Mashrabaمشربة

Root · 980 in the Quran · 272 in 27 texts of the library

رببseveral roots; the first is 'putting a thing in good order and standing over it', and a … (root rbb)

الراء والباء يدل على أصول

Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-lugha · English rendering

ربب

The family of the root

Patterns computed · our data

The words of ر ب ب that our sources attest: the root's letters in green, the added letters in gold.

25 words6 verbs4 verbal nouns2 participles1 place or instrument2 intensives and elatives7 other nouns3 relatives and abstracts

  • رُبُوبِيَّةlordship
  • رَبَائِب—
  • رَبَابclouds
  • رَبَّtheir ruling, or governing, the people continued long
  • أَرَبَّhe remained, stayed, dwelt, or abode, in the place, not quitting it
The whole family7 groups, by pattern; tap a pattern to see what it does
Verbs6رَبَّ · رَبَّبَ · أَرَبَّ

The root as an action: the bare Form I, and the Forms made by adding letters before, inside or after the root.grammar →

  • رَبَّtheir ruling, or governing, the people continued longLaneForm ILaneIbn Fāris
  • رَبَّبَForm IILaneIbn Fāris
  • أَرَبَّhe remained, stayed, dwelt, or abode, in the place, not quitting itLaneForm IVLane
  • تَرَبَّبَForm VLane
Verbal nouns4إِرْبَاب · رِبَاب · رِبَابَة

The action itself, named as a noun (maṣdar).grammar →

  • إِرْبَابForm IV · Lane: inf. n.LaneIbn Fāris
  • رِبَابForm I · Lane: inf. n.LaneIbn Fāris
  • رِبَابَةForm I · Lane: inf. n.LaneIbn Fāris
  • تَربِيبForm I · Lane: inf. n.Lane
Participles2مَرْبُوب · مُرَبَّب

The one who does it, and the one it is done to.grammar →

  • مَرْبُوبpassive, Form ILaneIbn Fāris
  • مُرَبَّبpassive, Form IILane
Place, time and instrument1مِرْبَاب

Where or when it happens, and what it is done with: the m- nouns.grammar →

  • مِرْبَابnoun of instrumentLane
Intensives, qualities and the elative2رَبُوب · رَبِيب

The quality carried far, held as a trait, or compared.grammar →

  • رَبُوبintensive (faʿūl)LaneIbn Fāris
  • رَبِيبreared, fostered, brought up, fed, or nourishedLanequality (faʿīl)LaneIbn Fāris
Other nouns7رَبَاب · رَبَائِب · رَبَب

Nouns on other patterns; their meaning is learned word by word.grammar →

Relative and abstract3رُبُوبِيَّة · رَبَابيّ · رَبُوبِيّ

-iyy relates a thing to its source; -iyya makes an abstract noun.grammar →

  • رُبُوبِيَّةlordshipLaneabstract noun (-iyya)library ×12Lane
  • رَبَابيّrelative adjective (-iyy)Lane
  • رَبُوبِيّknowledge, science, or doctrine, relating to the LordLanerelative adjective (-iyy)Lane

Reference

Why this shape?What each of the 16 patterns does

What each pattern does. The pattern gives a tendency, not a rule: many words have drifted into meanings of their own.

The pattern machinePour the root into a pattern; see whether the word exists

Choose a pattern; the root's letters pour into it. Then see whether the word exists in our sources. The machine makes shapes; only usage makes words.

مَفْعَلَةر ب بمَرْبَبَة

Not in our sources. A possible shape, not a word we can show: the Quran, the library and Lane do not have it for this root.

Place noun with -a. The place noun with the feminine -a. Sometimes it is only a variant of mafʿal; often it names the place where a thing is found in abundance (maʾsada, 'a place full of lions'). So maktab is the place of writing, and maktaba, where writings are gathered: a library, a bookshop. Our summary

But: maktaba is not in our classical dictionaries for k-t-b: Lane and al-Jawharī give maktab ('a school'), none gives maktaba. Its sense of 'library, bookshop' fits the pattern of abundance, but that is our reading of the pattern, not a classical entry. Many mafʿala words are single items of usage (maqbara 'cemetery'), which the grammarians call heard, not formed by rule.

The grammarians on this pattern (4)

  • ما يكون مفعلة لازمة لها الهاء والفتحة … وذلك إذا أردت أن تكثر الشيء بالمكان، وذلك قولك: أرض مسبعة، ومأسدة

    Chapter on what is mafʿala, with the -a and the a-vowel always: that is when you mean that a thing abounds in a place, as you say 'a land of many beasts of prey (masbaʿa), of many lions (maʾsada)'

    Sībawayh (d. c. 180/796), al-Kitāb, ed. ʿAbd al-Salām Hārūn, 3rd ed. (Cairo: al-Khānjī, 1988), 4:94 · OpenITI line 21027–21028 ↗ · on this site · OpenITI RELEASE v2025.1.9, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

  • و نحو المظنة و المقبرة فتحا و ضما ليس بقياس

    and words like maẓinna and maqbara (with a or u) are not by rule

    Ibn al-Ḥājib (d. 646/1249), al-Shāfiya fī ʿilm al-taṣrīf, ed. Ḥasan Aḥmad al-ʿUthmān (Mecca: al-Maktaba al-Makkiyya, 1995), 1:30 · OpenITI line 223 ↗ · on this site · OpenITI RELEASE v2025.1.9, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

  • “designate the place where the object signified by the noun from which they are formed, is found in large numbers or quantities” Wright, Grammar I, §247, p. 148 ↗ · on nouns of abundance, maf'ala · 3rd ed. (Cambridge, 1896) · public domain
  • “Nouns of time and place not unfrequently take the feminine form” Wright, Grammar I, §225, p. 128 ↗ · on maf'ala as a variant of maf'al · 3rd ed. (Cambridge, 1896) · public domain

This root has a weak or doubled letter, so real words change shape (qāla → qāʾil, not qāwil); the machine pours the letters in as they are, and matches attested words by their regular pattern.

About thisWhat “attested” means here; the sources

Attested means found in our data: the Quranic Arabic Corpus (lemmas, verb Forms, participles, verbal nouns, plurals), the library's words (automatic analysis), Lane's Lexicon (his headwords, the Forms he numbers, the verbal nouns and plurals he names) and Ibn Fāris's entry. Nothing is generated for this list. Meanings are Lane's first gloss in his entry, or else the analyser's gloss (“auto”). Vowelling follows the corpus, then Lane, then the analyser; verbs are given in the regular perfect. Lane's Lexicon thins out after qāf, and a few of his entries cover several roots at once: those roots show no Lane. The patterns, written with ف ع ل, are computed by us.

The dictionaries

English: AI translation
  • al-Khalīl · 170Al-Rabbiyyūn (الربيون) are those who remained steadfast with the prophets;

    al-Khalīl b. Aḥmad (d. c. 170/786), Kitāb al-ʿAyn. The first Arabic dictionary, arranged by permutations of the root letters.

    Al-Rabbiyyūn (الربيون) are those who remained steadfast with the prophets; they are named for devotion and religiosity in the knowledge of God's lordship (rubūbiyya); singular rabbiyy (ربي). Whoever owns a thing is its rabb (رب); it is not said without a genitive-construction except of God, mighty and exalted. A man called rabābiyy (ربابي) is one attributed to al-Ribāb (الرباب), a clan of Ḍabba. Al-ribāb (الرباب) is cloud containing rain, singular ribāba (ربابة); 'the cloud arabbat (أربت) this land' means it kept raining on it continually. It was said: 'a rain-bearing cloud-bank remained continually over it (arabba bihā ʿāriḍun mumṭir) …' [fragment]. Land that is mirbāb (مرباب) is land on which rain has persisted continually; also marabb (مرب), meaning rain does not cease upon it; likewise muṣill (مصل), meaning it has ṣilāl (صلال) of rain, i.e. scattered rains, one after another. It was said: — '[At the first stirring of longing for you, a ruined encampment] … at a barren, empty waste, marabb (مرب) and muḥallal (محلل).' — Rabbabtu qarābata fulānin rabban (ربّبت قرابة فلان ربّاً) means 'I strengthened/increased it, so its trace would not vanish.' Rababtu al-ṣabiyya wa-al-muhr (ربّبت الصبي والمهر) is said both lightened and doubled; the poet said: — 'He was ours, a young one, and we raised him (nurabbibuhu).' — Al-rabība (الربيبة) is the nurse/foster-mother. Rababtuhu and rabbabtuhu (ربّبته) both mean 'I nursed/fostered him.' A man's rabība is his wife's child by another; al-rabīb (الربيب) is said of the husband of the mother who has a child by another man; and it is said of a man's wife, if he has a child by another woman: [she is] rabība, he is al-rābb (الراب), she is al-rābba (الرابة), and the plural is al-rawābb (الرواب). Al-rubbā (الربى) is the ewe from the time of giving birth up to twenty days; it is said the ewe is 'in her ribāb (رباب)' up to that time. It was said: — 'the yearning of the young one's mother in her ribāb.' — 'The waterskin yurabbab (يربّب)' [i.e. rubb-preserve is put into it]. A thing yurabbab with vinegar or honey. The jar turabbab (تربّب) and becomes seasoned, tarbīban. Perfumed oil that is murabbab (مربّب) is oil cooked with fragrance. He said, describing a wineskin: — 'We have a tent, a wine-strainer, and an entertainer, … beside a large vessel, with a black tar-coated [skin], marbūb (مربوب).' — variant: 'beside a ḥiḍjar (حضجر),' the large wineskin. Al-ribrib (الربرب) is the herd of wild cattle. Al-rubba (الربة) is a summer plant; plural al-rubab (الربب). Al-rubb (الرب) is the thick clarified juice of any fruit. Al-irbāb (الإرباب) is drawing near to anything. Dhū al-Rumma said, describing the [gazelle] herd: — 'They approach in nearness (irbāban), yet shy away in fear, … shunning like virgin girls shunning the gathering that confronts them.'

    AI translation of the Arabic below

    الربيون: الذين صبروا مع الأنبياء، نسبوا إلى العبادة والتأله في معرفة الربوبية لله، الواحد: ربي. ومن ملك شيئا فهو ربه، لا يقال بغير الإضافة إلا لله عز وجل. ورجل ربابي نسب إلى الرباب، حي من ضبة. والرباب: السحاب الذي فيه ماء، الواحدة: ربابة، وأربت السحابة بهذه البلدة: أدامت بها المطر، قال: أرب بها عارض ممطر «3» وأرض مرباب: أرب بها المطر، ومرب أيضا، لا يزال بها مطر، وكذلك مصل، فيها صلال من مطر، أي: أمطار متفرقة، شيء بعد شيء، قال «4» : [بأول ما هاجت لك الشوق دمنة] ... بأجرع مقفار مرب محلل ورببت قرابة فلان ربا، أي: زدت فيها لئلا يعفوا أثرها. ورببت الصبي والمهر، يخفف ويثقل، قال الراجز: كان لنا وهو فلو نرببه «5» والربيبة: الحاضنة. ورببته ورببته: حضنته. وربيبة الرجل: ولد امرأته من غيره، والربيب: يقال لزوج الأم لها ولد من غيره، ويقال لامرأة الرجل إذا كان له ولد من غيرها: ربيبة وهو الراب، وهي: الرابة، والجميع: الرواب. والربى: الشاة من حين تلد إلى عشرين يوما، ويقال: الشاة في ربابها إلى ذلك الوقت، قال: حنين أم البو في ربابها «6» والسقاء يربب: [أي: يجعل فيه الرب] . والشيء يربب بخل أو عسل. والجرة تربب فتضرى تربيبا. ودهن مربب: مطبوخ بالطيب، قال في وصف الزق «7» : لنا خباء وراووق ومسمعة ... لدى حضاج، بجون القار، مربوب ويروى: لدى حضجر، وهو الزق العظيم. والربرب: القطيع من بقر الوحش. والربة: نبات في الصيف، والجميع: الربب. والرب: السلاف الخاثر من كل شيء من الثمار. والإرباب: الدنو من كل شيء، قال ذو الرمة في وصف الشول «8» : فيقبلن إربابا ويعرضن رهبة ... صدود العذارى واجهتها المجالس

    al-Khalīl · 170 · OpenITIvowelled page on al-Maktaba al-Shāmila (print 8, p. 256) ↗
  • al-Jawharī · 393The rabb (رب) of anything is its owner.

    al-Jawharī (d. c. 393/1003), al-Ṣiḥāḥ. Admits only usage he judged sound.

    The rabb (رب) of anything is its owner. Al-Rabb (الرب) is one of the names of God, mighty and exalted; it is not said of anyone else except with a genitive-construction, though in the Jāhiliyya they used it of a king. Al-Ḥārith ibn Ḥillizah said: — 'He is the Rabb, and the witness over the day … of al-Ḥayārayn, and calamity is calamity.' — Al-rabbāniyy (الرباني) is 'the devoted one who knows God, exalted.' He, glory be to Him, said: 'Be rabbāniyyīn' [Q. 3:79]. Rababtu al-qawma (ربّبت القوم) means 'I governed them,' i.e. I was over them. Abū Naṣr said: it is from al-rubūbiyya (الربوبية). From this is the saying of Ṣafwān: 'That a man of Quraysh should govern me (yarubbunī) is dearer to me than that a man of Hawāzin should govern me.' Rabba al-ḍayʿata (رب الضيعة) means he set the estate right and completed it. Rabba fulānun waladahu yarubbuhu rabban (رب فلان ولده يربه ربّاً), rabbabahu, and tarabbabahu all mean 'he raised him.' Al-marbūb (المربوب) is 'the one raised.' The poet said: — 'Neither snub-nosed, nor sunken, nor sickly, … given medicine, behind the enclosure, well-raised (marbūb).' — Another said: — 'From a white, clear pearl, … of what the sea's whirlpool nurtures (turabbib).' — meaning the pearl which the oyster-shell nurtures (yurabbibuhā) in the depths. Al-tarabbub (التربب) also means gathering/collecting. Al-rubbā (الربى), with ḍamma, on the pattern fuʿlā, is the ewe that has recently given birth; plural ribāb (رباب) with ḍamma, and the verbal-noun ribāb (رباب) with kasra, meaning nearness in time to giving birth; one says shātun rubbā bayyinatu al-ribāb (شاة ربى بيّنة الرباب), and aʿnuzun ribāb (أعنز رباب). Al-Umawī said: she is rubbā for up to two months. Abū Zayd said: al-rubbā is [said] of goats. Others said it is of both goats and sheep, and sometimes also of camels. Al-Aṣmaʿī said: Muntajiʿ ibn Nabhān recited to us: — 'the yearning of the young one's mother in her ribāb.' — Al-rābb (الراب) is the mother's husband [stepfather]; al-rābba (الرابة) is the father's wife [stepmother]. A man's rabīb (ربيب) is his wife's son by another man, in the sense of marbūb; feminine rabība. Al-rabība is also a single one of the rabāʾib (ربائب) of sheep/goats which people raise in their houses for milk. Al-rabība [also means] the nurse/foster-mother. Ibn al-Sikkīt [said]: one says ifʿal dhālika al-amra bi-rubbānihi (افعل ذلك الأمر بربّانه), with ḍamma, meaning 'in its freshness/newness.' He said: from this comes 'ewe rubbā.' Ibn Aḥmar said: — 'Life indeed is in its freshness (rubbānihi), … while you enjoy its various branches.' — Akhadhtu al-shayʾa bi-rubbānihi (أخذت الشيء بربانه) means 'I took the whole thing, leaving nothing of it,' according to al-Aṣmaʿī. Al-rubb (الرب) is thickened boiled syrup, plural rubūb and ribāb. From this comes siqāʾun marbūb (سقاء مربوب), when you rabbabtahu, i.e. put rubb into it and treated it therewith. The poet said: — 'If you are of me, or you desire my companionship …' [entry continues]

    AI translation of the Arabic below

    رب كل شئ: مالكه. والرب: اسم من أسماء الله عز وجل، ولا يقال في غيره إلا بالإضافة، وقد قالوه في الجاهلية للملك. قال الحارث بن حلزة: وهو الرب والشهيد على يو * م الحيارين والبلاء بلاء والرباني: المتأله العارف بالله تعالى. وقال سبحانه: (كونوا ربانيين) : ورببت القوم: سستهم، أي كنت فوقهم. قال أبو نصر: وهو من الربوبية. ومنه قول صفوان " لأن يربني رجل من قريش أحب إلي من أن يربني رجل من هوازن. ورب الضيعة، أي أصلحها وأتمها. ورب فلان ولده يربه ربا، ورببه، وترببه، بمعنى أي رباه. والمربوب: المربى. قال الشاعر (1) : ليس بأقنى ولا أسفى ولا سغل (2) * يسقى دواء قفي السكن مربوب (3) وقال آخر (1) : من درة بيضاء صافية (2) * مما تربب حائر البحر يعني الدرة التي يرببها الصدف في قعر الماء. والتربب أيضا: الاجتماع. والربى بالضم على فعلى: الشاة التي وضعت حديثا، وجمعها رباب بالضم والمصدر رباب بالكسر، وهو قرب العهد بالولادة، تقول: شاة ربى بينة الرباب، وأعنز رباب. قال الاموى: هي ربى ما بينها وبين شهرين. قال أبو زيد: الربى من المعز. وقال غيره من المعز والضأن جميعا، وربما جاء في الابل إيضا. قال الاصمعي: أنشدنا منتجع بن نبهان: حنين أم البو في ربابها * والراب: زوج الام. والرابة: امرأة الأب. وربيب الرجل: ابن امرأته من غيره، وهو بمعنى مربوب، والأنثى ربيبة. والربيبة أيضا: واحدة الربائب من الغنم، التي يربيها الناس في البيوت لألبانها. والربيبة: الحاضنة. ابن السكيت: يقال افعل ذلك الامر بربانه، مضمومة الراء، أي بحدثانه وجدته وطراءته. قال: ومنه قيل شاة ربى. قال ابن أحمر: وإنما العيش بربانه * وأنت من أفنانه معتصر وأخذت الشئ بربانه، أي أخذته كله ولم أترك منه شيئا. عن الاصمعي. والرب: الطلاء الخاثر، والجمع الربوب والرباب. ومنه سقاء مربوب، إذا رببته، أي جعلت فيه الرب وأصلحته به. قال الشاعر (1) : فإن كنت مني أو تريدين صحبتي * فكوني له كالسمن رب له الأدم أراد بالأدم النحي، لأنه إذا أصلح بالرب طابت رائحته. والمرببات: الأنبجات، وهي المعمولات بالرب، كالمعسل وهو المعمول بالعسل. وكذلك المربيات، إلا أنها من التربية. يقال: زنجبيل مربى ومربب. ورب حرف خافض لا يقع إلا على نكرة، يشدد ويخفف، وقد تدخل عليه التاء فيقال ربت، وتدخل عليه " ما " ليمكن أن يتكلم بالفعل بعده، كقوله تعالى: (ربما يود الذين كفروا) ، وقد تدخل عليه الهاء فيقال ربه رجلا قد ضربت، فلما أضفته إلى الهاء وهى مجهولة نصبت رجلا على التمييز. وهذه الهاء على لفظ واحد، وإن وليها المؤنث والاثنان والجمع، فهى موحدة على كل حال. وحكى الكوفيون ربه رجلا قد رأيت، وربهما رجلين، وربهم رجالا، وربهن نساء، فمن وحد قال إنه كناية عن مجهول، ومن لم يوحد قال إنه رد كلام، كأنه قيل له مالك جوار فقال: ربهن جوار قد ملكت. قال ابن السراج: النحويون كالمجمعين على أن رب جواب. والربة بالكسر: ضرب من النبت، والجمع الربب. قال ذو الرمة يصف الثور الوحشي: أمسى بوهبين مجتازا لمرتعه * من ذى الفوارس تدعو أنفه الربب والربب، بالفتح: الماء الكثير، ويقال العذب. قال الراجز: والبرة السمراء والماء الربب * وفلان مرب بالفتح، أي مجمع يرب الناس أي يجمعهم. ومكان مرب، أي مجمع. ومرب الإبل: حيث لزمته. وأربت الإبل بمكان كذا وكذا، أي لزمته وأقامت به، فهى إبل مراب. وأربت الناقة، أي لزمت الفحل وأحبته. وأربت الجنوب، وأربت السحابة، أي دامت. والارباب: الدنو من الشئ. والربي: واحد الربيين، وهم الألوف من الناس. قال الله تبارك وتعالى: (وكأين من نبي قاتل معه ربيون كثير) . والربرب: القطيع من بقر الوحش. والرباب بكسر ا …

    al-Jawharī · 393 · OpenITIvowelled page on al-Maktaba al-Shāmila (print 1, p. 130) ↗
  • Ibn Fāris · 395Rāʾ (ر) and bāʾ (ب) indicate [several] underlying principles.

    Ibn Fāris (d. 395/1004), Maqāyīs al-Lugha. Seeks each root's original sense (aṣl).

    Rāʾ (ر) and bāʾ (ب) indicate [several] underlying principles. The first is the setting-right of a thing and taking charge of it. Thus al-rabb (الرب) is 'the owner, creator, and companion/master,' and al-rabb is 'the one who sets a thing right.' One says rabba fulānun ḍayʿatahu (رب فلان ضيعته) when he undertakes to improve his estate. This waterskin is marbūb (مربوب), 'treated with rubb (الرب, thickened preserve),' and al-rubb (الرب) [is made] from grapes and other things, because a thing is treated/improved (yurabbu) by means of it. A horse is marbūb (مربوب) ['well cared for']. Salāma said: — 'He is neither sunken-nosed nor snub-nosed nor sickly … he is given medicine, kept behind the enclosure, well-tended (marbūb).' — Al-rabb is 'the one who sets a thing right,' and God, exalted be His praise, is al-Rabb (الرب) because He sets right the conditions of His creation. Al-rabbiyy (الربي) is one who has knowledge of the Lord. One says rababtu al-ṣabiyya arubbuhu (رببت الصبي أربه) and rabbabtuhu urabbibuhu (ربّبته أرببه) [both 'I raised the child']. Al-rabība (الربيبة) is the nurse/foster-mother. A man's rabīb (ربيب) is his wife's son [by another husband]. Al-rābb (الراب) is the one who takes charge of the affair of the rabīb. In the ḥadīth: 'It is disliked that a man marry a woman [who was] his rābba (his ward/step-daughter).' The second principle is the constant adherence to a thing and remaining upon it, which is related to the first. One says: 'The cloud arabbat (أربت) this land' when it kept raining on it continuously. Land that is marabb (مرب) is land on which rain never ceases; for this reason clouds are called ribāb (رباب). It is said al-ribāb is cloud hanging beneath [another] cloud, white or black; singular ribāba (ربابة). Also belonging here: the ewe called rubbā (ربّى), kept confined in the house for milk, has become murabba (أربّت) — i.e. she stays continually in the house. It is also said she is the one who has recently given birth; if so, she is the one who raises (turabbī) her young, which belongs to the first principle. Al-irbāb (الإرباب) is drawing near to a thing. One says: 'the she-camel arabbat (أربّت)' when she stays with the stallion and loves him — she is then muribb (مرب). The third principle is the joining of one thing to another, also related to what precedes; upon close reflection the whole chapter reduces to a single analogy. The cloth in which divinatory arrows are placed is called ribāba (ربابة). Al-Hudhalī said: — 'As if they were a ribāba (arrow-bag), and as if he were a gambler, pouring out [the arrows] over the arrows, letting them fall.' — Belonging here also: al-ribāba meaning 'covenant/pact'; the parties to a covenant are called urubba (أربّة). It was said: — 'Their covenant (urubbatuhum) was with Bahz, and what deceived them was the pact of alliance, and they were a treacherous people.' — The covenant is called ribāba because it gathers and unites [the parties]. As for the verse of ʿAlqama: — 'I was a man who entrusted to you my ribāba (my ward), and before you [another] had raised me (rabbatnī), so my rubūb (lords/guardians) were lost' — here al-ribāba is the covenant mentioned, and al-rubūb is the plural of rabb, belonging to the first principle. Abū al-Ḥasan ʿAlī ibn Ibrāhīm related to us, from ʿAlī ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz, from Abū ʿUbayd, who said: al-ribāb means 'the tithes' (al-ʿushūr). Abū Dhuʾayb said: — 'She/It maintains ties with the riders at times, and forms alliance with the neighbor … and covers them with security, its ribāb (its pact/tithe).' — It is possible this is called ribāb because, once taken, it becomes like a covenant. Deviating from these principles is al-ribrib (الربرب), 'a herd of wild cattle,' though it may be joined to the third principle, being called ribrib for its being gathered together, as said of the derivation of ribāba. Also of the third principle is al-rabab (الربب), 'abundant water,' so named for its being collected. It was said: — 'the tawny [thing] and the abundant water (al-māʾ al-rabab).' — As for rubba (رُبّ), it is a particle used to indicate the fewness of a thing; one says rubba rajulin jāʾanī (رب رجل جاءني, 'many a [i.e. few a] man came to me'); its derivation is unknown.

    AI translation of the Arabic below

    الراء والباء يدل على أصول فالأول إصلاح الشيء والقيام عليه فالرب المالك والخالق والصاحب والرب المصلح للشيء يقال رب فلان ضيعته إذا قام على إصلاحها وهذا سقاء مربوب بالرب والرب للعنب وغيره لأنه يرب به الشيء وفرس مربوب قال سلامة : — ليس بأسفى ولا أقنى ولا سغل … يسقى دواء قفي السكن مربوب … والرب المصلح للشيء والله جل ثناؤه الرب لأنه مصلح أحوال خلقه والربي العارف بالرب ورببت الصبي أربه ورببته أرببه والربيبة الحاضنة وربيب الرجل ابن امرأته والراب الذي يقوم على أمر الربيب وفي الحديث : ( يكره أن يتزوج الرجل امرأة رابه ) والأصل الآخر لزوم الشيء والإقامة عليه وهو مناسب للأصل الأول يقال أربت السحابة بهذه البلدة إذا دامت وأرض مرب لا يزال بها مطر ولذلك سمي السحاب ربابا ويقال الرباب السحاب المتعلق دون السحاب يكون أبيض ويكون أسود الواحدة ربابة ومن الباب الشاة الربي التي تحتبس في البيت للبن فقد اربت إذا لازمت البيت ويقال هي التي وضعت حديثا فإن كان كذا فهي التي تربي ولدها وهو من الباب الأول ويقال الإرباب الدنو من الشيء ويقال أربت الناقة إذا لزمت الفحل وأحبته وهي مرب والأصل الثالث ضم الشيء للشيء وهو أيضا مناسب لما قبله ومتى أنعم النظر كان الباب كله قياسا واحدا يقال للخرقة التي يجعل فيها القداح ربابة قال الهذلي : — وكأنهن ربابة وكأنه … يسر يفيض على القداح ويصدع … ومن هذا الباب الربابة وهو العهد يقال للمعاهدين أربة قال : — كانت أربتهم بهز وغرهم … عقد الجوار وكانوا معشرا غدرا … وسمي العهد ربابة لأنه يجمع ويؤلف فأما قول علقمة : — وكنت امرأ أفضت إليك ربابتي … وقبلك ربتني فضعت ربوب … فإن الربابة العهد الذي ذكرناه وأما الربوب فجمع رب وهو الباب الأول وحدثنا أبو الحسن علي بن إبراهيم عن علي بن عبد العزيز عن أبي عبيد قال الرباب العشور قال أبو ذؤيب : — توصل بالركبان حينا وتؤلف الجوار … وتغشيها الأمان ربابها … وممكن أن يكون هذا إنما سمي ربابا لأنه إذا أخذ فهو يصير كالعهد ومما يشذ عن هذه الأصول الربرب القطيع من بقر الوحش وقد يجوز أن يضم إلى الباب الثالث فيقال إنما سمي ربربا لتجمعه كما قلنا في اشتقاق الربابة ومن الباب الثالث الربب وهو الماء الكثير سمي بذلك لاجتماعه قال : — والبرة السمراء والماء الربب … فأما رب فكلمة تستعمل في الكلام لتقليل الشيء تقول رب رجل جاءني ولا يعرف لها اشتقاق

    Ibn Fāris · 395 · OpenITIvowelled page on al-Maktaba al-Shāmila (print 2, p. 381) ↗
  • al-Rāghib · 502Al-rabb (الرب) originally means tarbiya (التربية, nurturing), i.e.

    al-Rāghib al-Iṣfahānī (d. c. 502/1108), al-Mufradāt. Quranic vocabulary, from core sense to Quranic usage.

    Al-rabb (الرب) originally means tarbiya (التربية, nurturing), i.e. bringing a thing into being stage by stage until it reaches completion; one says rabbahu, rabbāhu, and rabbabahu. It was said: 'That a man of Quraysh should raise me (yarubbunī) is dearer to me than that a man of Hawāzin should raise me.' Al-rabb is thus a verbal noun used metaphorically for the agent, and al-rabb, unqualified, is not said except of God, exalted, who has undertaken the welfare of [all] existing things, as in His saying: 'a good land and a forgiving Lord (rabbun ghafūr)' [Q. 34:15]. Accordingly His saying: 'nor does He command you to take the angels and the prophets as arbāb (أرباب, lords)' [Q. 3:80], meaning gods, claiming them to be the Creator, the Causer of causes, and Overseer of the servants' welfare. With a genitive-construction it is said of Him and of others, as in 'Rabb al-ʿālamīn' [Q. 1:1] and 'your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers' [Q. 37:126]. One says 'rabb al-dār' (owner of the house), 'rabb al-faras' (owner of the horse); accordingly God's saying: 'Mention me to your rabb (master)' — then Satan caused him to forget to mention him to his rabb (lord) [Q. 12:42]; and 'Return to your rabb (master)' [Q. 12:50]; and 'He said: God forbid! He (my master) is my rabb; he has made good my stay' [Q. 12:23] — it was said he meant God, exalted; and it was said he meant the ruler who had raised him (rabbāhu); the former better fits the statement. As for al-rabbāniyy (الرباني): it was said it is attributed to al-rubbān (الربان), the pattern fuʿlān being formed from faʿila, like ʿaṭshān and sakrān, and rarely from faʿala, though naʿsān has so occurred. It was also said it is attributed to al-rabb as verbal noun, meaning one who masters (yarubbu) knowledge, like ḥakīm; or that it is attributed to knowledge, meaning he nurtures himself through knowledge — both explanations, on verification, are mutually entailing, since one who nurtures himself with knowledge has mastered knowledge, and one who masters knowledge has nurtured himself thereby. It was also said it is attributed to al-rabb, i.e. God, exalted, so rabbāniyy is like their saying ilāhiyy (divine), the added nūn being like that in laḥyāniyy and jusmāniyy. ʿAlī, may God be pleased with him, said: 'I am the rabbāniyy of this community.' Plural: rabbāniyyūn. God, exalted, said: 'Why do the rabbāniyyūn and the rabbis not forbid them...' [Q. 5:63], 'Be rabbāniyyīn' [Q. 3:79]. It was also said rabbāniyy is originally a Syriac word — and this well suits it, for it is rarely found in [ordinary] speech. As for His saying: 'many a rabbiyy (ربيون)' [Q. 3:146], al-rabbiyy is like al-rabbāniyy. Al-rubūbiyya (الربوبية) is a verbal noun said [only] of God, mighty and exalted, while al-ribāba (الربابة) is said of others; the plural of rabb is arbāb (أرباب). God, exalted, said: 'Are separate lords (arbābun mutafarriqūn) better, or God, the One, the Overpowering?' [Q. 12:39]. Strictly it was not the right of al-rabb to be pluralized, since its [proper] application extends only to God, exalted, but the plural form was used according to their [the polytheists'] beliefs, not according to... [entry continues]

    AI translation of the Arabic below

    الرب في الأصل: التربية، وهو إنشاء الشيء حالا فحالا إلى حد التمام، يقال ربه، ورباه ورببه. وقيل: (لأن يربني رجل من قريش أحب إلي من أن يربني رجل من هوازن) «1» . فالرب مصدر مستعار للفاعل، ولا يقال الرب مطلقا إلا لله تعالى المتكفل بمصلحة الموجودات، نحو قوله: بلدة طيبة ورب غفور [سبأ/ 15] . وعلى هذا قوله تعالى: ولا يأمركم أن تتخذوا الملائكة والنبيين أربابا [آل عمران/ 80] أي: آلهة، وتزعمون أنهم الباري مسبب الأسباب، والمتولي لمصالح العباد، وبالإضافة يقال له ولغيره، نحو قوله: رب العالمين [الفاتحة/ 1] ، وربكم ورب آبائكم الأولين [الصافات/ 126] ، ويقال: رب الدار، ورب الفرس لصاحبهما، وعلى ذلك قول الله تعالى: اذكرني عند ربك فأنساه الشيطان ذكر ربه [يوسف/ 42] ، وقوله تعالى: ارجع إلى ربك [يوسف/ 50] ، وقوله: قال معاذ الله إنه ربي أحسن مثواي [يوسف/ 23] ، قيل: عنى به الله تعالى، وقيل: عنى به الملك الذي رباه «2» ، والأول أليق بقوله. والرباني قيل: منسوب إلى الربان، ولفظ فعلان من: فعل يبنى نحو: عطشان وسكران، وقلما يبنى من فعل، وقد جاء نعسان. وقيل: هو منسوب إلى الرب الذي هو المصدر، وهو الذي يرب العلم كالحكيم، وقيل: منسوب إليه، ومعناه، يرب نفسه بالعلم، وكلاهما في التحقيق متلازمان، لأن من رب نفسه بالعلم فقد رب العلم، ومن رب العلم فقد رب نفسه به. وقيل: هو منسوب إلى الرب، أي: الله تعالى، فالرباني كقولهم: إلهي، وزيادة النون فيه كزيادته في قولهم: لحياني، وجسماني «1» . قال علي رضي الله عنه: (أنا رباني هذه الأمة) والجمع ربانيون. قال تعالى: لولا ينهاهم الربانيون والأحبار [المائدة/ 63] ، كونوا ربانيين [آل عمران/ 79] ، وقيل: رباني لفظ في الأصل سرياني، وأخلق بذلك «2» ، فقلما يوجد في كلامهم، وقوله تعالى: ربيون كثير [آل عمران/ 146] ، فالربي كالرباني. والربوبية مصدر، يقال في الله عز وجل، والربابة تقال في غيره، وجمع الرب أرباب، قال تعالى: أأرباب متفرقون خير أم الله الواحد القهار [يوسف/ 39] ، ولم يكن من حق الرب أن يجمع إذ كان إطلاقه لا يتناول إلا الله تعالى، لكن أتى بلفظ الجمع فيه على حسب اعتقاداتهم، لا على ما عليه ذات الشيء في نفسه، والرب لا يقال في التعارف إلا في الله، وجمعه أربة، وربوب، قال الشاعر:

    al-Rāghib · 502 · OpenITIvowelled page on al-Maktaba al-Shāmila (print 1, p. 336) ↗
  • Lisān · 711Al-Rabb (الرب): He is God, mighty and exalted;

    Ibn Manẓūr (d. 711/1311), Lisān al-ʿArab. The great compendium of the earlier dictionaries (entry shortened).

    Al-Rabb (الرب): He is God, mighty and exalted; He is Rabb kulli shayʾ (رب كل شيء), i.e. its owner; to Him belongs al-rubūbiyya (lordship) over all creation, with no partner; He is the Rabb of all rabbs, and the Owner of kings and dominions. Al-Rabb is not said of anyone other than God except with a genitive-construction. It was said: al-Rabb, with the definite article, is [also] said of someone other than God; they used it in the Jāhiliyya of a king. Al-Ḥārith ibn Ḥillizah said: — 'He is the Rabb, and the witness over the day … of al-Ḥayārayn, and calamity is calamity.' — The [corresponding] noun is al-ribāba (الربابة); it was said: — 'O Hind, may He water you without reckoning, … with the watering of a sovereign of goodly ribāba (lordly rule).' — Al-rubūbiyya is like al-ribāba. 'Rubūbiyy knowledge' is attributed to al-rabb, against [normal] analogy. Aḥmad ibn Yaḥyā related: 'No, wa-rabbīka (لا وربّيك), I will not do [it],' meaning 'no, by your Lord (wa-rabbika),' the bāʾ changed to yāʾ for the sake of doubling. Rabb of everything is its owner and rightful claimant; it was also said, its possessor. One says: 'so-and-so is rabb of this thing,' i.e. it belongs to him. Whoever owns a thing is its rabb. One says 'rabb al-dābba' (owner of the riding-beast), 'rabb al-dār' (owner of the house), 'so-and-so is rabb al-bayt' (master of the house), and 'they are the rabbāt al-ḥijāl (ربات الحجال, mistresses of the bridal chambers).' It is said rubb, doubled, and rub, lightened. Al-Mufaḍḍal recited: — 'And sayings have known that none is above him, … a rabb, except the One who grants good fortune and provides sustenance.' — In the ḥadīth on the signs of the Hour: 'that the slave-girl give birth to her rabb or her rabba [master/mistress].' He said: al-rabb is used in the language for owner, chief, manager, nurturer, overseer, and benefactor; and he said it is not used unqualified except of God, mighty and exalted; when applied to others it is qualified by genitive-construction, so one says 'rabb such-and-such.' He said it has occurred in poetry unqualified, applied to other than God, though this is not common and is not attested outside poetry. He said what is meant by it in this ḥadīth is the patron or master, i.e. that the slave-girl bears a child for her master, so the child becomes like a patron to her, since in lineage he resembles her father — meaning that captivity will increase and worldly prosperity will spread among people, so concubines will multiply. In the ḥadīth on responding to the call to prayer: 'O God, Rabb (Lord) of this call' — i.e. its master; it was also said [it means] its completer, and the One who increases its people, [rewards] acting upon it, and grants its answering. In the ḥadīth of Abū Hurayra, may God be pleased with him: 'Let not the slave say to his master, rabbī (my lord)' — it was disliked that his owner be made a rabb to him, on account of sharing with God in lordship. As for His saying: 'Mention me to your rabb' — He addressed them according to what was customary among them and by what they used to call [their masters]; likewise the saying of al-Sāmirī: 'Look at your ilāh (god),' meaning the one he had taken as a god. As for the ḥadīth about a stray camel: 'until its rabb (owner) finds it' — for animals are not subject to religious obligation nor addressed [by revelation], so they are like property, to which it is permissible to attribute their owners [as rabb], treating them as arbāb (lords) of... [entry continues]

    AI translation of the Arabic below

    الرب: هو الله عز وجل، هو رب كل شيء أي مالكه، وله الربوبية على جميع الخلق، لا شريك له، وهو رب الأرباب، ومالك الملوك والأملاك. ولا يقال الرب في غير الله، إلا بالإضافة، قال: ويقال الرب، بالألف واللام، لغير الله؛ وقد قالوه في الجاهلية للملك؛ قال الحرث بن حلزة: وهو الرب، والشهيد على يوم ... الحيارين، والبلاء بلاء والاسم: الربابة؛ قال: يا هند أسقاك، بلا حسابه، ... سقيا مليك حسن الربابه والربوبية: كالربابة. وعلم ربوبي: منسوب إلى الرب، على غير قياس. وحكى أحمد بن يحيى: لا وربيك لا أفعل. قال: يريد لا وربك، فأبدل الباء ياء، لأجل التضعيف. ورب كل شيء: مالكه ومستحقه؛ وقيل: صاحبه. ويقال: فلان رب هذا الشيء أي ملكه له. وكل من ملك شيئا، فهو ربه. يقال: هو رب الدابة، ورب الدار، وفلان رب البيت، وهن ربات الحجال؛ ويقال: رب، مشدد؛ ورب، مخفف؛ وأنشد المفضل: وقد علم الأقوال أن ليس فوقه ... رب، غير من يعطي الحظوظ، ويرزق وفي حديث أشراط الساعة: وأن تلد الأمة ربها، أو ربتها. قال: الرب يطلق في اللغة على المالك، والسيد، والمدبر، والمربي، والقيم، والمنعم؛ قال: ولا يطلق غير مضاف إلا على الله، عز وجل، وإذا أطلق على غيره أضيف، فقيل: رب كذا. قال: وقد جاء في الشعر مطلقا على غير الله تعالى، وليس بالكثير، ولم يذكر في غير الشعر. قال: وأراد به في هذا الحديث المولى أو السيد، يعني أن الأمة تلد لسيدها ولدا، فيكون كالمولى لها، لأنه في الحسب كأبيه. أراد: أن السبي يكثر، والنعمة تظهر في الناس، فتكثر السراري. وفي حديث إجابة المؤذن: اللهم رب هذه الدعوة أي صاحبها؛ وقيل: المتمم لها، والزائد في أهلها والعمل بها، والإجابة لها. وفي حديث أبي هريرة، رضي الله عنه: لا يقل المملوك لسيده: ربي ؛ كره أن يجعل مالكه ربا له، لمشاركة الله في الربوبية؛ فأما قوله تعالى: اذكرني عند ربك ؛ فإنه خاطبهم على المتعارف عندهم، وعلى ما كانوا يسمونهم به؛ ومنه قول السامري: وانظر إلى إلهك أي الذي اتخذته إلها. فأما الحديث في ضالة الإبل: حتى يلقاها ربها ؛ فإن البهائم غير متعبدة ولا مخاطبة، فهي بمنزلة الأموال التي تجوز إضافة مالكيها إليها، وجعلهم أربابا لها. وفي حديث عمر، رضي الله عنه: رب الصريمة ورب الغنيمة. وفي حديث عروة بن مسعود، رضي الله عنه: لما أسلم وعاد إلى قومه، دخل منزله، فأنكر قومه دخوله، قبل أن يأتي الربة ، يعني اللات، وهي الصخرة التي كانت تعبدها ثقيف بالطائف. وفي حديث وفد ثقيف: كان لهم بيت يسمونه الربة، يضاهئون به بيت الله تعالى، فلما أسلموا هدمه المغيرة. وقوله عز وجل: ارجعي إلى ربك راضية مرضية ، فادخلي في عبدي؛ فيمن قرأ به، فمعناه، والله أعلم: ارجعي إلى صاحبك الذي خرجت منه، فادخلي فيه؛ والجمع أرباب وربوب. وقوله عز وجل: إنه ربي أحسن مثواي ؛ قال الزجاج: إن العزيز صاحبي أحسن مثواي؛ قال: ويجوز أن يكون: الله ربي أحسن مثواي. والربيب: الملك؛ قال إمرؤ القيس: فما قاتلوا عن ربهم وربيبهم، ... ولا آذنوا جارا، فيظعن سالما أي ملكهم. وربه يربه ربا: ملكه. وطالت مربتهم الناس وربابتهم أي مملكتهم؛ قال علقمة بن عبدة: وكنت امرأ أفضت إليك ربابتي، ... وقبلك ربتني، فضعت، ربوب «3» ويروى ربوب؛ وعندي أنه اسم للجمع. وإنه لمربوب بين الربوبة أي لمملوك؛ والعباد مربوبون لله، عز وجل، أي مملوكون. ورببت القوم: سستهم أي كنت فوقهم. وقال أبو نصر: هو من الربوبية، والعرب تقول: لأن يربني فلان أحب إلي من أن يربني فلان؛ يعني أن يكون ربا فوقي، وسيدا يملكني؛ وروي هذا عن صفوان بن أمية، أنه قال يوم حنين، عند الجولة التي كانت من المسلمين، فقال أبو سفيان: غلبت والله هوازن؛ فأجابه صفوان وقال: بفيك الكثكث، لأن يربني رجل من قريش أحب إلي من أن يربني رجل من هوازن. ابن الأنباري: الرب ينقسم على ثلاثة أقسام: يكون الرب المالك، ويكون الرب السيد المطاع؛ قال الله تعالى: فيسقي ربه خمرا ، أي سيده؛ ويكون الرب المصلح. رب الشيء إذا أصلحه؛ وأنشد: يرب الذي يأتي من العرف أنه، ... إذا سئل المعروف، زاد وتمما وفي حديث ابن عباس مع ابن الزبير، رضي الله عنهم: لأن يربني بنو عمي، أحب إلي من أن يربني غيرهم ، أي يكونون علي أمراء وسادة متقدمين، يعني بني أمية، فإنهم إلى ابن عباس في النسب أقرب من ابن الزبير. يقال: ربه يربه أي كان له ربا. وتربب الرجل والأرض: ادعى أنه ربهما. والربة: كعبة كانت بنجران لمذحج وبني الحرث بن كعب، يعظمها الناس. ودار ربة: ضخمة؛ قال حسان بن ثابت: وفي كل دار ربة، خزرجية، ... وأوسية، لي في ذراهن والد ورب ولده والصبي يربه ربا، ورببه تربيبا وتربة، عن اللحياني: بمعنى رباه. وفي الحديث: لك نعمة تربها ، أي تحفظها وتراعيها وتربيها، كما يربي الرجل ولده؛ وفي حديث ابن ذي يزن: أسد تربب، في الغيضات، أشبالا أي تربي، وهو أبلغ منه ومن ترب، بالتكرير الذي فيه. وترببه، وارتبه، …

    Lisān · 711 · OpenITIvowelled page on al-Maktaba al-Shāmila (print 1, p. 399) ↗
  • Lane · 1876English, synthesising the classical dictionaries.

    E. W. Lane (d. 1876), An Arabic-English Lexicon. English, synthesising the classical dictionaries.

    رَبَّهُ

    1. رَبَّهُ, (M, K,) aor. رَبُبَ , inf. n. رَبٌّ, (M,) [He was, or became, its رَبّ, or lord, possessor, owner, &c.;] he possessed, or owned, it; had possession of it, and command, or authority, over it; (M, K;) namely, a thing; (K;) syn. مَلَكَهُ. (M, K.) [And in like manner, He was, or became, his رَبّ, or lord, &c.] You say, رَبَبْتُ القَوْمَ, [inf. n. as above and مَرَبَّةٌ and رِبَابَةٌ,] I ruled, or governed, the people; syn. سُسْتُهُمْ; i. e. I was, or became, over them [as their lord, master, or chief]. (S.) And طَالَتْ مَرَبَّتُهُمُ النَّاسَ and رِبَابَتُهُم Their ruling, or governing, the people continued long. (M, K. *) The saying of Safwán, (T, S,) on the day of Honeyn, (T,) لَأَنْ يَرُبَّنِى رَجُلٌ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ أُنْ يَرُبَّنِى رَجُلٌ مِنْ هَوَازِنَ means [Assuredly that a man of Kureysh] should be over me (T, S) as رَبّ [or lord, &c.], and as master, or chief, having command, or authority, over me, (T,) [is more pleasing to me than that a man of Hawázin should be lord, &c., over me.] Also, (S, M, Mgh, K,) aor. رَبُبَ , (S, M,) inf. n. رَبٌّ, (S, Mgh, M,) He reared, fostered, brought up, fed, or nourished, him; i. q. رَبَّاهُ; (S, M, Mgh, K;) namely, his child, (S,) or a child, (M, K,) either his own or another's; taking good care of him, and acting as his guardian, (M,) until he attained to puberty, or to the utmost term of youth: (M, K:) and so ربّبهُ, (Lh, S, M, Mgh, K,) or this has a more emphatic signification, (TA,) inf. n. تَربِيبٌ (Lh, M, Mgh, K) and تَرِبَّةٌ; (Lh, M, K;) and تربّبه; (S, M, K;) and ارتبّهُ: (M, K:) [in like manner, also,] رَبْرَبَ signifies he reared, fostered, or brought up, an orphan: (AA, T:) and accord. to IDrd, (M,) رَبِبْتُهُ is a dial. var. [of رَبَبْLتُهُ]: (M, K:) he says also that the verb is used in like manner in relation to the young one of an animal other than man; and he used to cite this ex.: [He belonged to us when he was a young weaned, or one-year-old, colt, we rearing him]; with the letter characteristic of the aor. meksoor, to show that the second letter of the preterite is meksoor, accord to the opinion of Sb in respect of a case of this kind; and this, he says, is peculiar to the dial. of Hudheyl in this species of verb. (M, TA.) رَبَّتِ المَرْأَةُ صَبِيَّهَا, used tropically, means (tropical:) The woman patted her child repeatedly on its side in order that it might sleep. (A, TA.) [See 2 in art. ربت.] [It is said that] the primary signification of الرَّبُّ is التَّرْبِيَةُ; i. e. The bringing a thing to a state of completion by degrees. (Bd in i. l.) A poet says, (S,) namely, Hassán Ibn-Thábit, (TA,) [Than a white, clear, pearl, of those which the depth of the sea has brought to maturity]; meaning a pearl which the shell has reared, or brought to maturity in the bottom of the water. (S, TA.) And the phrase لَكَ نِعْمَةٌ تَرُبُّهَا occurs in a trad., meaning [Thou hast wealth] which thou preservest, and of which thou takest care, and which thou fosterest like as the man fosters his child. (TA.) [Hence,] المَطَرُ يَرُبُّ النَّبَاتَ وَالثَّرَى The rain causes the plants, or herbage, and the moisture [of the earth] to increase. (M.) And السَّحَابُ يَرُبُّ المَطَرَ The clouds collect and increase the rain. (M.) And رَبَّ, (T, S, M, K, TA,) aor. رَبُبَ , inf. n. رَبٌّ and رِبَابٌ and رِبَابَةٌ; (Lh, M, TA;) and ربّب; (M, TA;) (tropical:) He increased, (M, K, TA,) or rightly disposed, and completed, (T, S,) a benefit, or benefaction. (T, S, M, TA.) رَبَّ الأَمْرَ, (M, Msb, K,) aor. رَبُبَ , inf. n. رَبٌّ (M, Msb) and رِبَابَةٌ, (M,) (tropical:) He put the affair into a right, or proper, state; adjusted it, arranged it, ordered it, or rightly disposed it; (M, K;) and established it firmly: (M:) or he managed, conducted, or regulated, the affair: (Msb:) [perhaps from رَبَّ signifying “ he reared, ” &c.; but more probably, I think, from what next follows.] رَبَّ, (T, S, M, K,) aor. رَبُبَ , (T, M,) inf. n. رَبُّ (T, M, K) and رُبٌّ; (K) and ربّب; (M;) He seasoned a skin (T, S, K) for clarified butter (T, S) with رُبّ [i. e. rob, or inspissated juice], (T, S, K,) of dates, (TA,) which imparts a good odour to it, (S, TA,) and prevents the flavour and odour of the butter from being spoiled: (TA:) or he seasoned a skin with رُبّ, and a jar with tar or pitch: or, as some say, رَبَبْتُهُ signifies I smeared it over, and prepared it properly. (M.) رَبَّ and ربّب, (K,) or the latter, but the former also is allowable, (M,) (tropical:) He made oil, or ointment, good, and sweet, or fragrant, or he perfumed it, (M, K, * TA,) accord. to Lh, by infusing in it jasmine or some other sweet-smelling plant. (M, TA.) See also مُرَبَّبٌ, below. رَبَّ also signifies He collected, or congregated, (K, TA,) people: (TA:) [and so, probably, ربّب: see رَبَبٌ.] You say, فُلَانٌ يَرُبُّ النَّاسَ Such a one collects, or congregates, to him the people. (T, S, M.) رَبَّ, aor. رَبِبَ : see 4 رَبَّتْ, (Lh, M, K,) aor. رَبُبَ , (so in the M,) or رَبِبَ , (MF, TA,) inf. n. رَبٌّ, (M, TA,) or رِبَابٌ, (S, K, [in each of which this is mentioned as the inf. n. whence the epithet رُبَّى,]) said of a ewe or she-goat, She brought forth: (Lh, M, K:) or, as some say, she conceived: or, accord. to some, there is no verb to the epithet رُبَّى: (M:) AZ says that it has no verb: (Msb:) [but] رِبَابٌ is an inf. n. used in relation to a ewe or she-goat as meaning her being in the state of such as is termed رُبَّى [q. v.]: (S, M, * Msb, * K: *) and in relation to a she-camel, as in the ex. cited by Munteji' Ibn-Nebhán to As, [The yearning cry of the mother of the young camel in the time of her having recently brought forth]: (S:) and used also in relation to a woman as meaning her having recently brought forth: or her state within two months after having brought forth: or within twenty days: whence the phrase, in a trad., حَمْلُهَا رِبَابٌ, meaning She becomes pregnant soon after having brought forth. (TA.)

    ربّب

    2. ربّب: see 1, in five places. [Also He preserved with رُبّ, i. e., rob, or inspissated juice: see مُرَبَّبٌ.]

    اربّ بِالمَكَانِ

    4. اربّ بِالمَكَانِ, (T, M, A, K, *) inf. n. إِرْبَابٌ; (T;) and رَبَّ, (M, K,) aor. رَبِبَ ; (MF, TA;) He remained, stayed, dwelt, or abode, in the place, (T, M, A, K, *) not quitting it; (T;) like أَلَبَّ: (T, A:) and the former, [or each,] he kept, or clave, to the place. (M.) And اربّتِ الإِبِلُ بِالمَوْضِعِ (T,) or بِمَكَانِ كَذَا, (S,) The camels kept, or clave, (T, S,) to the place, (T,) or to such a place, and remained in it. (S.) And اربّت النَّاقَةُ, (S,) or اربّت النَاقة بِالفَحْلِ, and بِوَلَدِهَا, (M,) The she-camel kept to the stallion, (S, M,) and to her young one, (M,) and affected it. (TA.) And اربّت السَّحَابَةُ (S, M, A) بِأَرْضِهِمْ (A) (tropical:) The cloud continued raining [in their land]. (S, * M.) And اربّت الجَنُوبُ (assumed tropical:) The south, or southerly, wind continued. (T, S.) الإِرْبَابُ also signifies The drawing near, or approaching, (S, M, K,) a thing, (S, M,) of any kind. (M.)

    تربّب الأَرْضَ

    5. تربّب الأَرْضَ, (M, A, K,) and الرَّجُلَ, (M, K,) He asserted himself to be the ربّ [or lord, &c.,] of the land, (M, A, K,) and of the man. (M, K.) See also 1, in two places, in the former half of the paragraph. تربّبوا They collected themselves together, or congregated; or they became collected or congregated. (S.)

    ترابّوا

    6. ترابّوا They united in a confederacy, league, or covenant. (M, TA.) [App. from the fact of some confederates dipping their hands into رُبّ: see رِبَابٌ.]

    ارتبّهُ

    8. ارتبّهُ: see 1. تَرْتَبُّ الشَّعَرَ [She adjusts, or arranges, and composes, or collects together, the hair], said of a woman, is from [الرَّبُّ signifying] الإِصْلَاحُ and الجَمْعُ. (M.) اُرْتُبَّ العِنَبُ The grapes were cooked so as to become رُبّ [or rob], used to give a relish to bread. (AHn, M.)

    رَبْرَبَ

    R. Q. 1. رَبْرَبَ: see 1.

    رَبْ

    رَبْ: see رَأَبَ, of which it is an imperative.

    رُبَ

    رُبَ and رَبَ and رُبُ and رُبْ and رَبْ; and رُبَمَا and رَبَمَا &c.: see رُبَّ.

    رَبٌ

    رَبٌ: see the next paragraph, last sentence but one.

    رَبٌّ

    رَبٌّ A lord, a possessor, an owner, or a proprietor, syn. مَالِكٌ, (T, IAmb, S, M, A, Msb, K,) of a thing, (T,) of anything, (S, M, A, K,) or of an irrational thing; (Msb;) a person who has a right, or just title or claim, to the possession of anything; or its صَاحِب [which is syn. with مَالِك]; (M, A, K;) رَبٌّ and مَالِكٌ and صَاحِبٌ all signifying in Pers. خُدَاوَنْد: (KL:) and a lord, master, or chief; (Msb, TA;) or a lord, master, or chief, to whom obedience is paid: (IAmb, TA:) and a lord, ruler, governor, regulator, or disposer; (TA;) an orderer, a rectifier, or a reformer: (IAmb, TA:) a rearer, fosterer, bringer-up, feeder, or nourisher: and a completer, or an accomplisher: (TA:) it is an epithet, like نَمٌّ from نَمَّ: or an inf. n. used as an intensive epithet; like عَدْلٌ; (Ksh and Bd * in i. l;) originally signifying the “ bringing (a thing) to a state of completion by degrees;” (Bd, ibid.;) then used in the sense of مَالِكٌ: (Ksh and Bd ibid.:) the pl. [of pauc.] is أَرْبَابٌ and [of mult.] رُبُوبٌ, (M, K,) and accord. to Sh, رِبَابٌ also, (TA,) signifying أَصْحَابٌ, (K,) and رَبُوبٌ is app. a quasi-pl. n.: (M:) the fem. is رَبَّةٌ; of which the pl. is رَبَّاتٌ. (T.) Whoever possesses a thing is its رَبّ: you say, هُوَ رَبُّ الدَّابَّةِ [He is the possessor, or owner, or master, of the beast], and الدَّارِ [of the house], (T,) and المَالِ [of the property, or cattle]; (Msb;) and البَيْتِ هِىَ رَبَّةُ [She is the owner, or mistress, of the house or tent]. (T.) With the article ال, it is [properly] applied only to God: (T, S, M, A, Msb, K:) He is رَبُّ الأَرْبَابِ [The Lord of lords]. (T. [Thus the pl. with the article ال is applied to created beings.]) To any other being it is not [properly] applied but as a prefixed noun governing another noun as its complement in the gen. case [or in a similar manner]. (S.) The pagan Arabs, however, sometimes applied it to A king, (S,) or to a lord as meaning a master or chief: (Msb:) El- Hárith says, (S, Msb,) i. e. Ibn-Hillizeh, (S,) (S, Msb,) i. e. And he (meaning El-Mundhir Ibn-Má-es-Semà, or, as some say, 'Amr Ibn-Hind,) was the king [or lord] and witness of our fighting on the day of El-Hiyárán (the name of a place), and the trial was a hard trial. (EM, p. 285: [in which الحَيَارَيْنِ is erroneously put for الحِيَارَيْنِ.]) Some forbid that a man should be called the رَبّ of his slave: (Msb:) it is said in a trad. that the slave shall not say to his master, رَبّى, because it is like attributing a partner to God: (TA:) but رَبّ is sometimes used in the sense of lord as meaning master or chief prefixed to a noun signifying a rational being governed by it in the gen. case: thus in the saying of the Prophet, حَتَّى تَلِدَ الأَمَةُ رَبَّهَا [So that the female slave shall bring forth him who will become her master], or رَبَّتَهَا [her mistress], accord. to different transmitters; (Msb;) relating to the signs of the hour of resurrection: i. e., the female slave shall bring forth to her master a child that shall be as a master [or mistress] to her because like his [or her] father in rank: meaning that captives and concubines shall be numerous. (TA.) As to the phrase in the Kur [xii. 42], اُذْكُرْنِى عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ [Mention thou me in the presence of thy lord], Joseph thus addressed his fellow-prisoner agreeably with the acceptation in which he [the latter] understood the words. (TA.) A similar instance also occurs in the same chapter, in the verse immediately preceding. (Msb.) In another verse, [23 of the same ch.,] إِنَّهُ رَبِّى [Verily he is my lord] may refer to Joseph's master or to God. (M, TA.) The words of the Kur [lxxxix. 28 and 29], اِرْجِعِى إِلَى رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً فَٱدْخُلِى فِى عَبْدىِ, as some read, [instead of عِبَادِى,] may mean Return to thine owner, [approving, approved,] and enter into my servant. (M, TA.) Without the article ال, as some say, (L, TA,) it is sometimes written and pronounced رَبٌ, without teshdeed; (L, K;) as in the following verse, cited by El-Mufaddal, [And the peoples have known that there is not above him a lord beside Him who gives the portions of mankind and of others and grants the means of subsistence]. (L.) And Ahmad Ibn-Yahyà [i. e. Th] mentions the phrase لَا وَرَبِيكَ لَا أَفْعَلُ, for لَا وَرَبِّكَ [i. e. No, by thy Lord, I will not do such a thing]; the [latter] ب being changed into ى because of the reduplication. (M, K: * in the CK رَبْيِكَ.)

    رُبَّ

    رُبَّ is a word of which there are seventy dial. vars., all mentioned by Zekereeyà El-Ansáree in his great Expos. of the “ Munferijeh, ” but only eighteen of which are mentioned in the K, including some that are formed with the affix ت, some with the affix مَا, and some with both these affixes together; as follows: (TA:) رُبَّ (T, S, M, Msb, Mughnee, K, &c.) and رَبَّ (T, M, Mughnee, K) and رُبُّ, (Mughnee,) and رُبَ (T, S, M, Mughnee, K) and رَبَ (T, M, Mughnee, K) and رُبُ and رُبْ (Mughnee, K) and رَبْ; (Mughnee;) and رُبَّتَ (T, S, M, Msb, Mughnee, K) and رَبَّتَ (M, Mughnee, K) and رُبُّتَ and رُبَّتُ and رَبَّتُ and رُبُّتُ and رُبَّتِ and رَبَّتِ and رُبُّتِ and رَبُّت (TA) and رُبَّتْ and رَبَّتْ (Mughnee) and رُبُّتْ, (TA,) and رُبَتَ (T, Mughnee, K) and رَبَتَ (Mughnee, K) and رُبُتَ and رُبْتَ and رَبْتَ and رُبَتُ and رَبَتُ and رُبُتُ and رُبْتُ and رَبْتُ and رُبَتِ and رَبَتِ and رُبُتِ and رَبُتِ and رُبْتِ and رَبْتِ (TA) and رُبَتْ and رَبَتْ (Mughnee) and رُبُتْ; (TA;) and رُبَّمَا (T, S, M, K) and رَبَّمَا (M, K) and رُبُّمَا, (TA,) and رُبَمَا (T, K) and رَبَمَا (K) and رُبُمَا and رُبْمَا and رَبْمَا; (TA;) and رُبَّتَمَا (T, S, M, K) and رَبَّتَمَا (M, K) and رُبُّتَمَا and رُبَّتُمَا and رَبَّتُمَا and رُبُّتُمَا and رُبَّتْمَا and رَبَّتْمَا and رُبُّتْمَا, (TA,) and رُبَتَمَا and رَبَتَمَا (M, K) and رُبُتَمَا and رُبْتَمَا and رَبْتَمَا and رُبَتُمَا and رَبَتُمَا and رُبُتُمَا and رُبْتُمَا and رَبْتُمَا and رُبَتْمَا and رَبَتْمَا and رُبُتْمَا: (TA:) [of all these, the most common are رُبَّ and رُبَّمَا: and] رُبَّتَ is the most common of the forms that have the affix ت: (Mughnee and K on the letter ت:) and the forms with teshdeed are more common than the [corresponding] forms without teshdeed. (M.) It is a word, (M,) or particle, (T, S, Mughnee, K,) governing the gen. case: (S, M, Mughnee, K:) or a noun, (K, TA,) [i. e. an indecl. noun,] in the opinion of the Koofees and some others; but this opinion is rejected by Ibn-Málik in the Tesheel and its Expos., and by AHei, and by IHsh in the Mughnee. (TA.) Accord. to some, (K, TA,) it is used to denote a small number, (T, M, Msb, K, TA,) always, (TA,) or mostly: (Msb, TA:) [thus it may be rendered Few if we render the noun following it as a pl.; and scarce any if we render the noun following as a sing. or a pl.:] it is the contr. of كَمْ when this latter is not used interrogatively: (T:) [and with مَا affixed, restricting it from government, it may be rendered Few times, or seldom:] or it is used to denote a large number; (K, TA;) i. e. always: so says IDrst: (TA:) [thus used, but such is not always the case, it may be rendered Many, whether we render the noun following it as a sing. or as a pl.: and with مَا affixed, Many times, many a time, oftentimes, ofttimes, often, or frequently:] or it is used to denote a small and a large number; (Mughnee, K;) often the latter, and seldom the former: (Mughnee:) or it is used in a case of boasting, or glorying, (K, TA,) exclusively of other cases, (TA,) to denote a large number: (K, TA:) or it does not denote by itself either a small number or a large number; but one or the other of these meanings is inferred from the context: (K:) [but sometimes neither of these meanings can be clearly inferred from the context: in these cases, it may be rendered Some: and with مَا affixed, Sometimes:] accord. to Er-Radee, its primary meaning is to denote a small number, but it has been so much used to denote a large number as to be in this latter sense as though it were proper, and in the former sense as though it were tropical, requiring context [to explain it]. (Marginal note in my copy of the Mughnee.) [Without the affix ما,] it governs an indeterminate noun (T, * S, Msb, Mughnee, K) only, (T, S, K,) and a pronoun. (S, M, Mughnee.) You say, رُبَّ يَوْمٍ بَكَّرْتُ فِيهِ [Few, or many, days have I gone forth early therein]: (T:) and رُبَّ رَجُلٍ قَائِمٌ [Few, or many, men are standing]: (M:) and رُبَّ رَجُلٍ قَامَ [Few, or many, men stood]: (Msb:) and in like manner, رَجُلٍ رُبَّتَ; (Msb;) for the ت in this case is not a denotative of the fem. gender. (Msb.) The pronoun affixed to it is of the third pers., (S, M,) and is [generally] sing. and masc., (S, Mughnee,) though it may be followed by a fem. and by a dual and by a pl.: (S:) notwithstanding its being determinate in the utmost degree, its use in this manner is allowable because it resembles an indeterminate noun in its being used without the previous mention of the noun to which it relates; and hence it requires a noun to explain it: (IJ, M:) it annuls the government of رُبَّ; (TA;) and the indeterminate noun that follows it is put in the accus. case as a specificative: (S, Mughnee:) thus you say, رُبَّهُ رَجُلًا قَدْ ضَرَبْتُ [Few, or many, men I have beaten]: (S, M: *) but accord. to the Koofees, you say رُبَّهُ رَجُلًا, (S,) and رُبَّهَا ٱمْرَأَةً, (M,) and رُبَّهُمَا رَجُلَيْنش, and رُبَّهُمْ رِجَالًا, and رُبَّهُنَّ نِسَآءً: he who puts the pronoun in the sing. [in all cases] holds it to be allusive to something unknown; and he who does not put it in the sing. [when it is not followed by a sing. noun] holds it to be used in reply to a question, as though it were said to a man, “ Hast thou not any young women? ” and he answered, رُبَّهُنَّ جَوَارٍ قَدْ مَلَكْتُ [Few, or many, young women have I possessed]: Ibn-Es-Sarráj says that the grammarians are as though they were of one consent in holding رُبَّ to be a replicative [app. meaning in a case of this kind, with an affixed pronoun]: (S:) [but it is not always a replicative in a case of this kind; though perhaps it was originally:] AHeyth cites as an ex. [And many a perishing man have I saved from perdition]. (TA. [But the reading commonly found in grammars is مِنْ عَطَبِهْ from his state of perdition.]) The following is an ex. of the use of رُبَّ to denote a small number, [or rather to denote singleness,] [Now surely scarce an instance is there of anyone born not having a father, and of anyone having offspring whom two parents have not procreated]; meaning [our Lord] Jesus and Adam: (Mughnee: [but I have substituted يَلْدِهِ for يَلْدَهُ, the reading in my copy of that work: لَمْ يَلْدِهِ is for لَمْ يَلِدْهُ, for the sake of the metre; like as لِمْ أَجْدِ is for لَمْ أَجِدْ:]) and among the many exs. of its use to denote a large number, is the saying, in a trad., يَا رُبَّ كاَسِيَةٍ فِى الدُّنْيَا عَارِيَةٌ يَوْمَ القِيٰمَةِ [O, many a female having clothing in the present state of existence will be naked on the day of resurrection!]; and the saying of an Arab of the desert, after the ending of Ramadán, يَا رُبَّ صَائِمِهِ لَنْ يَعصُومَهُ وَيَا رُبَّ قَائِمِهِ لَنْ يَقُومَهُ [O, many a keeper of its fast shall not keep its fast again! and O, many a passer of its nights in prayer, or per- former of its تَرَاوِيح, shall not pass its nights in prayer, or perform its تراويح, again!]. (Mughnee.) [But in this last ex., and in others, it relates to few in comparison with others, though many abstractedly.] مَا is affixed to رُبَّ &c. in order that a verb may follow it; (S, Mughnee;) and the verb that follows it is generally a preterite, (T, Mughnee,) as to the letter and the meaning: (Mughnee:) you say, رُبَّمَا جَآءَنِى فُلَانٌ [Seldom, or often, such a one came to me, or has come to me]: (T:) sometimes the verb is a future; (T, Mughnee;) but only when it expresses an event of which one is certain: (T:) so in the saying in the Kur [xv. 2], رُبَّمَا يَوَدُّ ٱلَّذينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْ كَانُوا مُسْلِمِينَ, (T, S, M, Mughnee), meaning Often [will those who have disbelieved wish that they had been Muslims]; (Mughnee, Jel;) or seldom, (Zj, T, M, Jel,) because terrors will bereave them of their reason so that they will but seldom recover reason to wish this; (Jel;) for God's threat is true, as though it had come to pass, and therefore the verb here is equivalent to a preterite [which is often used in the Kur and elsewhere in this manner]. (T.) مَا is also sometimes affixed when a noun follows, (T, Mughnee,) or a nominal proposition, and generally restricts رُبَّ &c. from governing: thus, Aboo-Duwád says, [Sometimes, or often, the numerous herd of camels is among them, and there are swift horses, among which are the colts]: another says, making رُبَّ, with مَا affixed, to govern, [Many a stroke with a polished sword of the forging of Busrà, (the Bozrah of the Bible, a city famous for its sword-blades,) and many a wide spear-wound; or, perhaps, few strokes &c.]: (Mughnee: [but I have substituted قَيْنِ for بَيْنَ, which is the reading in my copy of the Mughnee, an evident mistranscription:]) and another, cited by IAar, says, [Máweeyeh, (مَاوِىَّ being an apocopated proper name of a woman, originally مَاوِيَّةُ,) O, many a raid spreading widely and dispersedly, like the burn with the branding-iron]. (T. [In the TT, as from the T, I find, here, بَلْ in the place of يا, which I find in a copy of the T, and which is the reading commonly known.])

    Lane, Arabic-English Lexiconread Lane's entry online ↗
Look this root up elsewhere:Doha Historical Dictionary ↗Quranic Arabic Corpus ↗Arabic Almanac ↗Hawramani Arabic Lexicon ↗

The same letters, turned

The same three letters in all their orders. Choose one.

ر ب ب

الراء والباء يدل على أصول

r-b indicates roots.

Ibn Fāris ↗Lisān ↗Quran ×980

an entry in Ibn Fārislater sources onlyin none of them

Do these six share one core meaning?

Reference

About thisal-Khalīl, Ibn Jinnī, Ibn Fāris; the counts across the dictionary

al-Khalīl (d. c. 170/786), Kitāb al-ʿAyn, as transmitted by al-Layth: a two-letter word “turns in two ways”, a three-letter word “in six ways” (masdūsa), four letters in 24, five in 120; “its used forms are written down and its unused ones dropped” (line 975 ↗). The dictionary is built on this: each chapter takes a set of letters and names which orders are used (mustaʿmal) and which unused (muhmal). The ring shows that verdict, from the chapter heading as edited (documented in the text; how much of the book is al-Khalīl's own is disputed).

A reported total. al-Suyūṭī transmits, from Ḥamza al-Iṣfahānī, that al-Khalīl put the possible forms, used and unused, of two to five letters at 12,305,412 (al-Muzhir, line 1347 ↗). It is reported, not found in the ʿAyn. It equals exactly the arrangements of 2 to 5 different letters out of 28 (756 + 19,656 + 491,400 + 11,793,600); the breakdown printed beside it is corrupt, and al-Zubaydī's count, given next, differs (6,659,400).

Ibn Jinnī (d. 392/1002), al-Khaṣāʾiṣ, names the greater derivation (al-ishtiqāq al-akbar): bind a three-letter root and its six orders to one meaning, and bring stray members back “by the subtlety of the craft and interpretation” (line 7536 ↗). He says himself that it does not hold for every root (line 167 ↗; line 7603 ↗).

Ibn Fāris (d. 395/1004) gives each root its own aṣl and treats a rearranged word as maqlūb, “turned round”, and so not a root of its own: “j-b-dh is not a root, because it is a single word, turned round” (Maqāyīs, line 6147 ↗). The ring sets his aṣl for each order side by side; whether they meet is the question.

Neighbours on the ring differ by one swap of two letters.

The critique. A source quoted by al-Suyūṭī calls the greater derivation Ibn Jinnī's innovation, “not relied on in the language” (al-Muzhir, line 6159 ↗).

The other axis. The root's letters also go into patterns that keep their order and change the frame: the patterns (awzān) and the verb Forms I–X.

Across Ibn Fāris's dictionary. Of the 2,300 possible sets of three different sound letters (no hamza, w or y), 1,021 have at least one order as an entry. How many of their six orders are entries:

Ibn Fāris, entries found (1,021 letter-sets)
  1. 1 of 6319
  2. 2 of 6218
  3. 3 of 6164
  4. 4 of 6155
  5. 5 of 6107
  6. 6 of 658
al-Khalīl, orders his headings call used (746 letter-sets)
  1. 1 of 6148
  2. 2 of 6108
  3. 3 of 6157
  4. 4 of 6179
  5. 5 of 6111
  6. 6 of 643

Of the orders al-Khalīl calls used, 2,097 are entries in Ibn Fāris and 267 are not; 17 that he calls unused are entries in Ibn Fāris.

Our computation from the OpenITI texts; heading detection can miss entries

Attested here means found in our digital texts (Ibn Fāris, Lisān al-ʿArab, Lane, the Quranic Arabic Corpus), with w and y kept apart and hamza spellings merged; it is our data, not a classical verdict. English beside the Arabic is AI translation. Sources and grades: docs/research/root-permutations.md.

Letters & sound

How each letter is made, in brief, from Sībawayh's and Ibn Jinnī's own sentences (linked); their words are under Reference.

Sharing two of its three letters (computed; kinship of form, not of meaning)

16 more

Reference

How it is madeSībawayh and Ibn Jinnī · phonetics

English throughout: AI translation of the Arabic

ر

ومن مخرج النون غير أنه أدخل في ظهر اللسان قليلا لانحرافه إلى اللام مخرج الراء

From the place of the nūn, except that it goes a little further onto the back of the tongue, because it leans towards the lām, is the place of the rāʾ. Sībawayh, lines 26557–26558 ↗

ومن مخرج النون غير أنه أدخل في ظهر اللسان قليلا، لانحرافه إلى اللام، مخرج الراء

From the place of the nūn, except that it goes a little further onto the back of the tongue, because it leans towards the lām, is the place of the rāʾ. Ibn Jinnī, lines 980–981 ↗

ب

ومما بين الشفتين مخرج الباء، والميم، والواو

From between the two lips is the place of the bāʾ, the mīm and the wāw. Sībawayh, line 26563 ↗

ومما بين الشفتين مخرج الباء والميم والواو

From between the two lips is the place of the bāʾ, the mīm and the wāw. Ibn Jinnī, line 986 ↗

ب

ومما بين الشفتين مخرج الباء، والميم، والواو

From between the two lips is the place of the bāʾ, the mīm and the wāw. Sībawayh, line 26563 ↗

ومما بين الشفتين مخرج الباء والميم والواو

From between the two lips is the place of the bāʾ, the mīm and the wāw. Ibn Jinnī, line 986 ↗

Sībawayh, al-Kitāb (ed. Hārūn) and Ibn Jinnī, Sirr ṣināʿat al-iʿrāb; OpenITI digital texts (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0). Full credits on each letter's page.

In the Breath of the All-MercifulIbn ʿArabī · metaphysics

English throughout: AI translation of the Arabic

ر

Level of existence: السماء الخامسة · the fifth heaven

Divine Name: المصور · the Form-Giver (al-Muṣawwir)

Lunar mansion: الغفر · al-Ghafr

Futūḥāt ch. 198, line 64675

Spheres of its simples (ch. 2): 10 line 2573 ↗

Nature (ch. 2)

المرتبة العشرية فحروفها حارة يابسة

The tenfold rank: its letters are hot and dry.

Ibn ʿArabī, al-Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya, line 2582

ب

Level of existence: الجن · the jinn

Divine Name: اللطيف · al-Laṭīf, the Subtle

Lunar mansion: الفرع المقدم · al-Farʿ al-Muqaddam

Futūḥāt ch. 198, line 62118

Spheres of its simples (ch. 2): 10 line 2573 ↗

Nature (ch. 2)

المرتبة العشرية فحروفها حارة يابسة

The tenfold rank: its letters are hot and dry.

Ibn ʿArabī, al-Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya, line 2582

ب

Level of existence: الجن · the jinn

Divine Name: اللطيف · al-Laṭīf, the Subtle

Lunar mansion: الفرع المقدم · al-Farʿ al-Muqaddam

Futūḥāt ch. 198, line 62118

Spheres of its simples (ch. 2): 10 line 2573 ↗

Nature (ch. 2)

المرتبة العشرية فحروفها حارة يابسة

The tenfold rank: its letters are hot and dry.

Ibn ʿArabī, al-Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya, line 2582
Meaning by vowelal-Dabbāgh · a visionary claim about a primordial “Syriac”, not historical Syriac

English throughout: AI translation of the Arabic

ر

With fatḥa ـَ

فهي إشارة إلى جميع الخيرات الظاهرة والباطنة.

It is an indication of all goods, outward and inward.

With ḍamma ـُ

فهي إشارة إلى الواحد في نفسه وهو ظاهر.

It is an indication of the one in itself, and it is manifest.

With kasra ـِ

فهي إشارة إلى الشيء الذي فيه الروح وليس من بني آدم، أو إشارة إلى الروح نفسها.

It is an indication of a thing that has spirit in it but is not of the children of Adam, or an indication of the spirit itself.

al-Dabbāgh (d. 1132/1719), al-Ibrīz, ch. 2 §15, compiled by al-Lamaṭī

ب

With fatḥa ـَ

فهي إشارة إلى الشيء الذي هو في غاية العز أو في غاية الذل.

It is an indication of the thing that is at the utmost of might or at the utmost of abasement.

With ḍamma ـُ

فهي إشارة معها قبض.

It is an indication accompanied by contraction (qabḍ).

With kasra ـِ

فهي إشارة إلى ما دخل أو هو داخل على الذات.

It is an indication of what has entered, or is entering, upon the self.

al-Dabbāgh (d. 1132/1719), al-Ibrīz, ch. 2 §15, compiled by al-Lamaṭī

ب

With fatḥa ـَ

فهي إشارة إلى الشيء الذي هو في غاية العز أو في غاية الذل.

It is an indication of the thing that is at the utmost of might or at the utmost of abasement.

With ḍamma ـُ

فهي إشارة معها قبض.

It is an indication accompanied by contraction (qabḍ).

With kasra ـِ

فهي إشارة إلى ما دخل أو هو داخل على الذات.

It is an indication of what has entered, or is entering, upon the self.

al-Dabbāgh (d. 1132/1719), al-Ibrīz, ch. 2 §15, compiled by al-Lamaṭī
Two-letter nucleus11 roots in Ibn Fāris’s chapterر ب

Ibn Fāris groups his roots under two-letter chapters (“the X and the Y and what makes them three”). These are the roots of this root's chapter with the core sense he gives each. Setting them side by side is our juxtaposition; he does not himself draw a shared meaning. His chapter heading, line 12394 ↗

  • ربتالراء والباء والتاء ليس أصلا لكنه من باب الإبدالL12395
  • ربحالراء والباء والحاء أصل واحد يدل على شف في مبايعةQ 1 · L12405
  • ربخالراء والباء والخاء أصيل يدل على فترة واسترخاءL12411
  • ربدالراء والباء والدال أصلان أحدهما لون من الألوان والآخر الإقامةL12413
  • ربسالراء والباء والسين أصل واحد ذكره ابن دريدL12434
  • ربصالراء والباء والصاد أصل واحد يدل على الانتظارQ 17 · L12439
  • ربطالراء والباء والطاء أصل واحد يدل على شد وثباتQ 5 · L12455
  • ربعالراء والباء والعين أصول ثلاثة أحدها جزء من أربعة أشياء والآخر الإقامة والثالث الإشالة والرفع فأما الأول فالربع من الشيءQ 22 · L12469
  • ربقالراء والباء والقاف أصل واحد وهو شيء يدور بشيء كالقلادة في العنق ثم يتفرع فالربقة الخيط في العنق وفي كلامهم ربدت الضأن فربق ربق إذا أضرع الشاء فهيء الL12500
  • ربلالراء والباء واللام أصل واحد يدل على تجمع وكثرة في انضمامL12510
  • ربىأالراء والباء والحرف المعتل وكذلك المهموز منه يدل على أصل واحد وهو الزيادة والنماء والعلو تقولL12521
In the sister scriptsHebrew ר ב בSyriac ܪ ܒ ܒ
Arabicر ب ب
Hebrewר ב ב
Syriacܪ ܒ ܒ
Ancient South Arabian (musnad)𐩧 𐩨 𐩨
Phoenician𐤓 𐤁 𐤁

Letter for letter, by the regular sound correspondences of the Semitic languages (Arabic keeps several sounds the others merged). This shows how the root would be spelled; whether a related word exists is a separate question, answered in the Semitic lens. Where an Arabic sibilant (s, sh) continues two older sounds, both spellings are shown.

Lenses

  • Classical lexiconAl-Khalīl defines the owner of anything as its rabb and restricts the unannexed form to God.well attested

    The lexicographers in chronological order, from al-Khalīl to Lane.

    Al-Khalīl defines the owner of anything as its rabb and restricts the unannexed form to God. He glosses the ribbiyyūn as those who endured with the prophets, and he records rabāb, a cloud heavy with water, with arabbat al-saḥāba, 'the cloud kept raining'. Al-Jawharī repeats the rule on annexation, notes that the pre-Islamic Arabs used al-rabb of a king (citing al-Ḥārith b. Ḥilliza), and adds rabbabtu al-qawm 'I governed them', rabba al-ḍayʿa 'he improved the estate', and rabba waladahu 'he reared his child'. Ibn Fāris makes iṣlāḥ and care the first root (owner, creator, companion, improver) and puts persistence second, as with rain that stays. Al-Rāghib makes tarbiya the original sense, 'bringing a thing state by state to completion', and explains rabb as a verbal noun used for the agent. Ibn Manẓūr and Lane gather these senses under possession, rule and care.

    Draws on: al-ʿAyn · Ṣiḥāḥ · Maqāyīs · Mufradāt · Lisān · Lane

    • al-Khalīl, Kitāb al-ʿAyn, s.v. r-b-b
    • al-Jawharī, al-Ṣiḥāḥ, s.v. rabb
    • Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-lugha, s.v. r-b
    • al-Rāghib, Mufradāt, s.v. rabb
    • Ibn Manẓūr, Lisān al-ʿArab, s.v. r-b-b
    • Lane, Arabic-English Lexicon, s.v. ربّ
    • Wiktionary: Arabic root r-b-b ↗
  • Letters & soundIn the letter lore attributed to al-Dabbāgh, rāʾ indicates 'all goods, outward and inward'.speculative

    What the theorists of sound symbolism would say of these letters. Speculative by nature.

    In the letter lore attributed to al-Dabbāgh, rāʾ indicates 'all goods, outward and inward'. Bāʾ indicates what is at the extreme of might or of abasement, a pairing a reader might map onto the lord and the one lorded over. Ibn ʿArabī's correlation assigns rāʾ to the Fifth Heaven; the data give no heaven for bāʾ. In the doubled root, bāʾ comes twice after rāʾ. Mainstream linguistics treats such readings as suggestive at most.

    Draws on: al-Dabbāgh · Ibn ʿArabī letter-heavens

    • Ibn al-Mubārak, al-Ibrīz (sayings of al-Dabbāgh)
    • Ibn ʿArabī, al-Futūḥāt al-Makkiyya, ch. 198
  • Root structureSeveral of Ibn Fāris's r-b- siblings have meanings close to one another.plausible

    The two-letter nucleus (Ibn Fāris's own chapters) and the permutations of the letters (Ibn Jinnī).

    Several of Ibn Fāris's r-b- siblings have meanings close to one another. R-b-ṭ is binding and firmness, r-b-d includes staying in place, r-b-ʿ includes residing, r-b-ṣ is waiting, and r-b-l is gathering and abundance. The group of persistence and holding (r-b-ṭ, r-b-d, r-b-ṣ) matches Ibn Fāris's second sense of r-b-b, luzūm and iqāma. Because the root is doubled, permutation yields only b-r-b (unattested) and b-b-r (attested; babr, a large beast of prey), neither related in meaning. Ibn Jinnī's greater derivation therefore has little to work with here.

    Draws on: Maqāyīs chapter siblings · permutations

    • Ibn Fāris, Maqāyīs al-lugha, bāb al-rāʾ wa-l-bāʾ
  • Semitic kin & loanwordsThe root is common Semitic.well attested

    Cognates in the sister languages, and whether the word was borrowed.

    The root is common Semitic. Hebrew has rav 'much, great' and, as a noun, 'chief'; Aramaic/Syriac rab/rabbā means 'great, master, teacher'; Akkadian rabû means 'great'. In Arabic the sense 'great, many' is carried mainly by related forms, while rabb has specialised as 'lord, owner, one who tends'. Rabb itself is inherited, not borrowed. Jeffery and others, however, regard rabbānī/rabbāniyyūn as likely taken from Jewish Aramaic rabbān/rabbānā, 'master, teacher'.

    Draws on: Hebrew rav · Aramaic rabbā · Akkadian rabû · Jeffery on rabbānī

  • Quranic exegesisOn 1:2, al-Ṭabarī distinguishes three senses of rabb in Arabic usage: master obeyed, one who puts things right, and owner.plausible

    How the classical exegetes read the word in the Quran.

    On 1:2, al-Ṭabarī distinguishes three senses of rabb in Arabic usage: master obeyed, one who puts things right, and owner. Al-Zamakhsharī glosses rabb as mālik. Al-Rāzī dwells on tarbiya, God's bringing each creature to its fitting state, which matches al-Rāghib's definition. At 3:79 (kūnū rabbāniyyīn) and 5:44, al-Ṭabarī reports that the rabbāniyyūn are learned sages who manage people's affairs by knowledge. Al-Zamakhsharī explains rabbānī as the relative adjective of rabb with an intensifying -ān, meaning one wholly devoted to knowing and obeying God. At 3:146, al-Ṭabarī reports the ribbiyyūn read both as great multitudes and as devout scholars.

    Draws on: al-Ṭabarī · al-Zamakhsharī · al-Rāzī · al-Rāghib

  • Akbarian readingIn the Faṣṣ Ādam, Adam holds divine names the angels lack, so the angels did not glorify their Lord by those names as Adam did.well attested

    The word in Ibn ʿArabī's text and terminology.

    In the Faṣṣ Ādam, Adam holds divine names the angels lack, so the angels did not glorify their Lord by those names as Adam did. The Lord is thus known and praised through the names a creature actually carries. Commenting on 'fear your Lord who created you from a single soul' (4:1), Ibn ʿArabī reads ittaqū as 'take a protection (wiqāya)'. He asks the reader to make their manifest side a protection for their Lord, and their hidden side, 'which is your Lord', a protection for themselves, so that blame falls on the creature and praise on the Real. Elsewhere he treats lordship (rubūbiyya) as a relation that requires the one lorded over (marbūb), and he cites Sahl al-Tustarī's saying that lordship has a secret whose disclosure would nullify it.

    Draws on: Faṣṣ Ādam contexts · rubūbiyya as relation

  • Illuminationist readingSuhrawardī uses rabb technically in 'lord of the species' (rabb al-nawʿ;plausible

    The word in Suhrawardī's philosophy of light.

    Suhrawardī uses rabb technically in 'lord of the species' (rabb al-nawʿ; plural arbāb al-aṣnām or arbāb al-anwāʿ). This is an incorporeal 'horizontal' light that governs and sustains a bodily species, his reinterpretation of the Platonic Forms. Each species is the talisman (ṭilasm) or image of its lord-light. He links these lords to Zoroastrian angelology, for example naming the lord of water Khurdād. The term keeps the lexical senses of governance and care.

    Draws on: Suhrawardī, Ḥikmat al-ishrāq · rabb al-nawʿ

Reference

Neighbouring rootsThe roots that share letters with this one, as a map you can open out