QAʿDAH (قعدة). The sitting posture in the daily prayer, when the tashahhūd is recited. [[TASHAHHUD].]
QADAR (قدر). Lit. “Measuring.” (1) The word generally used in the Ḥadīs̤ for fate, or predestination. (2) Al-Qadar, the title of the XCVIIth Sūrah of the Qurʾān. [[TAQDIR], [PREDESTINATION].]
QADARĪYAH (قدرية). A sect of Muḥammadans who deny absolute predestination and believe in the power (qadr) of man’s free will. They were the ancient Muʿtazilahs before al-Wāṣil separated from the school of Ḥasan al-Baṣrī.
QADĪM (قديم). “Ancient; old.” Al-Qadīm, “The one without beginning.” Qadīmu ʾl-Aiyām, “Ancient of days.” God.
AL-QĀDIR (القادر). “The Powerful.” One of the ninety-nine attributes of God. The word occurs in the Qurʾān, at [Sūrah ii. 19], “God is mighty over all,” and in many other passages.
QĀDIRĪYAH (قادرية). An ascetic order of Faqīrs instituted A.H. 561, by Saiyid ʿAbdu ʾl-Qādir al-Jilānī, surnamed Pīr Dastagīr, whose shrine is at Bag͟hdād. It is the most popular religious order amongst the Sunnīs of Asia. [[FAQIR], [ZIKR].]
QĀF (قاف). (1) The twenty-first letter of the Arabic alphabet. (2) The title of the Lth Sūrah of the Qurʾān. (3) The circle of mountains which Easterns fancy encompass the world. The Muḥammadan belief being that they are inhabited by demons and jinn, and that the mountain range is of emerald which gives an azure hue to the sky. Hence in Persian az qāf tā qāf means the whole world. The name is also used for Mount Caucasus.
AL-QAHHĀR (القهار). “The Dominant.” One of the ninety-nine names of God. It occurs in the Qurʾān, [Sūrah xiii. 17]: “He is the One, the Dominant.”
QĀʾIF (قائف). Lit. “Skilful in knowing footsteps.” One who can judge of character from the outward appearance.
One instance of the kind is related in the Traditions, namely, ʿĀyishah relates, “One day the Prophet came home in high spirits, and said, ‘O ʿĀyishah, verily Mujazziz al-Mudliji came and saw Usāmah and Zaid covered over with a cloth, except their feet; and he said, “Verily, I know from these feet the relationship of father and son.” ’ ” (Mishkāt, book xiii. ch. xv. pt. 1.) This knowledge is called ʿIlmu ʾl-Qiyāfah.