Formula One's outgoing world champion grabbed the 17th pole of his 52-race career to knock Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel into second place at the glittering new Yas Marina circuit that hosts Sunday's season-ender.
Briton Hamilton was nearly 0.7 seconds quicker than Vettel in final qualifying and, despite his car being 4.5kg lighter on fuel than the German, should run away with the sport's first day-to-night race.
Fellow Briton Button, who clinched the title in Brazil with a race to spare, will line up fifth after complaining of juddering when he hit the brakes in the final session.
"The car's been probably the best it has been all year," Hamilton told a news conference.
"It seems to really feel quite comfortable on this circuit," added the 24-year-old winner of two races after a slow start to the season.
"What they've done here is just incredible and it's just a real pleasure to drive here."
While both titles have been decided already in favour of Button and Brawn GP, McLaren are only a point ahead of Ferrari in third place in the constructors' standings with significant prize money at stake.
