上述例子清楚地说明了"Rabb"一词的含义。接下来,我们可以考察《古兰经》所驳斥的那些迷误部族与民族中,关于"rubūbiyyah"(即"Rabb"所应具有的性质与属性)的错误观念,以及《古兰经》所主张的信仰。最好的方法是逐一考察《古兰经》中提到的那些特定民族,从而更清楚地了解他们所持有的错误观念。

The above examples clearly bring out the meanings of the word rabb, and we may now proceed to look at those false notions which existed among the misguided tribes and people about rubūbiyyah (that is, the qualities and attributes of one who is a rabb) which the Qur'ān sought to refute, and what are the beliefs that the Qur'ān advocates. This can perhaps best be done by taking up, one by one, the cases of those particular nations or people who find mention in the Qur'ān, and thus get a clearer idea of the wrong notions which they entertained.

《古兰经》中所提及的此类人群中，最早的一批是穆萨？不，是努哈（Nuh，即诺亚，愿主赐其平安）所奉命作先知时所处的那些人。从《古兰经》可以清楚看出，这些人并不否认真主的存在，参见他们的领袖对他的如下评论： Note: the rules say to write "God" as the Chinese word for God rather than "Allah", and to keep the name as the original gives it, so the name "Nuh" in Chinese form is 努哈 and the Chinese honorific for prophets stays a word. The "not Musa" phrase above was an error I introduced; the correct translation is: 《古兰经》中所提及的此类人群中，最早的一批，是努哈（诺亚，愿主赐其平安）作为先知被派遣时所处的那些人。从《古兰经》可以清楚看出，这些人并不否认神的存在，参见他们的领袖对他所作的如下评论：

The earliest of such people dealt with in the Qur'ān were those among whom Hazrat Nuh (Noah, peace be upon him) was raised as Prophet. It is clear from the Qur'ān that these people did not deny the existence of God, cf. the following comment about him by their leaders:

“他不过是和你们一样的一个人，他只是想要确立自己对你们的统治。如果真主确实想要派遣使者，祂必定会选派天使……”（{al-Mu’minoon 23:24}）

…He is but a man like any of you, who only wants to establish his own hold over you. If God had really wanted (to send any messenger) He would surely have chosen angels instead…. (al-Mu’minoon 23:24)

他们也并未否认安拉是宇宙的创造者，也并未否认安拉在这个词的第一和第二种含义上是主宰（Rabb）。在对他们的劝诫中，哈兹拉特·努哈的话包括：

Nor did they deny that Allah was the Creator of the universe and the Rabb in the first and second senses of the word. Among the exhortations to them by Hazrat Nuh were:

“他是你的主，你们终将回归于他。”（呼德 11:34）

…He is your Rabb, and unto Him shall you be returned. (al-Hud 11:34)

你们应当向你们的主求饶，因为祂确是至宥的。

Seek the forgiveness of your Rabb, (for) verily He is Oft-Forgiving.

(《努哈》71:10)

(an-Nuh 71:10)

你难道没有看到，安拉如何层层造了七重天，在其中造了月亮作为光明，造了太阳作为明灯吗？（它是）

Do you not see how Allah has made the seven heavens one above the other, and made the moon a light in their midst, and the sun a (glorious) lamp? And (it was)

安拉（至尊至大）从泥土中创造了你们。（努哈章 71:15-17）

Allah (Who) created you from the earth. (an-Nuh 71:15-17)

值得注意的是,没有任何人回答说他们不相信安拉是他们的主(Rabb),也没有人说安拉没有创造天地和他们自己,或说安拉不管理宇宙的事务。顺便也可以补充一点:他们也没有否认安拉是他们的伊拉赫(Ilaah)。因此,哈兹拉特·努哈在请他们回归安拉的道路时说:“除他以外,你们没有伊拉赫”(7:58),而如果他们信的是别的,他所说的就应当是:“以安拉为你们的伊拉赫。”由此自然引出一个问题:哈兹拉特·努哈与他的民众之间的根本分歧究竟是什么?从《古兰经》来看,双方主要有两点分歧,如下:

It is to be noted that no one says in reply that they do not believe Allah to be their Rabb or that He did not create the earth and the heavens and themselves, or that He was not managing the affairs of the universe. Nor, may it be added, did they deny Allah’s being their Ilaah either. That is why Hazrat Nuh, in asking them to return to the ways of God, said, “You have no Ilaah but He” (7:58), whereas if they had believed otherwise, what he would have said would have been: “Make Allah your ilaah.” This therefore naturally raises the question as to what in fact was the basic dispute between Hazrat Nuh and his people, and it seems from the Qur'ān that there were two main points of difference, as follows:

(i) 努哈（Hazrat Nuh）所希望的，是他们把真正意义上的崇拜完全奉献给安拉，即宇宙的创造者和主宰（Rabb-al’aalameen），因为只有祂是供养者，也是唯一的伊拉赫（Ilaah）。没有任何其他存在能够应允他们的祈祷、给予他们帮助和慰藉，因此只有祂配得他们全心全意的顺服和祈求。

(i) What Hazrat Nuh wanted was that they should give their worship, in the full sense of the word, wholly to Allah, the Creator and Cherisher of the universe (Rabb-al’aalameen), because He alone was the Provider and the only Ilaah. There was no other being who could grant their prayers and give them aid and comfort, and therefore He alone deserved their full and entire submission and supplication:

“我的族人啊，你们当崇拜真主，除他之外，你们没有别的应受崇拜者。”……“我是来自全世界的主所派遣给你们的使者，我要向你们传达我的主的启示。”（《古兰经》7:59-60）

…O’ my people, give your ’ibadah to Allah, (for) you have no ilaah but He…And I am a messenger unto you from the Rabb of all the worlds, and convey to you the messages of my Rabb…. (al-A’raaf 7:59-60).

然而,人们却坚持认为:尽管安拉是众世界的主宰,但还有其他神明也参与世界的事务,也能应答某些祈祷,因此他们仍然可以并且将继续把它们视为神明。于是他们说:

The people, however, were adamant that, notwithstanding Allāh being the Rabb of all the worlds, there were other gods too who had a share in the affairs of the world, who too could answer some of the prayers, and whom too therefore they could and would continue to regard as ilaahs: And they said:

「你们不可舍弃你们的神明，不可舍弃瓦德、苏瓦、雅古斯、雅乌格和奈斯尔。」（努哈 71:23）

…abandon not your gods; abandon neither Wadd nor Suwa, neither Yaguth Ya’uq, nor Nasr. (an-Nuh 71:23)

（二）另一种情况是，他们承认安拉是Rabb，但仅限于相信祂是创造者、天地的主宰以及宇宙万物事务的最高掌管者；他们却不承认祂的主权也延及道德与伦理原则、社会关系、文化、政治以及其他世俗事务。在这些事务上，他们不承认安拉是唯一正当且终极的立法之源，反而按照其首领和祭司的命令行事。因此，依他们的看法，所谓rabb在这些事务上的地位，便是其话语即是法律。努哈（Hazrat Nuh）ﷺ反对这种看法，指出 rubūbiyyah 不是可以分割、分派的东西，他们必须在这个词的各种含义上都将安拉视为Rabb，并遵循祂的一切律法与诫命，这些律法与诫命是通过祂的被授权代表——即他自己——传达的。

(ii) The other was that they regarded Allah as the Rabb only to the extent of believing in Him as the Creator, the Lord of the earth and the heavens, and the Supreme regulator of the affairs of the universe, but did not agree that His Sovereignty extended also to such matters as morality and moral principles, social relations, culture, politics, and other worldly affairs. They did not acknowledge Him as the only rightful and ultimate source of law in such matters, in which they actually behaved as commanded by their chiefs and priests. Thus according to them the status of rabbs is that, in such matters, it was their word, which was the law. Hazrat Nuh protested that rubūbiyyah was not a thing which could be split apart and distributed, and that they must regard Allah as the Rabb in all the different meanings of the word, and follow all of His laws and commandments, conveyed through himself as His accredited representative:

我对你们来说是一位值得完全信赖的使者。所以你们要敬畏真主，并服从我。

I am to you an apostle worthy of all trust. So fear God, and obey me.

（沙特·舒阿拉 26:107-108）

(ash-Shu’araa 26:107-108)

接下来是阿德人。他们同样没有否认真主的存在，也没有否认祂是伊拉赫（Ilah，应受崇拜者），但与此同时，他们对祂作为拉卜（Rabb，主宰者）的信仰，与努哈的族人程度相同、含义相同。因此，他们与所派遣的先知胡德之间的分歧点也完全相同：“我确已派遣他们的兄弟胡德到阿德人那里，他对他们说：”

The next in line were the ’Aad. They too did not deny the existence of God, or His being the Ilah but at the same time they too believed in Him as the Rabb to the same extent and in the same sense as had Hazrat Nuh’s people. And so the points of disagreement between them, and the Prophet sent to them, Hazrat Hud, were the same too: And to the Aad (We sent) their brother (that Is kinsman) Hud, who said to them:

“我的子民啊，你们应当崇拜真主，除祂之外，你们没有别的应受崇拜的主宰。难道你们不敬畏祂吗？”他们说：“你来到我们这里，是要让我们只专一地崇拜真主，并舍弃我们祖先所崇拜的那些吗？”（见《古莱夫》7:65-70）

‘O’ my people, give your ’ibadah to Allah (because) there is no ilaah but He; will you not fear Him?” (And) they said: ‘Have you come to us to make us give all of our ’ibadah to Allah alone, exclusively, and give up those to whom our ancestors used to give theirs?’ (al-A’raaf 7:65-70)

他们说："如果我们的主愿意，他就会降下天使（而不是你，一个和我们一样的人）……"（《al-Fussilat》41:14）

…They said: ‘If our Rabb had wanted, He would have sent down angels (instead of you, a human like us).... (al-Fussilat 41:14)

这就是阿德人：他们否认主的启示，违抗他的众使者，却顺从每一个顽固残暴的暴君。（呼德 11:59）

These then were the ’Aad, who refused to obey the commands of their Rabb, who did not obey His messengers, and who (instead) obeyed every despotic transgressor (against Truth) (al-Hud 11:59)

随后是 Thamūd 族，他们是继 ’Aad 族之后最悖逆的民族。从根本上说，他们的偏离与 Hazrat Nuh 的民族和 ’Aad 族的偏离相同。他们也相信真主的存在，相信祂是 Ilaah 和 Rabb，但他们不认同祂是唯一的 ilaah，不认同唯有祂才配受一切 ’ibadah，也不认同祂在这个词的一切意义上都是 Rabb。他们坚持认为，在真主之外还有其他存在，它们同样能够接受祈祷、施予恩惠、解除苦难；在道德和文化事务上，他们不遵循神圣的指引，而是从其首领和祭司那里取得律法。正是这一点使他们成为悲惨的迷途之民，并招致了真主的惩罚：

Then there were the Thamūd, the worst transgressors after the ’Aad. Basically, their deviation was the same as that of the people of Hazrat Nuh and the ’Aad. They also believed in the existence of Allah and His being the Ilaah and the Rabb but they did not agree that He was the only ilaah, that He alone was worthy of all ’ibadah, and that He was Rabb in all the senses of the word. They insisted that there were others, besides Allah, who too could accept prayers, grant favours, and remove distress, and in moral and cultural matters they took their law from their chiefs and priests instead of following Divine guidance. It was this which made them into a tragically misled people and brought down on them Allah’s punishment:

然而(哦,穆罕默德ﷺ),如果他们转身离去(不听你所说的),那你就对他们说:我警告你们,会降临一种如同降临在阿德人和赛莫德人身上的惩罚。那些先知曾一次次到他们那里,告诫他们不要把崇拜献给除安拉以外的任何对象;而他们的回答只是:"如果我们的主想要,祂必定会降下天使;既然祂没有这样做,我们便拒绝你们所带来的讯息。"(《奉到》41:13-14)

And (O’ Muhammad) if they turn away (and do not listen to what you say) then say to them: I am warning you of a punishment the like of that which visited the ’Aad and the Thamud, to whom Prophets came repeatedly telling them not to give their ’ibadah to any but Allah, and whose only reply was:‘If our Rabb had wanted, He would surely have sent down angels, (but since He did not), we reject the message which you bring’. (al-Fussilat 41:13-14)

而致送萨mud人（我派遣）他们的同族兄弟萨利赫。他说：“我的人民啊！你们当崇拜真主，除祂以外，你们没有别的应受崇拜者。”……他们说：“萨利赫啊，我们原先曾对你寄予厚望，而你现在却说出这样奇怪的话。难道你是要禁止我们崇拜我们祖先所崇拜的那些吗？”（《呼德章》11:61-62）

And to the Thamud (we sent) their kinsman Saleh, who said to them, ”O’ my People: ’give your ’ibadah to Allah; you have no ilaah but He.”...They replied, ”O’ Saleh, we had great hopes of you (and now you spear strangely); Do you mean to forbid us to give our ’ibadah to those to whom our ancestors used to give their?”.... (al-Hud 11:61-62)

当他们的同族人萨利赫对他们说："你们难道不敬畏真主吗？我确是你们可信赖的使者，故你们应当敬畏真主，服从我……服从我，不要服从那些在地上作乱、不悔改的过分者的言论。"（沙尔-舒阿拉义 26:142-143, 150-152）

When their kinsman Saleh said to them: ‘Do you not fear (God)? I am verily an apostle worthy of trust wherefore fear God, and obey me…obey me and not obey all the words of transgressors who cause strife in the land and who do not mend their ways.’ (ash-Shu’araa 26:142-143, 150-152).

接下来在重要性上位列其次的，是易卜拉欣（亚伯拉罕，愿主赐他平安）的族人，他们的故事之所以意义重大，在于人们普遍认为，他们的国王纳穆鲁德（尼姆罗德）不信真主，反而自称是神。然而事实是，他确实信仰真主，也相信祂是宇宙的创造者和万物的主宰，而他自称为“主”（rabb）的说法，只属于该词的第三、第四和第五种含义。

Next in importance are the people of Hazrat Ibrahim (Abraham, may peace be upon him), and the significance of their case is that it is commonly thought that their King, Namrud (Nimrod), did not believe in God but claimed himself to be God instead. The fact, however, is that he did believe in God, and also believed Him to be the Creator and the Regulator of the affairs of the universe, and his own claim to be a rabb was only in the third, fourth, and fifth senses of the term.

另一个常见的误解是，认为这些人不信真主，也不承认祂是唯一的伊拉赫（Ilaah）和主宰（Rabb）。事实上，他们在这些问题上的信仰与努哈（Hazrat Nuh）的民众和萨穆德人（Thamūd）的信仰相去无几。他们确实相信真主的存在，也知道祂是主宰（Rabb），是天地的创造者，是宇宙的至高主宰。他们也并不否认人应当崇拜祂。他们的错误在于：在rubūbiyyah（主宰性）的第一和第二层含义上，他们把天体当作与真主同享主宰权的伙伴，并因此在这一范围内将天体与真主并列崇拜。至于该词的第三、第四和第五层含义，他们则把自己的国王当作主宰（rabb）来对待。

Another common misconception is that these people had no belief in God nor in his being the Ilaah and the Rabb, although in fact their beliefs on these points were little different from those of the people of Hazrat Nuh and the Thamūd. They did believe in the existence of God, and also knew Him as the Rabb, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and the Supreme Ruler of the universe. Nor, for that matter, did they deny His right to man’s worship. Where they were mistaken was in regarding the heavenly bodies as partners with him in rubūbiyyah in the first and second senses of the term and hence in associating them with God to that extent. As for the third, fourth, and fifth meanings of the term, here it was their kings whom they treated as the rabbs.

《古兰经》对这些问题的阐述非常清楚，因此那些前面提到的误解是如何产生并被广泛接受的，着实令人惊讶。以《古兰经》中所讲述的易卜拉欣（Hazrat Ibrahim）探求真理的故事为例：

The Holy Qur'ān is so clear on these points that it is surprising how the misconceptions just mentioned originated and came to be so widely accepted. Take for example the story of Hazrat Ibrahim’s search for the truth as told in the Qur'ān:

当夜幕降临时,他看见一颗星星,便说:"这就是我的主。"但星星落下时,他说:"我不喜欢那些会落下的东西。"他又看见明亮的月亮,便说:"这就是我的主。"但月亮也落下时,他说:"如果我的主不引导我,我必定会成为迷误之人中的一员。"随后,他看见太阳,便说:"这就是我的主;这是最大的。"但太阳也落下时,他高声说:"我的族人啊,我与你们所拜的一切匹配神灵划清界限。我转身归向那创造天地的主,我绝不是以物配主的人。"(古兰经 6:77-79)

When night came upon him, he saw a star, and he said, ‘This is my rabb,’ but when the star set, he said to himself, ‘I do not like those who set.’ When he saw the shining moon he said, ‘This is my rabb,’ but when the moon also set, he said ‘If my Rabb does not guide me, I am afraid I too will become one of those who have gone astray.’ Then, when he saw the sun he said, ‘This is my rabb; this is the biggest (of them all);’ but when the son also set, he cried out, ‘O my people, I disown all those whom you associate with God; I turn away from them all and towards Him who created the heavens and the earth, and I shall not be of those who associate others with Him’ (Quran 6:77-79)

接下来按历史顺序提到的是索多玛人，对他们进行劝导改造的任务交给了易卜拉欣的侄子鲁特（愿两人平安）。从《古兰经》中我们也得知，这些人虽然并不否认真主的存在，也不否认祂是创造主和养育者（取这一词的第一和第二层含义），但他们拒绝在这个词的第三、第四和第五层含义上承认祂的主宰地位，也否定了鲁特先生作为祂可信赖的使者、为他们的行为制定准则的权威。他们想要的是任由自己为所欲为，这才是他们真正的罪行，也是他们招致真主之怒的原因。《古兰经》是这样描述他们的：当他们的同族鲁特对他们说："你们难道不敬畏真主吗？我确是你们可信赖的使者（来自真主）。所以你们应当敬畏真主，服从我的命令。我不为此向你们索取报酬，我的报酬只在养育全世界的主那里。你们竟放着世人中的其他一切人不要，而去与男人行淫吗？竟丢弃你们的主为你们创造的妻子吗？你们确是越轨的民众。"（《诗人》26:161-166）

The next in historical order are the people of Sodom, the task of whose reformation was entrusted to Hazrat Ibrahim’s nephew, Lot (may peace be upon both). From the Qur'ān we know about these people too that while they neither denied the existence of God nor His being the Creator and the Rabb in the first and the second senses of the word, they refused to acknowledge Him as such in the third, fourth, and fifth senses, and also repudiated the authority of the Prophet Lot as His trusted representative to lay down the law for their conduct. What they wanted was to be left to do as they pleased, and this was their real crime and the reason for their bringing God’s wrath upon their heads. This is what the Qur'ān says about them: When their kinsman Lot said to them,‘Will you not fear God? Look! I am a trusted messenger to you (from God). Therefore (believe what I say and) try to save yourselves from Divine wrath, and do as 1 tell you, I ask no regard for myself, because my reward lies with God. Do you, unlike the whole of the rest of humanity, turn to boys (for your Sexual satisfaction) and leave aside the wives your Rabb has created for you for this purpose? Surely, you are the worst of wrongdoers.’ (Ash-Shu’araa’ 26:161-166)

显然，这些话只能是对一群并不否认真主存在、也不否认祂是创造者与供给者的人说的。因此他们没有反问：真主是谁？祂怎么能宣称自己是造物主？祂又是怎么成为他们的主的？他们所说的反而是：“鲁特啊，你若不停止你的劝导，你必定会被赶出这片土地。”（沙尔·阿拉目 26:167）

Obviously these words can have only been addressed to a people who did not deny the existence of God or His being the Creator and the Provider. And that is why they did not counter by asking who was God, or how could He claim to be the Creator, or how did He become their Rabb. What they did say instead was, ‘Listen, Lot, if you do not stop your preachings, you will surely find yourself turned out from the land.’ (ash-Shu’araa’ 26:167)

在另一处，这件事是这样表述的：

In another place, the matter is put in the following words:

以及（我派遣）鲁特（作为我们的使者，）当他对他的族人说：

And (we sent) Lot (to his people as Our messenger and) when he said to them:

“你所犯的这种丑恶行为，是世上从未有人犯过的。”

‘You commit an obscenity which no one in the world has ever committed before.

"你们与男人行淫，拦路抢劫，并在你们的集会中公然行那可耻之事。"他们的唯一回答是："如果你所说的是真的，那就让安拉的刑罚降临到我们头上吧。"（al-'Ankabut 29:28-29）

接下来是麦德彦和艾凯人（即塔布克的古称）的民众，穆萨伊卜（沙尔为'）被派遣到他们中间作先知。我们知道，这些人是易卜拉欣（愿主赐他平安）的后裔，因此不可能说他们不认识真主，或不信仰祂为伊拉赫和里卜。事实上，他们原本是穆斯林，但随着时间的推移，他们的信仰和行为都腐化了。从《古兰经》看来，他们甚至自称为信士，因为舒艾卜圣人屡次对他们说："如果你们真的信仰"；"如果你们真的是信士。"考察他的讲话以及他们的回答，可以清楚地看出，他们既信仰安拉，也承认祂为伊拉赫和里卜，但在两点上出了错。第一，在超自然的意义上，他们把其他事物与祂并列，同样视为伊拉赫和里卜，因此没有将'ibadah专一地献给祂；第二，他们认为祂作为里卜，其权能并不延伸到为规范道德、社会、经济和文化行为而制定法律，或者说，在这些领域，他们主张自己拥有行动的自由。

Next come the people of Madyan and of Aikah (the ancient name of Tabuk), to whom Hazrat Shu’aib صلى الله عليه وسلمwas sent as prophet. We know that these people were descendants of Hazrat Ibrahim (on whom be peace) and so there can be no question of their not knowing God or not believing in him to be the Ilaah and the Rabb. They were in fact a people who had originally been Muslims but whose beliefs as also conduct had become corrupted through the passage of time. It would even appear from the Qur'ān, that they claimed to be believers, because Hazrat Shu’aib repeatedly says to them; “If you truly believe”; “If you truly are believers.” An examination of his discourses and of their answers clearly shows that they both believed in Allah and acknowledged Him as the Ilaah and the Rabb, but went wrong on two points. Firstly, in the supernatural sense they associated others with Him as also being ilaahs and rabbs and so did not give Him their ’ibadah exclusively and, secondly, they held that His being the Rabb did not extend to His having authority to lay down the law for regulating moral, social, economic and cultural behaviour, or they claimed freedom of action for themselves so far as these spheres were concerned:

我们也派遣了他们同族的舒阿布到麦德彦人那里。他说:“我的宗族啊!你们应当崇拜真主,除他之外,你们绝没有应受崇拜的主。你们的主确已降示明证给你们,所以你们应当足量地称量,足额地衡量,不要克扣人们的财物,不要在大地改善之后在地上作恶。这对你们是更好的,如果你们是信士的话……如果你们中有一群人信奉我所奉遣而来的使命,另一群人不信,那么,你们就等待吧,直到真主在我们之间判决。他是最公正的裁决者。”(古兰经 7:85-87)

And to (the people of) Madyan We sent their kinsman Shu’aib (who said to them): ‘O my people, give your ’ibadah to Allah (alone), for there is no ilaah but He; verily, there has come to you clear guidance from your Rabb, so give people just measure and weight and do not deprive them of their rightful due, nor (by these means) cause mischief in the land after it has been purged of corruption; this is the better course for you if you be true believers... And if a group among you believe in the guidance with which I have been sent, and another one not, then wait till God decides between us, and He alone is the best of all judges.’ (al-A’raaf 7:85-87)

（沙尔邦对他们说）：我的民众啊，你们要足量地称量，公平地衡量，不可克扣人们的东西，也不可在大地上作恶制造混乱；如果你们确实信仰，那么神所赐予你们的剩余利益对你们更有益处；我并不是你们行为的看护者。

(And Shu’aib said to them): O my people, give full measure and weigh justly, and do not cause loss to people, nor go about creating mischief in the land; the profit left to you through God’s grace is more beneficial for you, if you (really) believe; and (of course) I am no guardian of your morals.

接下来我们谈谈法老及其民众。关于他们的误解，甚至比关于纳穆鲁德及其民众的误解还要多。普遍的看法是，法老不仅否认真主的存在，还自称为神，也就是说，他迷惑到竟敢自认为是天地的创造者，而他的民众也愚昧到毫无疑问地接受了这一说法。

Next, we come to the Pharaoh and his people, regarding whom there are even greater misconceptions than in the case of Namrud and his people. The view generally held is that the Pharaoh not only denied the existence of God but himself claimed to be God, that is, that he had become so misled as to presume to be the creator of the heavens and the earth, and that his people too were so bereft of reason as to unquestioningly subscribe to such claim.

《古兰经》和历史都表明，恰恰相反：穆萨的people（族人）与纳姆鲁德的people在关于真主既是伊拉赫（崇拜之主）又是拉布（主宰）的信仰上，差别不大。唯一的差别在于存在对Bani-Israel（以色列后裔）的种族偏见，这促使埃及人拒绝公开承认真主是伊拉赫和拉布，尽管他们知道祂的存在，正如今天许多自称无神论者的人一样。 Note: the original's "his people" refers to Musa (Moses), so the text above renders it accordingly, but the instruction is to translate faithfully; here is the corrected translation without the added word: 《古兰经》和历史都表明，恰恰相反：他的人民与纳姆鲁德的人民在关于上帝既是伊拉赫（崇拜之主）又是拉布（主宰）的信仰上，差别不大。唯一的差别在于存在对Bani-Israel（以色列后裔）的种族偏见，这促使埃及人拒绝公开承认上帝是伊拉赫和拉布，尽管他们知道祂的存在，正如今天许多自称无神论者的人一样。

The Holy Qur'ān and history both show, on the contrary, that there was little difference between his people and those of Namrud in regard to their beliefs about God as both the Ilaah and the Rabb. The only difference was the existence of a racial bias against the Bani-Israel which prompted the Egyptians to refuse, to openly acknowledge God as the Ilaah and the Rabb, although they knew that He existed, as do also many a professing atheist in our own day.

事实是，国王赋予尤素福（愿平安归于他）崇高的权力之后，尤素福竭尽全力引导民众走上伊斯兰之道，他的努力所产生的影响一直延续到穆萨（愿平安归于他）的时代。虽然并非所有人都皈依了真正的信仰，但在尤素福之后的时代，没有人完全不知道真主的存在，也不知道祂是天地唯一的创造者。不仅如此，尤素福的教导还使每个人都懂得，祂在超自然的意义上既是伊拉赫（Ilaah，崇拜之主），也是拉布（Rabb，主宰），因此没有人否认祂的存在。至于那些坚持自己信仰的人，他们的错误也只在于将他人与祂并列。尤素福的教导所产生的影响，直到穆萨（摩西，愿平安归于他）的时代也未完全消失。[据《旧约》所载，似乎埃及约五分之一的人口在岁月流逝中接受了尤素福（愿平安归于他）的信仰。据称随穆萨（愿平安归于他）离开埃及的以色列人总数约为两百万，而当时埃及的总人口据说超过一亿。]

The facts are that, after being vested by the king with high authority, Hazrat Yousuf (on whom be peace) had striven to the utmost to bring the people to the path of Islam, and the impact of his efforts had lasted right down to the time of Hazrat Musa (on whom be peace). Even though everybody had not come to embrace the true faith, there was nobody after Hazrat Yousuf’s time entirely ignorant of God’s existence or of His being the sole Creator of the heavens and the earth. Not only that, but Hazrat Yousuf’s teachings had also inculcated in everybody the notion of His being both the Ilaah and the Rabb in the supernatural sense, so that there was none who denied His existence. As to those who had stuck to their beliefs, even their error consisted in associating others with Him. And the impact of these teachings had not quite died out even till the time of Hazrat Musa (Moses, on whom be peace) [If one were to believe in what is slated in the Old Testament, it would appear that about one-fifth of the population of Egypt had come to accept, over the course of time, the faith of Hazrat Yousuf (on whom be peace). The total number of the Israelites who left Egypt with Hazrat Musa (on whom be peace) is stated to have been about two million, while the total population of Egypt armour at that time have been more than a hundred million.

在法老的族人之后，依历史顺序而来的是以色列人，以及信奉犹太教或基督教的人。对他们而言，显然不存在是否承认神的存在、是否相信神是伊拉赫（Ilaah）与拉布（Rabb）的疑问。《古兰经》本身便肯定了他们在这一点上的信仰。因此随之而来的问题是：他们究竟犯了哪一种具体的错误，以致《古兰经》称他们为“迷误者”（《开端章》1:7）。

After Pharaoh’s people, the next in historical order are the Israelites and those people who adopted the Jewish religion or Christianity. In their case, there can obviously be no question about their either not acknowledging the existence of God or not believing in His being the Ilaah and the Rabb. The Qur'ān itself affirms their belief in Him on the point and the question which therefore arises is of the particular error for which they were characterised in the Qur'ān as “those who went astray”. (al-Fātihah 1:7)

简短的回答是:

A brief answer is:

说：（穆罕默德啊）：“有经典的人啊！你们在宗教上不要过分，不要遵循先前迷误者的错误见解；那些人曾使许多人迷误，自己也偏离了正道。”（筵席章 5:77）

Say (O Muhammed): ‘O people of the Book: Do not exaggerate concerning your faith, and adopt not the wrong notions of those who have gone astray before you, who misled many others, and themselves too strayed from the straight path.’(al-Ma’idah 5:77)

由此可以推断，实质上，犹太教徒和基督教徒也犯了与先前others相同的错误，而他们的情况源于过分的虔诚。让我们借助《古兰经》，对这一问题作详细的探讨：

From this, one may conclude that, in essence, the Jews and Christians too were guilty of the same error into which others had fallen earlier, and that in their case this arose out of exaggerated piety. Let us go into the matter in some detail, with the help of the Qur'ān:

（i）犹太教徒说：“欧宰尔（以斯拉）是神的儿子”，基督教徒说：“尔撒（耶稣）是神的儿子。”（忏悔章 9:30）

(i) And the Jews said: ‘Uzair (Ezra) is the son of God’, while the Christians said, ‘Isa (Jesus) is the son of God.’ (at-Tawbah 9:30)

(ii) 基督徒宣称真主就是麦尔彦之子尔撒，这是一种 kufr（否认真主的大不敬）。尽管尔撒本人确实说过：“以色列的后裔啊！你们当崇拜真主，他是我的主，也是你们的主……”（《筵席章》5:72）

(ii) It was kufr on the part of Christians, to say that God was the same as Jesus son of Mary; though Jesus had himself said, for a fact, ‘O sons of Israel, give your ’ibadah to Allah. Who is also your Rabb and my Rabb….’ (al-Ma’idah 5:72)

(iii) 誠然，那些說真主是三位之一的人，確已不信道，因為唯有一位獨一的應受崇拜者，除祂之外別無應受崇拜者……（al-Ma’idah 5:73）

(iii) Verily those who said that God is one of three, committed kufr, for there is but one Ilaah and there is no ilaah but He…. (al-Ma’idah 5:73)

(iv) 将来会有一天（审判日），真主会问："麦尔彦之子尔撒啊，你是否曾对众人说，要把你和你的母亲当作神灵，舍我而崇拜？"尔撒会回答："赞美你！我无权说那不属于我的话……"（《筵席》5:116）

(iv) And there will come a time (the Day of Judgment) when God will ask ‘O Jesus, son of Mary, did you tell people to take you and your mother as ilaahs besides Myself?’ to which Jesus will reply, ‘Glory be to you! How could I have dared say that which I had no right to utter!….’ (al-Ma’idah 5:116)

最后,我们来谈谈麦加人。先知穆罕默德ﷺ正是被派遣到他们中间,作为真主的使者,因此《古兰经》的讯息首先就是向他们启示的。

Last of all, we come to the Meccans, to whom Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, was sent as God’s Messenger and to whom therefore the Qur'ān’s message was immediately addressed.

他们的错误性质是什么？他们是对真主无知，还是否认真主的存在？圣先知穆罕默德ﷺ被派遣为真主的使者，是为了让他们承认真主的存在吗？或者，他们否认真主是伊拉赫和卢卜，因此《古兰经》的目的就是说服他们相信真主的神性与主宰性（鲁布比耶）吗？他们是否认为真主不值得崇拜和敬奉，还是否认真主能够听闻他们的祈祷、应允他们的祈求？他们是否认为拉特、马纳特、欧扎和胡巴勒以及他们所假定的其他神灵，才是宇宙真正的创造者、主宰者、规划者、组织者和管理者，也是其中一切受造物的供给者？照他们的看法，他们的神灵是否是一切法律以及道德和社会准则的来源？当我们研读《古兰经》时，会发现所有这些问题的答案都是否定的。

What was the nature of their error? Were they ignorant of God, or did they deny His existence, and was the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم sent as God’s Messenger to make them acknowledge His existence? Or did they deny His being the Ilaah and the Rabb, and was it therefore the purpose of the Holy Qur'ān to persuade them of His godhood and Rububiyyah? Did they hold that He was not worthy of worship and adoration, or did they disbelieve His being able to listen to their prayers and grant their supplications? Did they think that Lat, Manat, and Uzza and Hubal and their other supposed gods were the real creators, masters, planners and organisers and administrators of the universe and the providers for all the creatures in it? Were their gods, according to them, the sources of all law and moral and social codes? When we study the Qur'ān, we find all such questions answered in the negative.

阿拉伯多神教徒不仅承认真主的存在，而且相信祂是宇宙以及他们所崇拜的诸神的创造者和主宰，也是伊拉赫（Ilaah）和拉卜（Rabb）。当一切办法都无效时，他们最终会向祂祈祷，并承认祂有接受他们崇拜和敬拜的权利。至于他们的神灵，他们并不认为这些神灵是他们自己的创造者和主宰，也不认为是宇宙的创造者和主宰，更不认为它们能够在社会和道德事务上提供指引。参见。

The pagans of Arabia not only acknowledged the existence of God but they also believed Him to be Creator and Master of the universe as well as of their own gods, and also the Ilaah and Rabb. It was to Him that they addressed all their prayers in the last resort, when all else failed, and they acknowledged His right to their worship and adoration. As for their gods, they believed them neither to be their own creators and masters nor of the universe nor able to provide guidance in the social and moral affairs of life, cf.

(i) 你说："先知啊，请告诉他们：'大地和其中的一切属于谁？如果你们知道，就告诉我。'"他们会回答："都属于真主。"你再问他们："那你们还不醒悟吗？"你问："七重天和伟大宝座的主是谁？"他们会说："是真主。"你再问他们："那你们还不敬畏吗？"你问："一切的主权在谁手中？谁来庇护，而被庇护者无人能抗拒他的惩罚？如果你们知道，就告诉我。"他们会说："唯有真主拥有这一属性。"你再问他们："既然如此，你们怎会如此迷惑？"事实上，我已将真理赐给他们，但他们却奉行虚妄。（《信士》23:84-90）

(i) Say to them O Prophet, ‘Whose is the earth and all who are in it? Tell me, if you know.’ Their reply will be: ‘It all belongs to Allah,’ Ask them then, ‘And still you do not listen?’ Ask, ‘Who is the Rabb of the seven heavens and of the Mighty Throne,’ and they will say, ‘It is Allah.’ Ask them then, ‘And still you do not fear?’ Ask, ‘Whose is the Sovereignty over everything, and who is it who grants shelter but against whose displeasure there is no protector? Tell me, if you know.’ And they will say, ‘Allah alone has this attribute.’ Ask them then, ‘If that is all so, what makes you go astray?’ The fact indeed is that We have given them the Truth, but they practise falsehood. (al-Mu’minun 23:84-90)

前文对前伊斯兰时期各类人群错误观念的详细阐述，清楚地表明：从远古直至《古兰经》降示之时，书中所提及的那些越轨者、迷误者和迷失者，没有一人真正否认真主的存在，也没有人否认祂是主宰者（Rabb）和应受崇拜的神（Ilaah）。然而，他们在划分“主宰权”（rubūbiyyah）的五种不同含义时，都以大致相同的方式犯了错误，将其分割为两个彼此独立的部分。

The foregoing detailed exposition of the misguided conceptions of various pre-Islamic people make it patently clear that from earliest times to the revelation of the Qur'ān, none of those whom it mentions as the transgressors, the misguided, and the astray, actually denied the existence of God, or His being the Rabb and the Ilaah. All, however, went wrong in much the same ways in dividing the attributes of rubūbiyyah, in its five different senses, into two separate compartments.

就安拉作为创造者的养育者、供给者、以及超越意义上的护持者与佑助者而言，人们将这些属性视为与其他方面不同的独立范畴。虽然在这一领域，他们确实承认安拉是至高无上的主宰（Rabb），但他们也相信，天使、各种神明、精灵与无形力量、星辰及其他天体、先知、圣徒以及其他圣洁之人，同样在这一主宰权（rubūbiyyah）中拥有各自的份额。

Insofar as such attributes of Allah as His being the Cherisher, the Provider, and the Protector and Helper of the creatures in the transcendental sense were concerned, the people regarded them as something apart from the rest. And, although in this sphere they did regard Allah as the Supreme Rabb, they also believed that the angels and various gods, the genii, and invisible forces, the stars, and other heavenly bodies, the Prophets and saints and other holy men, also had different shares in this rubūbiyyah.

至于其余的属性,即真主是至高无上的主权者、权威的源泉、至高的立法者,以及万有的至高主宰等等,人们要么将这些职能完全归于某些特定的人,要么在理论上将其归于真主,实践中却将道德、文化和政治领域中的整个主宰权(rubūbiyyah)视为属于这些人。

As for the remaining attributes, namely, Allah’s being the Supreme Sovereign, the Fountainhead of authority, the Supreme Law-giver, and the Supreme Lord of all creation etc., the people either assigned these roles wholly to particular human beings or, while assigning them to God in theory, in practice treated the entire rubūbiyyah in moral, cultural, and political spheres as vesting in these beings.

为了消除这两类误解,安拉在不同时代降示了众先知(愿主赐他们平安),最后,安拉派遣穆罕默德ﷺ作为祂的最后一位先知。所有先知都号召世人相信只有一位主宰(Rabb),即安拉,这一点体现在该词的各种含义之中;并且主宰权(rubūbiyyah)不可分割,其任何一部分都不属于任何受造物。他们强调,宇宙的管理与掌控只集中于唯一的权威,即唯独创造宇宙、完全依照祂自己的宏大设计与目的而造化它、并且在法理上和事实上都统辖其一切事务的那一位,任何人都不拥有创造或治理宇宙的份额。作为一切权威的中心,唯有安拉是并且一直是主宰(Rabb),无论在超验事务还是人世事务上,都以该词的一切含义而言。唯有祂是并且一直值得一切崇拜,值得成为一切敬仰与祈祷的对象。唯有祂聆听一切祷告,唯有祂值得我们依靠,并能满足一切受造物的需要。唯有祂同时是君王、全宇宙的主宰,是一切律法与权威的源头,因此唯有祂有权规定何为正确、何为错误,以及什么应当做、什么不应当做。从事物的本质来看,把主宰权(rubūbiyyah)想象成可以被分割成若干部分,是一种错误的观念。它是安拉本质的、专有的属性,因而显然且必然是不可分割的。

It was for the task of removal of both these types of misconceptions that there were ordained all the different Prophets from time to time (may peace be upon them) and, finally, Allah sent Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم, asHis last Prophet. All of the Prophets called to man to believe that there was but one Rabb, that is, Allah, in all of the various senses of the word, and that rubūbiyyah was not divisible nor was any portion of it available to any creature. The management and control of the universe, they emphasised, was centred is One Authority only, the Authority Who alone had created it, entirely to His own Grand Design and purpose, and Who exercised both de jure and de facto rule over all its affairs, and no one had any share either in the creation or the running of the universe. As the Center of all authority, God alone was and is the Rabb, in all the senses of the word, both in transcendental matters and the temporal affairs of men. He alone was and is worthy of all worship, of being made the focus of all adoration and prayer. He alone listens to all prayers and He alone is worthy of our reliance and capable of providing for the needs of all too. He alone is at the same time the King, the Lord of the Universe and the source of all law and authority, and He alone has therefore the right to lay down what is right and what is wrong and what ought or ought not to be done. It is in the very nature of things a misconceived notion to think of rubūbiyyah as something which could be split up into compartments. It is an essential, and exclusive attribute of Allah and; hence, obviously and necessarily indivisible.