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{{Short description|Arabic word used to refer to God |
{{Short description|Arabic word used to refer to God as the "Lord" or "Master"}} |
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'''Rabb''' ({{lang-ar|رب||lord}}) is often used in Arabic to refer to God as Lord or Master.<ref name="Yuskaev2017">{{cite book |last1=Yuskaev |first1=Timur R. |title=Speaking Qur'an: An American Scripture |date=18 October 2017 |publisher=Univ of South Carolina Press |isbn=978-1-61117-795-4 |language=English |quote=Indeed, "Lord" is a direct translation of the Arabic word ''Rabb''.}}</ref> The term is used by Arabic-speaking Muslims, Christians, and Jews.<ref name="Wan2004">{{cite book |last1=Wan |first1=Enoch |title=Christian Witness in Pluralistic Contexts in the 21st Century |date=2004 |publisher=William Carey Library |isbn=978-0-87808-385-5 |page=35 |language=English |quote=After the rise of Islam, Jews, Christians, and Muslims used "Allah" for Elohim and "theos" when they quoted or translated the Bible in Arabic as they did in their dialogues together. Arabicish versions have tended to transliterate Yahweh or use the word ''rabb'' (Lord) as Jews used ''adonai''.}}</ref><ref name="Singh1990"/> |
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{{Cleanup rewrite|date=May 2009}} |
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{{main|Lord}} |
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| ⚫ | In the [[Quran]], God refers to himself as "Rabb" in several places. When it is used with the definite article (''al-Rabb'') the Arabic word denotes "the Lord (God)". In other cases, the context makes it clear as to whom the word is referring to, in this case, "rabb" refers to "owner, master", for example ''rabb al-dar'' ({{lang|ar|رَبُّ ٱلْدَّار}}) means "master of the house/residence". |
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| ⚫ | [[God in Islam]] is referred to by many qualities and attributes. In the first [[Surah]], [[Al-Fatihah]] of the [[Quran]], introduces this Title "''Rabb''" in the first Verse, "All Praise and Gratitude is due to God, ''Rabb'' of all the worlds and Universe", thus stating clearly that God takes care, nourishes, fosters through every stage of existence, in which everything between that exists. |
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The literal meaning of the word is "sustainer, cherisher, master, nourisher", which in that sense a man is the ''rabb'' of his house. The Arabic [[root]] has several meanings depending again on the context, but in this case refers to the [[verb]] ''yurabbu'', which mean "become bigger, augment, increase, multiply, develop, prosper, raise". Some have explained it to mean a fostering things in such a manner as to make them attain one condition after another until they reach their goal of completion. Thus, it conveys not only the idea of fostering, bringing up or nourishing, but also that of regulating, completing, accomplishing, cherishing, sustaining and bringing to maturity by evolution from the earliest state to that of the highest perfection. |
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In the [[Indo-Gangetic plain]], especially in the [[Punjab region]], the term "Rabb" or "Rab" is used by Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus and Christians to refer to God.<ref name="Singh1990">{{cite book |last1=Singh |first1=Wazir |title=Sikhism and Punjab's Heritage |date=1990 |publisher=Punjabi University |language=en |quote=For instance 'Rabb' is the most popular Name of God in Punjabi. Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs frequently use this Arabic word which means Lord or Master.}}</ref> |
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[[Pre-Islamic Arabia|Pre-Islamic]] Arabians used to believe that, while there were multiple ''<nowiki/>'aalihah'' (<big>آلهة</big>, "deities, gods"), only "God" was the "''Rabb''" (Lord/sustainer) of the earth and heavens. In the [[Jahiliyyah]] era of pre-Islamic Arabia, the worship of God was associated with one deity among with other lesser deities, referring to one deity for each of the 365 days in a year and therefore "God" is believed to be an abstract "Supreme Being" who is beyond any resemblance and the one who governs the heavens and earth. |
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It was later Muhammad from the revelation of God that he introduced a new different religion centered on the notion of one god - ''al-Wahid'', "Oneness or Uniqueness (of Allah) - which Allah is the sole deity and is neither born from or being born of, nor associated with any other deity. One of Muhammad's aims was to reintroduce God as being the "''Rabbi ’l-‘Ālamīn''" or "رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ", which translates as "the Lord of the Worlds", who is beyond being solely a creator, but also the Only Deity who should be recognized by all men. Throughout other prophets before Muhammad, such as [[Islamic view of Abraham|Abraham (in the Islamic view)]] and [[Islamic view of Moses|Moses]], were also preaching to introduce God as the Rabb (Lord) and said: |
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:[[]]:<ref>[[Arabic script in Unicode]] symbol for a Quran verse, U+06DD, page 3, [http://www.evertype.com/standards/iso10646/pdf/09419-encode-koranic.pdf Proposal for additional Unicode characters]</ref>"Surely we are the apostles of the Lord of the worlds" [26:16] |
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:" قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ وَمَا رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ " which may translate as "Pharaoh said: And what is the Lord of the worlds?" [26:23] |
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:" قَالَ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ۖ إِن كُنتُم مُّوقِنِينَ" which translates as "Musa (Moses) said: The Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, if you would be sure." [26:24] |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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*[[Rabbi]] – Hebrew |
*[[Rabbi]] – Hebrew word with a similar etymology |
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*[[Rebbe]] – Yiddish term derived |
*[[Rebbe]] – Yiddish term derived ''rabbi'', it mostly refers to the leader of a [[Hasidic Jewish]] movement. |
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==References== |
==References== |
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* ''Islam in the World'' by [[Malise Ruthven]] (Gantra Publications, 2006) {{ISBN|1-86207-906-4}} |
* ''Islam in the World'' by [[Malise Ruthven]] (Gantra Publications, 2006) {{ISBN|1-86207-906-4}} |
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[[Category:Islamic terminology]] |
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[[Category:Arabic words and phrases]] |
[[Category:Arabic words and phrases]] |
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[[Category:Names of God in Islam]] |
[[Category:Names of God in Islam]] |
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Latest revision as of 12:11, 30 March 2024
Rabb (Arabic: رب, lit. 'lord') is often used in Arabic to refer to God as Lord or Master.[1] The term is used by Arabic-speaking Muslims, Christians, and Jews.[2][3]
In the Quran, God refers to himself as "Rabb" in several places. When it is used with the definite article (al-Rabb) the Arabic word denotes "the Lord (God)". In other cases, the context makes it clear as to whom the word is referring to, in this case, "rabb" refers to "owner, master", for example rabb al-dar (رَبُّ ٱلْدَّار) means "master of the house/residence".
God in Islam is referred to by many qualities and attributes. In the first Surah, Al-Fatihah of the Quran, introduces this Title "Rabb" in the first Verse, "All Praise and Gratitude is due to God, Rabb of all the worlds and Universe", thus stating clearly that God takes care, nourishes, fosters through every stage of existence, in which everything between that exists.
In the Indo-Gangetic plain, especially in the Punjab region, the term "Rabb" or "Rab" is used by Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus and Christians to refer to God.[3]
See also[edit]
- Rabbi – Hebrew word with a similar etymology
- Rebbe – Yiddish term derived rabbi, it mostly refers to the leader of a Hasidic Jewish movement.
References[edit]
- ^ Yuskaev, Timur R. (18 October 2017). Speaking Qur'an: An American Scripture. Univ of South Carolina Press. ISBN 978-1-61117-795-4.
Indeed, "Lord" is a direct translation of the Arabic word Rabb.
- ^ Wan, Enoch (2004). Christian Witness in Pluralistic Contexts in the 21st Century. William Carey Library. p. 35. ISBN 978-0-87808-385-5.
After the rise of Islam, Jews, Christians, and Muslims used "Allah" for Elohim and "theos" when they quoted or translated the Bible in Arabic as they did in their dialogues together. Arabicish versions have tended to transliterate Yahweh or use the word rabb (Lord) as Jews used adonai.
- ^ a b Singh, Wazir (1990). Sikhism and Punjab's Heritage. Punjabi University.
For instance 'Rabb' is the most popular Name of God in Punjabi. Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs frequently use this Arabic word which means Lord or Master.
- Hans Wehr, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic (Spoken Language Services, Ithaca, NY, 1976). ed. J. Milton Cowan. ISBN 0-87950-001-8.
- Islam in the World by Malise Ruthven (Gantra Publications, 2006) ISBN 1-86207-906-4