Why Does God Sometimes Speak in the Third Person in the Qur’an?
«At times, God speaks in the third person in the Qur’an to remind the Prophet of an event, as in “When your Lord said…” (إذ قال ربك). The phrase “the best of creators” (أحسن الخالقين) means that God’s creative power is incomparable and unique, for no one besides Him creates except by divine permission.»
1182-2 Question
🍀 Greetings to our esteemed teacher. Why do some verses of the Qur’an seem to have a third person speaking and recounting an event? For example, «و اذ قال ربک»—“And when your Lord said.” In some verses, He says, “I did,” or “I said”; in others, He says “We,” using the plural.
🍀 In the verse «و تبارک الله احسن الخالقین», what does “creators” mean? Why is it plural? Isn’t God one?
🌸🔆❄️بسم الله الرحمن الرحیم❄️🔆🌸
# Answer
🍀🔅🌟Peace be upon you🌟🔅🍀
🌻🔆🌸🌸 🔆🌻
🔆🔅🌱«اذ قال ربک» means: “O Our Messenger, remember when your Lord said!”
🔆🔅🌱In effect, the Creator of existence is recounting an event to His Messenger and calling it to mind.
🍀 The meaning of «احسن الخالقین»
🔆🔅🌱Since the Creator cannot be compared with His servants, statements concerning the Almighty must be understood with a clear mind and a sound heart, while bearing in mind the Lord’s divine station.
🔆🔅🌱Anyone who creates or makes something does so by God’s permission; the act comes about through divine power and guidance. In reality, it is Allah alone who must grant the knowledge, will, decree, command and permission that bring any act or matter into being. This applies to everything. The conclusion is that Allah alone is the Creator, even if, outwardly, we see things being made and created.
🔆🔅🌱Since «لیس کمثله شیء» (“There is nothing like Him”), His acts and His creation are likewise without equal. Thus «احسن الخالقین» means that the Lord’s creative power has no likeness or counterpart: He is unique, and His creation is also singular and without equal.