Allah. As for hā, it stands for the Abyss; as for wāw, woe to whoever is heedless; as for zāy, the corner; and as for hā, the remission of sins for those who seek forgiveness before dawn.” He related the remainder of the hadith along similar lines.

He mentioned a second report transmitted by ‘Abd al-Rahīm ibn Wāqid: “Al-Furāt ibn al-Sā’ib narrated to me, from Maymūn ibn Mihrān, from Ibn ‘Abbās, who said:

“There is nothing without a reason, but not everyone perceives it or has heard of it. Indeed, Abī Jādd has a remarkable story. As for ‘Abū Jādd,’ Adam refused to obey and persisted in eating from the tree. As for ‘hawwaz,’ Adam slipped and fell from heaven to earth. As for ‘huttī,’ his sin was remitted. As for ‘kalaman,’ it refers to his eating from the tree and being favoured with repentance.” He related the remainder of the report along similar lines.

He mentioned a third report transmitted by Ismā‘īl ibn ‘Ayyāsh, from Ismā‘īl ibn Yahyā, from Ibn Abī Mulayka, from someone who narrated to him from Ibn Mas‘ūd; and by Mis‘ar ibn Kidām, from Abū Sa‘īd, who said:

The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “The mother of Jesus son of Mary entrusted him to the elementary school to be taught. The teacher said to him, ‘Write: “In the name of Allah.”’ Jesus asked him, ‘What does “In the name of Allah” mean?’ The teacher replied, ‘I do not know.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Bā stands for Allah’s splendour, sīn for His radiance, and mīm for His sovereignty. Allah is the God of gods. Al-Rahmān is merciful in this world and the Hereafter, and al-Rahīm is merciful in the Hereafter. Abū Jādd: alif stands for Allah’s blessings; bā, Allah’s splendour; jīm, Allah’s beauty; and dāl, Allah the Everlasting. And hawwaz: hā stands for the Abyss.’” He also mentioned a report