Surah Jonah, peace be upon him

Surah Jonah is Makkan, except for three verses, beginning with His saying, “So if you are in doubt concerning what We have revealed to you,” through to its end.

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

“Alif Lam Ra. These are the verses of the Wise Book.” (1)

Regarding “Alif Lam Ra” and “Alif Lam Mim Ra,” the reciters of the Hijaz and Syria, along with Hafs, recited the ra with an a-vowel in both. The others recited it with imalah, inclining the vowel sound toward e. Ibn Abbas and al-Dahhak said: “Alif Lam Ra” means, “I am Allah; I see,” while “Alif Lam Mim Ra” means, “I am Allah; I know and I see.”

Sa‘id ibn Jubayr said: “Alif Lam Ra,” “Ha Mim,” and “Nun” are letters from the name al-Rahman, the Most Merciful. The discussion of the disconnected letters has preceded. (1)

“These are the verses of the Wise Book,” meaning: these are the verses. By the Wise Book, He means the Quran. It was also said that this refers to the verses that He had sent down before this; hence He said, “These,” which is a feminine demonstrative referring to something absent.

“Wise” means perfected and made decisive through its rulings concerning what is lawful and unlawful, the prescribed punishments, and legal judgments. It is an adjective carrying the meaning of “made firm,” as indicated by His saying: “A Book whose verses are perfected.” (Hud 1)

It was also said that it means “judging,” an adjective in the active sense, as indicated by His saying, exalted is He: “And He sent down with them the Book in truth to judge between the people.” (al-Baqarah 213)

It was further said that it means “that which has been judged,” an adjective in the passive sense. Al-Hasan said: Justice, excellence, and giving to relatives have been decreed therein; and indecency, wrongdoing, and oppression have been forbidden therein. It decrees Paradise for whoever obeys it and the Fire for whoever disobeys it.