Bismillah ar Rahman ar Raheem
The Meaning of Al-`Aalameen
Al-`Alamin is plural for `Alam, which encompasses everything in existence except Allah. The word `Alam is itself a plural word, having no singular form. The `Alamin are different creations that exist in the heavens and the earth, on land and at sea. Every generation of creation is called an `Alam. Al-Farra` and Abu `Ubayd said,
`Alam includes all that has a mind, the Jinns, mankind, the angels and the devils, but not the animals.’
Also, Zayd bin Aslam and Abu Muhaysin said,
`Alam includes all that Allah has created with a soul.’
Further, Qatadah said about,
[رَبِّ الْعَـلَمِينَ]
(The Lord of the `Alamin), “Every type of creation is an `Alam.” Az-Zajjaj also said,
Alam encompasses everything that Allah created, in this life and in the Hereafter.”
Al-Qurtubi commented,
This is the correct meaning, that the `Alam encompasses everything that Allah created in both worlds.
Similarly, Allah said,
[قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ وَمَا رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ - قَالَ رَبُّ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَآ إِن كُنتُمْ مُّوقِنِينَ ]
(Fir`awn (Pharaoh) said: “And what is the Lord of the `Alamin” Musa (Moses) said: “The Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, if you seek to be convinced with certainty”) (26:23-24).
Why is the Creation called `Alam
`Alam is derived from `Allamah, that is because it is a sign testifying to the existence of its Creator and to His Oneness.”
[الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ ]
(3. Ar-Rahman (the Most Gracious), Ar-Rahim (the Most Merciful)). Allah said next,
[الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ ]
(Ar-Rahman (the Most Gracious), Ar-Rahim (the Most Merciful)) We explained these Names in the Basmalah. Al-Qurtubi said,
Allah has described Himself by `Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim’ after saying `the Lord of the Alamin’, so His statement here includes a warning, and then an encouragement.
Similarly, Allah said,
[نَبِّىءْ عِبَادِى أَنِّى أَنَا الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ - وَأَنَّ عَذَابِى هُوَ الْعَذَابُ الاٌّلِيمُ ]
(Declare (O Muhammad ) unto My servants, that truly, I am the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. And that My torment is indeed the most painful torment.) (15:49-50) Allah said,
[إِنَّ رَبَّكَ سَرِيعُ الْعِقَابِ وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ]
(Surely, your Lord is swift in retribution, and certainly He is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.) (6:165)
Hence, Rabb contains a warning while Ar-Rahman Ar-Rahim encourages. Further, Muslim recorded in his Sahih that the Messenger of Allah said,
«لَوْ يَعْلَمُ الْمُؤْمِنُ مَا عِنْدَ اللهِ مِنَ الْعُقُوبَةِ مَا طَمِعَ فِي جَنَّتِهِ أَحَدٌ، وَلَوْ يَعْلَمُ الْكَافِرُ مَا عِنْدَ اللهِ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ مَا قَنَطَ مِنْ رَحْمَتِهِ أَحَدٌ»
(If the believer knew what punishment Allah has, none would have hope in acquiring His Paradise, and if the disbeliever knew what mercy Allah has, none will lose hope of earning His earning.)
[مَـلِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ ]
(4. The Owner of the Day of Recompense.)
Root word Analysis:
The word عالمين actually has a fat`hah on the laam, and is pronounced ‘aalameen, so it is the plural of ‘aalAm (which means world, universe etc) and not ‘aalim (which means scholar). However, there is the interesting question of what the link between ‘aalam and ‘aalam. The answer (and Allaah knows best) is that the root of ‘ayn laam meem from which they both come has a basic meaning of a mark or dictinct quality by which something is known. Thus, the scholar was called a ‘aalim (which is the active participle [ism faa'il] from the verbal noun [masdar] ‘ilm) because it is through ‘ilm (knowledge) that something becomes known.
al Fara and abu Ubaydha said,
al-’alam is a term referring to anything that possesses an intellect and these fall into four categories: Mankind, Angels, Jinns and satans. The term ‘alam doesnot refer to the animal kingdom because this plural refers to those who possess an intellect specifically.
Others held the opinion that it refers to all kinds of created beings collectively, i.e. the mark by which life is known and similar view was held by at Tabari and Qatadah. Therefore mankind is an ‘alam and likewise every individual race amongst them would be an ‘alam also, just each generation of that race would be would be an ‘alam. Similarly the Jinns are ‘alam etc…
Some of the scholars stated that al-’alam is derived from al-’allamah or sign because the existence of world is a sign , without doubt, of the existence of its Creator who is described with perfect and magnificent attributes.
Ibn Abbas (R.a..) said in explanation to to this verse of Al Fathiha,
All praise and thanks are due to Allah, to whom belongs the creation in its entirety, the heavens, the earth and whosoever in between them and whatsoever is in between them that which is known and unknown.
Extra Notes:
- In Qur’an the word ‘Rabb’ is always followed by ‘Hidayah’.
- Rahman-accodrding to some mufasireens has a meaning of ‘abundant mercy of Allah’
- Raheem- according to some mufassireen has a meaning of ‘constant action/mercy’ or ‘always abundantly merciful’
- According to Hadithul Qudsi, when the slave finishes these three verses, Allah says that the abd has made ‘Tsana’ — meaning stacked up / the Abd has stacked up the praise / the Abd made praise upon praise on Allah SWT.
courtesy: one and two and a pdf by Dar-us-Sunnah Publishers here.
