by Umm Isam – Hiba magazine Content Writer
Allah (swt) describes His Majesty in the Quran: “All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.” (Al Fatiha 1:2)
Ar-Rabb, is one of Allah’s (swt) beautiful names mentioned in the Quran nine hundred times, that introduces our Creator to us. Had Allah (swt) not guided us, we would not have known how He owns, nurtures and plans for His entire creation. He has been doing so since the inception of life and will continue to do so until He ends it.
Who is Ar-Rabb?
He is the Lord of all that exists. The name Ar-Rabb explains that Allah (swt) is the only Creator, Owner, Disposer of affairs, Planner, Guide, Provider, Nurturer of the entire creation. He especially bestows blessings of faith and divine knowledge, upon His righteous believers to enable them to know Him. He sets their hearts aright.
Ar-Rabb doesn’t need anyone’s help, resources, work force, instructions or permission to execute. He is nurturing everyone this very moment.
This name must not be attributed to other than Allah (swt)
Maintain the unity of Lordship
Some religions take multiple Gods and attribute individual qualities to each in order to seek benefit from them. They believe that one God cannot be so powerful as to manage so much simultaneously. In Islam the distinction between the Creator and its creation is absolutely clear. They bear no resemblance and neither share any divine characteristics.
“Allah is Ar-Rabb, Who brought all into existence when there was nothing. He sustains and maintains creation without any need from it or of it and He is the Sole Lord of the universe and its inhabitants without any real challenge to His sovereignity. In Arabic the word used to describe this creator-sustainer quality is Ruboobeeyah which is derived from the root ‘Rabb” (Lord)” Dr.Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips.
“O Allah! Allah is my Lord! I associate no partner in worship with Him.” (Ibn Hibban)
The entire creation glorifies Ar-Rabb
During his prophet hood, once prophet Sulaiman (as) was inspecting the birds of his kingdom, he found the hoopoe missing. It angered him and he decided to punish the bird if it did not bring forth a valid reason. Following that the hoopoe presented himself before prophet Sulaiman (as) informing him of Queen of Sheba and her disbelief. The bird beautifully praised it’s Rabb in the Ayat-e-Sajdah: “Allah, La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), the Lord of the Supreme Throne.” (An-Naml 27:26)
Ar-Rabb’s creation recognizes, praises and worships Him by de-fault. They are mandatory believers. It is only humankind that Allah Ar-Rabb granted the freedom of choice to know Him and decide whether to worship Allah (swt) or not. After facilitating man’s guidance, Allah Ar-Rabb also clearly informed him of the consequences of his choice. Hence a person who deliberately rejects Allah (swt) as his Lord should know what he will suffer in Dunya and the end he will meet in Aakhirah for his ingratitude.
Repent to Allah Ar-Rabb
Why should we? Our entire life we only receive from Allah Ar-Rabb. And the bounties get bigger, abundant and manifold with our age. Compare an infant’s needs to an adult’s. The amount of Dunya they both require and partake, is it the same? No it is not. .
Similarly what Allah Ar-Rabb bestows upon the mankind without them asking Him is far greater than what He gives answering their Duas or withholds due to wisdom.
Allah Ar-Arabb continues to deal with His slaves with patience, forbearance, love, care and forgiveness despite the fact that they give nothing or little in return. Hence it is imperative for man to turn to Allah (swt) and thank Him with humility and obedience. Also to repent to Him for not being able to live up to the servitude Allah Ar-Rabb truly deserves.
“O Allah! You are my Lord, there is none worthy of worship but You. You created me and I am your slave. I keep your covenant and my pledge to You so far as I am able. I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done. I admit to your blessings upon me, and I admit to my misdeeds. Forgive me, for there is none who may forgive sins but You.” (Bukhari)
Be pleased with Ar-Rabb
This attribute of Ar-Rabb helps us understand other attributes of Allah (swt). It places a sense of wonder and amazement in our hearts. That enables our heart to prostrate before it’s Rabb and feel content and happy.
“I am pleased with Allah as my Rabb (Sustainer), with Islam as my Deen, and Muhammad (sa) as my Prophet.” (Abu Dawood)
Ask Ar-Rabb only
Our invocations can be answered by Allah Ar-Rabb when we make Dua to Him in the prophet’s (sa) choicest words:
“Allah suffices me, there is no God but He, upon Him is my trust – He, the Lord of the throne (of glory) Supreme.”
حَسۡبِيَ ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۖ عَلَيۡهِ تَوَكَّلۡتُۖ وَهُوَ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَرۡشِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ
“Hasbi Allahu la ilaha illah huwa alehi tawakaltu wa huwa Rabbul Arsh il Azeem.” (At Taubah 9:129)
Prepare for the grave
After death, as we are placed inside our grave and our loved ones leave us behind, we will be met with a stern interrogation from the angels. They will prop the deceased soul upright in the grave ask three questions. The believer who is kept steadfast upon his faith by Allah (swt) will only be able to answer these questions. Also the one who lived his life struggling to practice Islam and please his Rabb will be able to respond to the angels – Munkar and Nakir. They will ask him:
“Who is your Lord”
He will answer: “My Lord is Allah (swt)”
“What is your religion?”
He will answer: “My religion is Islam.”
“Who is your prophet?”
He will answer: “Prophet Muhammad (sa) is my prophet.”
Every single moment Allah Ar-Rabb is creating, planning, deciding, sustaining and caring for His creations in the seen and unseen realms. Most of what we will never encounter, know or see. It only befits us to submit and worship Ar-Rabb with love, fear and sincerity.
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