Kharazmi University
Abstract: (264 Views)
After Allah, Rabb is the most frequently used name for God in the Qurʾān, appearing predominantly in a possessive form, with the phrase Rabb al-ʿālamīn being the most common. The significance of this expression becomes clear when we see that, in multiple instances, it is selected as a key attribute of God among all His characteristics. Notably, in the opening verses of Q1, it is the only attribute mentioned between the two specific Divine Names Allah and Al-Raḥmān. Muslim scholars have long debated the etymology and meaning of al-ʿālamīn, as the formation of the word ʿālam does not fit common Arabic derivational patterns, and its semantic connection to the proposed root ʿ-l-m (meaning "to know") is contentious. This basis strengthens the hypothesis of its potential borrowing, particularly in the context of Rabb al-ʿālamīn. A review of Jewish religious texts and liturgeys reveals the closeness of Rabb al-ʿālamīn to phrases such as Hebrew ribbon ha-ʿolāmīm and melek ʿolām, and Aramaic mare ʿalmā, which are used to describe God. An examination of epigraphic evidence from the Arabian Peninsula shows that, for approximately three centuries before Islam, the inhabitants of both southern and northern regions of the region leaned toward monotheism, initially as Jews and later converting to Christianity by the early sixth century CE. The attributes of God in Ḥimyarite inscriptions and those from northern Ḥijāz illustrate their connection to Rabb al-ʿālamīn.
Keywords: The Most Beautiful Names of God (al-ʾasmā’ al-ḥusnā), Rabb al-ʿālamīn, Qurʾān, Judaism, Christianity, Pre-Islamic Arabia, Epigraphy.
Type of Study: Original Article |
Subject:
Dialectical Theology
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