The Concept of Rabb (Lord) and Its Role in the Path Towards Reaching the Purpose of Creation

God has many names, with the most well-known sources mentioning 132 in the Quran and ninty-nine appearing in various narrations. The reason for these numerous names is the infinity of God’s essence. Each of these divine names refers to one dimension of this infinite essence. Rabb is one of these names, which is mentioned in both the Quran and narrations. Research into the meaning and concept of Rabb reveals why God is referred to by this name and what aspect of God’s infinite essence it represents.

Examining the verses and narrations that mention the name Rabb and the concept of Rubūbiyyah (Lordship) reveals one of the characteristics of God, which has a direct relation to the purpose of our creation. If we understand the concept of Rabb and the meaning of Lordship, it will shed light on the philosophy and wisdom behind many events in our life’s journey, and we can even more easily move toward achieving the purpose of our creation.

In this lesson, after researching the name Rabb and its connection to the purpose of our creation, we will draw a comparison between the existence of a fetus in the mother’s womb and our existence in the womb of the world. By studying the conditions of the fetus in the womb, we understand what awaits us at the end of our worldly existence, how we can reach this final point at our best, what assets we need for our birth to the next stage, and how we can determine the amount of assets we have acquired. Furthermore, we will elaborate on the relation between the name Rabb and the purpose of creation, explaining how God’s Lordship plays a role in our journey toward this ultimate goal.

The Concept of Rabb and Lordship

After the name Allah, the most frequently mentioned name in the Quran is Rabb. To understand the meaning and concept of Rabb and Lordship, we can refer to specialized dictionaries as well as examine the verses and narrations in which this name appears. In the lexicons of the Quran and Hadith, the name Rabb is defined as a possessor, caretaker, owner of authority, manager, mentor, reformer, and ruler. Research in these dictionaries indicates that the primary meaning of Rabb is to bestow perfection and to guide something towards perfection by eliminating its flaws.

There are various verses and narrations that discuss the Lordship of God. When examining the concept in these verses, we come across aspects such as guidance, management, planning, and nurturing. All beings are guided towards their respective levels of perfection according to their capacities. Therefore, the main discussion related to the name Rabb revolves around guidance and reaching perfection. Now we need to understand how the name Rabb guides us and under what conditions we can achieve perfection in this world.

Rabb, the Best Guide for Reaching the Purpose of Creation

When a coach wants to guide his students toward a specific goal, first he tests them to understand their strengths and weaknesses. Similarly, God, as our Rabb and coach, puts us through trials and tests to reveal our inward state and to determine our abilities, worthiness, and shortcomings. However, the difference between these two examples is that a coach tests his student to discover the truth for himself, whereas God is already aware of everything, and these tests are merely opportunities for us to recognize our own capabilities.

In computer games with multiple levels, in order to reach the next level, we must successfully pass the previous one. In these games, based on our efforts and success in completing each stage, you receive a certain number of stars or points. The more stars and points you earn, the higher your access will be in the subsequent levels. Our conditions in each stage of life is similar to these games. In order to go through each stage and reach the next one, we must strive and earn points.

Regarding the game, the best guide for teaching its stages is someone who has designed the game himself. Such a person can provide the necessary guidance for each section, the challenges ahead, ways to overcome obstacles, and ultimately the path to reach the final level. This can be considered as a step-by-step guidance, that is, the coach comes along with us step by step until we reach the final stage, which is perfection and peak performance!

The main goal of our creation is to reach ultimate perfection. The best guide and mentor to achieve this ultimate goal is the God who created the path before this world, this world, and after it. God creates everything and guides everything Himself.[1]

The Connection Between Lordship, Trials, and the Purpose of Creation.

God is the Rabb, meaning the nurturer, owner, and planner. In addition to ownership, the Rabb also has the responsibility of upbringing, nurturing, and flourishing. In fact, God is not just an owner who brings something into existence and leaves it without purpose.[2] He is our Rabb and plans our affairs, sometimes adding something to us in His plan, and sometimes causing us to experience deficiencies.

In essence, the Lordship of God necessitates His testing and challenging us in order to nurture and help us grow, so that through these difficulties, we can reach growth, maturity, and perfection. The obstacles and divine trials are necessary for the developmental journey of individuals and societies toward perfection, and without these obstacles, our individual and social creation would be in vain. Therefore, the existence of difficulties in the world is intrinsic to human perfection, and challenges are always present because as humans we need a training ground and gym to become similar to God, just as we need exams and strict teachers to become educated.

The journey to perfection and becoming similar to God is not without hardships. Sufferings and difficulties are necessary for growth and spiritual elevation. Each of us, based on our level of existence, deserves a certain degree of perfection and accordingly must endure difficulties. For example, prophets, based on their level of existence, faced the most severe calamities and trials. The closer we draw to God, the more challenging the tests become. If we understand that the philosophy of God’s tests is the purification of our hearts[3] and is to help us reach perfection, we no longer complain about the afflictions and difficulties of the world, but we see them as the steps of a ladder that lead us to the peak and perfection.

In this lesson, by examining the concept of Rabb, we have concluded that the most important meaning associated with this name is the bestowal of perfection. The Lordship of God requires Him to bring His creations to perfection. Since the purpose of our creation is to reach ultimate perfection, God, out of His grace, places trials and tests in our lives to reveal the essence of our existence, help us recognize our weaknesses, then strive to compensate for our shortcomings, and attain the perfection we deserve. If we thoroughly understand the concept of Rabb, we can be sure that everything God does for us is for our growth and the realization of our true status and perfection.

If you have any thoughts on the concept of Rabb or have viewed this name of God from another perspective, we would be happy to know your insights.

[1] Quran, 20:50

[2] Quran, 75:36

[3] Quran, 3:154