What does Al-rahb mean?

Islam > Glossary > Al-rahb

Discover the meaning of the term Al-rahb (راهب) in Islamic vocabulary.

Definition Al-rahb

Al-rahb according to Kitab at-Ta'rifat (Al-Jurjani)

It is the learned man of the Christian religion given to asceticism, withdrawn from creatures and turned toward the Truth.

Al-rahb according to Mufradat (Ar-Raghib)

It is one of the monks (ruhban) of the Christians.

Al-rahb according to Dustur al-'Ulama (Al-Ahmadnagari)

It is the learned man in the Christian religion belonging to the monastic order; monasticism is withdrawal from creatures and turning toward the Truth.

Al-rahb according to Mu'jam al-Mustalahat al-Fiqhiyya

In language: an agent noun from rahaba, yarhabu, rahban and rahba, meaning: when he fears. The word is specific to Christians; its plurals are ruhban, rahabin and rahabana, and ar-rahbana is an intensive form. The rahib is, among the Christians, the one who withdraws for worship; those Christians who kept apart from the world were so named, as God Most High says: 'They took their rabbis and their monks as lords besides God'.

Al-rahb according to At-Tawqif (Al-Munawi)

The learned man of the ascetic religion, withdrawn from creatures, turned toward the Truth (see al-Ta'rifat, p. 114).