The Qur’an opens Surah al-Baqarah with these mysterious letters

The Qur’an opens Surah al-Baqarah with these mysterious letters. These are known as “al-Huruf al-Muqatta‘ah” (the disjointed letters). The word “muqatta‘ah” means “separated” or “cut off”; throughout the Qur’an these letters appear sometimes singly, sometimes in twos, sometimes in threes, and at times in groups of four or five.

The predominant view among Islamic scholars is that only Allah knows their true meaning. Although various scholarly discussions have taken place about the wisdom behind these letters and why they were placed at the beginning of certain surahs, most of these have not gone beyond conjecture.

Even so, there is an exceptionally brilliant and evident wisdom that stands out, particularly in the case of Surah al-Baqarah.

In Surah al-Fatihah, we ask Allah for guidance:

Within the divine arrangement of the Qur’an, Surah al-Baqarah is the first answer to this plea. But notice how Allah begins this answer: with letters whose meaning we cannot even grasp. This is extremely important, because right at that moment it sets our attitude straight and brings us into balance.

Do not come to this Book thinking that you know everything. Come to it understanding and accepting that you know nothing, and that only Allah knows.

The letters Alif, Lam, Meem put a person where they belong, that is, in their true position.

But these letters have another fascinating aspect. Our Messenger (peace be upon him) could not read or write. Allah had willed that he remain among the ummiyyun —that is, those who could not read or write. The Qur’an itself says:

And yet here, this Prophet who could not read or write pronounces the names of the letters of the alphabet: Alif, Lam, Meem.

These letter names are known only to those who can read and write. Apart from someone who is in the process of learning to read and write, these words do not signify anything.

This becomes especially significant when one remembers that Surah al-Baqarah is a Madinan surah, that is, it was revealed after the emigration of the Prophet (peace be upon him). In Madinah he was in contact with a learned community —especially the Jewish community, who prided themselves on being literate and knowledgeable people.

At that time most Arabs could not read or write; so for the Jewish community this was both a source of pride and grounds for questioning: “How can this man be a prophet? He cannot even read or write.”

The recitation of “Alif-Lam-Meem” astonishes even the learned rabbi sitting there: “How does he know the names of the letters? Wasn’t he unable to read or write?”

This is because Someone beyond human capacity is teaching him.

Notice, too, that Allah does not call this merely a “recitation” (which could also be done from memory); instead, He uses the word “Book” (al-Baqarah 2). By its very nature, the word “Book” points to something written, that is, something whose content requires literacy to access. Yet this Prophet, who could not read or write, is being given the knowledge of a Book.

In later parts of the Qur’an, we see the word “iqra’” (read) used for the Prophet; he reads as an educated person reads, but this is a different kind of education.

This is a divine education; a teaching that comes from the realm of the unseen.