Surah Hud (11) — Ayah 1

In this Surah, there is the invitation to Tawheed, the steadfastness of the Prophets during this invitation, the circumstances and events they faced, the worst outcome of those who denied them and the mention of the punishments that befell them, as well as the salvation of the believers and the blessings of Allah bestowed upon them. Since the aspect of warning (intimidation) is predominant in it, it had a great effect on the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Thus, Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: [ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ! قَدْ شِبْتَ، قَالَ شَيَّبَتْنِيْ هُوْدٌ وَالْوَاقِعَةُ وَالْمُرْسَلاَتُ وَ { عَمَّ يَتَسَآءَلُوْنَ۠} وَ { اِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ } ] [ ترمذی، التفسیر، باب ومن سورۃ الواقعۃ : ۳۲۹۷۔ السلسلۃ الصحیحۃ : ۹۵۵ ] "O Messenger of Allah! You have grown old." He replied: "Hud, Waqi'ah, Mursalat, 'Amma Yatasa'aloon, and Takweer have made me old."

(Ayah 1) ➊ {الٓرٰ:} See the first verse of Surah Al-Baqarah.

➋ {كِتٰبٌ اُحْكِمَتْ اٰيٰتُهٗ :} Here, four attributes of the Noble Qur'an are mentioned. The first is that this Qur'an (a recited collection) is also a Book (a written collection). The second is that its verses are Muhkam, meaning they have been revealed perfectly, strongly, and unalterably, in which there is no flaw or deficiency, nor are they (collectively) abrogated, nor will they ever be abrogated, nor can any book be brought in comparison to it, even if all creation were to gather together. Only this Book has such Muhkam verses.

➌ { ثُمَّ فُصِّلَتْ:} The third is that its verses are so clear and explained in detail that there is no ambiguity or complexity in the meaning of any verse. Then, the entire Book is divided into different Surahs and verses. Each verse is separate, independent in its place, like a very beautiful necklace strung with pearls of various subjects—Tawheed, the Hereafter, Prophethood, stories—each shining in its own place with utmost appropriate distance, order, and beauty. Then, even in revelation, the verses and Surahs were revealed separately as needed. {’’ فُصِّلَتْ ‘‘} includes all these aspects.

➍ { مِنْ لَّدُنْ حَكِيْمٍ خَبِيْرٍ :} The fourth is that it is not the composition of any human, angel, jinn, or any creature, but rather the speech of that Pure Being who is Hakim. One meaning of Hakim is the One who makes things firm and strong, whose every creation is extremely solid, perfect, and strong. He said: «{ صُنْعَ اللّٰهِ الَّذِيْۤ اَتْقَنَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ }» [ النمل : ۸۸ ] "By the craftsmanship of Allah, Who perfected all things." That is, the mountains and their movement on the Day of Resurrection like clouds is the craftsmanship of Allah, Who perfected all things. If this is the state of His creation, can there be any limit to the perfection of His speech? The second meaning of Hakim is the One with wisdom, that is, the One full of wisdom. That is, all its verses are filled with perfect wisdom and knowledge. Khabeer means the One Who sent it down is fully aware of everything.

1. Alif, Lam, Ra. This is a Book whose verses have been made firm,
2. then explained in detail,
3. from One who is Wise, All-Aware.

1. Alif, Lam, Ra. This is a Book whose verses have been made firm [1] and then explained in detail by One who is All-Wise, All-Aware.

[1]
The Meaning of Muhkam Verses:

In verse 7 of Surah Aal-e-Imran, it is stated that some verses of the Noble Quran are muhkam (clear and decisive), while others are mutashabih (ambiguous). Linguistically, muhkam can be referred to anything that has been made firm in its structure through wisdom, prudence, and experience, as in the Divine statement: ﴿ثُمَّ يُحْكِمُ اللّٰهُ اٰيٰتِهٖ﴾ [52: 22]. And when the word mutashabih is mentioned in contrast to muhkam, then muhkam means such verses in which there is no verbal or conceptual ambiguity—in other words, their meanings are absolutely clear and cannot be interpreted otherwise. That is, the verses of the Quran are muhkam, and their wisdom and details have been explained in other verses at different places. For example, ﴿لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ﴾ is a reality that is mentioned in all heavenly laws, and in the Noble Quran, its details have been revealed at dozens, rather hundreds, of places at different times, but all of them continue to further strengthen and reinforce this reality, and there is never any contradiction or conflict among them. This is clear evidence that the entire Noble Quran is revealed from a Wise and All-Aware Being. Some commentators interpret the making of verses muhkam to mean that the verses of the Noble Quran are such that if sound intellect reflects upon them, it finds no flaw or deficiency, and they meet every standard—whether they relate to past events or predictions about the future, and whether they are rulings that extend from the refinement of morals to national politics, as well as the supreme felicity in the Hereafter, and relate to any aspect of life, and whether they are proofs of the affirmation of monotheism. And among those rulings whose verification can be tested on the touchstone of experience in this world, they are proven to be true and correct. Such reports and such rulings are mentioned throughout the Quran, sometimes concisely and sometimes in detail, and the absence of any flaw, deficiency, or contradiction in all such verses itself is proof that they are revealed from a Wise and All-Aware Being.