Continuation of the explanation of the chapter: “He is Allah, the Creator, the Maker, the Fashioner.”

The Shaykh : We have previously answered what is said: “So-and-so created such-and-such,” meaning he made it. We stated that the creation resulting from a human being is not the same as the creation belonging to Allah. The creation belonging to Allah is bringing something into existence from nothing, whereas the creation resulting from a human is transforming and changing something already created, though he shapes it in a specific form. Nevertheless, the action of the servant is created by Allah the Exalted and Majestic. Thus, the action of the servant returns to being a creation of Allah, because the action of the servant proceeds from his will, power, and imagination, and Allah created all of that. Therefore, all creation belongs to Allah, whether it is what Allah the Exalted and Majestic created and did independently, or what the human being created.
Likewise, no one can create the soul, give it life, and bring it into being except Allah the Exalted and Majestic. No matter how much capability people may have, they will not be able to create the soul. Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, challenged creation to create the smallest of Allah’s creatures, or one of the smallest and most insignificant of Allah’s creatures, which is the fly. He said: Allah the Exalted and Majestic commanded us to listen and pay attention to this parable, because it is a great parable. Whoever is worshipped besides Allah, and whoever is worshipped besides Allah, is in the view of creation above the rank of creation. If this is the case for the highest of them, if they all gathered together, they would not be able to create a fly, so how much less so those below them among the servants whom they worship? Then He added to that: Meaning, if the fly were to take something from them, they would not be able to retrieve it from it. How does a fly take something? Some scholars described it by saying that these idols are made with things like clay and others, so a fly comes and lands on this clay, and the fly sticks to its hands, and these people are unable to retrieve what stuck to the fly’s legs from the fly. Thus, creation and the creation of the soul are specific to Allah the Exalted and Majestic.
Likewise, fashioning is specific to Allah the Exalted and Majestic. For this reason, Allah the Exalted and Majestic rebuked those who fashion and create like His creation, saying: Who is more unjust? Meaning, no one, because he competes with Me in lordship. The one who fashions as Allah fashions competes with Allah the Exalted in lordship, as if he is saying in his inner state: I am able to do as He did and fashion as He fashioned. It is well known that fashioning is specific to Allah the Exalted and Majestic. Creation cannot change a form that Allah the Exalted and Majestic has fashioned to be better or worse, ever. Rather, there may be replacement parts if some forms need to be completed due to a defect or its like. For example, if a nose is severed, humans may be able to gather from the remaining parts of the body what can be fashioned to replace this nose or something similar. But a complete fashioning is impossible; it is impossible for anyone to change a form that Allah has fashioned to beauty or ugliness. Perhaps to ugliness, if a crime is committed against this man, such as changing the features of his face, for example. But as for fashioning, it is impossible.