Ibrahim: 1

Ayah

Word by Word

الٓرۚ

Alif Laam Ra

كِتَٰبٌ

A Book

أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ

which We have revealed

إِلَيۡكَ

to you

لِتُخۡرِجَ

so that you may bring out

ٱلنَّاسَ

the mankind

مِنَ

from

ٱلظُّلُمَٰتِ

the darkness[es]

إِلَى

ٱلنُّورِ

the light

بِإِذۡنِ

by the permission

رَبِّهِمۡ

(of) their Lord

إِلَىٰ

صِرَٰطِ

the Path

ٱلۡعَزِيزِ

(of) the All-Mighty

ٱلۡحَمِيدِ

the Praiseworthy

Translation

A. L. R. A Book which We have revealed unto thee, in order that thou mightest lead mankind out of the depths of darkness into light - by the leave of their Lord - to the Way of (Him) the Exalted in power, worthy of all praise!-

Tafsir

"Tafsir of Surah Ibrahim

Describing the Qur'an and warning Those Who defy it

Allah says,

الَر

Alif-Lam-Ra.

Previously we discussed the meaning of the separate letters that appear in the beginnings of some Surahs.

كِتَابٌ أَنزَلۡنَاهُ إِلَيۡكَ

(This is) a Book which We have revealed unto you...

Allah says, `This is a Book that We have revealed to you, O Muhammad. This `Book', is the Glorious Qur'an, the most honored Book, that Allah sent down from heaven to the most honored Messenger of Allah sent to all the people of the earth, Arabs and non-Arabs alike,

لِتُخۡرِجَ النَّاسَ مِنَ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ

in order that you might lead mankind out of darkness into light,

We sent you, O Muhammad, with this Book in order that you might lead mankind away from misguidance and crookedness to guidance and the right way,'

اللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الَّذِينَ ءامَنُواۡ يُخۡرِجُهُم مِّنَ الظُّلُمَـتِ إِلَى النُّورِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُواۡ أَوۡلِيَأوُهُمُ الطَّـغُوتُ يُخۡرِجُونَهُم مِّنَ النُّورِ إِلَى الظُّلُمَـتِ

Allah is the Wali (Protector or Guardian) of those who believe. He brings them out from darkness into light.

But as for those who disbelieve, their Awliya (supporters and helpers) are Taghut (false deities), they bring them out from light into darkness. (2:257)

and,

هُوَ الَّذِى يُنَزِّلُ عَلَى عَبۡدِهِ ءَايَـتٍ بَيِّنَـتٍ لِّيُخۡرِجَكُمۡ مِّنَ الظُّلُمَـتِ إِلَى النُّورِ

It is He Who sends down manifest Ayat to His servant that He may bring you out from darkness into light. (57:9)

Allah said next,

بِإِذۡنِ رَبِّهِمۡ

by their Lord's leave,

He guides those whom He destined to be guided by the hand of His Messenger, whom He sent to guide them by His command,

إِلَى صِرَاطِ الۡعَزِيزِ

to the path of the All-Mighty,

Who can never be resisted or overpowered. Rather, Allah is Irresistible above everything and everyone else,

الۡحَمِيدِ

the Praised.

Who is glorified and praised in all His actions, statements, legislation, commandments and prohibitions and Who only says the truth in the information He conveys.

Allah's statement

اللّهِ الَّذِي لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الَارۡضِ

Allah to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth!,

is similar to,

قُلۡ يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيۡكُمۡ جَمِيعًا الَّذِى لَهُ مُلۡكُ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرۡضِ

Say:""O mankind!

Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah - to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth. (7:158)

Allah's statement,

وَوَيۡلٌ لِّلۡكَافِرِينَ مِنۡ عَذَابٍ شَدِيدٍ

And woe unto the disbelievers from a severe torment.

means, `woe to them on the Day of Judgment because they defied you, O Muhammad, and rejected you.'

Allah says

الَّذِينَ يَسۡتَحِبُّونَ الۡحَيَاةَ الدُّنۡيَا عَلَى الاخِرَةِ

Those who prefer the life of this world to the Hereafter,

Allah described the disbelievers as preferring the life of the present world to the Hereafter, coveting the former life and working hard for its sake. They have forgotten the Hereafter and abandoned it behind their backs,

وَيَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللّهِ

and hinder (men) from the path of Allah,

from following the Messengers,

وَيَبۡغُونَهَا عِوَجًا

and seek crookedness therein,

they seek to make Allah's path crooked, even though it is straight itself and does not deviate on account of those who defy or betray it. When the disbelievers do this, they become engulfed in ignorance and misguidance far away from truth, and therefore, there is no hope that they will gain guidance and correctness while on this state.

أُوۡلَـيِكَ فِي ضَلَلٍ بَعِيدٍ

they are far astray."

Related Q&A

Why muqotto'at verses exist in Quran?

Many scholars say that no one knows the meaning of Huruf Muqatta'at (Disjointed-Letters) except Allah. Then why they exist in the Qur'an which was sent down to the humankind?

ANSWER:

Firstly, to say that no one understands the meaning of these letters except Allah is not the consensus of all scholars. Indeed, some scholars beginning from some Shahabah (Companions) explained their meanings. Yasiin, for example, means "O human" according to Ibn 'Abbas. He also told that "Alif Lam Ra'" stands for "Ana Allah Araa" which means "I -Allah- see."

On the other hand, we should acknowledge that there are several Shahabah and scholars believe that only Allah who knows the meaning of these Huruf Muqatta'at. Abu Bakr said: "There is secret in every book. Then the secret of Allah in the Quran is these letters in the beginning of surahs." Ali ibn Abi Thalib and others also stated the same thing.

Ash-Sha'bi, a Tabi'i, was once asked about these letters. He then answered, "Every book have their secret. The secret of the Qur'an is the letters in the beginning of surahs. So, leave it and ask me other question beside it."

Yet even from this perspective, these Huruf Muqatta'at are not useless. They even show us many benefits, of them are:

- to examine our faith

- to show us that our knowledge is limited

- to show us that the Quran is in Arabic since it is arranged from these Arabic letters

- to attract listeners' attention due to their uniqueness

- to make a pledge

- to be names for some surahs

There are also interesting facts from this Huruf Muqotta'at. Of them is the total amount of these letters is 14 which is a half of 28 Arabic letters. They can be drawn up to be a sentence like this:

نص حكيم قاطع له سر

The wise, absolute text which has secret.

In short, some scholars exegete these letters while the others did not but still say that these letters have benefits and wisdoms.

Allah knows best.

See:

Ma'alim Al-Tanzil (II/249) & (VII/7)

Al-Kashshaf (I/20-28)