Surah Sad—Meccan (1)

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

“Sad. By the Quran, full of reminder. Yet those who disbelieve persist in pride and defiance.”

Regarding “Sad,” it has been said that it is an oath; and it has also been said that it is the name of the surah, as we have mentioned concerning the other isolated letters at the beginnings of the surahs.

Muhammad ibn Ka‘b al-Qurazi said: “Sad is the opening letter of the names al-Samad (the Self-Sufficient One) and Sadiq al-Wa‘d (the One true to His promise).” (2)

Al-Dahhak said: Its meaning is: “Allah has spoken the truth.” (3)

It is also related from Ibn ‘Abbas—may Allah be pleased with him—that it means: “Muhammad ﷺ has spoken the truth.”

“By the Quran, full of reminder,” that is, possessing clear exposition, according to Ibn ‘Abbas and Muqatil. Al-Dahhak said: possessing honour, as indicated by His saying, “It is certainly a source of honour for you and your people” (al-Zukhruf 43:44). This is an oath.

They differed over the response to the oath. It was said that its response has already preceded it, namely His saying, “Sad”: Allah swore by the Quran that Muhammad ﷺ has indeed spoken the truth.

Al-Farra’ said: “Sad” means: “It has become binding and established,” and this is the response to His saying, “By the Quran,” just as one says, “It has come down, by Allah.” (4)

It was also said that the response to the oath is omitted; its implied meaning is: “By the Quran, full of reminder, the matter is not as the disbelievers claim.” His saying, “Yet those who disbelieve,” indicates this omitted response.