Al-Muqaddim – Al-Mu’akhkhir
The Advancer - The Delayer
He is the One Who advances some of His creatures, in terms of their creation, and delays others, according to His will and wisdom; and He is the One Who advances some of His servants, in terms of merit, and delays others, in accordance with His will, knowledge and mercy.

These two noble names occur in the Prophet’s Hadīth comprising the prayer opening invocation during his Tahajjud at night, “O Allah, to You I surrender and in You I believe... You are the Advancer, and You are the Delayer; there is no god but You.”44

Also, ‘Ali bin Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him), describing the Prophet’s prayer, reported that he used to say between Tashahhud and Taslīm, “O Allah, forgive me for what has come to pass of my sins and what will come to pass, what I have concealed and what I have declared, what I have done with excess, and what You know about better than me. You are the One Who brings forward and You are the One Who holds back. There is no god but You.”45
***
44 Narrated by Al-Bukhᾱri)
45 Narrated by Muslim)
140
In light of these two great names, I would say:
1. The advance and delay brought about by Allah Almighty is of two types:
• Universal, like making some creatures better than human beings in creation. This is all based on His wisdom and knowledge.
• Shar‘i, like giving precedence to some people over others in terms of merit. A case in point is the prophets, who are preferred over other people. This is based on justice, mercy, and grace.

2. You should know that when Allah Almighty gives precedence to some of His servants over others, this is not based on their looks or physical bodies, but on what He knows of the sincerity, purity, and faith in their hearts, as well as their righteous words and acts. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Indeed, Allah does not look at your forms or wealth, but He looks at your hearts and deeds.”46

3. Those whom Allah brings forward are advanced, even if people hold them back; and those whom Allah delays are delayed, even if people bring them forward. Allah knows while we do not. (Would He not know, He Who has created, when He is the All-Subtle, the AllAware?) (Sūrat Al-Mulk: 14) So, you should care about your status in the sight of the Creator before caring about it in the sight of created beings.
***
46 Narrated by Muslim)
141
4. Beware of bringing forward those Allah Almighty wants to delay or delaying those Allah wants to advance. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said, “People should be led in prayer by the one who is best in the Qur’an’s recitation. And if they are the same in the recitation, then they should be led by the more knowledgeable of the Sunnah.”47
***
47 Narrated by Muslim)
142