Understanding Salat — Page 125
Qaumah 125 The words ‘Our Lord’ ( نَا َّ رَب ) can be an expression of repentance. The Promised Messiah as said, The truth of the matter is that there is a subtle indi- cation towards repentance in the word Rabbana [our Lord]. The word Rabbana requires [and implies that] a person has left other gods which he had previously adopted, and turned towards this Lord. Furthermore, this word can only be uttered from the heart of a person with true anguish and fervour. ( Tafs ī r Hadrat Mas ī h Mau’ ū d, vol. 2, pp. 370, 2:202) The fact of the matter is that a person creates multi- ple gods for himself. He has the utmost faith in his schemes and deceptions, as if those are his gods. If he is proud of his knowledge or power, then that is his god. If he is proud of his beauty or wealth, then that is his god. In short, there are thousands of such gods that are attached to him. Until he does not forsake them all, bow his head before the One True Lord and fall at His threshold, supplicating the words of Rabbana with true heart-wrenching emotions, he will not be able to understand the nature of the True Lord. When one accepts his sins and supplicates with true pain and fervour, then (he) addresses his Lord, ‘ Rabbana i. e. O our Lord! You were in fact the True “Our Lord!” as an expres- sion of repentance and of gratitude