ذي قُوَّةٍ عِندَ ذِي العَرشِ مَكينٍ

Powerful and eminent with the Lord of the Throne.

EXPOSITION

This verse mentions two more qualities of Gabriel, which are that he is Powerful and eminent near God. The word makīn denotes influence, rank, and distinction,^{‎[1]Amthal, 19/463.} somebody or something that is well established, trusted, and exalted in position.^{‎[2]Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’ānic Usage, p. 891.} Rāzī writes that the state of being with the Lord of the Throne mentioned here does not mean an association in terms of material space and direction, for space does not contain or limit the being of God, but rather it means an association of honour, esteem, and exaltation.^{‎[3]Amthal, 19/462; Razi, 31/70.}

Some early exegetes, some of whom have been named by Ibn Kathīr as Ibn Abbas, al-Shaʿbī, Maymūn ibn Mihrān, Hasan al-Baṣrī, Qatādah, Rabīʿ ibn Anas, and al-Ḍaḥḥāk, among others, have observed that the expression dhī quwwatin in this verse, translated as Powerful and eminent, appears similar to 53:5-6: It was taught to him by [an angel] with mighty powers and great strength/possessed of sound judgement.^{‎[4]Daqaiq, 9/155; Anwār al-Tanzīl wa Asrār al-Taʾwīl, 5/290; Ibn Kathir, 8/337.} Some later exegetes have also made a similar observation.

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. Qummī reports a tradition attributed to Abū Baṣīr who asked Imam al-Ṣādiq (a) of the identity of the one Powerful and eminent with the Lord of the Throne, and the Imam replied: ‘It refers to Gabriel.’^{‎[5]Qummi, 2/409.}

[1] Amthal, 19/463.
[2] Arabic-English Dictionary of Qur’ānic Usage, p. 891.
[3] Amthal, 19/462; Razi, 31/70.
[4] Daqaiq, 9/155; Anwār al-Tanzīl wa Asrār al-Taʾwīl, 5/290; Ibn Kathir, 8/337.
[5] Qummi, 2/409.