3. The unity of the Divine design [tadbīr]
Since creation belongs exclusively to God, the design of the order of being also belongs to Him. There is only One Designer in the world, and by means of the rational proof [dalīl al-‘aqlī] that affirms the idea of the unity of the Divine creative power the unity of the Divine design is proved.
In numerous verses, the Glorious Qur’an states that God is the Only Designer of the world, as in the following:
﴾ شَيْءٍ كُلِّ رَبُّ وَهُوَ رَبًّا أَبْغِي اللهِ أَغَيْرَ قُلْ ﴿
“Say, ‘Shall I seek a Lord other than Allah, while He is the Lord of all things?’”[1]
Of course, the same two ways of interpreting the unity of the Divine creative power are used for interpreting the unity of the Divine design, and what is meant by the unity of the Divine design is to believe that independent design belongs to no one other than God.
On this basis, all the sorts of subordinate designing among the creatures in the order of universe take place by the will and permission of God. The Holy Qur’an also points to this Divine design, stating: ﴾ أَمْرًا فَالْمُدَبِّرٰتِ ﴿ “By those who direct the affairs [of creatures].”[2]
