Fortress of the Muslim
Hisn al-Muslim 20
Arabic hadith text
أَعوذُ باللهِ العَظيـم وَبِوَجْهِـهِ الكَرِيـم وَسُلْطـانِه القَديـم مِنَ الشّيْـطانِ الرَّجـيم، [ بِسْـمِ الله، وَالصَّلاةُ وَالسَّلامُ عَلى رَسولِ الله]، اللّهُـمَّ افْتَـحْ لي أَبْوابَ رَحْمَتـِك
Translation
I seek refuge in Allah, the Almighty, by His Noble Face and His eternal authority, from Satan, the accursed.
[In the name of Allah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah.]
O Allah, open for me the gates of Your mercy.
Translation notes
وَسُلْطـانِه القَديـم
The witness renders السلطان القديم as ‘primordial power’; the phrase can be read more literally as His ancient or eternal authority/dominion.
Which contextual sense of سلطان is intended here, and should the witness’s ‘primordial power’ be retained?