1.1 Meaning of al-Rab and that Allah alone is Lord of the worlds (ربّ العالمين)

In the book ‘Mukhtar al-Sahaah’:
“He nurtured his son controlled and nurtured collectively mean: he mastered. The Lord of everything means its Master.

The Lord, Master, King and Governor, and Nurturer according to al-Fayumi-may Allah have mercy on him:
“The Lord: refers only to Allah the All Exalted and is used in the definitive article and through adjunction it refers
to the lord of something that does not reason. So it is said: “Lord of the religion and lord of wealth”.

The Prophet (SAW) said regarding the lost Camel:

Until his lord finds him.

1.1 Meaning of al-Rab and that Allah alone is Lord of the worlds (ربّ العالمين)

And in what was revealed to Prophet Yusuf:

[ يُوسُف: ٤١]

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أَمَّا أَحَدُكُمَا فَيَسْقِي رَبَّهُ خَمْراً

))

“As to one of you he will pour out the wine for his lord to drink” [12:41]

It is not permissible to use the definitive article in reference to any among creation to mean the Lord because it implies generality where the created does not own all creation.It is acknowledged that Divine Lordship is unique to Allah and no creation whosoever deserves this characteristic.

1.1 Meaning of al-Rab and that Allah alone is Lord of the worlds (ربّ العالمين)

Ibn Abi al-Iz al-Hanafi -may Allah show mercy on him-says:
“As does the second: which is Oneness of Divine Lordship, like the affirmation that He is the Creator of all things, and that the world does not have two creators perfectly alike in attributes and actions, and this Oneness is true with a certainty that bears no doubt, and it is the final objective sought by the religious contemplation and theology along with a group of Sufis. This form of Oneness has never been challenged by any known group from among the children of Adam, but rather that the hearts are naturally inclined towards it more than in its inclination to anything other than it from among existence. We are informed through what Allah says the Messengers have said:

[إبراهيم: ١٠]

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قَالَتْ رُسُلُهُمْ أَفِي اللَّهِ شَكٌّ فَاطِرِ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْض

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"Their messengers said: "Is there a doubt about Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth?” [14:10]

1.1 Meaning of al-Rab and that Allah alone is Lord of the worlds (ربّ العالمين)

Quran is replete with this form of monotheism explaining it and illustrating it with examples. From this He endorses Oneness of Divine Lordship and explains how there is no creator save Allah and that this necessitates the worship of none other but Him. He causes the first form of Oneness to bear evidence of the second as they accepted the first and disputed over the second as in Allah’s address:

Say: Praises be to Allah, and Peace on his servants whom He has chosen (for his Message). (Who) is better? Allah or the false gods they associate (with Him)? Or, Who has created the heavens and the earth, and Who sends you down rain from the sky? Yea, with it We cause to grow well-planted orchards full of beauty of delight: it is not in your power to cause the growth of the trees in them. (Can there be another) god besides Allah. Nay, they are a people who swerve from justice. [27: 59-60]

1.1 Meaning of al-Rab and that Allah alone is Lord of the worlds (ربّ العالمين)

In which Allah asks at the end of each verse ((أَإِلَهٌ مَعَ اللَّهِ)) 'is there an associate with Allah' meaning: is there an associate god with Allah who did this?

1.1 Meaning of al-Rab and that Allah alone is Lord of the worlds (ربّ العالمين)

And if Oneness of Divine Lordship which those contemplators along with their like from among the Sufis do not take as the objective of monotheism, and as being inclusive of the Oneness for which the Messengers taught and which the revealed books speak of; then they should know that the evidences supporting its case are numerous just as the establishment of the Creator and the honesty of the Messenger is. Verily the evidence for the knowledge for which man is in most need of is most apparent as a blessing by Allah upon His creation” and with this his remarks concluded.

Sheikh Hafiz al-Hakami –may Allah show mercy on him- explains the characteristic unique to- the Exalted and Glorified- in that He is the Lord of the worlds with the words: “And the remarks in this chapter on the first kind which is scientific, transmitted and Oneness of conviction, which is the confirmation of the identity of the Lord glorious and exalted. For verily the higher and lower planets require an originator who originated its existence, and who conducts its affairs and manages it. It is impossible to exist without an originator just as it is impossible to have originated itself. Allah-all Exalted be He- in regards to Oneness of Divine Lordship and Godship:

1.1 Meaning of al-Rab and that Allah alone is Lord of the worlds (ربّ العالمين)

[الطُّور: ٣٥-٣٦]

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أَمْ خُلِقُوا مِنْ غَيْرِ شَيْءٍ أَمْ هُمُ الْخَالِقُونَ * أَمْ خَلَقُوا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ بَلْ لا يُوقِنُونَ

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Were they created of nothing, or were they themselves the creators? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay, they have no firm belief. [52:35-36]

Ibn Abbas-may Allah be pleased with him-has said:

“Were they created of nothing”

Were they created without a Lord, which means: were they created free from something that created them so that they exist free from a creator. This is beyond all forms of permissibility because for the created to be attached to the creator is part of the name creation, so if they deny the existence of the creator it is not possible to exist without one.

1.1 Meaning of al-Rab and that Allah alone is Lord of the worlds (ربّ العالمين)

“Or did they create the heavens and the earth?”

Which is indeed a falsehood manifest. For verily it is impossible for a being precedented by non-existence to create himself let alone things other than itself. This is indeed a refutation against them in their association with Allah when they are well aware that He alone is the Creator free from any partners.

“Nay, they have no firm belief.”

But their uncertainty is what prompts them to such acts of polytheism. Jabir ibn Matam-may Allah be pleased with him-narrates, “I heard the Messenger of Allah (SAW) read in Maghrib with surah al-Tur. When he reached the verse

1.1 Meaning of al-Rab and that Allah alone is Lord of the worlds (ربّ العالمين)

أَمْ خُلِقُوا مِنْ غَيْرِ شَيْءٍ أَمْ هُمُ الْخَالِقُونَ * أَمْ خَلَقُوا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ بَلْ لا يُوقِنُونَ* أَمْ عِنْدَهُمْ خَزَائِنُ

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[الطُّور: ٣٥-٣٦]

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رَبِّكَ أَمْ هُمُ الْمُصَيْطِرُونَ

Were they created of nothing, or were they themselves the creators? Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay, they have no firm belief. Or are the Treasures of thy Lord with them, or are they the managers (of affairs)? [52:35-37] my heart was about to fly.” Reported in al-Bukhari and Muslim. Here ends his remarks.