mankind and transcends the barriers of time and space. The Islamic
State is an instrument for the enforcement of the laws and
injunctions embodied in the Qur’an.
- Rabb is usually translated in English as the Lord. Again,
the English equivalent does not convey the real meaning and
significance of the Arabic original. Rabb means one who enables a
thing or person to grow and develop and eventually to realise all its
potentialities; and the process by which a person (or object) thus
fulfils himself is called Rububiyyah. Nothing in the universe comes
into being in a state of perfection or fulfilment; it is born with
certain potentialities which, when developed and actualised, enable
the object concerned to become what it was designed to be. Like
other objects and beings in the universe, man is also endowed with
manifold potentialities which, if properly developed, enable him to
rise from the animal to the human level. The Qur’an seeks to
establish, in accordance with the Divine Laws, a social order under
which the latent potentialities of every individual can be fully
realised. This realisation of the individual’s potentialities will
include the sustenance and growth of his body as well as the
fulfilment of his personality. This kind of social system is called the
Rububiyyah order, and its establishment is the ultimate end and
purpose of deen of Islam. - Rububiyyah: see Rabb.
- Rasool The duty of the nabi does not end with the
securing of Divine Guidance; in fact this is but the beginning of his
task. The root of the word rasool means a messenger, or who has a
message to deliver. It is the duty of the nabi to deliver to mankind the
message revealed to him by God, without the slightest change or
modification; it is by virtue of this function that he is called a rasool.
But even the faithful delivery of the Divine Message does not
complete the performance of the rasool’s function; he is also
responsible for setting up a social order in accordance with the
principles enshrined in the Divine Message that the has delivered. In
other words, he is entrusted with the establishment of “God’s
kingdom upon earth”. He is charged with the revolutionary
function of ending the sway of tyrannical, oppressive and self-
seeking rulers and priests and establishes a free order of society in
which men will not be dependent upon other men and will not be
Glossary 29