Praise be to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah.
Al-Musawwir is Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the One who gave all His creatures whatever form He willed. He gave every existing thing its own particular form and appearance by which it is distinguished from others. He is the One who brings into existence whatever He wills, in the form and manner that He chooses.
Allah تعالى says:
﴿هُوَ اللَّهُ الْخَالِقُ الْبَارِئُ الْمُصَوِّرُ﴾ [Al-Hashr: 24].
Allah سبحانه وتعالى is the One who gives form to His creation. He formed and ordered all existing things, giving each one a particular form and appearance that distinguishes it from others, despite the great variety and multitude of creation.
He سبحانه وتعالى formed every creature in the manner He willed, without following a previous model or relying on an existing design created before it. Exalted is Allah far above that.
Thus, the forms, appearances, and diversity of all created things are from the creation and decree of Allah تعالى.
When Allah تعالى wills something, He says to it:
﴿كُنْ فَيَكُونُ﴾
“Be—and it is.”
Thus, the thing comes into existence in the manner Allah تعالى willed and in the form He chose for it. He سبحانه وتعالى brings into existence whatever He wills according to the form and appearance He chooses.
This demonstrates the perfection of His power and governance, and that the differences in the forms and appearances of creation are not random; rather, they occur according to the decree and will of Allah تعالى.
The scholars have mentioned a distinction between these three Names in terms of their meanings:
Al-Khaliq (the Creator): He is the One who brought all created things from nonexistence into existence and decreed their characteristics.
Al-Bari’ (the Originator): He is the Creator. It has also been said that the designation Al-Bari’ is related to creating human beings from al-barā, meaning dust or soil.
Al-Musawwir (the Fashioner): He is the One who created created beings in their various forms and appearances.
Accordingly, in these particular considerations, the meaning of Al-Khaliq is more general, Al-Bari’ is more specific, and Al-Musawwir is even more specific.
Al-Musawwir is Allah تعالى, the One who created His creatures and gave them the forms and appearances He willed, granting every creature its own particular form by which it is distinguished from others.
He سبحانه وتعالى is Al-Khaliq, Al-Bari’, and Al-Musawwir, and each of these Names indicates an aspect of the perfection of His actions, governance, and creative mastery.
And Allah knows best.