The Meaning of الرب Ar-Rubb by Shaykh Dr. Salih al Fawzan, excerpt from his book “The Creed of Tawheed”

Understanding the word الرب the lord in the Quran, and the Sunnah and the conceptions of the misguided nations.

الرَّبُّ (Ar-Rabbu) the Lord its origin: مصدر a gerund رَبَّ يَرُبُّ which means to bring a thing from a condition to a complete/whole condition. It is said رَبَّه و ربّاه و رَبَّبه (to be master of, be lord have possession of, control, have command or authority over , to father a child, to bring up/to raise .1) . So the pronounce word رب gerund (English grammar term) figuratively for the فاعل (subject in grammar, in laymen term doer of an action). Nor is it said: الرَّبُّ ( the Lord) loosely except for Allah the Most High متكفل Mutakafil (the one responsible ) with what He puts in proper order all that exist, like the saying of Allah رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ” the Lord of all the worlds”, and
رَبُّكُمْ وَرَبُّ آبَائِكُمُ الْأَوَّلِينَ “Your Lord and the Lord of your ancient fathers!” .

Neither is it said to other than him, except limiting the governing word, just as it said رب الدار the lord of the estate, and رب الفَرَس the lord of the horse (the owner of it), meaning the owner of it. From it is the saying of His the Most High in the narration about Yusuf peace be upon him:
اذْكُرْنِي عِندَ رَبِّكَ فَأَنسَاهُ الشَّيْطَانُ ذِكْرَ رَبِّهِ
“Mention me to your lord (i.e. your king, so as to get me out of the prison).” But Shaitan (Satan) made him forget to mention it to his Lord (master he was under his authority) , [or Satan made Yusuf (Joseph) to forget the remembrance of his Lord (Allah).” Surah Yusuf 42.

Allah the Most High said: قال ارجعْ الى رَبِّكَ

“Return to your lord and ask him”

أَمَّا أَحَدُكُمَا فَيَسْقِي رَبَّهُ خَمْرًا

“he (as a servant) will pour out wine for his lord (king or master) to drink”.

The Messenger of Allah sallahu wa alayhi wa Salam said about the astray (lost) Ibeil (camel):
حتى يجدَها ربُّها ” until the lord (owner) finds her (the camel)”( rabbuhaa her owner, or her master). Hadeeth is agreed upon.

So the explanation of this is that الرب the Lord is designate upon Allah in definite (specified), and governing word over (Possessive). So it is said: الرب the Lord (definite case, specified), or ربِّ العالمين the Lord of all the worlds, or رب الناس the Lord of the people, and this word الرب is not designate for other than Allah, except the case of possessive the governing word like: رب الدار the lord of the estate, and رب المنزل the lord of the house, and رب الإبل the lord (owner) of the camel.

The meaning of رب العالمين “the Lord of all the worlds” the creator of of them, the owner of them, the one who put their affairs in correct order, and the one who is responsible / in charge of; nurturing, and educating, and cultivating them with His bounty. The one who sent His messengers, and revealed books (like the Torah and Injeel and the Quran), and reward them according to their actions ( good and bad reward according to what they do and did).

Alaaamah (Big Scholar in Islam) ibn al-Qiyam may Allah have mercy upon him:

فإن الربوبية تقتضي أمر العباد و نَهِيهُم و جَزَاءَ مُحْسِنَهُم بإحسانَهُ و مُسِيئَهُم بإساءَتَه

” So that the oneness of the Lordship (of Allah) it neccessitates (put in order) the affair of the slaves  and prohibits them (from all type of sins, and commands them off all type of good deeds), and reward the well doer of them, base upon his perfection ( his good deeds), and reward the evil doer of them base upon his bad actions  (rewarded him base upon his bad actions {sins} with Hell fire, and a painful punishment).”

This is the reality of the oneness of the Lordship of Allah.

Translated by Abul Baraa Muhammad Amreeki.

1 رَبَّبَ: ( فعل )

رَبَّبْتُ ، أُرَبِّبُ ، رَبِّبْ ، مصدر تَرْبِيبٌ

رَبَّبَ الوَلَدَ : تَعَهَّدَهُ بِمَا يُغَذِّيهِ ، رَبَّ

رَبَّبَ النِّعْمَةَ : حَفِظَهَا وَنَمَّاها ، رَبَّها

رَبَّبَ الثَّمَرَ : عَمِلَهُ بالرُّبِّ

رَبا: ( فعل )

ربا / ربا في يَربُو ، ارْبُ ، رَبْوًا ورُبُوًّا ، فهو رابٍ ، والمفعول مَرْبُوّ – للمتعدِّي

ربَا العجينُ : علا وانتفخ بعد اختماره : عاليًا على الماء

ربَا الشَّخصُ : أصابه الرَّبْو ( داء يصيب الرِّئة )

ربَا الجرحُ : ورِم

ربَا الرَّابيةَ : صَعَد فوقها

ربَا الولدُ في بني فلان : نشأ وترعرع فيهم ربا الولدُ في بيئة ريفية ،

ربا الشيءُ ربا رَبْوًا ، ورُبُوًّا : نما وزاد في التنزيل العزيز : الحج آية 5 وَتَرَى الأرْضَ هَامِدَةً فَإذَا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْهَا الْمَاءَ اهتَزَّتْ ورَبَتْ ) ) : زادت وانتفخت لما يتداخلها من الماء والنَّبات

ربا المالُ : زاد

شَارَكَ فِي الحَفْلَةِ مَا يَرْبُو عَلَى الخَمْسِينَ مِنَ الْمَدْعُوِّينَ : مَا يَزِيدُ عَلَى

ربا الفَرسُ : انتفخ من عَدْوٍ أو فَزَعٍ