The FIRST word after Allah?

When you say Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alamin… what do you think? And more importantly, what do you feel?

In surah al-Fatihah, after ‘Allah’... the very first word with which He describes Himself is: Rabb.

ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

• Alhamdu: All praise and thanks
• Lillahi: are for / belong to God (Allah)
• Rabb: commonly translated ‘Lord,’ but more on this below
• Al-Alamin: of all that exists

That should make us ponder: Why Rabb? What does it mean? What is its significance?

In this post, we’ll explore the word Rabb.

God willing, it will change your connection, closeness, and relationship with Allah - in and outside prayer (salah).

What does it mean?

The most common translation of Rabb is Lord.

But what does ‘Lord’ mean exactly?

It’s important that when we translate a word from Arabic into English, the translation doesn’t need another translation i.e. explanation. It should be as clear, concise, and understandable as possible.

Wouldn’t you agree?

The word Rabb has a multifaceted meaning. I’ve broken it down into 3 key aspects, with a couple of points of elaboration under each:

1. Owner and Master: the One who has full, absolute ownership and authority over something.

- When someone passes away, we say: Inna Lillah wa Inna Ilayhi Raaj’ioon, Indeed we belong to God and to Him we are returning. We remind ourselves of this reality: that we are His.

- Not only is He our Owner, He is completely in charge of us, and of everything else too. He has full authority over us - to do whatever He wills, with us and with any of His creation.

If you feel somewhat uncomfortable with the notion that God is your Owner, then read #2 and #3…

2. Sustainer, Nurturer, and Caretaker: the One who not only owns, but constantly cares for, maintains, and nourishes what He owns.

- He’s the One who holds you together. Who keeps you from falling apart. Who takes care of you, constantly. He is your Rock.

- The only reason we exist is because He allows us to. If He stopped sustaining us for even one moment, we would cease to exist. We are completely and continually dependent on Him. Every breath we take is only because of Him.

- It’s easy to take for granted our most fundamental blessings: existence, life, faith, intellect, eyesight, etc. But ask yourself:

Do I deserve any of this? What did I do to deserve any of this?

The honest answer is: Nothing.

- God keeps giving gifts, blessings, and favors that we don’t deserve. He doesn’t owe us anything, so anything He gives is considered a gift. Existence itself, and the opportunity to know and love God, and be loved by Him, is the biggest blessing of all.

3. Developer, Cultivator, and Guide: the One who brings something from one stage to a better, more complete stage.

- He’s the One who ensures you grow, progress, and mature - in the right direction. He is your personal Guide.

- Whatever struggles or weaknesses you face, He allows you to grow through them. In your lowest moments, He gives you the strength to rise again.

If He brought you to it, He will get you through it.

- Often, you may not understand God’s Plan, why He’s navigating you in a certain direction... but know that it’s the direction in which you were meant to go.

And ultimately, if you submit and allow for it, it’s an opportunity to grow and get closer to Him. 

G.O.D.

That's an acronym to help you remember these 3 aspects of Rabb:

• Gift Giver
• Owner
• Developer 

That’s why I call this prayer tip: Our Rabb is G.O.D.

It's based on this Quranic verse:

Surely those who say, “Our Rabb is God,” and then remain steadfast, the angels descend upon them, ˹saying,˺ “Do not fear, nor grieve. Rather, rejoice in the good news of Paradise, which you have been promised.

[Chapter 41, Fussilat, Verse 30]

In one sentence, I’d describe Rabb as: the One who owns you completely, sustains you constantly, and guides you lovingly.

In one phrase, I’d translate Rabb as: Caring Master. Or: Loving Caretaker. Or even: Rock.

How to put this into practice

Remember, to transform your experience in prayer, you must practice outside prayer.

It only takes a few seconds, but it can make a massive difference…

Step 1 (English only): Repeat this sentence 3 times:

All praise and thanks belong to God, Caring Master of all that exists.

Variation (shorter):

Praise be to God, the Caring Master of the universe.

Say it with meaning, emotion, humility, and gratitude. Close your eyes if that helps. Or lower your head. Or whisper.

Just make sure your heart and mind are fully present as you express it.

Step 2 (English + Arabic): Say the English translation, followed by the Arabic. Repeat 3 times.

All praise and thanks belong to God, Caring Master of all that exists.

ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alamin

Step 3 (Arabic only): Finally, say only the Arabic 3 times:

ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alamin

The more you do this 3-step exercise, the more natural your expression of the phrase will be in prayer.

The goal is that when you say the Arabic in prayer, your mind automatically and simultaneously registers the meaning… so when you say the Arabic, it’s almost as meaningful as when you say it in English.

It takes time and repetition to achieve that. But it’ll happen quicker than you may think.

Try it for yourself 🙂 Take a few seconds and follow the 3 steps above.

I hope that your relationship with Allah deepens as a result - in and outside your prayer.

How blessed we are that God is our Caring Master. Our Loving Caretaker. Our Rabb.

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alamin.

At your service,
Farzan

Let me know how beneficial you found this post by clicking one of the emojis below:

😀   🙂   😐   😕   🙁