The Quran’s initial letters have been one of its more curious aspects. Some suras are introduced with initial letters like “Qaf” and “Alif-Lam-Meem:” What the initial letters represent was a mystery until the manifestation of code 19. When code 19 became manifest, it was understood that the initial letters had a significant role with reference to the miracle of 19. You can see the suras and verses with initial letters in the Quran in the table below:
Click To See The Table of Initial Letters
There are 29 suras with initial letters and the total number of verses having initial letters is 30. We mentioned before that 30 was the 19th composite number. The initial letters themselves form independent verses without any other words in 19 of those 29 suras (for example, “Alif, Lam, Meem” is a verse in itself in the sura “The Cow”). In the other 10 suras, there are some words after the initial letters (for example, the first verse of the sura “Qaf” states, “Qaf, the Glorious Quran”).
| The number of suras with initial letters as verse | 19 |
The verses draw attention to the Quran (by using the words “Quran” or “Book”) in 9 out of 10 suras that have initial letters together with words. The total of the sura numbers of these 9 suras is the number “190” (10+11+12+13+14+15+27+38+50= 190), and 190 is equal to 10 x 19.
| The total number of initial lettered suras that refer to the Quran together with initial letters |
190 (19×10) |
The initial letters can be grouped according to their repetitions. One group consists of initial letters used only once, and the other group consists of initial letters repeated more than once. The initial letters repeated more than once consist of four groups: “Alif, Lam, Meem,” “Ta, Seen, Meem,” “Ha, Meem,” “Alif, Lam, Ra.” The number of verses belonging to the suras having these 4 groups of initial letters is 1900 (19 x 100).
| The total of the verses in suras which have the repeated initial letter groups |
1900 (19×100) |
There are 67 suras between the second sura of the Quran, which has the first initial letters (2nd sura), and the 68th sura, which has the last initial letters. The number 67 is the 19th prime number. Because 29 of these 67 suras begin with initial letters, there are only 67- 29 = 38 (19×2) suras that are not introduced with initial letters between the suras with initial letters.
| The suras that do not have initial letters, between the suras with initial letters | 38 (19×2) |
We mentioned that we were not going to deal with the counting of the letter “Alif” in the Quran since there is difficulty in its counting. The difficulty is due to the additional “Alif”s inserted in later versions of the Quran to accommodate non-Arabs, and the need for a comprehensive, comparative and critical study of the oldest available versions. However, we can show that the suras introduced with the initial letter “Alif” are related to the code 19. For instance, the total of the sura numbers of the suras starting with the initial letter “Alif” is an exact multiple of the number 19.
[2+3+7+10+11+12+13+14+15+29+30+31+32 = 209 (19×11)]
| The total of the verse numbers where the letter “Alif” is used as initial letter | 209 (19×11) |
If we examine the number of verses in the suras that begin with initial letters, we see that the 28th and 38th suras consist of 88 verses each, and the 14th and 68th suras consist of 52 verses each. Thus, we see that there are 27 different numbers in the number of the verses of the suras starting with initial letters. The total number of the verses, excluding repetitions, is 2603 (19×137).
| The total of the verses in the initial lettered suras, excluding repetitions | 2603 (19×137) |
There are many characteristics that are related to the code 19 in the suras introduced with initial letters. All these examples show that the row of the suras and the number of verses in the Quran are arranged in a given order. There are 14 combinations of initial letters in the Quran and the total number of initial letters in these combinations is 38 (19×2). And if we multiply the serial numbers of these combinations and the number of the initial letters in each combination and then add all these results, it makes up 247 (19×13). Look at the following table:
| Row number | Initial letters | Number of letters in the group | The multiplication of the row number and the number of letters |
|
1 |
Alif-Lam-Meem | 3 | 1×3=3 |
|
2 |
Alif-Lam-Meem-Sad | 4 | 2×4=8 |
|
3 |
Alif-Lam-Ra | 3 | 3×3=9 |
|
4 |
Alif-Lam-Meem-Ra | 4 | 4×4=16 |
|
5 |
Kaf-He-Ya-Ayn-Sad | 5 | 5×5=25 |
|
6 |
Ta-He | 2 | 6×2=12 |
|
7 |
Ta-Seen-Meem | 3 | 7×3=21 |
|
8 |
Ta-Seen | 2 | 8×2=16 |
|
9 |
Ya-Seen | 2 | 9×2=18 |
|
10 |
Sad | 1 | 10×1=10 |
|
11 |
Ha-Meem | 2 | 11×2=22 |
|
12 |
Ha-Meem-Ayn-Seen-Qaf | 5 | 12×5=60 |
|
13 |
Qaf | 1 | 13×1=13 |
|
14 |
Noon | 1 | 14×1=14 |
|
Total |
38 (19×2) | 247(19×13) | |
Click To See The Table
SAAD RAMZI ISMAIL FROM IRAQ also discovered the interesting fact that there are a total of 114 (19×6) verses in which all the 14 letters that are used in the initial lettered suras are present, like the numbers of the suras of the Quran. In these mentioned 114 verses, the most repeated word of the Quran “God” is used 152 (19×8) times exactly.He discovered that back in 1973. then he sent other discoveries of number 19 to the submission mosque in us Saad Ismail discovered more than 150 other use of the number 19 in the holy quran.
The first word of Quran is ALIF-LAAM-MEEM. What does it mean?
I have read Quran with its meaning. I have studies few Tafseerul Quran by renowned scholars. No one could specify the totality, its origin, the word spoken in those days in the territory where Quranic verses were blessed. Yet I am inquisitive to know the meaning of this word Alif Lam Meem. Was it a title
Abbreviated Letters
Alif Laam Meem, Ya Seen, Ha Meem’, etc. are known as Al-Muqattaat i.e. the abbreviated letters. There are 29 letters in the Arabic Alphabet (if hamza and alif are considered as two letters) and there are 29 surahs i.e. chapters in the Glorious Qur’an that have the abbreviated letters prefixed to them. These abbreviated letters some times occur alone, sometimes in a combination of two letters and sometimes in a combination of three, four or five letters.
2. Meanings of these abbreviated letters
The meaning and purpose of these letters is uncertain. There have been a variety of explanations offered by Muslim scholars through the ages. A few among them are:
i. These letters might be abbreviations for certain sentences and words for instance, Alif Laam Meem means Ana-Alahu -a’Lam or Nun meaning Noor (light), etc.
ii. These letters are not abbreviations but symbols and names of Allah or something else.
iii. These letters were used for rhyming.
iv. These letters have some numerical significance as the Semitic letters also have numerical values.
v. These letters were used to attract the attention of the Prophet (and later his audience).
Several volumes have been written on the significance of these abbreviations.
3. Best explanation of abbreviated letters:
Of all the explanations given by various scholars, the one which is authentic and also supported by Tafsir of Ibne-Kathir, Zamakshari and Ibne-Taiymiyah is the following:
The human body is composed of various fundamental elements that are found in nature. Clay and dust are composed of the same fundamental elements. Yet it would be absurd to say that a human being is exactly the same as the dust.
We can all have access to the elements that are found in the human body, and add a few gallons of water, which is the constitution of the human body. We know the elements in the human body and yet we are at a loss when asked the secret of life.
Similarly the Qur’an addresses those people who reject its Divine authority. It tells them that this Qur’an, is in your own language, and over which the Arabs took pride. It is composed of the same letters that the Arabs used to express themselves most eloquently.
The Arabs were very proud of their language and Arabic was at its peak when the Qur’an was revealed. With the letters Alif Laam Meem, Yaa Seen, Ha-Meem, etc., (in Engllish we would say A, B, C, D) the Qur’an challenges mankind to produce a Surah at least somewhat similar to the Qur’an in beauty and elegance, if they doubt its authenticity.
Initially, the Qur’an challenges all the men and jinn to produce a recital like the Qur’an and adds that they would not be able to do it even if they backed each other. This challenge is mentioned in Surah Isra chapter 17 verse 88 and in Surah Tur chapter 52 verse 34.
Later the Qur’an repeats the challenge in Surah Hud chapter 11 verse 13 by saying produce ten surahs like it and later in Surah Yunus chapter 10 verse 38 produce one surah like it and finally the easiest challenge is given in Surah Al-Baqarah chapter 2 verses 23 and 24.
“And if ye are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to Our servant, then produce a Surah like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers (if there are any) besides Allah if your doubts are true.
But if ye cannot – and of a surety ye cannot – then fear the fire whose fuel is men and stones – which is prepared for those who reject faith.”
[Al-Qur’an 2:23-24]
To compare the skill of two artisans, they must be given samples of the same raw material and their performance evaluated in performing the same task. If they are tailors they must be provided with the same fabrics. The raw materials of the Arabic language are these letters Alif Laam Meem, Ya Seen (in English it is A, B, C, D, etc.) The miraculous nature of the language of the Qur’an does not lie only in the fact that it is the Word of Allah, but also in the fact that although made up of the same letters in which the pagan Arabs took pride, it has not been rivalled.
The Arabs are noted for their rhetoric ability, eloquence and meaningful expression. Just as the constituents of the human body are known to us and can be obtained by us, the letters comprising the Qur’an, such as Alif Laam Meem are known to us, and used frequently to formulate words. Life cannot be created by us, even if we possess knowledge of the constituents of the human body. Similarly we cannot capture the same eloquence and beauty of expression that we find in the Qur’an, despite knowing the letters that constitute the Qu’ran. The Qur’an thus proves its Divine origin.
4. Miraculous quality of Qur’an mentioned immediately after these broken letters
Therefore immediately after these broken letters are mentioned in the Qur’an, the following verses speak about the miracle of the Qur’an, and its authority e.g. in Surah Baqarah Chapter 2 verse 1-2:
“Alif Laam Meem.
This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah.”
[Al-Qur’an 2:1-2]