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a-l-m-r (ʾalif lām mīm rā) tilka ʾāyātu l-kitābi wa-lladhī ʾunzila ʾilayka min rabbika l-ḥaqqu wa-lākinna ʾakthara n-nāsi lā yuʾminūna
Alif, Lam, Mim, Ra. These are the signs of the Book. That which has been sent down to you from your Lord is the truth, but most people do not believe [in it].
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah Ar-Ra‘d – Verse 1
In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
1. “Alif ‘A’, Lam ‘L’, Mim ‘M’, Ra ‘R’. These are the verses of the Book; and that which has been revealed to you from your Lord is the Truth, but most people do not believe.”
At the beginning of this Holy Surah, again we have the abbreviated letters which are found in 29 suras of the Qur’an. The abbreviated letters here are a combination of ‘Alif ’, ‘Lam’, and ‘Mim’, which has occurred at the beginning of several suras, while ‘Alif’ ‘Lam’ and ‘Ra’ are mentioned at the beginning of some other suras. Thus, in fact, this Surah is the only Surah that begins with ‘Alif, ‘Lam’, ‘Mim’, and ‘Ra’.
In view of the fact that the particular abbreviated letters at the beginning of every Surah seem to have a direct connection with the content of that Surah, it is probable that the present combination of the abbreviated letters at the beginning of Surah Ar-Ra‘d indicate that the content of this Surah consists of the contents of both group of suras which begin with ‘Alif, Lam, Mim’ and ‘Alif, Lam, Ra’. A careful attention over the contents of these suras also testifies this idea.
Since there have been talked upon the abbreviated letters of the Qur’an stated at the beginning of suras Al-Baqarah, ‘Al-i-‘Imran and Al-’A‘raf, their repetition is not so necessary here again. The first verse, on the dignity of the Qur’an, says:
“…These are the verses of the Book; and that which has been revealed to you from your Lord is the Truth…”
There is no room for any doubt to be seen in it, because it is the statement of the objective facts of the world of creation, and its relation with humankind. It is a truth that the Qur’an has not been mixed with falsehood. That is why the signs of its legitimacy is found even in its appearance so that there in no need of further reasoning. Yet, the ignorant and empty-headed persons, who form the majority of people, do not believe in the revelations.
It says:
“…but most people do not believe.”