His saying (may He be glorified): "Alif-Lam-Ra." Al-Hasan said: "I do not know the interpretation of 'Alif-Lam-Ra' and the like; except that a group from the predecessors used to say: 'They are the names of the surahs and their opening letters.'"

"These are the verses" of this "Wise Book," meaning the firmly perfected one.