Name 81 of 99
الْمُنْتَقِمُ
Al-Muntaqim – The Avenger, the One who brings retribution
- Transliteration
- Al-Muntaqim
- Meaning
- The Avenger, the One who brings retribution
- Arabic root
- ن ق م
- Theme
- Justice and judgement
Meaning of Al-Muntaqim
Al-Muntaqim is the One who brings just retribution upon persistent wrongdoers after giving them time and warnings. His retribution is never unjust or impulsive. In the Quran this quality appears as "Owner of Retribution" and in the statement that He will take retribution from the criminals.
Many scholars note that in the Quran this meaning is expressed in a qualified way, such as "Owner of Retribution" and "We will take retribution from the criminals", rather than as an unrestricted name.
Al-Muntaqim in the Quran
The exact form Al-Muntaqim is not used in the Quran, but its meaning is affirmed through a related word from the same root:
Related verse
وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن ذُكِّرَ بِـَٔايَٰتِ رَبِّهِۦ ثُمَّ أَعْرَضَ عَنْهَآ ۚ إِنَّا مِنَ ٱلْمُجْرِمِينَ مُنتَقِمُونَ
And who doth greater wrong than he who is reminded of the revelations of his Lord, then turneth from them. Lo! We shall requite the guilty.
Related verse
مِن قَبْلُ هُدًۭى لِّلنَّاسِ وَأَنزَلَ ٱلْفُرْقَانَ ۗ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِ ٱللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌۭ شَدِيدٌۭ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌۭ ذُو ٱنتِقَامٍ
Aforetime, for a guidance to mankind; and hath revealed the Criterion (of right and wrong). Lo! those who disbelieve the revelations of Allah, theirs will be a heavy doom. Allah is Mighty, Able to Requite (the wrong).
Reflection
Allah's justice means oppression will not go unanswered, which comforts the wronged and warns the oppressor.
Related names: justice and judgement
Frequently asked questions
What does Al-Muntaqim mean?
Al-Muntaqim (الْمُنْتَقِمُ) means "The Avenger, the One who brings retribution". Al-Muntaqim is the One who brings just retribution upon persistent wrongdoers after giving them time and warnings. His retribution is never unjust or impulsive. In the Quran this quality appears as "Owner of Retribution" and in the statement that He will take retribution from the criminals.
Is Al-Muntaqim mentioned in the Quran?
Al-Muntaqim does not appear in exactly this form, but its meaning is affirmed in the Quran through a related word from the same root, for example in Surah As-Sajdah 32:22 and Surah Ali 'Imran 3:4.
The list of 99 names follows the order of the narration in Jami' at-Tirmidhi 3507, without the name “Allah”, and adds Al-Ahad from Sunan Ibn Majah 3861. The hadith that Allah has ninety-nine names is in Sahih al-Bukhari 2736 and Sahih Muslim 2677. Quran text: Tanzil (Uthmani); translation: Marmaduke Pickthall (1930, public domain).