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Abbreviated Letters in the Qur’an: Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:1) By Mohammad Sobhanie

Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:1)

By: Mohammad Sobhanie

Abbreviated Letters in the Qur’an

بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

الم ‎﴿١﴾‏

3:1 Alif, Lam, Meem.

Commentary:

The 3rd chapter of the Qur’an begins with Alif Lam Meem (الم), called the “abbreviated letters”.

29 out of 114 chapters of the Qur’an begin with abbreviated letters. The meaning of the abbreviated letters is perhaps undisclosed except to the Prophet (PBUH) and those who inherited his divine knowledge [1]. This assertion is substantiated since idolaters and hypocrites in the era of the Prophet (PBUH) were looking for an opportunity to denounce the Prophet (PBUH). Nonetheless, they never questioned the Qur’an for its abbreviated letters. The latter sentence is evidence that they had acknowledged the mystic meaning of these letters [2].

There is no consensus in the meaning of the abbreviated letters in the Qur’an. The most famous interpretation amongst the commentators is as follows.

First, the abbreviated letters indicate that the Holy Qur’an is a divine book revealed to the Prophet (PBUH). The Quran is comprised of the alphabet spoken by the Arabs. Had the Qur’an been a fabrication of human beings, as polytheists falsely claimed, others should have been able to compose a chapter like it in eloquence, rhetoric, and meaning. See commentary on 2:1 for further details.

Second, the abbreviated letters are acronyms of the Names of Allah (SWT). For instance, (المص) in chapter 7:1 stands for (أَنَا اللّهُ الْمُقْتَدِرُ الصّادِقُ), “I am Almighty Allah, The Truthful[3].” In a narration from Imam Sadeq (AS), (طه) in chapter 20:1 is one of the names of the Prophet (PBUH) which stands for (یا طالب الحق، الهادى الیه), “He who seeks the truth, and guides to it.[4]” Similarly, (يس) in chapter 36:1 stands for (یا اَیُّهِا السَّامِعُ لِوَحْیی), “O hearer of my revelation.[5]” In the Dua Nodbah, we call the 12th Imam (SA-AJTF) from the progeny of the Prophet (PBUH):

یابنَ طه … یَابنَ یس …

O’ son of Taha …! O’ son of Yasin …!

This implies that “Taha” and “Yasin” are the blessed names of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).

Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:2)

The Ever-Living God

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ ‎﴿٢﴾‏

3:2 Allah (SWT), there is no God except Allah (SWT), the Ever-Living, the Self-subsisting by Whom all subsist.

Commentary:

An explanation and interpretation of verse 3:2 has been given in verse 2:255 (Al-Baqarah).  In a nutshell, Allah (SWT) is the immortal, the Ever-Living (الْحَيُّ). That is, life is reserved for Allah (SWT) alone, and He gives life to creatures and causes them to die[6].

Allah (SWT) is also “Al-Qayyum” (الْقَيُّومُ). The word “Qayyum” (قَیُّوم) is the exaggerated noun of “Qiyam” (قیام). It means to rise and stand. Hence, “Qayyum” (قَیُّوم) is either a person who stands without the support of others or someone who stands to support others. Within this context, “Al-Qayyum” (الْقَيُّومُ) is translated to either the Self-Subsisting or the Guardian and Sustainer of all existence. Allah (SWT) is the Self-Subsisting since God’s life does not depend on anyone or anything. Allah (SWT) is also the Guardian and Sustainer of the whole universe because He stands by Divine Creation and cares for them so that their existence does not perish. Without God’s Care, there can be no being.

The verse states that, unlike all creatures, Allah (SWT) is the Ever living (الْحَيُّ), the Self-Subsisting, the Guardian and Sustainer of all existence (الْقَيُّومُ).

The Phrase “Allah (SWT) is the One besides Whom there is no god, the Ever living, the Self-subsisting by Whom all subsist” implies that Allah (SWT) looks after the affairs of creation the most comprehensively and perfectly. Therefore, the whole universe in all aspects is under the guardianship of the Ever-living God, whose knowledge and power encompasses everything. Hence, nothing in the universe is hidden from God’s View, and nothing can happen unless God intends it to happen and allows it to manifest. That is the reason why, after two more verses, it has been said:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَخْفَىٰ عَلَيْهِ شَيْءٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ ‎﴿٥﴾‏ هُوَ الَّذِي يُصَوِّرُكُمْ فِي الْأَرْحَامِ كَيْفَ يَشَاءُ ۚ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ ‎﴿٦﴾‏

3:5 Indeed, from Allah (SWT) nothing is hidden in the earth nor in the heaven.

3:6 It is God who forms you in the wombs however God Wills. There is no deity except God, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.

Word-for-Word Translation:

3:2 [اللَّهُ] Allah [لَا] there is no [إِلَٰهَ] God [إِلَّا] except [هُوَ] God, [الْحَيُّ] the Ever-living [الْقَيُّومُ] Self-Subsisting or the Guardian and Sustainer of all existence.

[1] Al-Mizan, Vol. 18, P. 8

[2] Tafseer-e-Namona, Vol.1, P. 62

[3] Tafseer-e-Namona, Vol.6, P. 78

[4] Tafseer-e-Namona, Vol.6, P. 78

[5] [(بحارالانوار، ج۶، ص۸۶)] [Tafseer-e-Namona, Vol.18, P. 315]

[6] Al-Mizan, Vol.2. P.504

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