Surah Hud

11. Interpretation of the Surah in which Hud (peace be upon him) is mentioned. In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

[His saying, the Almighty: 'Alif-Lam-Ra']

[The first interpretation]

10631 - My father told us, Abu 'Umarah told us, Sharik told us, from 'Ata' ibn al-Sa'ib—Sharik said: I do not see it as anything but from Abu al-Duha, meaning Muslim ibn Subayh, from Ibn 'Abbas—regarding 'Alif-Lam-Ra': He said: 'I am Allah, I see.' It was also narrated from al-Dahhak similarly.

The second interpretation:

10632 - 'Ali ibn al-Husayn told us, Hudbah ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab told us, 'Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn Waqid told us, from his father, from Yazid al-Nahwi, from 'Ikrimah, from Ibn 'Abbas: 'The letters of Al-Rahman (the Most Gracious) are well known.' I narrated this to al-A'mash, and he said: 'You have something like this and you do not tell us?' It was also narrated from Salim ibn 'Abd Allah that he said: 'Alif-Lam-Ra': It is Mercy and Light, the name of al-Rahman is fragmented.'

The third interpretation:

10633 - My father told us, Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-A'la told us, Muhammad ibn Thawr told us, from Ma'mar, from Qatadah regarding 'Alif-Lam-Ra': He said: 'It is one of the names of the Quran.'

The fourth interpretation:

10634 - My father told us, Sahl ibn 'Uthman told us, Yahya ibn Abi Za'idah told us, Ibn Jurayj said: Mujahid said regarding 'Alif-Lam-Ra': He said: 'These are the openings with which Allah opens the Quran.' He said: I said: 'Did you not use to say they are names?' He said: 'No.'

[His saying, the Almighty: 'A Book whose verses have been perfected']

[The first interpretation]

10635 - Abu Sa'id al-Ashajj told us, 'Abd al-Hamid al-Himmani Abu Yahya told us, from Abu Bakr al-Hudhali, from al-Hasan regarding [the verse]: 'A Book whose verses have been perfected': He said: 'They have been perfected with commands and prohibitions.'