Understanding ‘Rabb’ () رب

THE CONCEPT OF RELIGION 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 “( ” هللا ربکم هلل امللک 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