The Concept of Rubaniyyah (Divine Order/Godliness) in the Qur'an: A Descriptive Analytical Study with a Contemporary Renewal Vision

Abstract

This research aims to highlight the concept of Rabbaniyyah (divine-oriented stewardship) in the Qur'an through a foundational and reformative study. It seeks to liberate the concept from the constraints of historical and narrow jurisprudential reductionism—which confined it to individual worship or the mere possession of restricted knowledge—and elevate it into the realm of functional methodology, managerial leadership, and civilizational witnessing.

​The researcher employs inductive, analytical, and deductive methods to examine the term Rabbaniyyah linguistically and idiomatically, clarifying its etymology and refuting claims of its non-Arabic (Syriac or Hebrew) origins. By tracing the exegeses of commentators, the study deduces the close correlation between Rabbaniyyah, political acumen, and the reform of public affairs.

​The research concludes by proposing a reformative vision that establishes Rabbaniyyah as a dynamic, leadership function rather than a static, honorary title. It underscores its comprehensiveness by integrating both Sharia and cosmic sciences (applied sciences such as medicine and engineering) and rejects its restriction to a specific group over another. Furthermore, it interprets the context of Qur'anic dispraise as evidence of the conditionality of responsibility, accountability, and the confrontation of corruption (sin and illicit gain). Finally, the study calls for institutionalizing Rabbaniyyah into an "educational institution" equipped with the jurisprudence of balances and priorities, capable of leading the Ummah (nation) with gentleness, wisdom, and gradualism.