The Withholder - Al-Māniʿ
Al-Māniʿ, The Shielder, The Defender
Al-Maani` comes from the root m-n-a’ (م-ن-ع), and it means to prevent, restrain or deny. God Almighty is the One who prevents harmful actions from coming to you. When a lifeguard rescues a drowning child, it is God Almighty who prevents the drowning. In Bukhari, the Prophet's Companion Abu Bakr, may God be pleased with him, narrated the story of when he and the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) were on the journey from Makkah to Madina and being hunted down by Suraqa bin Malik. Abu Bakr (ra) exclaimed, “We have been discovered, O Messenger of God!” And the Prophet ﷺ replied, “Do not grieve, for God is with us.” The Prophet ﷺ made a du`a’ to God, and the legs of his horse sank into the earth up to its belly.