Tafseer of Mary · Maryam · 19:1
Kaf, Ha, Ya, 'Ayn, Sad.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The exegetes differed concerning the explanation of the word of Allah the Exalted: the kāf in (كهيعص). Some said: its meaning is that it is a letter from His Name which is "Kabīr" (Great), by which He is indicated, and the mention of the rest of the Name is thereby rendered unnecessary.
Mention of who said that:
Abū Ḥuṣayn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Aḥmad ibn Yūnus related to us, saying: ʿAbthār related to us, saying: Ḥuṣayn related to us, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning this verse (كهيعص): he said: "Kabīr" — meaning by "Kabīr" the kāf from (كهيعص).
Hannād ibn al-Sarī related to us, saying: Abū al-Aḥwaṣ related to us, on the authority of Ḥuṣayn, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr — to the same effect.
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us, saying: Ḥuṣayn informed us, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, who used to say: (كهيعص) — he said: "kāf: Kabīr."
Abū al-Sāʾib related to us, saying: Ibn Idrīs informed us, on the authority of Ḥuṣayn, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr: (كهيعص) — he said: "kāf: Kabīr."
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mahdī related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Ḥuṣayn, on the authority of Ismāʿīl, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās — similarly.
Others said: the kāf therein is a letter of His Names, namely: Kāfī (the Sufficient).
Mention of who said that:
Yaḥyā ibn Ṭalḥa al-Yarbūʿī related to us, saying: Sharīk informed us, on the authority of Sālim, on the authority of Saʿīd, concerning his word (كهيعص): he said: "kāf: Kāfī."
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Djābir ibn Nūḥ related to us, saying: Abū Rawq informed us, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk ibn Muzāḥim, concerning his word (كهيعص): he said: "kāf: Kāfī."
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām related to us, on the authority of ʿAnbasa, on the authority of al-Kalbī — to the same effect.
Others said: it is a letter of His Names, namely: Karīm (the Generous).
Mention of who said that:
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām related to us, on the authority of ʿAmr, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr: (كهيعص) — he said: "kāf of Karīm."
Those who explained it in that manner said that the hāʾ in (كهيعص) is a letter of His Names, namely: Hādī (the Guide).
Mention of who said that:
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us, saying: Abū Ḥuṣayn informed us, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: he used to say concerning the hāʾ in (كهيعص): "Hādī."
Abū Ḥuṣayn related to us, saying: ʿAbthār related to us, saying: Ḥuṣayn related to us, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās — to the same effect.
Hannād related to us, saying: Abū al-Aḥwaṣ related to us, on the authority of Ḥuṣayn, on the authority of Ismāʿīl, on the authority of Saʿīd — to the same effect.
Abū al-Sāʾib related to us, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us, on the authority of Ḥuṣayn, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr — similarly.
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Ḥuṣayn, on the authority of Ismāʿīl, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās — to the same effect.
Yaḥyā ibn Ṭalḥa related to us, saying: Djābir ibn Nūḥ related to us, saying: Abū Rawq informed us, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk ibn Muzāḥim, concerning his word (كهيعص): he said: "hāʾ: Hādī."
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām related to us, saying: ʿAnbasa related to us, on the authority of al-Kalbī — to the same effect.
The exegetes also differed concerning the meaning of the yāʾ therein. Some said: it is a letter of His Names, namely: Yamīn (Right Hand; Oath).
Mention of who said that:
Abū Ḥuṣayn related to us, saying: ʿAbthār related to us, saying: Ḥuṣayn related to us, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: he said: "yāʾ" of (كهيعص) — "yāʾ of Yamīn."
[Repetition of the above isnād:] Abū Ḥuṣayn related to us, saying: ʿAbthār related to us, saying: Ḥuṣayn related to us, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: he said: "yāʾ" of (كهيعص) — "yāʾ of Yamīn."
Mention of who said that:
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us, saying: Ḥuṣayn informed us, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās — to the same effect.
Hannād related to us, saying: Abū al-Aḥwaṣ related to us, on the authority of Ḥuṣayn, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr — to the same effect.
Abū al-Sāʾib related to us, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us, on the authority of Ḥuṣayn, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr: "yāʾ: Yamīn."
Others said: it is a letter of His Names, namely: Ḥakīm (the All-Wise).
Mention of who said that:
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām related to us, on the authority of ʿAmr, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr: (كهيعص) — he said: "yāʾ: of Ḥakīm."
Others said: they are letters from the expression of the speaker: "Yā man yujīr" (O He who grants protection).
Mention of who said that:
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Yaḥyā ibn Wāḍiḥ related to us, saying: Ibrāhīm ibn al-Ḍarīs related to us, saying: I heard al-Rabīʿ ibn Anas say concerning his word (كهيعص): "O He who grants protection but Himself has no need to be protected."
The exegetes of that view also differed concerning the meaning of the ʿayn; some said: it is a letter of His Names, namely: ʿĀlim (the All-Knowing).
Mention of who said that:
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām related to us, on the authority of ʿAmr, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, on the authority of Saʿīd: (كهيعص) — he said: "ʿayn of ʿĀlim."
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām related to us, on the authority of ʿAnbasa, on the authority of al-Kalbī — to the same effect.
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us, saying: Ḥuṣayn informed us, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās — to the same effect.
ʿAmr related to us, saying: Marwān ibn Muʿāwiya related to us, on the authority of al-ʿAlāʾ ibn al-Musayyib ibn Rāfiʿ, on the authority of his father, concerning his word (كهيعص): he said: "ʿayn: of ʿĀlim."
Others said: it is a letter of His Names, namely: ʿAzīz (the Almighty).
Mention of who said that:
Abū Ḥuṣayn related to us, saying: ʿAbthār related to us, saying: Ḥuṣayn related to us, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: (كهيعص) — "ʿayn: ʿAzīz."
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Ḥuṣayn, on the authority of Ismāʿīl, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās — to the same effect.
Abū al-Sāʾib related to us, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us, on the authority of Ḥuṣayn, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr — to the same effect.
Hannād related to us, saying: Abū al-Aḥwaṣ related to us, on the authority of Ḥuṣayn, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr — to the same effect.
Yaḥyā ibn Ṭalḥa al-Yarbūʿī related to us, saying: Sharīk related to us, on the authority of Sālim, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr, concerning his word (كهيعص): he said: "ʿayn: ʿAzīz."
Others said: it is a letter of His Names, namely: ʿAdl (the Just).
Mention of who said that:
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Djābir ibn Nūḥ related to us, saying: Abū Rawq informed us, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk ibn Muzāḥim, concerning his word (كهيعص): he said: "ʿayn: ʿAdl."
Those who explained it in that manner said that the ṣād in his word (كهيعص) is a letter of His Names, namely: Ṣādiq (the Truthful).
Mention of the narration concerning this: Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us, saying: Ḥuṣayn informed us, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: he used to say concerning (كهيعص): "ṣād: Ṣādiq."
Abū Ḥuṣayn related to us, saying: ʿAbthār related to us, saying: Ḥuṣayn related to us, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās — to the same effect.
Ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān related to us, saying: Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Ḥuṣayn, on the authority of Ismāʿīl, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās — to the same effect.
Hannād related to us, saying: Abū al-Aḥwaṣ related to us, on the authority of Ḥuṣayn, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr — to the same effect.
Abū al-Sāʾib related to us, saying: Ibn Idrīs related to us, on the authority of Ḥuṣayn, on the authority of Ismāʿīl ibn Rāshid, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Djubayr — to the same effect.
Abū Kurayb related to us, saying: Djābir ibn Nūḥ related to us, saying: Abū Rawq informed us, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk ibn Muzāḥim: he said: "ṣād: Ṣādiq."
Yaḥyā ibn Ṭalḥa related to us, saying: Sharīk related to us, on the authority of Sālim, on the authority of Saʿīd: he said: "Ṣādiq" — meaning the ṣād in (كهيعص).
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām related to us, on the authority of ʿAmr, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ, on the authority of Saʿīd: (كهيعص) — he said: "ṣād: Ṣādiq."
Ibn Ḥumayd related to us, saying: Ḥakkām related to us, saying: ʿAnbasa related to us, on the authority of al-Kalbī: he said: "Ṣādiq."
Others said: this entire word is one of the Names of Allah the Exalted.
Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad ibn Khālid ibn Khaddāsh related to us, saying: Sālim ibn Qutayba related to me, on the authority of Abū Bakr al-Hudhalī, on the authority of ʿĀtika, on the authority of Fāṭima, daughter of ʿAlī, who said: ʿAlī used to say: "O (كهيعص) — forgive me."
ʿAlī related to us, saying: ʿAbd Allāh related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning his word (كهيعص): he said: "It is an oath which Allah has sworn, and it belongs to the Names of Allah."
Others said: each letter thereof is one of the Names of Allah, the Almighty and Exalted.
Mention of who said that:
Maṭar ibn Muḥammad al-Ḍabbī related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn Mahdī related to us, on the authority of ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Muslim al-Qasmilī, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ ibn Anas, on the authority of Abū al-ʿĀliya: he said: "(كهيعص) — there is no letter of it but that it is a Name."
Others said: this word is one of the names of the Qurʾān.
Mention of who said that:
Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning his word (كهيعص): he said: "it is one of the Names of the Qurʾān."
Abū Djaʿfar said: The view concerning this is, in our estimation, equivalent to the view concerning الم and the remaining opening letters of the Qurʾānic sūras that begin with letters of the alphabet; we have dealt with that previously, so that it is unnecessary to repeat it here.
