الٓمٓصٓ 1
Translations
Alif, Lām, Meem, Ṣād.
Transliteration
Alif-Lam-Meem-Sad
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah consists of four disconnected letters (Huruf Muqatta'ah) at the beginning of Surah Al-A'raf, whose exact meaning remains among the mysteries known only to Allah. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir discuss various interpretations: some suggest they are divine letters affirming the Qur'an's miraculous nature, while others propose they may represent abbreviated words or divine secrets. The general scholarly consensus is that these letters serve as a divine sign of the Qur'an's inimitability and challenge the Arab listeners to produce something similar despite understanding the language.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-A'raf is a Meccan surah revealed during the early-to-middle Meccan period. These opening letters appear in 29 surahs of the Qur'an and often precede chapters dealing with major themes of faith, prophethood, and divine guidance. The surah itself addresses fundamental Islamic concepts including the story of Adam, warnings to those who reject truth, and the consequences of disbelief.
Related Hadiths
While no specific hadith directly interprets 'Alif-Lam-Meem-Sad,' the principle is supported by the hadith in Sahih Muslim where 'Aishah reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said the Qur'an contains verses whose meanings are known only to Allah. Additionally, Surah Al-Baqarah 2:1 shares the same opening letters, and scholars reference general hadiths about the Qur'an's miraculous nature.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to accept the Qur'an with certainty even when facing linguistic or textual elements they cannot fully comprehend, recognizing that divine wisdom encompasses knowledge beyond human understanding. It reminds us that the Qur'an's authority and truth are not dependent on understanding every detail, but on submission to Allah's complete revelation.