Understanding ‘Rabb’ () رب

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 œ 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