The Shaykh of Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) says: There is nothing in the Qur'an whose meaning is unknown; rather, there is something whose modality is not known. How do we reconcile this statement?
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The questioner : Touching upon this question, the Shaykh of Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) says: "There is nothing in the Qur'an whose meaning is unknown; rather, there is something in the Qur'an whose modality is not known". How do we reconcile this with the scholars' statement: "The letters of the Qur'an, the disjointed letters in the Qur'an, are not known in meaning"? So give us a ruling, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : Did you hear the question? The Shaykh of Islam says a true statement: there is nothing in the Qur'an whose meaning is not understood by all people, ever. Even if it is hidden from some people, it becomes clear to others, because Allah the Exalted said in the Qur'an itself:[An-Nahl 16:89] a clear explanation. Is the unknown in meaning an explanation or not an explanation?
The student: Not an explanation.
The Shaykh : There is nothing in the Qur'an whose meaning no one among people knows, ever. There is something that is hidden from some people and clear to some people.
As for reconciling what the Shaykh of Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said, which is the truth, with what the scholars said about the disjointed letters at the beginnings of the surahs, that their meaning is not known except by Allah, the reconciliation is that their statement that their meaning is not known except by Allah is not accepted. Rather, we say that the disjointed letters at the beginnings of the surahs have no meaning; they have no meaning in themselves. The evidence that they have no meaning is that Allah the Exalted described the Qur'an as being revealed in a clear, what? Arabic language. Do Alif, Lam, Ra, Sin, Ta, Ha, Nun, Sad, Qaf have a meaning in the Arabic language?
Answer, everyone.
The student: No.
The Shaykh : They have no meaning; they are alphabetic letters. Alphabetic letters have no meaning until they are combined and speech is formed from them. The disjointed letters in the Qur'an have no meaning in themselves.
And if someone says: How do you assert this with such certainty?
We say: We assert it because Allah says:[Ash-Shu'ara 26:195] And according to the clear Arabic language, they have no meaning. So, is there then something in the Qur'an that is idle talk, and the Qur'an is free from idle talk? We say: We seek refuge in Allah that there is idle talk in the Qur'an, and we disavow this statement and its speaker as well. The Qur'an is all truth, all meanings, all filled with good. But they have a significance. What is the significance?
It is a reference to the fact that you, O Arabs, were unable to bring forth the like of this Qur'an. You were unable to bring forth ten surahs from it. You were unable to bring forth one surah from it. You were unable to bring forth a report like it. You were unable. And did the Qur'an come with letters other than the letters from which the speech of the Arabs is composed, or with the same letters? With the same letters. For this reason, there is no verse beginning with these alphabetic letters except that what follows it relates to the Qur'an. We will review them with you.
Al-Baqarah:[Al-Baqarah 2:2].
After that, Al-Imran:[Ali 'Imran 3:2-3].
After that, Al-A'raf:[Al-A'raf 7:1-2].
After that, Yunus:[Yunus 10:1].
After that, Hud:[Hud 11:1].
After that, Yusuf:[Yusuf 12:1].
Ar-Ra'd:[Ar-Ra'd 13:1].
Ibrahim:[Ibrahim 14:1].
Al-Hijr:[Al-Hijr 15:1]
Ta-Ha.
Maryam:[Maryam 19:1-2] Where is the Qur'an? Yes, from where did this remembrance come except through the Qur'an, because Allah says to the Messenger:
So it did not come except from the Qur'an. Good.
Ta-Ha:[Taha 20:2].
[Ash-Shu'ara 26:1-2]. Ash-Shu'ara
An-Naml:[An-Naml 27:1].
Al-Qasas:[Ash-Shu'ara 26:1-2].
What?
Al-Ankabut:[Al-'Ankabut 29:1-2] Where is the Qur'an? Read [Al-'Ankabut 29:3] From where did we learn that Allah tried those before them? By the Qur'an.
Ar-Rum:[Ar-Rum 30:1-3] Where is the Qur'an?
The student: The unseen
The Shaykh : No, speaking about something that has not happened and will happen is from the knowledge of the unseen, and it does not exist except in the Qur'an.
After that, Luqman:[Luqman 31:1-2].
After that, As-Sajdah:[As-Sajdah 32:1-2].
[Ya-Sin 36:1-2].
[Sad 38:1]
The student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, how?
The student: Ha-Mim
The Shaykh : Ha-Mim, all the Ha-Mim surahs contain the Book
[Qaf 50:1].
[Al-Qalam 68:1-2] Affirmation of prophethood through the Qur'an.
So the important point is that you will not find a surah beginning with alphabetic letters except that what follows it is a mention of the Qur'an or matters related to it from the unseen, indicating that this Qur'an which defeated you, O Arabs, was composed of the letters by which you form your speech, and yet it defeated you. The Shaykh of Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) referred to this, and Ibn al-Qayyim referred to it in the Al-Nuniyyah and other books of his as well.
The questioner : Allah Mighty and Majestic says..
The Shaykh : So, my brothers, it is clear that there is nothing in the Qur'an whose meaning is not known.
The Shaykh : Did you hear the question? The Shaykh of Islam says a true statement: there is nothing in the Qur'an whose meaning is not understood by all people, ever. Even if it is hidden from some people, it becomes clear to others, because Allah the Exalted said in the Qur'an itself:
And We have sent down to you the Book as clarification for all things
ونزلنا عليك الكتاب تبياناً لكل شيءThe student: Not an explanation.
The Shaykh : There is nothing in the Qur'an whose meaning no one among people knows, ever. There is something that is hidden from some people and clear to some people.
As for reconciling what the Shaykh of Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) said, which is the truth, with what the scholars said about the disjointed letters at the beginnings of the surahs, that their meaning is not known except by Allah, the reconciliation is that their statement that their meaning is not known except by Allah is not accepted. Rather, we say that the disjointed letters at the beginnings of the surahs have no meaning; they have no meaning in themselves. The evidence that they have no meaning is that Allah the Exalted described the Qur'an as being revealed in a clear, what? Arabic language. Do Alif, Lam, Ra, Sin, Ta, Ha, Nun, Sad, Qaf have a meaning in the Arabic language?
Answer, everyone.
The student: No.
The Shaykh : They have no meaning; they are alphabetic letters. Alphabetic letters have no meaning until they are combined and speech is formed from them. The disjointed letters in the Qur'an have no meaning in themselves.
And if someone says: How do you assert this with such certainty?
We say: We assert it because Allah says:
In a clear Arabic language.
بلسان عربي مبينIt is a reference to the fact that you, O Arabs, were unable to bring forth the like of this Qur'an. You were unable to bring forth ten surahs from it. You were unable to bring forth one surah from it. You were unable to bring forth a report like it. You were unable. And did the Qur'an come with letters other than the letters from which the speech of the Arabs is composed, or with the same letters? With the same letters. For this reason, there is no verse beginning with these alphabetic letters except that what follows it relates to the Qur'an. We will review them with you.
Al-Baqarah:
This is the Book about which there is no doubt
الم ذلك الكتاب لا ريب فيهAfter that, Al-Imran:
(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
الم الله لا إله إلاهو الحي القيوم نزّل عليك الكتابAfter that, Al-A'raf:
(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.
المص كتاب أنزل إليك فلا يكن في صدرك حرج منهAfter that, Yunus:
Alif, Lam, Ra. These are the verses of the wise Book
الر تلك آيات الكتاب الحكيمAfter that, Hud:
Alif, Lam, Ra. [This is] a Book whose verses are perfected
الر كتاب أحكمت آياتهAfter that, Yusuf:
Alif, Lam, Ra. These are the verses of the clear Book.
الر تلك آيات الكتاب المبينAr-Ra'd:
Alif, Lam, Meem, Ra. These are the verses of the Book; and what has been revealed to you from your Lord is the truth
المر تلك آيات الكتاب والذي أنزل إليك من ربك الحقIbrahim:
Alif, 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
الر كتاب أنزلناه إليك لتخرج الناس من الظلمات إلى النورAl-Hijr:
Alif, Lam, Ra. These are the verses of the Book and a clear Qur'an.
الر تلك آيات الكتاب وقرآن مبينTa-Ha.
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 ربه عبده زكرياAnd you used not to recite before it any book, nor did you write it with your right hand
وما كنت تتلو من قبله من كتاب ولا تخطه بيمينكTa-Ha:
We have not sent down to you the Qur'an that you be distressed
ما أنزلنا عليك القرآن لتشقى(1) Ta, Seen, Meem. (2) These are the verses of the clear Book.
طسم تلك آيات الكتاب المبينAn-Naml:
Ta, Seen. These are the verses of the Qur'an and a clear Book
طس تلك آيات القرآن وكتاب مبينAl-Qasas:
(1) Ta, Seen, Meem. (2) These are the verses of the clear Book.
طسم تلك آيات الكتاب المبينWhat?
Al-Ankabut:
(1) Alif, Lam, Meem (2) Do the people think that they will be left to say, "We believe" and they will not be tried?
الم أحسب الناس أن يتركوا أن يقولوا آمنا وهم لم يفتنونBut We have certainly tried those before them
ولقد فتنا الذين من قبلهمAr-Rum:
(1) Alif, Lam, Meem. (2) The Byzantines have been defeated (3) In the nearest land.
الم، غلبت الروم في أدنى الأرضThe student: The unseen
The Shaykh : No, speaking about something that has not happened and will happen is from the knowledge of the unseen, and it does not exist except in the Qur'an.
After that, Luqman:
(1) Alif, Lam, Meem. (2) These are verses of the wise Book,
الم، تلك آيات الكتاب الحكيمAfter that, As-Sajdah:
(1) Alif, Lam, Meem. (2) [This is] the revelation of the Book about which there is no doubt from the Lord of the worlds.
الم تنزيل الكتاب لاريب فيه من رب العالمين(1) Ya, Seen. (2) By the wise Qur'an.
يس والقران الحكيمSad. By the Qur'an containing reminder...
ص والقرآن ذي الذكرThe student: ...
The Shaykh : Yes, how?
The student: Ha-Mim
The Shaykh : Ha-Mim, all the Ha-Mim surahs contain the Book
Qaf. By the honored Qur'an...
ق، والقرآن المجيد(1) Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe, (2) You are not, [O Muhammad], by the favor of your Lord, a madman.
ن، والقلم وما يسطرون * ما أنت بنعمة ربك بمجنونSo the important point is that you will not find a surah beginning with alphabetic letters except that what follows it is a mention of the Qur'an or matters related to it from the unseen, indicating that this Qur'an which defeated you, O Arabs, was composed of the letters by which you form your speech, and yet it defeated you. The Shaykh of Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) referred to this, and Ibn al-Qayyim referred to it in the Al-Nuniyyah and other books of his as well.
The questioner : Allah Mighty and Majestic says..
The Shaykh : So, my brothers, it is clear that there is nothing in the Qur'an whose meaning is not known.