from 'Ubayd, from Husayn b. 'Uthman al-Muzani, from Salim b. 'Abd Allah, who said: "Alif. Lam. Mim., Ha. Mim., Nun., and their like are the names of Allah, written in disjointed letters." It was narrated from al-Suddi similarly.
[The Second View]
And whoever interpreted it as being one of the names of Allah, and His bounties and His trials:
3118 - 'Isam b. Rawwad al-'Asqalani narrated to us, Adam b. Abi Iyas reported to us, Abu Ja'far al-Razi reported to us, from al-Rabi' b. Anas, from Abu al-'Aliyah regarding His saying: "Alif. Lam. Mim." He said: "These three letters are from the twenty-nine letters through which all tongues revolve. There is not a single one among them but that it is a key to one of His names, and there is not one among them but that it is from His bounties and His trials, and there is not one among them but that it is in the span of nations and their appointed times." Isa b. Maryam (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) marveled and said: "And it is more amazing that they speak with His names and live on His provision, so how do they disbelieve in Him?" The Alif is the key to the name Allah, the Lam is the key to His name Latif (Subtle), and the Mim is the key to His name Majid (Glorious). So, the Alif is six, the Lam is thirty, and the Mim is forty." It was narrated from al-Rabi' b. Anas similarly.
[The Third View]
And whoever interpreted it as being a name for the Quran:
3119 - Al-Hasan b. Abi al-Rabi' narrated to us, 'Abd al-Razzaq informed us, Ma'mar informed us, from Qatadah regarding His saying: "Alif. Lam. Mim." He said: "It is one of the names of the Quran." It was narrated from Mujahid, al-Hasan, and Zayd b. Aslam similarly.
[The Fourth View]
And whoever interpreted it as being the openings of the Quran:
3120 - Al-Husayn b. al-Hasan narrated to us, Ibrahim b. 'Abd Allah b. Hatim al-Harawi reported to us, Hajjaj b. Muhammad reported to us, who said: Ibn Jurayj informed us from Mujahid that he said: "Alif. Lam. Mim. are openings with which Allah opens the Quran."
[The Fifth View]
And whoever interpreted it as being an oath:
3121 - Abu Sa'id al-Ashajj narrated to us, Ibn 'Ulayyah reported to us, from Khalid, from 'Ikrimah: "Alif. Lam. Mim. is an oath."
(1). Previously referenced.
بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ، عَنْ حُسَيْنِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ الْمُزَنِيِّ، عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ: الم وحم ون وَنَحْوُهَا، اسْمُ اللَّهِ مُقَطَّعَةً- وَرُوِيَ عَنِ السُّدِّيِّ نَحْوُ ذَلِكَ.
[الْوَجْهُ الثَّانِي]
وَمَنْ فَسَّرَهُ عَلَى أَنَّهُ اسْمٌ مِنْ أَسْمَاءِ اللَّهِ وَآلَائِهِ وَبَلَائِهِ:
٣١١٨ - حَدَّثَنَا عِصَامُ بْنُ رَوَّادٍ الْعَسْقَلانِيُّ، ثنا آدَمُ بْنُ أَبِي إِيَاسٍ، ثنا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ الرَّازِيُّ، عَنِ الرَّبِيعِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الْعَالِيَةِ فِي قَوْلِهِ: الم. قَالَ: هَذِهِ الأَحْرُفُ الثَّلاثَةُ مِنَ التِّسْعَةِ وَالْعِشْرِينَ حَرْفًا، دَارَتْ فِيهَا الأَلْسُنُ كُلُّهَا لَيْسَ مِنْهَا حَرْفٌ إِلا وَهُوَ مِفْتَاحُ اسْمٍ مِنْ أَسْمَائِهِ، وَلَيْسَ مِنْهَا حَرْفٌ إِلا وَهُوَ مِنْ آلائِهِ وَبَلائِهِ، وَلَيْسَ مِنْهَا حَرْفٌ إِلا وَهُوَ فِي مُدَّةِ أقوام وآجالهم، فقال عيسى بن مَرْيَمَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: وَعَجِبَ فَقَالَ: وَأَعْجَبُ أَنَّهُمْ يَنْطِقُونَ بِأَسْمَائِهِ، وَيَعِيشُونَ فِي رِزْقِهِ، فَكَيْفَ يَكْفُرُونَ بِهِ، فَالأَلِفُ مِفْتَاحُ اسْمِ اللَّهِ، وَاللامُ مِفْتَاحُ اسْمِهِ لَطِيفٍ، وَالْمِيمُ مِفْتَاحُ اسْمُهُ مجيد، فالألف ستة واللام، وثلاثون الميم أَرْبَعُونَ «١» وَرُوِيَ عَنِ الرَّبِيعِ بْنِ أَنَسٍ نَحْوُ ذَلِكَ.
[الوجه الثالث]
وَمَنْ فَسَّرَهُ عَلَى أَنَّهُ اسْمٌ لِلْقُرْآنِ:
٣١١٩ - حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ أَبِي الرَّبِيعِ، أَنْبَأَ عَبْدُ الرَّزَّاقِ، أَنْبَأَ مَعْمَرٌ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ فِي قَوْلِهِ: ألم قَالَ: اسْمٌ مِنْ أَسْمَاءِ الْقُرْآنِ. وَرُوِيَ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ وَالْحَسَنِ وَزَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ نَحْوُ ذَلِكَ.
[الوجه الرابع]
وَمَنْ فَسَّرَهُ عَلى فَوَاتِحِ الْقُرْآنِ:
٣١٢٠ - حَدَّثَنَا الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ، ثنا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ حَاتِمٍ الْهَرَوِيُّ، ثنا حَجَّاجُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ قَالَ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ أنبأ عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: الم هِيَ فَوَاتِحُ يَفْتَتِحُ اللَّهُ بِهَا الْقُرْآنَ.
[الْوَجْهُ الخامس]
وَمَنْ فَسَّرَهُ عَلَى الْقَسَمِ:
٣١٢١ - حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو سَعِيدٍ الأَشَجُّ ثنا ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ، عَنْ خَالِدٍ، عَنْ عكرمة: الم قسم.
(١) . سبق تخريجه.
