English Translation of Al-Quran
[32]. Surah As-Sajdah [The Prostration]
Ayat 1. Alif-Lâm-Mim. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur’an, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings.]
Ayat 2. The revelation of the Book (this Qur’an) is from the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists) in which there is no doubt!
Tafseer of Surah Al Sajdah (The Prostration) Ayat 1. A. L. M. These are abbreviated letters, the Muqatta’at, on which a general discussion will be found in Appendix I (at the end of this Surah). The particular letters, Alif, Lam, Mim, are found prefixed to this Surah, and Surahs 3, 29, 30, 31 and 32 (six in all). In 2 and 3 the argument is about the rise and fall of nations, their past, and their future in history, with ordinances for the new universal people of Islam. In 29 a similar argument about nations leads off to the mystery of Life and Death, Failure and Triumph, Past and Future, in the history of individual souls. The burden of 30 is that Allah is the source of all things and all things return to Him. In 31 and 32 the same lesson is enforced: Allah is the Creator and He will be the Judge on the Last Day. There is therefore a common thread, the mystery of Life and Death, Beginning and End. Much has been written about the meaning of these letters, but most of it is pure conjecture. Some commentators are content to recognize them as some mystic symbols of which it is unprofitable to discuss the meaning by more verbal logic. Ayat 2. (This is) the Revelation of the Book in which there is no doubt, from the Lord of the Worlds. By the time of Prophet ﷺ, the earlier Book of Revelation had been corrupted by human ignorance or selfishness or fraud, or misinterpreted or lost altogether. There were sects violently disputing with each other as to their true meaning. Such doubts had to be set at rest and they were set at rest by the revelation of the Qur’an. The Quranic inspiration came directly from Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and did not consist merely of human conjecture or a reconstructed philosophy, in which there is always room for doubt or dispute. Cf. also 2:2.
English Translation of Hadith
Hazrat Abu Umamah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ [SAWW](PBUH) said, “The superiority of the learned over the devout worshipper is like my superiority over the most inferior amongst you (in good deeds).” He went on to say, “Allah, His angels, the dwellers of the heaven and the earth, and even the ant in its hole and the fish (in water) supplicate in favor of those who teach people knowledge.”
[At-Tirmidhi, Hadith # 2685]
Lesson : as mentioned above in Surah As-Sajda Ayat 02. “The revelation of the Book (this Qur’an) is from the Lord of the ‘Alamin in which there is no doubt” Alim (learned person) here means scholar of the Qur’an and Hadith, who adheres to Faraid and Sunnah and remains busy in learning and imparting knowledge. `Abid (devout worshipper) is one who spends most of his time in the worship of Allah. The benefit of his voluntary prayer and remembrance of Allah is restricted to his own self while the benefit of knowledge of the scholar reaches others also. Hence, of the two, the latter is far superior. If Salat is mentioned with reference to Allah, it denotes “Allah’s Grace with Mercy;” if it is mentioned with reference to the angels, it denotes “to pray for forgiveness;” and if it is mentioned with reference to other creatures – men, animals, etc., – then it means prayer and supplication. Thus, Allah graces that person with His Mercy who teaches people the beneficial knowledge, i.e., the knowledge of Islam; angels pray to Allah to forgive his (or her) sins; and other creatures pray for his (or her) well-being. In this way, this Hadith stresses the distinction of religious scholars and highlights the esteem in which they are held by Allah, His angels and His other creatures.
