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Tuesday, September 13, 2011

13. Al-Musawwir, The Bestower of Forms

I tried to use people who are such public figures that they wouldn't mind the use of their images.
Al-Musawwir, the Bestower of forms (and some say colors), the Shaper.  When I thought about this name, the image that first came to my mind was diatoms, the miniscule organisms whose skeletons make the diatomaceous earth that is white dust in swimming pool filters:
Picture courtesy of Wikicommons
Don't they look like buttons or beads?  I love the amazing variety.  God is an awesome designer.

The connotations of the root of this word:  s - w - r  ض و ر according to the Wahiduddin Web are

to make something incline, lean or bend towards
to form, fashion, sculpt, imagine or picture something
to have an inclination or desire towards something
This is supposed to be the most specific of the three names that have to do with God as creator, and as I thought about that I found myself thinking  particularly about the way God has made each and every person unique.  Of course, this applies not just to our bodies but also to our hearts and minds and spirits. And of course, Allah has shaped many many things other than people.  Lots of things to celebrate.

Al-Musawwir

Al-Musawwir
You give the shape to everything that's shaped
And everything is shaped
Al-Musawwir.

Every little snowflake that drifts from the sky
Has a form and fashion that you did supply.

Every person's body and each person's face,
Bears a special signature that You stamped in place.

The path of every river that flows
The shape of every flower that grows
Fancy guppy tails and the swirling shells of snails
The track of every planet spinning out in space
Each bump and every wrinkle on each rhino's face
Are crafted by the Great Engineer
Al-Musawwir


1 comment:

  1. Dear Mr. Finell,

    While you and I disagree on many things, I do not see what your extensive comment has to do with my post. My post is about the fact that God creates us all as unique individuals. Do you disagree with this?

    I'll give you a little bit of time to enter into dialog, and then I am going to delete your comment, because it is both rude and not to the point. As followers of Jesus, it is possible that we might have a fruitful conversation about the points you raise, but why would you choose to trash my blog with such a message?

    ReplyDelete