Surah Maryam Verse 1

2455 This is the only Surah which begins with these five Abbreviated Letters, Kaf, Ha Ya 'Ayn, Sad. For Abbreviated Letters generally, see Appendix I. As stated in my note 25, such Letters are Symbols, of which the true meaning is known to Allah alone. We should not be dogmatic about any conjectures that we make. According to the interpretation of the last letter Sad, suggested in n. 989 to 7:1. I should be disposed to accept Sad with the meaning of Qisas, i.e., stories of the Prophets. The main figures referred to here are: Zakariya, Yahya, Maryam, Isa, and Ibrahim: the others are mentioned but incidentally. The strong letter in Zakariya, is K; in IbraHim. H; in YahYa and perhaps MarYam, Y; and in Isa,—A ('Ayn). H also comes in Harun (Aaron), and the Arabic Ya 'comes in all the names including Isma'il and Idris. I offer this suggestion with some diffidence. The suggestion of the Tafsir Kabir is that the letters stand for attributes of Allah: K for Kafi (the One sufficient in Himself); H. for Hadi (He who guides); Y. for Yad (Hand as a symbol of Power and Authority; Cf. 48;10, "The Hand of Allah is above their hands"); 'A- for ' Alim (the All-Knowing); and S for Sadiq (The True One).