Surat al-Baqarah
2 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
His saying: "Alif-Lam-Mim"
There is a difference of opinion regarding its interpretation, based on several points:
[The first interpretation]
Some say: "I am Allah, the All-Knowing."
43 - Abu Sa'id al-Ashajj narrated to us, Waki' narrated to us, from Sharik, from 'Ata' ibn al-Sa'ib, from Anas al-Duha, from Ibn 'Abbas: "Alif-Lam-Mim," he said: "I am Allah, the All-Knowing." Abu Muhammad said: Sa'id ibn Jubayr and al-Dahhak interpreted it likewise.
[The second interpretation]
And those who interpret it as one of the names of Allah.
44 - Al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn al-Sabbah narrated to us, Yahya ibn 'Abbad narrated to us, Shu'bah narrated to us, from al-Suddi, who said: It reached me from Ibn 'Abbas that he said: "Alif-Lam-Mim is one of the Greatest Names of Allah."
45 - Abu Zur'ah narrated to us, 'Amr ibn Hammad ibn Talhah al-Qannad ibn Nasr narrated to us, from al-Suddi: "Alif-Lam-Mim"; as for "Alif-Lam-Mim," it is a letter derived from the letters of the Name of Allah.
46 - My father narrated to us, Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-'Aziz ibn Abi Rizmah narrated to us, my father narrated to us, 'Isa ibn 'Ubayd narrated to us, from Husayn ibn 'Uthman al-Muzani, from Salim ibn 'Abd Allah, who said: "Alif-Lam-Mim, Ha-Mim, Nun, and the like, are letters of Allah's Names, abbreviated."
47 - 'Ali ibn al-Husayn narrated to us, Abu Bakr and 'Uthman, the two sons of Abi Shaybah, narrated to us, they said: Suwayd ibn 'Amr narrated to us, from Abi 'Awanah, from Isma'il ibn Salim, from 'Amir, that he was asked about Alif-Lam-Mim, Alif-Lam-Ra, Ha-Mim, and Sad. He said: "They are a name from the names of Allah, abbreviated by spelling; when you connect them, they become a name from the names of Allah."
48 - My father narrated to me, Muhammad ibn Ma'mar narrated to me, 'Ayyash ibn Ziyad al-Bahili narrated to us, Shu'bah narrated to us, from Abi Bishr, from Sa'id ibn Jubayr, from Ibn 'Abbas, concerning His saying: "Alif-Lam-Mim, Ha-Mim, Nun," he said: "An abbreviated name."
(1) Ibn Nasr is Asbat ibn Nasr, and perhaps there is an omission here—and Allah knows best—as is the case in the chain of report number 58.
سُورَةُ الْبَقَرَةِ
٢ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ
قَوْلُهُ: الم
اختلف في تفسيره على أوجه:
[الوجه الأول]
فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ قَالَ: أَنَا اللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ.
٤٣ - حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سَعِيدٍ الأَشَجُّ، ثنا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ شَرِيكٍ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ السَّائِبِ، عَنْ أنس الضُّحَى، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ الم قَالَ: أَنَا اللَّه أَعْلَمُ. قَالَ أَبُو مُحَمَّدٍ: وَكَذَا فَسَّرَهُ سعيد بن جبير والضحاك.
[الوجه الثاني]
وَمَنْ فَسَّرَهُ عَلَى أَنَّهُ اسْمٌ مِنْ أَسْمَاءِ اللَّهُ.
٤٤ - حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الصَّبَّاحِ، ثنا يَحْيَى بْنُ عَبَّادٍ، ثنا شُعْبَةُ، عَنِ السُّدِّيِّ قَالَ: بَلَغَنِي عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: الم اسْمٌ مِنْ أَسْمَاءِ اللَّهِ الأَعْظَمِ.
٤٥ - حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو زُرْعَةَ، ثنا عَمْرُو بْنُ حَمَّادِ بْنِ طَلْحَةَ القناد «١» بْنُ نَصْرٍ، عَنِ السُّدِّيِّ الم: أَمَّا الم فَهُوَ حَرْفٌ اشْتُقَّ مِنْ حُرُوفِ اسْمِ اللَّهِ.
٤٦ - حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، ثنا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ أَبِي رِزْمَةَ ثنا أَبِي ثنا عِيسَى بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ، عَنْ حُسَيْنِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ الْمُزَنِيِّ، عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: الم وحم ون، وَنَحْوِهَا: أَسْمَاءُ اللَّهِ مُقَطَّعَةً.
٤٧ - حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحُسَيْنِ ثنا أَبُو بَكْرٍ وَعُثْمَانُ ابْنَا أَبِي شَيْبَةَ قَالا: ثنا سُوَيْدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ أَبِي عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ سَالِمٍ، عَنْ عامر أنه سئل عن الم، والر، وحم، وص. قَالَ: هِيَ اسْمٌ مِنْ أَسْمَاءِ اللَّهِ مُقَطَّعَةً بِالْهِجَاءِ، فَإِذَا وَصَلْتَهَا كَانَتِ اسْمًا مِنْ أَسْمَاءِ اللَّهِ.
٤٨ - حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مَعْمَرٍ، ثنا عَيَّاشُ بْنُ زِيَادٍ الْبَاهِلِيُّ، ثنا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ أَبِي بِشْرٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فِي قَوْلِهِ: ألم، وحم، ون، قال: اسم مقطع.
(١) . ابن نصر هو أسباط بن نصر، ولعل هنا سقط- والله أعلم- كما في سند الأثر رقم ٥٨.
