**Alhamdulillah - Praise be to God.** This refers to praising God for the **attributes** of **perfection** and for His actions that are based on **generosity** and **justice**. So to Him be perfect praise in all ways.
**Rabbil-Aalameen - The Lord of the worlds** The Lord is the One Who **sustains** all **creatures** - which refers to all beings other than God - because He created them, **granted** them everything that they need and **bestowed** great **blessings** upon them; if they were **deprived** of those blessings they would not be able to **survive**, for whatever blessings they enjoy come from Him.
He sustains His creation in two ways, **general** and **specific**. In general **terms**, this refers to His creation of all creatures, His granting of **provision** to them and His **guiding** them to that which is in their **best interests**, which enables them to survive in this world.
In specific terms, it refers to His **cherishing** of His close friends, by means of **instilling faith** in their hearts, guiding them to it, perfecting it for them and **warding** off from them **distractions** and **obstacles** that come between them and faith. In real terms, this means guiding them to everything that is good and protecting them from everything that is bad. **Perhaps** it is for this reason that most of the **supplications** of the Prophets used the word Lord (Rabb), since all their requests and needs came under His special cherishing.
The phrase "the Lord of the worlds" indicates that He alone has the power to create, and He alone controls His creation, bestows blessings and is completely independent of means, whilst all of creation is dependent upon Him in all respects.