The meaning of رَبّ

Every person has their own unique value, and Allah has granted each person unique skills. Because of this, a person only finds success when they do what their talents and strengths are best in.

We all know Allah is our رَبّ. In fact, He is رَبّ of all worlds. Yet, do you know what رَبّ actually means? We now come to a truly beautiful and heart-moving point. If we truly understand the meaning of this word, all our feelings of inferiority and being less than everyone else will instantly go away. Shaykh Maḥmūd Alūsī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه explains:

رَبّ refers to He who nourishes and edifies. By extension, this nourishment and edification both mean, تَبْلِیْغُ الشَّیءِ اِلٰی کَمَالِہٖ بِحَسْبِ اِسْتِعْدَادِہِ الْاَزَلِیِّ شَیْئاً فَشَیْئًا – “To bring something to perfection according to its natural capabilities, stage by stage.”^[1] With this in mind, the word رَبّ will resultantly mean, “He who brings about perfection in something through its natural strengths.” 

We now know Allah has granted each thing its own unique strengths, and He causes everything to reach perfection only through these strengths. For example, a mango tree will always grow mangoes, and apple trees will always grow apples. They will not grow any other fruit.

Creating a mango tree from a mango seed and causing it to grow mangoes is a tangible example of how Allah is رَبّ. He nourished and edified it from a seed into a tree that gives fruit. Yet if a mango tree was to grow apples instead, this would also display His divine power.