Shafaqna English- Commentary on the 2nd Chapter of the Holy Quran by Mohammad Sobhanie.
بِسْمِ اللَّـهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ
الم (١)
2:1 Alif Lam Mim.
Commentary: The 2nd Chapter of the Qur’an begins with a combination of three Arabic letters: Alif, Lam, and Mim (الم). These three joined letters do not form a particular vocabulary and are known as the “abbreviated letters”. What message does the Qur’an convey with these letters?
Out of 114 Chapters/Surahs of the Qur’an, 29 of them begin with abbreviated letters. The meaning of the abbreviated letters is perhaps disclosed only to the Prophet (PBUH) and those who inherited his divine knowledge[1]. This assertion is substantiated by the fact that the idolaters and hypocrites during the era of the Prophet (PBUH) never questioned or ridiculed the Qur’an’s abbreviated letters. Therefore, they had acknowledged the mystical meaning of these letters[2].
Commentators have offered many interpretations. Some are pure conjectures, and others are supported by Hadith [Arabic: (حديث)] narrated from the Prophet (PBUH) and his Ahlul–Bayt (AS). The late Sheikh Tabarsi (RA) cited 12 of them in his Majma ‘Al-Bayan[3]commentary book. Some commentators have said that the abbreviated letters allude to the linguistic miracle of the Qur’an.
All of the chapters that begin with the abbreviated letters, except for the three Al-Ankabut, Ar-Rum, and Al-Qalam, immediately continue with verses that indicate the greatness of the Holy Qur’an. This pattern suggests that there is a link between the abbreviated letters and the linguistic miracle of the Qur’an[4].
During the Prophet’s (PBUH) era, the Bedouin tribes of Arabia possessed unique linguistic talents. They would gather annually in the “Bazar Okaz” [Arabic:( بازار عکاظ)] and participate in poetry competitions. It was in this era that the Qur’an, which is composed of letters such as Alif Lam Mim (الم), was revealed to the heart of the Prophet (PBUH). The Quraysh (Arabic: قريش) of Mecca and disbelievers alleged that the Qur’an was a fabrication created by humans.
The Qur’an refutes these allegations and says that if it is a creation of the human mind, then the linguistically talented individuals of Arabia should also be able to create at least one chapter themselves that is similar to a Qur’an Chapter in terms of eloquence and content.
This interpretation is supported by a Hadith[5] narrated from Imam Sajjad (AS):
کَذَبَتْ قُرَيْشٌ وَ الْيَهُودُ بِالْقُرْآنِ وَ قالُوا: سِحْرٌ مُبِينٌ، تَقَوَّلَهُ، فَقالَ اللّهُ: «الم ذلِکَ الْکِتابُ…» أَي يا مُحَمَّدُ هذَا الْکِتابُ الَّذِي أَنْزَلْتُهُ عَلَيْکَ هُوَ الْحُرُوفُ الْمُقَطَّعَةُ الَّتِي مِنْها أَلِفٌ، لامٌ، مِيمٌ وَ هُوَ بِلُغَتِکُمْ وَ حُرُوفِ هِجائِکُمْ، فَأْتُوا بِمِثْلِهِ إِنْ کُنْتُمْ صادِقِين…
The tribe of Quraysh and the Jews of Medina spoke unjustly regarding the Qur’an; they said: “The Qur’an is sorcery; it is a fabricated book which is imputed to God.” Allah (SWT), in God’s reply, said: “This (Divine) Book is made from letters like Alif Lam Mim.” If you are right in your claim, then produce a book like it in eloquence and content.
Another Hadith[6] from Imam Ridhā (AS) reads:
…ثُمَّ قالَ (عليه السلام) إِنَّ اللّهَ تَبارَکَ وَ تَعالى أَنْزَلَ هذَا الْقُرْآنَ بِهذِهِ الْحُرُوفِ الَّتِي يَتَداوَلُها جَمِيعُ الْعَرَبِ، ثُمَّ قالَ: قُلْ لَئِنِ اجْتَمَعَتِ الْإِنْسُ وَ الْجِنُّ عَلى أَنْ يَأْتُوا بِمِثْلِ هذَا الْقُرْآن…
Allah (SWT) revealed the noble Qur’an with the same letters that all Arabs speak with. Then He said: “Surely if the mankind and the jinn were to get together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they would never be able to produce the like of it.”
[1]. Al-Mizan, Vol. 18, P. 8.
[2]. Tafseer-e-Namona, Vol.1, P. 62.
[3]. Al-Mizan, Vol.18, P. 4.
[4]. Tafseer-e-Namona, Vol.1, P. 65.
[5]. Tafseer-e-Namona, Vol.1, P. 64.
[6]. Tafseer-e-Namona, Vol.1, P. 64.
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