Understanding ‘Rabb’ (رب)

Secondly, there is the term “Lord” (Rabb). While the literal meaning of (Rabb) is accurately explained in this text, the interpretation seems to go awry when it attempts to define the Quranic concept of Lord. It becomes apparent that there is an effort to mould the concept into a particular framework. Since the original Quranic understanding does not accommodate this interpretation, a similar deviation occurs as noted above in the discussion of the term “Ilah” (الٰه).

The discussion begins with the following lines:

“The root of this word is ر ب ب, primarily meaning ‘nurturing.’ From this root, ideas of control, supervision, managing affairs, and achieving completion and perfection also arose. Based on this, concepts of superiority, leadership, ownership, and lordship also developed within it.”

Up to this point, the explanation is entirely accurate, as the basic meaning of “Rabb” (رب) is indeed “nurturing.” This is why “Rabb” is translated as “Sustainer” or “Provider.” However, like any word, various meanings evolve naturally from its core meaning. Similarly, the term “Rabb” has incorporated all the aspects it inherently suggests. While it has one essential meaning, it has come to embody multiple contextual meanings.^[1]

However, this interpretation of the term Rabb did not serve his purpose. Under this reading, the notions of supremacy and governance appear only as indirect implications—derivatives that are not part of the term’s original meaning. Yet his objective was to present the concept under discussion as the term’s direct and primary meaning. As a result, a shift appears a page later: what was earlier described as the “essential meaning” of Rabb is reduced to merely one of its meanings. He writes:

“By mistake, the meaning of Rabb has been confined merely to ‘Provider’ or ‘Nurturer’. Consequently, in defining Rububiyyah (Lordship), the following expression has become common: huwa insha‘u al-shay‘i halan fa-halan ila haddi al-tamam—meaning: to gradually bring something, stage by stage, until it reaches perfection.”

However, this is only one of the word’s broad meanings. Examining its full scope reveals that it encompasses the following concepts:

1.        Nurturer, provider of needs, the one who fosters growth and development.

2.        Guardian, overseer, responsible for care and improvement of affairs.

3.        The central figure, one upon whom various individuals converge.

4.        Respected leader, authoritative figure, one whose commands are followed, whose superiority and dominance are accepted, and who has the power to exercise control.

5.        Owner, master.

— (pp. 28-29)

This passage illustrates an example of the initial deviation in the interpretation of “Rabb” (رب) within this book, where it is argued that the political meaning of “Rabb” is not merely an implied aspect but is in fact one of its direct meanings, holding the same status as any other interpretation of the term.

The book then provides an in-depth examination of the misguidance of various nations mentioned in the Quran, and after analysing each one, the author summarises the findings under the title “The Call of the Quran” as follows:

“The investigation into the misconceptions of misguided nations, as outlined in previous pages, fully reveals that from ancient times until the period of the Quran’s revelation, none of the nations described in the Quran as tyrannical, corrupt in belief, and wayward denied the existence of God. Nor did any of them reject Allah’s absolute lordship (rububiyyah) and divinity (uluhiyyah). Their fundamental and common misguidance lay in the division of the five aspects of rububiyyah which we initially identified through linguistic and Quranic evidence into two separate categories.

“This aspect of Rabb—that He is supernatural, nurturing, provides, fulfils needs, and oversees creation—was, in their view, an entirely different matter. While they acknowledged Allah as the Supreme Lord in this sense, they simultaneously associated angels, deities, jinn, unseen forces, stars and planets, prophets, saints, and spiritual leaders with Him in this aspect of Rububiyyah.

And the aspect of Rabb—that He is the authority for command and prohibition, the possessor of supreme power, source of guidance and legislation, the head of the state, and the centre of society—was, in their eyes, a completely separate concept. In this sense, they either acknowledged humans as their lords instead of Allah or, despite recognizing Allah theoretically, practically bowed in submission to human moral, social, and political authority. This was the very misguidance that prophets have come to correct since the beginning, and it was ultimately for this purpose that the Prophet Muhammad () was sent. The message of all prophets was that Rabb, in every sense is one, and that is Allah, the Exalted. Rububiyyah is indivisible; no part of it, in any sense, belongs to anyone else. The universe operates as a unified, central system, created by one God, governed by one God, and entirely controlled by one God alone. No one else has a role in creating this system, no one else shares in its administration, and no one else has a stake in His rule. Being the central authority, that one God alone is your supernatural Lord as well as your moral, social, and political Lord. He is your deity, the one deserving of your prostrations and bowing. He is the refuge and shelter of your prayers, the support upon which you rely, and the provider of all your needs. Equally, He is the king, the Owner of all dominion, the Lawgiver, and the one with the authority to command and prohibit. These two aspects of rububiyyah, which ignorance has led you to separate, are, in reality, the necessary attributes of divinity and the essence of God’s Godhood. They cannot be detached from each other, nor can anyone be associated with God in any capacity within these domains.” (pp. 63-64)

The statement here regarding the indivisibility of Rububiyyah (Divine Lordship) is correct. However, there is an error in its explanation, similar to what we observed earlier in our discussion on Ilahiyyah (Divine Godhood). In the Quran, the indivisibility of Rububiyyah is primarily presented in the context that the Creator and Sustainer of the universe is one, and there is no partner in this act of sustenance. This indivisibility does not imply that “supernatural Rububiyyah” and “social and political Rububiyyah” are inseparable parts of a unified concept that cannot be divided.

For example, let us consider an ayah cited in this book under this subject (Page 66):

“And God has created you from dust, ………….He makes the night pass into the day and He makes the day pass into the night. He has subjected the sun and the moon, each running for an appointed term, such is God, your Lord: His is the kingdom. Those whom you invoke besides Him do not own so much as the skin of a date stone. If you invoke them, they do not hear your call; and even if they could hear, they would not respond to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will disown you…” (Quran, 35:11-14).

The point made in this ayah is that the deities you call upon besides Allah possess not the slightest power; they cannot even hear your “call.” Therefore, make your Lord the One whose might and majestic mastery are constantly demonstrated in the cycle of night and day.  These words indicate that the indivisibility of Rububiyyah being referred to here is supernatural Rububiyyah. This is a declaration of Allah’s true Lordship over those entities that people, believing them to have control over the world of cause and effect, turn to in their needs. It is clear, then, that the kind of Rububiyyah affirmed here is the same kind of Rububiyyah that is negated in relation to others.

I will quote two references from commentaries to further clarify this point:

“Those whom you invoke besides Him do not own so much as the skin of a date stone.” (Quran, 35:13)

According to the commentator, ‘this phrase confirms the previous statement about Allah’s uniqueness in divinity (uluhiyyah) and lordship (rububiyyah), serving as proof. Its central point is that all authority and control, from beginning to end, belong exclusively to God, and that no one else has any share in them. (Ruh al-Ma’ani, Vol. 11, p. 354)

The phrase “ذالکم” (That) refers to the performer of these acts, who is Allah, the Most Exalted. In this expression, “ذالکم” serves as the subject, while its predicate is “الله ربکم لله الملک” (Allah, your Lord, to Him belongs the dominion). This implies that this Being, who has created all things, is the Creator, the Determiner, the Mighty, the Absolute Controller, the Owner of the world, and the One exercising authority over everything. Another possible interpretation is that “له الملک” (to Him belongs the dominion) stands as an independent sentence contrasting with the statement “والذين تدعون من دونه ما يملکون من قطمير” (and those you invoke besides Him do not even possess a membrane of a date seed). In this situation, the meaning is that those beings, other than Allah, whom you call upon, hold no power over any creation or its management. (Al-Shawkani, Fath al-Qadir, Vol. 4, pp. 393-394)

In the lengthy excerpt from the book under discussion, it is noted that from the earliest times until the revelation of the Quran, there has been a “fundamental and common misguidance” among misguided nations. To substantiate this, a thorough examination is presented under the title “Misguided Notions of Rububiyyah among Past Nations.” It is asserted that all these nations succumbed to two types of misguidances regarding Rububiyyah mentioned above: first, associating others in supernatural Rububiyyah; second, entrusting moral, social, and political Rububiyyah to others. However, despite the extensive discussion, only the first concept of Rububiyyah is proven. No ayah (verse) supports the second concept of Rububiyyah.

A surprising aspect is that most of the ayahs used as evidence do not even include the word “Rabb” (Lord). For instance, in the context of the people of Noah, this verse is cited:

“Indeed, I am a trustworthy Messenger to you. So fear Allah and obey me” (Quran, 26:107-108).

According to the interpretation of the book, this verse signifies that in all matters of ethics, social relations, civilization, politics, and every aspect of life, Allah should be recognized as the Rabb (Lord), i.e., the ultimate ruler and supreme authority. However, aside from the fact that this is not explicitly mentioned here, how can any concept of Rububiyyah (Lordship) be derived from a phrase in which the word Rabb is not even present?

Regarding certain nations, verses have been presented that contain the word Rabb. However, these verses do not support the intended meaning of the author under review, in them, the word Rabb does not refer to “political and social Rububiyyah.” For example, the following verse is cited regarding the misguidance of the people of ‘Ad:

“And that was ‘Ad; they denied the signs of their Lord” (Quran, 11:59).

After this verse, the following phrase appears:

“And they disobeyed His Messengers and heeded the commands of every stubborn tyrant.” (Quran, 11:59).

In this phrase, following the tyrants does not imply that they “obeyed them in political and social matters.” Rather, it suggests that despite the divine signs confirming the Messenger’s prophethood, they did not seek guidance from these signs. Instead, they aligned themselves with the rebellious leaders of the time who were denying the Messenger’s prophethood.

In the book, Quran Ki Chaar Buniyadi Istlahein, this phrase is translated as: “And this is ‘Ad, who refused to accept the commands of their Lord” (p. 35). While the word ayah can also mean “command,” its primary meaning is “sign,” which is the intended meaning here. This implies that the signs given to them for recognizing the Messenger were not heeded, and they denied him. There is no mention of “political and social Rububiyyah” here.

“They denied the signs”—That is, they disbelieved in the signs of their Lord with which He supported His Messenger, the one calling to Him, and through which He indicated his truthfulness. They denied them, saying: ‘O Hud, you have not brought us any clear proof.’ (Tafsir Ruh al-Ma‘ani, Vol. 6, p. 284)

However, this was still not sufficient to satisfy the author under review, because he wanted to present power and governance not as merely one meaning among several, but as the primary and definitive meaning itself. Consequently, as the discussion was nearing its final conclusion, it took yet another turn. Toward the end of the discussion, after citing many Quranic verses under the heading “The Call of the Quran,” he finally writes:

“It is evident from this sequence of verses that the Quran views Rububiyyah (Lordship) as entirely synonymous with sovereignty and authority, presenting the concept of Rabb (Lord) as the absolute, unrivalled ruler and owner of the universe... In this capacity, He is the nurturer and sustainer of us and all worlds, our provider and fulfiller of needs. In this capacity, He is our guarantor, caretaker, and the one upon whom we rely. In this capacity, loyalty to Him forms the natural foundation upon which the structure of our collective life is properly built, and connection to His central authority creates the bond of a single community among scattered individuals and groups. In this capacity, He alone is deserving of our worship, obedience, and servitude, and in this capacity, He is our Lord, master, and sovereign.” (p. 68-69)

Initially it seems that, the word Rabb originally conveyed the concept of “nurturing”, but as nurturing necessitates certain requirements, additional meanings emerged.

Nurturing requires possessing superior authority, as the control essential for nurturing in the heavens and on the earth, cannot be attained without it. Furthermore, for one who is nurtured, it is vital to obey the nurturer, as failing to do so constitutes an act of extreme ingratitude and betrayal. However, according to the final interpretation, the word Rabb has come to be synonymous with ruler and sovereign. The implications of sovereignty and authority suggest that He alone should be the nurturer, the sole authority, the one to whom loyalty is owed, and the only one worthy of worship, regarded as our Lord and master. This completely alters the initial meaning. While other meanings emerged under the requirements of nurturing, in the final interpretation, all meanings now arise under the demands of authority.

To equate the term Rabb solely with sovereignty and authority, the book presents sixteen verses (pp. 68-69). Some of these verses are also cited in relation to other terminologies, which we have discussed previously. Here, I will examine a few specific verses among them to clarify that these references do not establish the particular revolutionary meaning that the author under review intends to prove.

The first verse cited in this context is:

“Your Lord is God, who created the heavens and the earth in six Days [periods] and then settled Himself firmly on the Throne. He throws the veil of night over the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession. It was He who created the sun, the moon and the stars, and made them subservient to His will. His is the creation, His the command, Blessed be God, Lord of the universe.” (Quran, 7:54)

The phrase “His is the creation, His the command” appears to have been interpreted here as referring to “political Rububiyyah”—suggesting that since creation belongs to Him, then legal and political sovereignty should likewise be exercised over people solely by Him.

While I do not doubt the independent necessity of this principle, this phrase does not convey that. Upon closer examination of the entire verse, it becomes evident that the segment “His is the creation, His the command” reiterates what was already mentioned in the preceding words. The verses first mention creation in the words “He created the heavens and the earth,” and then refer to command in the phrase “subjected by His command.” This point is then clearly restricted to God alone in the subsequent statement: “Indeed, to Him belong creation and command.” In other words, God alone has created the heavens, the earth, and everything within them, and He alone exercises direct control over all that exists. Therefore, fear and hope should be placed in Him alone, and supplication should be directed only to Him. (Quran, 7:55-56)

This interpretation is shared by commentators, one of whose references I will include here:

“And the sun, the moon, and the stars are all subject to His command,” meaning He created them in such a way that His decision alone governs them, and He alone causes them to revolve. “The creation is His, and the command is also His,” for He alone brought everything into existence and has absolute control over all. (Tafsir Abi al-Su’ud, Vol. 3, p. 232)

Another verse is:

“Praise, then, be to God, Lord of the heavens, and Lord of the earth, the Lord of all the worlds. All greatness belongs to Him in the heavens and earth. He is the Almighty, the All Wise.” (Quran, 45:36,37)

It appears that from the phrase “Lord of the heavens and the earth,” the meaning of both types of Rububiyyah (Lordship) has been inferred—that is, it is understood to imply that He holds supernatural authority over the heavens and legal and political authority over the earth. However, this interpretation lacks evidence, as there is no contextual indication to support this meaning, and simply from the word “majesty” (kibriya), one cannot infer the concept of political authority without a clear indication. Kibriya signifies greatness and grandeur, and words like these in the Quran are used to describe Allah’s supernatural authority and supremacy over the heavens and the earth, which is the intended meaning here as well.

Hafiz Ibn Kathir writes:

“So, to Allah belongs all praise—Lord of the heavens and the earth,” meaning He is the owner of both and everything within them... “and to Him belongs all majesty in the heavens and the earth.” Mujahid explains this as meaning that only His is the sovereignty—that He is the Great and the Magnificent, before whom everything is humble and dependent. (Tafsir Ibn Kathir, Vol. 7, p. 273)

Ali Shawkani writes:

“And to Him belongs all majesty in the heavens and the earth,” signifying that grandeur, greatness, and authority are His alone. The heavens and the earth are specifically mentioned as His attributes are evident within them. “And He is the Almighty, the Wise,” indicating that His authority is supreme, and none can prevail against Him. He is wise in all His actions, words and judgments. (Fath al-Qadir by Al-Shawkani, Vol. 5, p. 14)

Another verse is:

In reality, this community of yours is one single community, and I am your Lord; therefore, worship Me alone. But people have divided among themselves the matter of Rububiyyah  (Lordship) and ’ibadah (Worship). Yet, in the end, all of them must return to Us. (Quran, 21:92-93)

The translation I provided above is the one presented in the book under discussion, and within this translation lies the reasoning for how this verse has, in the the author under review, become a source for the political interpretation of Rububiyyah (Divine Lordship). The phrase “they have divided His task of Rububiyyah among themselves” suggests that the interpretation of “تقطعوا أمرهم بينهم” (they divided their matter among themselves) may imply that Rububiyyah (Lordship), with all its supernatural as well as political and social dimensions, was exclusive to God. Yet people assigned part of it to God and divided the rest among themselves.

However, this notion is not mentioned here. The phrase “تقطعوا أمرهم بينهم” is more accurately translated as “they have divided their matter among themselves.” The use of “Ummah Wahidah” (one community) suggests that the division referred to is within the concept of “Ummah  Wahidah” itself, rather than in any other notion.

Before this verse, the reference is made to “Men of Revelation” (Quran, 21:92), and in this context, over a dozen prophets are mentioned, characterised as forming one “single community”—a group fundamentally united in promoting and upholding one faith. Nevertheless, their followers did not sustain this unity. Allah had bestowed upon everyone a singular foundational faith, but individuals themselves introduced discord, fragmented it, and created separate religious sects, battling against one another and forsaking the original faith.

Al-Shawkani writes:

“Indeed, this community of yours is one single community.” Here, the word Ummah (community) refers to religion, as if to say, “This religion of yours is one religion; there is no difference in Tawheed (monotheism) among the different nations.” “And I am your Lord, so worship Me alone,” meaning, make your worship sincere and exclusive for Me, and do not worship anything else.

The phrase “they have divided their matter among themselves” means that they split religion into factions to the point it became fragmented. Al-Akhfash states that they disagreed within it, which supports the earlier statement. (Fath al-Qadir by Al-Shawkani, Vol. 3, p. 502)

In this context, the word Ummah means religion. Therefore, it is as if Allah is saying that your religion is one single religion, and there is no disagreement among different nations regarding Tawheed (monotheism). The phrase “I am your Lord, so worship Me alone” implies that you should make your worship pure and directed solely to Me, not to anything else. The phrase “they divided their matter among themselves” indicates that they created divisions within the faith to the point that it became fragmented. Al-Akhfash states that they differed within the religion, which aligns with the initial interpretation.