Al-Musawwir (The Bestower of forms and shapes)
It is the attribute of Allah related to the 3rd stage of creation when Allah gives the final shape to a creation/creature. See:
Allah creates flesh, bones etc. None other than Allah can create these things. Then think about the greatness of the creative ability of Allah. We can see thousands of people all having a face with two eyes, a nose, a mouth, two cheeks… etc. But all faces are so much different that everyone can be recognized separately. Such a vast variety of shapes and forms! Allahu Akbar! Allah is a very Great Unique Creator. See the translation of the verses 64 and 65 of the surah Al-Mu’min (Ghaafir):
(40:64) Allah it is Who made the earth a dwelling place for you and made the sky a canopy, Who shaped you and shaped you exceedingly well and gave you good things as sustenance. That is Allah, your Lord; blessed is Allah, the Lord of the Universe.
(40:65). He is the Ever-Living; there is no deity except Him, so call upon Him, [being] sincere to Him in religion. [All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
Surah Aali-Imraan verse 6 (translation only):
(3:6) It is He Who fashions you in the wombs as He wills.4 There is no God but He; the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.
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As Allah alone is the Al-Baaree’ so this is an evidence that only One God Allah is to be worshipped. And as Only Allah is the Al-Musawwir, so it is the evidence that we must make our religion pure to Allah alone. That means we must worship only Allah and we must follow only the Deen of Allah i.e. Islam.
It is only Allah Who brought us all from naught into existence. Therefore, we all must worship and obey only Allah. Then it is worst of the cruelty that idolaters worship others than Allah. Read the translation of the verses 51 — -54 of the surah Al-Baqarah:
(2:51) And recall when We summoned Moses for a term of forty nights,67 and then you set up the calf as your god in his absence. You indeed committed a grave wrong.
(2:52). Then We forgave you after that so perhaps you would be grateful.
(2:53). And [recall] when We gave Moses the Book and criterion that perhaps you would be guided.
(2:54). And [recall] when Moses said to his people, “O my people, indeed you have wronged yourselves by your taking of the calf [for worship]. So repent to your Creator (Al-Baaree’) and kill yourselves. That is best for [all of] you in the sight of your Creator (Al-Baarii’).” Then He accepted your repentance; indeed, He is the Acceptor of repentance, the Merciful.
Exp. Note 70
70. That is, they should put to death those of their own number who made the calf an object of worship and actually worshipped it.
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Here Allah used the name Al-Baaree’ and ordered the sinners to repent to the Al-Baaree’. In this there is a point to reflect on. It is to make them realize that they are created by Allah so Allah has the right to be worshipped. They wrongfully, worshipped the statue made in the shape of calf, so they must repent to their Creator Allah for the forgiveness of their heinous sin.
Therefore, Allah Subhaanhu prohibited the making /taking pictures of the creation of Allah because in this way straying from the right Path happens and a gate way is opened to idolatery/polytheism. The following are the ahaadiths which came to prohibit the taking of the pictures of the creations of Allaah:
Narrated Abdullah Bin Mas’ood rAa that he heard the Allah’s Messenger salla Allaho alayhi wa sallam saying:
“Indeed, the people who will be most severely punished near Allah on the Day of Resurrection will the picture-makers”
It was narrated that ‘Aishah, the wife of the Prophet [SAW], said: “The people who will be most severely punished on the Day of Resurrection will be those who try to match the creation of Allah.”
(Saheeh Al-Bukhaari and Saheeh Muslim)
Hadeeth Al-Qudsee:
Narrated by Abu Hurairah rAa from Allah’s Messenger salla Allaho alayhi wa sallam that Allah said, “And who is more wicked than the one who tries to create like My creation, so let them create an atom (a particle) or a grain or a sha’eerah (a rye)”.
Another hadeeth is narrated by Abdullah bin Umar rAa as: The Messenger of Allah said; “Surely those who make these pictures will be punished on the Day of Resurrection, they will be ordered: “make alive (give life to) that which you have created”.
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In this last hadeeth the punishment of the picture-maker will be because he will be ordered to blow soul into the picture to make it alive like Allah created. The picture-maker will not be able to give life to his picture (that he copied from Allah’s creation) and so he will be punished forever.
These three names are divided into two kinds. Al-Baaree’ is specific for Allah and cannot be applied to anyother being than Allah because Al-Bara’a means to create/produce/invent from something not existing (from naught). This quality belongs only to Allah All-Mighty.
The other two names Al-Khaaliq and Al-Musawwir, if applied in the absolute meanings then only for Allah, If not in the absolute meaning but in limited form then it can be used for people. For e.g. a scientist invented and made a car. Remember that the Real Khaaliq Allah gave him the wisdom and understanding to make a car from the material already created by Allah. He used the wisdom given by Allah and made the car. Therefore, Allah said in the surah Al-Mu’minoon verse 14 (its translation is):
(23:14). Then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump [of flesh], and We made [from] the lump, bones, and We covered the bones with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allah, the Best of creators.
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