[The third interpretation]

And those who interpret it as a name from the names of Allah, His signs (ala'ihi), and His trials (bala'ihi):

49 - 'Isam ibn Rawwad ibn al-Jarrah al-'Asqalani narrated to us, Adam ibn Abi Iyas narrated to us, Abu Ja'far al-Razi narrated to us, from al-Rabi' ibn Anas, from Abu al-'Aliyah concerning His saying, "Alif-Lam-Mim," he said: These three letters are from the twenty-nine letters that all tongues circulate; there is no letter among them except that it is a key to a name from His Names, and there is no letter among them except that it is in His signs, and there is no letter among them except that it is in the duration of nations and their lifespans. 'Isa ibn Maryam—peace be upon him—said, in astonishment: I am amazed that they speak with His names and live upon His provision, so how do they disbelieve in Him? The Alif is the key to His name: Allah (Allah). The Lam is the key to His name: The Gentle (Latif). The Mim is the key to His name: The Glorious (Majid). The Alif is the signs of Allah (ala' Allah), the Lam is the gentleness of Allah (lutf Allah), and the Mim is the glory of Allah (majd Allah). The Alif is six, the Lam is thirty, and the Mim is forty. Abu Muhammad said: It was narrated from al-Rabi' ibn Anas similar to this.

[The fourth interpretation]

And those who interpret it as a name of the Qur'an:

50 - My father narrated to us, Abu Hudhayfah narrated to us, Shibl narrated to us, from Ibn Abi Najih, from Mujahid: "Alif-Lam-Mim is a name from the names of the Qur'an." Qatadah and Zayd ibn Aslam interpreted it likewise.

[The fifth interpretation]

And those who interpret it as the openings (fawatiḥ) of the Qur'an:

51 - Al-Husayn ibn al-Hasan narrated to us, Ibrahim ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Hatim al-Harawi narrated to us, Hajjaj ibn Muhammad narrated to us. Ibn Jurayj said that it is from Mujahid, that he said: "Alif-Lam-Mim are openings which Allah uses to open the Qur'an."

[The sixth interpretation]

And those who interpret it as an oath:

52 - Abu Sa'id al-Ashajj narrated to us, Ibn 'Ulayyah narrated to us, from Khalid al-Hadhdha', from 'Ikrimah: "Alif-Lam-Mim is an oath."

His saying: "That is the Book"

53 - Through him, from 'Ikrimah: "That is the Book," he said: "This is the Book." He said: Sa'id ibn Jubayr, al-Suddi, Muqatil ibn Hayyan, and Zayd ibn Aslam interpreted it likewise.