What is the wisdom behind the mention of the disjointed letters at the beginnings of the chapters of the Qur'an, even though they have no meaning?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : How can letters come without having any meaning? The answer to this objection is that we say: they do not have a meaning in themselves, but they have a very great significance, which is that this Qur'an, which has baffled you, O eloquent and articulate Arabs, did not come with new things from what you use to compose your speech; rather, it came with the letters from which you compose your speech. Had it come with new letters not customary in your speech, you would have said, "We have no ability to deal with this." But it came with the letters from which you compose your speech, and yet it baffled you. For this reason, you will not find a Surah beginning with these alphabetic letters except that it is followed by a mention of the Qur'an or what is related to the Qur'an. Let us review the verses with you: Surat al-Baqarah [Al-Baqarah 2:2], Surat al-A'raf, Al-Imran [Ali 'Imran 3:2-3], Surat al-A'raf [Al-A'raf 7:1-2], Yunus [Yunus 10:1], Hud [Hud 11:1], al-Ra'd [Ar-Ra'd 13:1], Ibrahim [Ibrahim 14:1], al-Hijr.
The student: Yusuf
The Shaykh : Yusuf:[Yusuf 12:1] Al-Hijr: [Al-Hijr 15:1] ...
The student: Maryam
The Shaykh : Yes?
The student: Maryam.
The Shaykh : Maryam:[Maryam 19:1-2] And this does not happen except by revelation, [Taha 20:1-2] [Ash-Shu'ara 26:1-2] [An-Naml 27:1] [Ash-Shu'ara 26:1-2]
The student: Al-Ankabut
The Shaykh : Al-Ankabut:[Al-'Ankabut 29:1-3] This does not contain a mention of the Qur'an, but it contains jihad in the cause of Allah, by which the Qur'an is honored and people are forced to accept its rulings. [Ar-Rum 30:1-3] It does not contain a mention of the Qur'an, but it contains what relates to matters of the unseen in the future, and this does not happen except by revelation, and so on. So these alphabetic letters have a great significance, which is that this Qur'an, which baffled you, O Arabs, did not come with new letters, but rather it came with letters from which you compose your speech, and yet you were unable to produce anything like it.
This is the Book about which there is no doubt
آلم * ذلك الكتاب لا ريب فيه(2) Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence. (3) He has sent down upon you, [O Muhammad], the Book
آلم * الله لا إله إلا هو الحي القيوم نزّل عليك الكتاب(1) Alif, Lam, Meem, Sad. (2) [This is] a Book revealed to you, [O Muhammad] - so let there not be in your breast distress therefrom - that you may warn thereby and as a reminder to the believers.
آلمص * كتاب أنزل إليك فلا يكن في صدرك حرج منهAlif, Lam, Ra. These are the verses of the wise Book
آلر * تلك آيات الكتاب الحكيمAlif, Lam, Ra. [This is] a Book whose verses are perfected
آلر * كتاب أحكمت آياتهAlif, Lam, Meem, Ra. These are the verses of the Book; and what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth
آلمر* تلك آيات الكتاب والذي أنزل إليك من ربك الحقAlif, Lam, Ra. [This is] a Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that you might bring mankind out of darknesses into the light
آلر * كتاب أنزلناه إليك لتخرج الناس من الظلمات إلى النورThe student: Yusuf
The Shaykh : Yusuf:
Alif, Lam, Ra. These are the verses of the clear Book.
آلر * تلك آيات الكتاب المبينAlif, Lam, Ra. These are the verses of the Book and a clear Qur'an.
آلر * تلك آيات الكتاب وقرآن مبينThe student: Maryam
The Shaykh : Yes?
The student: Maryam.
The Shaykh : Maryam:
(1) Kaf, Ha, Ya, 'Ayn, Sad. (2) [This is] a mention of the mercy of your Lord to His servant Zechariah
كهيعص* ذكر رحمت ربك عبده زكريّا(1) Ta, Ha. (2) We have not sent down to you the Qur'an that you be distressed
طه * ما أنزلنا عليك القرآن لتشقى(1) Ta, Seen, Meem. (2) These are the verses of the clear Book.
طسم * تلك آيات الكتاب المبينTa, Seen. These are the verses of the Qur'an and a clear Book
طس * تلك آيات القرآن وكتاب مبين(1) Ta, Seen, Meem. (2) These are the verses of the clear Book.
طسم * تلك آيات الكتاب المبينThe student: Al-Ankabut
The Shaykh : Al-Ankabut:
