Tafseer of The Heights · Al-A'raaf · 7:1
Alif, Lam, Meem, 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 explanation of the saying of Him whose praise is exalted and whose names are sanctified: المص (Alif-Lām-Mīm-Ṣād) (7:1).
Abū Jaʿfar said: The scholars of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl) have differed over the explanation of the saying of Allah, whose mention is exalted: (Alif-Lām-Mīm-Ṣād).
Some of them said: Its meaning is: "I am Allah, I know" (anā Allāhu afḍal — that is, "I know better / I am the most exalted").
Mention of who said that:
14310 — Sufyān related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of Sharīk, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ ibn al-Sāʾib, on the authority of Abū al-Ḍuḥā, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: (Alif-Lām-Mīm-Ṣād), "I am Allah, I know better."
14311 — Al-Ḥārith related to me, saying: al-Qāsim ibn Sallām related to us, saying: ʿAmmār ibn Muḥammad related to us, on the authority of ʿAṭāʾ ibn al-Sāʾib, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, concerning his saying: (Alif-Lām-Mīm-Ṣād), "I am Allah, I know better."
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Others said: It is the spelling of the letters of the name of Allah, glorified and exalted is He, namely "al-Muṣawwir" (the Fashioner).
Mention of who said that:
14312 — Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to me, saying: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: (Alif-Lām-Mīm-Ṣād), he said: it is the spelling of "al-Muṣawwir" (the Fashioner).
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Others said: It is a name from among the names of Allah, by which our Lord swore an oath.
Mention of who said that:
14313 — Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭalḥa, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, concerning his saying: (Alif-Lām-Mīm-Ṣād), it is an oath by which Allah swore, and it is one of the names of Allah.
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Others said: It is a name from among the names of the Qurʾān.
Mention of who said that:
14314 — Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Thawr related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda: (Alif-Lām-Mīm-Ṣād), he said: it is a name from among the names of the Qurʾān.
14315 — Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda, the same.
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Others said: They are separate spelling letters (individual letters of the alphabet).
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Others said: It belongs to the letter-numerology (ḥisāb al-jummal).
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Others said: They are letters that comprise many meanings, by which Allah has indicated to His creatures what He intended thereby.
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Others said: They are the letters of the Greatest Name of Allah (ism Allāh al-aʿẓam).
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We have mentioned all of this together with its narrations, as well as the substantiation of each group that made a statement about it. And as for what, in our view, is the correct position regarding this, together with its proofs and indications, we have already set it forth previously, in a manner that makes it unnecessary to repeat it in this place.
