The Abbreviated Letters of the Qur'an

At the beginning of 29 Suras of the Holy Qur'an, there are several certain abbreviated letters, the Muqatta'at, which seem separate from each other; i.e. they do not form an apparently meaningful word, but wherever they occur, in the Qur'an, the Sura follows immediately with some expressions about the Qur'an and its importance. This in itself indicates that there is a relation between these letters and the origin of the Qur'an. As an example, Sura An-Naml, No. 27, verses 1-2 say 

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"Ta. Sin. These are verses of the Qur'an, a Book that makes (things) clear." There are, also, many other examples, similar to this one, in the Qur'an.

The abbreviated letters of the Holy Qur'an have always been considered mysterious. In the words of scholars and commentators, the letters that are prefixes to some Suras, such as 'Alif 'A', Lam 'L', Mim 'M', and the like, are among the 'metaphorical expressions' of the Qur'an. They are secrets that none knows except the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) and, after him, his successors (a.s.) who have left some traditions and narrations which testify to this very matter :

1. Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali (a.s.) said : " Every book has an elite and the elite of this Book (The Qur'an) is the 'abbreviated letters'. " (1)

2. It is narrated from Imam Sadiq (a.s.) who said : " 'Alif 'A', Lam 'L', Mim 'M', are the letters among the (whole) letters of the ' Exalted Name ' of Allah, which are separated and scattered in the Qur'an and whenever the Prophet and the sinless Imams (p.b.u.th.) call Allah by that 'Exalted Name', their prayer will be accepted." (2)

3. It is narrated from Imam Ali-ibn-il-Husayn (a.s.) , thus : " The Quraysh and the Jews refuted the Qur'an and said: ' It is mere magic and he has made it by himself '. So, Allah said: ' 'Alif, Lam, Mim. This is the (True) Book...', i.e. ' O' Muhammad, this Book that is sent down to you, is made up of the abbreviated letters and 'Alif, Lam, Mim are among them. They are the same as the letters of the alphabet that you (people) use in your words. Bring similar to it if you are genuine'." (3)

4. It is narrated from Ibn-Abbas and 'Akramah who have said that these letters are the 'letters of oath', as well as 'the Name of Allah', by which He (s.w.t.) has sworn.

The reason why Allah has sworn by these letters is, perhaps, for their importance and greatness through which the Glory and Highness of Allah and the secrets of the world of creation are stated. All sciences, from the beginning to the end, daily activities and arrangements of affairs in societies and their communications

(1) Tafsir-us-Safi, vol. 1, p. 78

(2) Makhzan-ul-'Irfan, commentary, vol. 1, p. 66

(3) Al-Burhan, commentary, vol. 1, p. 54

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throughout the world, the development of industries, the trading and commercial activity between people, their marriages, the social laws, regulations, and the jurisprudence of the religions of human beings, all in all, depend on the letters of the alphabet. The transmission of ancient civilizations and cultures from old generations to the later ones has been possible only through transcribing and recording them essentially with the help of the bounty of alphabets. Even this very commentary book, which is the statement of the Divine laws and the description of the Qur'anic concepts, is being published and distributed throughout the world in different languages including the English language, because of the existence of the letters of the alphabet. Furthermore, an oath is usually taken to an important and great subject. These abbreviated letters have such an importance and greatness. Hence, Allah, the Exalted, taking an oath to a letter of the alphabet, says : " Nun. By the Pen and by the (Record) which (men) write," (Sura Al-Qalam, No. 68, verse 1) .

However, there are more than one hundred other traditions on the abbreviated letters of the Qur'an cited by Muslim scholars in many authentic commentary and tradition books.

Another aspect is that some eminent men have said that these letters refer to the idea that this heavenly Book, with such splendour and reputation that it stirs wonder in the great speakers, both Arab and non-Arab, and that has made the men of letters and all others unable to challenge it, is composed of the sort of the very alphabetical letters that are within the reach of everyone. This fact shows that the Qur'an has not been produced by the mind of Man, but it is an absolute revelation and, therefore, none can produce the like of it.

Imam Ali-ibn-Musa-ar-Rida (a.s.) is narrated to have said in a tradition : " Verily, Allah has sent down this Qur'an narrated by the very letters that all Arabs apply ordinarily ". And, thus, Allah, Glory be to Him and Highly Exalted is He, says : " Say,'If the whole of mankind and Jinns were to gather together to produce the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof, even if they backed up each other with help and support ", (Sura Al-Asra' , No. 17, verse 88) .