﷺ: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَبَضَ أَرْوَاحَكُمْ حِينَ شَاءَ، وَرَدَّهَا حِينَ شَاءَ» (صحيح البخاري 7471). وقال في أمر لا يرى الناس ذهابه: «إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا، يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ الْعِبَادِ، وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ بِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ» (صحيح البخاري 100)، فإذا لم يبق عالم اتخذ الناس رءوسا جهالا يفتون بغير علم.
From the Sunnah
And I am hopeful that I meet my Lord and none of you are seeking (recompense from) me for an injustice involving blood or wealth
وَإِنِّي لأَرْجُو أَنْ أَلْقَى رَبِّي وَلَيْسَ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ يَطْلُبُنِي بِمَظْلَمَةٍ فِي دَمٍ وَلاَ مَالٍ
When the people slept till so late that they did not offer the (morning) prayer, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Allah captured your souls (made you sleep) when He willed, and returned them (to your bodies) when He willed
حِينَ نَامُوا عَنِ الصَّلاَةِ، قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَبَضَ أَرْوَاحَكُمْ حِينَ شَاءَ، وَرَدَّهَا حِينَ شَاءَ
I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "Allah does not take away the knowledge, by taking it away from (the hearts of) the people, but takes it away by the death of the religious learned men till when none of the (religious learned men) remains, people will take as their leaders ignorant persons who when consulted will give their verdict without knowledge. So they will go astray and will lead the people astray
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ انْتِزَاعًا، يَنْتَزِعُهُ مِنَ الْعِبَادِ، وَلَكِنْ يَقْبِضُ الْعِلْمَ بِقَبْضِ الْعُلَمَاءِ، حَتَّى إِذَا لَمْ يُبْقِ عَالِمًا، اتَّخَذَ النَّاسُ رُءُوسًا جُهَّالاً فَسُئِلُوا، فَأَفْتَوْا بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ، فَضَلُّوا وَأَضَلُّوا
A du'a with this Name
الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَحْيَانَا بَعْدَ مَا أَمَاتَنَا، وَإِلَيْهِ النُّشُورُ
All the Praises are for Allah Who has made us alive after He made us die (sleep) and unto Him is the Resurrection
Sahih al-Bukhari 6324: what the Prophet ﷺ said when he woke from sleep, as Hudhaifa reported
Related Names
Questions about Al-Qaabid
What does Al-Qaabid mean?
Al-Qaabid narrows provision by His wisdom, and He opens it wide by His generosity and mercy.
Is Al-Qaabid in the Quran?
Not as a Name: Al-Qaabid is in the hadith of Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1314, graded sahih by al-Albani. And 2:245 says it is Allah alone who decreases and increases wealth.
Why did the Prophet ﷺ not fix prices?
He said Allah is the One who sets prices, withholds and gives, and that he hoped to meet his Lord with no one claiming an injustice from him in blood or wealth (Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1314, graded sahih by al-Albani).
What is the difference between Al-Qaabid and Al-Baasit?
Jami' at-Tirmidhi 1314, graded sahih by al-Albani, names them together, and the definition holds both sides: narrowing by His wisdom, widening by His generosity and mercy.