Question: Did Allah say ‘Be’ to each individual thing, or to the universe and all that will ever be in one go?
Answer:
Wa alaykum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,
Dear questioner,
Thank you for your important question.
Allah Most High says, ‘When He decrees a matter, He only says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is’ (Qur’an, 2: 117).
This does not mean that Allah literally orders things to exist. Rather, it is a rhetorical way of showing that His will comes into effect immediately, just like an obedient subordinate immediately obeys the orders of his superior (Tafsir al Baydawi).
His will and power are ultimately one, and only seem many in view of the various and different things that they bring into being (Jawharat al Tawhid, Laqqani).
I pray this helps.
[Ustadh] Farid
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadh Farid Dingle has completed extensive years of study in the sciences of the Arabic language and the various Islamic Sciences. During his studies, he also earned a CIFE Certificate in Islamic Finance. Over the years he has developed a masterful ability to craft lessons that help non-Arabic speakers gain a deep understanding of the language. He currently teaches courses in the Arabic Language