Al-Khaliq _The Creator
Professor Mohammad Ratib En- Nabulsi
All Praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all worlds. Now, we start with the seventeenth of Allah’s Beautiful Divine Names, “Al-Khaliq” (the Creator). First of all, Allah, All Mighty, says,
“O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who created you and those who were before you, so that you may attain self-protection.” [II; 21]
The above Quranic Verse shows clearly that you should worship “Al-Khaliq” (the Creator), Allah, Alone, and no one else. If you call upon another god than the Creator for worship and service, you will go far astray from the Right Way. This is because only the Creator guarantees happiness and prosperity to you if you worship Him. If you worship Him, you are safe from His Torment. If you worship Him, you are successful in the life of this present world and the world to come. If you worship Him, you will be admitted into His Garden of Paradise, wherein you will be happy forever. That is why the Creator, Allah, All Mighty, says,
“O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who created you and those who were before you, so that you may attain self-protection.”
In the sense that is common these days: The maker is the only one who can provide ways for using a certain machine or apparatus. Who has the right to issue instructions for the proper use or operation of a certain apparatus or machine? It is certainly the maker or producer of such apparatus or machine. If you follow the instructions of other parties than those of the maker, you will not be able to operate the machine properly, and you may even destroy it completely. Very simply, the mind tells you: Only the Maker should be worshipped, i.e. none except the Maker should be worshipped, none but the Maker should be obeyed, none except the Maker should be followed: “O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who created you and those who were before you.” Why? The answer is: does not the One, Who has created, know? Yes, indeed, because He is the Omniscient, the All-Aware, the All-Wise, the One Who knows man’s human nature and needs, Who knows what makes him good or evil, what makes him happy or miserable, what makes him high or lowly, what makes him peaceful or frightened. Yes, indeed! He, Allah, is the All-Aware, the All-Knowing. To this effect, He, All Mighty, says,
“If you call upon them, they hear not your call; and if they were to hear, they could not grant it to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown your worshipping them. And none can inform you like Him, Who is the All-Knowing.” [XXV; 14]
Therefore, if you have a very expensive machine, and if you are very careful about its safety and proper work, the wise thing to do is to go to specialized experts and no one else. If you desire to buy a car, the first thing you should do is to go to experts in order to be informed of its price, engine power, price, color, make, safety, maintenance, …etc. In other words, in your daily affairs you always go to experts and specialists for advice and you always seek help from those who are knowledgeable and aware. In this context, Allah, the Omniscient, the All-Aware, the Creator, says,
“If you call upon them, they hear not your call; and if they were to hear, they could not grant it to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown your worshipping them. And none can inform you like Him, Who is the All-Knowing.” [XXV; 14]
As regards married life, for example, Allah, the Creator, says,
“O Prophet (Muhammad)! If you divorce women, divorce them at their prescribed periods (‘Iddah); and count accurately such periods; and fear Allah, your Lord. And turn them not out of their homes, nor should they (themselves) go out except in case they are guilty of some open illegal sexual intercourse. Such are the set limits of Allah; and whosoever transgresses the set limits of Allah, then indeed he has wronged himself. You know not! It may be that Allah will afterward bring some new thing to pass.” [LXV; 1]
In the above Quranic Verse, Allah first forbids men to sent their wives out of their homes in case they are divorced. Similarly, He forbids women to go out without their husbands’ permission in case their divorce is revocable. This is because He, the All-Knowing, knows human nature. Man and woman are naturally inclined to each other; and anger may calm down after some time. If they were separated from each other, things would get worse and many parties would interfere in their marriage and would probably spoil it. When the woman stays in her husband’s home, things will most probably get better, and disputes will be settled in a couple of days. But if the woman left her husband’s home angrily to her family’s home, things would get worse and marriage would be disrupted. Such Law has been ordained by the One Who is All-Knowing, the All-Aware Maker, the All Mighty Creator, Who also says,
“Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made some of them more adequate than some, and because they (men) spend from their means. Therefore, the righteous women are devoutly obedient (to Allah and to their husbands), and guard, in the husband’s absence, what Allah orders them to guard (their chastity, their husbands’ property, …etc.). As to those women on whose part you see ill-conduct, admonish them (first), (next) refuse to share their beds, and (last) beat them (lightly if it is useful); but if they return to obedience, seek not against them means (of annoyance). Surely, Allah is Ever Most High, Most Great.” [IV; 34]
If you are more adequate in knowledge, character, piety, righteousness, and manners, and if you spend of your money on your wife, you are a good protector and maintainer of your wife. And if you desire to set things right with your wife, go to Allah’s Divine Book, the Holy Quran, wherein you find goodness, prosperity and happiness. To this effect, Allah, Most Gracious, says,
“Verily, this Quran guides to that which is most just and right. And give glad tidings to believers who work good righteous deeds that they shall have a great reward.” [XVII; 9]
For anything, even your health, private relationships, livelihood, work, or old age, you should resort to Allah’s Book, the Holy Quran, for guidance and success. In this context, in his book “Al-Kamil” Ibn ‘Adi, on authority of Anas, quotes Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), as saying,
“He who learns the Quran, Allah keeps his mind sound for him until he passes away.”
Once, I noticed a doctor who was treating a patient with narrowness of brain arteries, which made his motion slow. The doctor addressed the patient’s people, “You should speak to him.” When I asked the doctor about that, he answered, “If you speak to him, he has to answer; and in order to answer, he has to use his mind. This reactivates cells of the brain and widens the arteries of the brain.” In great amazement, I said, “Glory to Allah! Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), speaks the truth as he says,
“He who learns the Quran, Allah keeps his mind sound for him until he passes away.”
In fact, the mind of someone who is reading the Holy Quran, performing prayer, or worshipping Allah, All Mighty, is constantly working: Is it time for prayer? Has “Az-Zuhr” (the noon prayer) been called for? How many Rak’as have I performed? The first, second, or third Rak’a, the first Rak’a includes recitation of the Quran, but the third does not…. His mind is in constant work and activity. When he reads the Quran, he comes across the rules of Tajweed: here there is “Idgham”, and there is “Izhar”, here is “Ikhfa’” and there is “Qalqalah”, here is “Madd Tabee’i” and there is “Madd Muttassil”, …etc. His mind is always working. He tries to understand meanings of Quranic words and verses. In other words, a person who is reading the Holy Quran is in a constant mental activity. Hence, “He who learns the Quran, Allah keeps his mind sound for him until he passes away.” In this context, Allah, All Mighty, says, “He (Allah) said, ‘Get you down from it (Paradise), both of you! Some of you are an enemy to some. Then, if there comes to you Guidance from Me, whosoever follows My Guidance shall neither go astray (i.e. his mind shall not go astray) nor be distressed.’” [XX; 123] He, Most Gracious, also says, “We (Allah) said, ‘Get down from it (Paradise), all of you! Then, whenever there comes to you Guidance from Me, whoever follows My Guidance: there shall be no fear on them, nor shall they grieve.’” [II; 38]
In the next pages we shall be dealing with the above Quranic Verse,
“O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who created you and those who were before you, so that you may attain self-protection.” [II; 21]
You should by no means follow someone who is aloof from Allah, All Mighty, Most Gracious. Beware of seeking guidance from someone who is aloof from Allah and barred from Him. To this effect, Allah, Glory to Him, says, “And keep yourself patiently with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and afternoon, seeking His Face. And let not your eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp and glitter of the life of this present world. And obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our Reminder, who follows his own lusts, and whose affair has been a complete loss.” [VIII; 28] He, Praise belongs to Him, also says, “And follow the path of him who turns to Me (in repentance and obedience).” [XXXI; 15]
Therefore, the only One, in the whole universe, Who deserves to be obeyed and worshipped, is the Creator, All Mighty, All-High, Who says,
“O mankind! Worship your Lord (Allah), Who created you and those who were before you, so that you may attain self-protection.” [II; 21]
I have already mentioned that if man follows other parties than Allah, the Almighty Creator, he will be greatly shocked and disappointed, because such parties may, quite often, not give him the real truth that enables him to live in peace and tranquility. This is because man’s happiness and tranquility are achieved only when his beliefs conform to authentic religious texts, logic, pure human nature, and reality. This means that in order to be happy man needs four things: reality, authentic religious texts, logic, and pure human nature. This is the Truth! If you base your life and daily activities on authentic religious texts, logic and good reason, objective reality, and pure human nature, you are rightful, happy and prosperous, i.e. you are with the Truth; and whosoever is with the Truth is rightly guided and suffers no shocks, disappointments, frustrations, despair, or loss.
Among the Quranic Verses that speak bout Allah’s Divine Name, “Al-Khaliq” (the Creator), is, “He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Shaper, to Whom do belong the Most Beautiful Names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him; and He is the All Mighty, the All-Wise.” [LIX; 24]
The word “Allah” is a proper Divine Name that refers to the One, Who is Self-Existent, Unique, and Perfect. Although numerable, Allah’s Beautiful Divine Names stem from three basic notions: Allah is Self-Existent, Allah is Unique, and Allah is Perfect. The first notion refers to the fact that Allah must necessarily be Existent, i.e. no one brought Him into existence, but it is He Who has caused the whole existence to be. Moreover, Allah is Unique, i.e. there is none like Him: He is Unique in His own Divine Self, He is Unique in His own Divine Attributes, and He is Unique in His own Divine Acts. Furthermore, Allah is Perfect in His Own Divine Most Beautiful Names and Attributes. Therefore, it is not strange to invoke, “O Lord! There is no distress so long as you are the Lord!”
It is most grievous and painful for man to have two masters or lords: one bids him to do something, while the other bids him to do another. A friend of mine once told me about a factory owned by three partners. Workers of the factory were torn among the three partners and did not know what to do or whom to please. The first partner would suddenly give an order that had to be accomplished, the second would give another contradictory order and the third still another. Things got confused and the whole project was a great failure. In this context, Allah, All Mighty, says,
“Allah puts forth a similitude: a man (slave) belonging to many partners disputing with one another and a man (slave) belonging entirely to one master. Are those two men (slaves) equal in comparison? All Praises and Thanks are to Allah! Nay! Most of them (mankind) know not.” [XXXIX; 29]
Why do lots of people incur misery and wretchedness in the life of this present world? The answer is: simply because they are torn among several parties. The one of them does not know whom to please. He has to please his wife, his mother, his boss, someone threatening him, …etc. He is dispersed and confused. However, a true believer strives to please only one party, Allah, the One and Only, Who is the All Mighty, and in Whose Hand are all other parties. That is why Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), says, “Work for one party (Allah), Who suffices you all other parties.”
Medical scientists and doctors confirm that most diseases and illnesses are caused by psychological problems and disorders; and it is common sense that ulcer is caused by psychological problems, and so are most diseases of the heart and nervous system. Psychological problems stem from life problems that man has in his daily life. Moreover, most up-to-date medical studies show that most organic diseases are caused by psychological disorders. Therefore, it is wrong to separate organic disorders from psychological ones. In this context, a friend of mine told me that he went to a foreign country for a surgical operation to his heart. As soon as he was admitted into hospital, a good experienced nurse came in with some flowers that she put in a beautiful vase. While arranging the flowers, she kindly asked, “What is the matter?” “I need a heart operation.” He replied. “Who is going to do the operation?” She asked. “Dr. so and so.” He said. “Oh!” she said encouraging, “This is the best doctor! And he has so far done thousands of successful operations similar to yours!” Her nice words made him feel very comfortable and safe. Later on, he found out that the nurse was actually a psychiatrist who was employed by the hospital to make him feel safe and comfortable before the operation. This is because the good psychological and spiritual condition of the patient helps a lot in making the surgical operation successful.
The close link between man’s body and spirit is one of the most up-to-date discoveries of modern medical science. But why is a true believer happy? The answer is: simply because all his relationships are confined by only one, namely his relationship with his Lord, Allah, All Mighty, Most Gracious, Who knows and sees all things. In fact, the whole issue can be put in only a few words: True faith is good health; and a true believer looks healthy just because he is a monotheist. In this context, Allah, Glory to Him, says, “So invoke not with Allah another god lest you should be among those who are tortured.” [XXVI; 213]
Only Allah, All Mighty, Most Gracious, deserves your worship, love, devotion, work, and sacrifice of your effort and life. To this effect, Allah, glory to Him, says, “And they will not receive admonition unless Allah so wills; He (Allah) is the One, deserving that mankind should be afraid of, and should be dutiful to Him, and should not take any god along with Him, and He is the One Who forgives.” [LXXIV; 56]
The above Quranic Verse shows clearly that Allah, Alone, deserves that you should spend all of your life for Him, that you spend all of your efforts serving Him, that you spend all of your money for His Cause and sacrifice all that you own for His Good Pleasure. In short, it is, indeed, a sincere yet rewarding sacrifice.
That is why when man cheaply consumes himself and becomes old and at the threshold of an unknown life while he possesses nothing for it after having spent his life in trivial things that avail him nothing for the Hereafter, he will find himself in complete loss. Therefore, I would like to reiterate Allah’s Words, “O mankind! Worship your Lord, Who created you.”
The only one who deserves your obedience, love, sincerity, and worship is Allah, All Mighty, Most Gracious. In this context, I do not think that two men, in the whole world, loved one another as much as Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq and Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), did. Nevertheless, Allah’s Messenger, (PBUH), said, “If I were to take an intimate beloved friend, from among all mankind, I would take Abu Bakr as one; but he is only a brother and a companion. However, (my) relationships are all with Allah, Alone.”
Make no mistake about it: The secret behind your happiness is to work for only one party, to strive to please only one party, and to devote yourself only to one party, namely your Lord, Allah, All Mighty, Most Gracious. In this context, Allah, Glory to Him, says, “He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Shaper, to Whom do belong the Most Beautiful Names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him; and He is the All Mighty, the All-Wise.” [LIX; 24]
Therefore, the Creator is Allah, and the One Who has the Most Beautiful Names and Attributes is Allah, Who says in His Divine Book, the Holy Quran, “Such is Allah, your Lord! There is no god but Him, the Creator of all things. So worship Him (Alone). And He is the Disposer of all things.” [VI; 102]
Undoubtedly, everything needs Allah, All Mighty, Most Gracious, for everything. So, you should worship Him. The remarkable thing about the Holy Quran is that the command therein to worship Allah always comes after mentioning that Allah is the Creator of all things: “worship your Lord, Who created you”, “the Creator of all things, so worship Him (Alone).”
The Verses also reiterate another fact, namely that Allah is the Only Creator. To this effect, Allah, All-High, says, “O mankind! Remember the Grace of Allah upon you! Is there any creator other than Allah who provides for you from the heaven and the earth? There is no god but Him. How then are you turning away (from Him)?” [XXXV; 3]
When the holy Prophet Abraham, (PBUH), disputed with Namroud, Abraham, (PBUH), said, “My Lord is He Who gives life and causes death.” Namroud boasted, “I give life and cause death.” To this effect, the Verses go, “Have you not looked at him who disputed with Abraham about his Lord (Allah), because Allah had given him the kingdom? When Abraham said, ‘My Lord is He Who gives life and causes death.’ He said, ‘I give life and cause death.’ Abraham said, ‘Verily! Allah causes the sun to rise from the east; then cause it to rise from the west.’ So the disbeliever was utterly defeated. And Allah guides not the people who are wrong-doers.” [II; 258]
In the above dispute, Namroud symbolizes utmost stupidity, misguidance, loss and infidelity.
At times of drought, I usually address those around me, “Is there, in the whole world, a party, other than Allah, that can meet together and determine to have the rain fall down?” And the answer always comes, “No! Of course not!” No one can do anything in such case except to roar with sincere invocation to the Lord, Allah, All Mighty, Most Gracious, to send down His Divine Mercy. Hence, Allah is the Creator: “Such is Allah, your Lord! There is no god but Him, the Creator of all things. So worship Him (Alone). And He is the Disposer of all things.” [VI; 102] “O mankind! Remember the Grace of Allah upon you! Is there any creator other than Allah who provides for you from the heaven and the earth? There is no god but Him. How then are you turning away (from Him)?” [XXXV; 3] “Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth Able to create the like of them? Yes, indeed! He is the All-Knowing Khallaq (Supreme Creator).” [XXXVI; 81]
The word “Khallaq” (the Supreme Creator) in the above Verses is an emphatic Divine Attribute that denotes both quality and quantity. For example, one of the galaxies is 16,000,000,000 km’s away from us, and one of the stars, called Antares, is as large as the sun, the earth and the distance between them; the seas and oceans constitute 4/5 of the surface of the earth, and some oceans are more than 10,000 meters deep; some mountains, like the Himalayas, are horribly high; some fish, like the blue whale, weigh 150 tons and contain 90 barrels of oil, 50 tons of flesh, 50 tons of fat, and 50 tons of bowels! Is there a creator other than Allah?! That is impossible! “Yes, indeed! He is the All-Knowing Khallaq (Supreme Creator).”
Amplitude of the Amazon is 3,000 cubic meters per second, and its stream goes more than 85 km’s deep into the ocean without getting mixed with ocean water. Such is Allah’s Creativity. So show me what others than Him have created?! A small man-made water pump fills the air with noise, but Allah-made Mountains, incredibly enormous as they are, move along most smoothly and quietly. To this effect, Allah, All Mighty, says, “And you see the mountains and think them standing still, but they pass away as clouds do. (Such is) The Work of Allah, Who perfected all things. Verily, He is Well-Acquainted with what you do.” [XXVII; 88]
Great masses of clouds are loaded with thousands of tons of water, yet they move along most smoothly and quietly bringing with them glad tidings of good rain. To this effect, Allah, Glory to Him, says, “And among His Signs is that He sends the winds as glad tidings.” [XXX; 46]
He, Praise belongs to Him, also says, “Then We made the semen into a clot, then We made the clot into a little lump of flesh, then We made out of that little lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, and then We brought it forth as another creation. So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.” [XXIII; 14]
The above Quranic Verse embraces a great many meanings. When man makes something, he starts by making it very simple, but then, as his knowledge and experience improve, his work becomes better and more developed. Look at a car made in 1900, for example and another made in 1999. They are incomparable. The former had a couple of oil lamps for the headlights, which had to be lit by matches. Its wheels had no pneumatic tires; and its engine was started manually. Its gearbox had only one speed, and its horn was manually blown. Such car is not at all comparable to a modern one. This means than man’s knowledge and experience has developed so much during these hundred years. In other words, man’s knowledge and experience are something acquired. Look at the creation of a human being. Is there a human being that is made in a more developed or more experienced way that another? Is there a person whose model or make is more modern or more developed than another? Can we say that such man is of the 1900 model and another is of the 2000 model? The answer is: Of course not! In other words, human beings are all alike from the viewpoint of creation. This is because the Creator’s Knowledge is not acquired and has no beginning or end. His Divine Make is Perfect. To the same effect, Allah, All Mighty, says, “Such is Allah’s Creation! So show me that which those (whom you worship) besides Him have created!” [XXXI; 7]
“Yes, indeed! He is the All-Knowing Supreme Creator.” [XXXVI; 81]
Yes, indeed: “Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.” If you desire to make a comparison between man-made things and those made by Allah, All Mighty, you will certainly find out that they are incomparable. When a dentist, for example, wants to pull a child’s tooth out, he has to give him an anesthetic injection in his gum, which causes the child a lot of pain. But when Allah, Most Gracious, causes a child’s tooth to come out, it is made to come out smoothly and painlessly, as its root is made to melt and the nerve is disconnected so smoothly and easily that the child feels no pain whatsoever. Yes, indeed: “Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.” Just make a comparison between the things that man makes and those made by Allah, All Mighty! A man-made camera, for example, needs film processing, while you see things with your eyes, without any processing, in their right size, color and motion! At one look, you can see a hundred people in their different features and colors. In fact, the human eye can distinguish 800,000 shades of the same color. In other words, if we graduate green into 800,000 different shades, our human eyes can differentiate between any of these shades.
Yes, indeed: “Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.” Great, indeed, is the difference between a man-made camera and the human eye! The human eye does not need to be set at a certain distance, aperture or speed. It does all that automatically, spontaneously and most easily. Quite spontaneously, the eye measures the distance between itself and an object, and its tiny muscles make its lens contract or expand so as the picture is rightly reflected on the retina. This process is called vision congruence and is, I think, one of the most complicated operations in the human body. Yes, indeed: “Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.”
“Indeed your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and then He established Himself on the Throne. He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, and the stars: (they are all) subjected to His Command. Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of all worlds.” [VII; 54]
When a factory sells an aircraft to a certain country, the manufacturer is no longer responsible for the way the country is going to use such aircraft. It may be used to bomb another country, to carry passengers, or whatever other purposes the country may use the aircraft for. But when our Lord, Allah, All Mighty, creates something, all its affairs, work, and functions remain in His Divine Hands and under His Divine Control. To this effect, Allah, All Mighty, says “Indeed your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and then He established Himself on the Throne. He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars subjected to His Command. Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of all worlds.” [VII; 54]
In fact, Allah’s Book, the Holy Quran, is man’s life book. It is the Book prescribed by Allah to all mankind. Therefore, when they read the Holy Quran and come across the word “creation”, I would like my dear readers to search for the relationship between this word and the other words that come before or after it.
“It is Allah, Who is the Creator.” Yes, indeed! The Creator of all things is Allah, All Mighty, Lord of all worlds, to Whom do belong all the Most Beautiful Divine Names and Attributes, Creator of all things. None except Allah created anything. He, Alone, is the Creator of all things. So worship Him. This is the positive meaning. As for the negative meaning, it is deduced from Allah’s Words, “Is there any creator other than Allah?” “Nay! And He is the All-Knowing Khallaq (Supreme Creator).” This means that it is He, (Allah), Who has created the mountains and galaxies and all other things, irrespective of their numbers or qualities. This is the meaning of “Al-Khallaq” (the Supreme Creator): “Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.” This means that you have to make a comparison between man-made things and those made by Allah, the Great Creator.
“Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment” What reassures man is that the things that Allah creates remain in His Divine Hands and under His Divine Control.
Now, let us go into more details, beginning with the meaning of the word “create”. Linguistically speaking, the word “create” means: “cause something to exist”, which includes invention, origination and bringing things from non-existence to existence.
First Verse: “Then We made the semen into a clot, then We made the clot into a little lump of flesh then We made out of that little lump of flesh bones, then We clothed the bones with flesh, and then We brought it forth as another creation. So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.” [XXIII; 14] Although this Verse refers to the existence of more than one creator, it does so only metaphorically. The Only Real Creator is Allah, All Mighty, the Lord of all worlds. Others are only metaphorically said to create. In other words, when you create a chair of leather and wood, the only thing you do is that you determine the amount, kind and quality of wood, and the kind, quality and color of leather, and you make them into a chair. This means that you do not create a chair from nothing but rather from certain things that are already in existence. This meaning is deduced from Allah’s Words, “So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators.”
Second Verse: “The likeness of Jesus is the likeness of Adam. He (Allah) created him (Adam) from dust, then He said to him: ‘Be!’ And he was.” [III; 59] This Verse shows clearly that dust existed before creation of Adam. In this sense, the word “create” means “decree”, i.e. Allah decreed the amount of dust, its qualities, and the way it should be formed.
The first Verse goes, “So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators,” and the second one, “The likeness of Jesus is the likeness of Adam. He (Allah) created him (Adam) from dust, then He said to him: ‘Be!’ And he was.” It is well known that Allah’s Words “Be! And he was” mean that Allah, All Mighty, brought Adam into existence from non-existence. In other words, He created him from dust and said to him “Be!” and he was. Hence, bringing something into existence differs from creating it.
Some religious scholars even go further to interpret Allah’s Words, “So Blessed is Allah, the Best of Creators,” to mean that Allah, All Mighty, created, i.e. decreed, and then commanded: “Be!” and it was, i.e. brought it from non-existence into existence.
The third Verse shows that creation is “Decree”. There is a reason for this, as Allah, All Mighty, says, “He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Shaper, to Whom do belong the Most Beautiful Names. All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him; and He is the All Mighty, the All-Wise.” [LIX; 24]
Although nothing can be likened to the Creator, Allah, All Mighty, the process of creation may be likened to an engineer who designed a building on paper, on which he put all his knowledge and experience. The plan includes the bases, and then the first, second and third floors, together with cement supports and balconies…etc. Creation is Decree: “the Creator, the Inventor,” but invention is to bring something from nonexistence into existence: i.e. “Be!” and it is. Next, there comes the builder’s turn: digging the bases, pouring cement, constructing the first, second, and third floors, and so on, until the building is completely constructed. Hence, creation is Decree while invention is bringing something from nonexistence into existence.
But the building still needs extra ornamentation and decoration from both outside and inside in order to look beautiful. Here comes the work of the Shaper. Once again, “He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Shaper” Allah is the Creator in the sense that He decrees, i.e. sets the plans, then He is the Inventor in the sense that He constructs the building and brings it into existence, and then He is the Shaper in the sense that He ornaments it and makes it good looking. Look at a human being, for example! He has lots and lots of muscles, bones, nerves, blood vessels, …etc, which look horrible without the skin which covers them all and makes the human body look beautiful. The skin not only holds all of the body systems together but also covers them and makes the body look beautiful. It is our Lord, Allah, Who gives the human body its beautiful shape: “He is Allah, the Creator, the Inventor, the Shaper”
However, if Allah so wills, we shall deal with this issue more elaborately when we explain Allah’s other two Names: “Al-Bari’” (the Inventor), and “Al-Mousawir” (the Shaper) in the forthcoming lectures. Now it is enough to say, in short, that the Creator is He Who decrees, the Inventor is He Who brings into existence, and the Shaper is He Who gives proper shapes to the things that He creates. But we still have another question: what is the difference between “Al-Khalq” (creation) and “Al-Fatr” (origination) in Allah’s Words, “Praise belongs to Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth!” [XXXIV; 1] Notice what a young girl usually does. Irrespective of the structure of her body, organs, tissues, shape, or look, she has a special kind of psychological setting up: she is naturally predisposed to bring up children, as she quite often holds a doll in her hands and tries to imitate her mother, looking after the doll. A boy has another different psychological setting up: he quite often imagines himself riding horses or fighting wars. Why does a girl choose looking after a doll while a boy prefers riding a horse? The answer is: each has his/her own different human original nature and psychological setting up. Such psychological setting up may be called “Al-Fitrah” (original nature).
Man has his own “Fitrah” (i.e. original human nature): “Verily, man was created very impatient; irritable when evil touches him; and niggardly when good touches him.” [LXX; 19-21]. knowingAllah.com
“And man invokes (Allah) for evil as he invokes (Allah) for good; and man is ever hasty.” [XVII; 11]
“Man is created of haste. I will show you My Signs; so ask Me not to hasten (them).” [XXI; 37]
“Allah wishes to lighten (the burden) for you; and man was created weak.”[IV; 28]
Such are manifestations of man’s original human nature and psychological setting up. In this context, a Divine Hadith goes, “O David! Remind My slaves of My Favors (that I do) to them, for the human selves are predisposed to love those who do them favors and to hate those who do them disfavors.”
Such psychological setting has certain qualities and characteristics. A lamb, for example, has special physical qualities of its body, muscles, skin and wool. But a lamb also has psychological setting up of being, for example, obedient and easily subdued. To this effect, Allah, All Mighty, says, “And We subdued them (cattle) to them (mankind), so that some of them they have for riding and some they eat.” [XXXVI; 72]
