ALIF – The Secrets and Realities of the Arabic Letter Alif

أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ مِنَ الشَّيطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

A’uzu Billahi Minash Shaitanir Rajeem
Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

I seek refuge in Allah from the accursed Satan
In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

Alhamdulillah (All praise is for Allah (AJ)). Durood wa Salaam (blessings and peace) on Muhammad (pbuh), his holy Family, and his holy Companions.

The Arabic letter Alif is equivalent to the letter ‘A’ in the English alphabet. It is the first letter in the Arabic character set.  Alif in Arabic numerology which is known as Abjad, it is also the first letter and has the value of 1. This article is about the spiritual meaning of the letter  Alif.

THE LETTER ALIF

Alif is the first letter in the Name Allah. Everything is Created by Allah, so everything begins in the Name of Allah Most Gracious Most Merciful. Because Allah is Ahad (One), His Name, which is Ism Zaat – Personal Name [Allah], Starts with the Letter Alif which has a numerical value of 1.

الاحد Al Ahad

الله Allah,

When Allah Creates, there is no change in Him. He is as He was. Because of Allah’s Existence, everything else exists. Nothing can exist without Allah’s Existence. [hds 1]

To show a crude example:

0 – 0 = 0 = Nothing = No existence without ‘1’

0 + 0 = 0 = Nothing = No existence without ‘1’

1 – 0 = 1 = No change in ‘1’

1 + 0 = 1 = No change in ‘1’

Allah Named Himself Allah. He is Allah the One. Allah’s Ism Zaat is Allah and not ilaha (God). Why is that? Why did Allah Name Himself Allah الله ?

THE NAME ALLAH

The name Allah is Special. Allah is the one Name that has been openly shown in the holy Qur’an with all the Glory. If we start with the Name Allah as follows:

اَللهُ Allah and take away the first letter which is Alif we arrive at:
لِلّه  Lillah If we now take away the first Laam (ل) from Lillah we arrive at:

لَهُ  Lahu If we now take away the next Laam (ل) from Lahu we arrive at:
Hu which is essentially هو

In each of the above instances we are referring to Allah and no one else. Then how can we say that God is the translation of the NAME ALLAH? No one can justify substituting the word God wherever the Name Allah is used in the Quran. The Name Allah must be left alone as the Name Allah in all translations regardless of language. As stated in the article on theLetter Ha (ح)in the section Asma ul Husna (the beautiful Names of Allah) the sound of the Letters is very important. If we say “God”, we make a different sound to the one when we say “Allah“. Which sound would Allah Himself Like to Hear? After all Allah is the One who is Samee’ ud Du’a the Hearer of prayer.

IMAN – BELIEF IN ALLAH 

Iman is belief. Muslims are required to believe. Believe what? [Q’n 1]

آمَنَ الرَّ‌سُولُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّ‌بِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّـهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُ‌سُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّ‌قُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّ‌سُلِهِ ۚ وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَ‌انَكَ رَ‌بَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ‌ ﴿٢٨٥﴾

“The Rasol (Messenger) believes in what has been revealed to him from his Rabb (Lord) as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believes in Allah His angels His books and His Rasols (Messengers) “We make no distinction (they say) between one and another of His Rasols (Messengers).” And they say: “We hear and we obey; (We seek) Your forgiveness Our Rabb (Lord) and to You is the end of all journeys.”
[Quran: Al Baqara Chapter 2:285]

We have to believe in Allah because we have already agreed with Him that He is our Rabb ! That was in our spirit state. So how can we now deny that Allah exists now that we have hidden ourselves behind a physical body?

وَإِذْ أَخَذَ رَ‌بُّكَ مِن بَنِي آدَمَ مِن ظُهُورِ‌هِمْ ذُرِّ‌يَّتَهُمْ وَأَشْهَدَهُمْ عَلَىٰ أَنفُسِهِمْ أَلَسْتُ بِرَ‌بِّكُمْ ۖ قَالُوا بَلَىٰ ۛ شَهِدْنَا ۛ أَن تَقُولُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّا كُنَّا عَنْ هَـٰذَا غَافِلِينَ ﴿١٧٢

“When your Rabb (Lord) drew forth from the children of Adam from their loins their descendants and made them testify concerning themselves (saying): “Am I not your Rabb (Lord)?” They said: “Yea! we do testify!” (This) in case you should say on the Day of Judgment: “of this we were unaware.”
[Quran: Al Aaraf Chapter 7:172]

• When Allah created our spirits He said Alastu Bi Rabbi Kum الست بربكم – Am I not your Rabb (Lord) ?

• We all answered Balaa Yes.

• Notice the first question that Allah asked us starts with the Letter Alif. The first words we spoke start with the Letter (2) Ba ب.

Those who believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His Rasols are Muslims. The religion chosen by Allah for a believer is Islam اسلام .

حُرِّ‌مَتْ عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَيْتَةُ وَالدَّمُ وَلَحْمُ الْخِنزِيرِ‌ وَمَا أُهِلَّ لِغَيْرِ‌ اللَّـهِ بِهِ وَالْمُنْخَنِقَةُ وَالْمَوْقُوذَةُ وَالْمُتَرَ‌دِّيَةُ وَالنَّطِيحَةُ وَمَا أَكَلَ السَّبُعُ إِلَّا مَا ذَكَّيْتُمْ وَمَا ذُبِحَ عَلَى النُّصُبِ وَأَن تَسْتَقْسِمُوا بِالْأَزْلَامِ ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ فِسْقٌ ۗ الْيَوْمَ يَئِسَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُ‌وا مِن دِينِكُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِ ۚ الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَ‌ضِيتُ لَكُمُ الْإِسْلَامَ دِينًا ۚ فَمَنِ اضْطُرَّ‌ فِي مَخْمَصَةٍ غَيْرَ‌ مُتَجَانِفٍ لِّإِثْمٍ ۙ فَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ غَفُورٌ‌ رَّ‌حِيمٌ ﴿٣﴾ سورة المائدة

3 Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat blood the flesh of swine and that on which has been invoked the name of other than Allah that which has been killed by strangling or by a violent blow or by a headlong fall or by being gored to death; that which has been (partly) eaten by a wild animal; unless you are able to slaughter it (in due form); that which is sacrificed on stone (altars); (forbidden) also is the division (of meat) by raffling with arrows: that is impiety. This day have those who reject faith given up all hope of your religion: yet fear them not but fear Me. This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed my favour upon you and have chosen for you ISLAM اسلام as your religion. But if any one is forced by hunger with no inclination to transgression Allah is indeed Forgiving Most Merciful.
[Quran: Al Maida Chapter 5:3]

The beauty of the above verse is that it occurs in the first chapter with the name starting with the Letter Meem (م) – Maida مائدة. The word Islam اسلام starts with an Alif and finishes on Meem (م) . The Deen (religion) of Islam is perfected for Allah’s Beloved Muhammad ﷺ and his community – Muslims. And speaking of our Master Muhammad ﷺ , he is the direct the descendant of Ibraheem(as) ابراهيم.

• اسلام Islam
•  ابراهيم Ibraheem(as)

IBRAHEEM (AS)

Ibraheem (as) is the only Messenger of Allah whose name has been spelt in two different ways in the Quran. Initially the name is spelt Ibrahem (as) اِبرَاهِمْ then the spellings change to Ibraheem (as) ابراهيم. Why ?

Initially Ibrahem (as) ابراهم was seeking the Truth. He was seeking knowledge. He found the Truth. Then he asked Allah to show him how Allah gives life. Allah showed him how. Allah bestowed knowledge (ي) on Ibraheem ابراهيم. [hds?]

Rasol Allah said, “We are more liable to be in doubt than Ibraheem when he said, ‘My Lord! Show me how You give life to the dead.” [Sahih Bukhari]

يَا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ لِمَ تُحَاجُّونَ فِي إِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ وَمَا أُنزِلَتِ التَّوْرَ‌اةُ وَالْإِنجِيلُ إِلَّا مِن بَعْدِهِ ۚ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٦٥﴾ هَا أَنتُمْ هَـٰؤُلَاءِ حَاجَجْتُمْ فِيمَا لَكُم بِهِ عِلْمٌ فَلِمَ تُحَاجُّونَ فِيمَا لَيْسَ لَكُم بِهِ عِلْمٌ ۚ وَاللَّـهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٦٦﴾ مَا كَانَ إِبْرَ‌اهِيمُ يَهُودِيًّا وَلَا نَصْرَ‌انِيًّا وَلَـٰكِن كَانَ حَنِيفًا مُّسْلِمًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِ‌كِينَ ﴿٦٧﴾ إِنَّ أَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِإِبْرَ‌اهِيمَ لَلَّذِينَ اتَّبَعُوهُ وَهَـٰذَا النَّبِيُّ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ۗ وَاللَّـهُ وَلِيُّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ﴿٦٨﴾

65 People of the Scripture! Why do you argue about Ibraheem, when the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed till after him? Have you no sense?
66 You are those who argue about that which you have some knowledge: Why then do you argue concerning that which you have no knowledge? Allah knows. You do not know.
67 Ibraheem was not a Jew, nor yet a Christian; but he was an upright man who had surrendered (to Allah), and he was not of the idolaters.
68 Those of mankind who have the best claim to Ibraheem are those who followed him, and this Nabee (Prophet) and those who believe (with him); and Allah is the Protecting Friend of the believers.
[Quran: Al Imran Chapter 3:65-68]

Islam is the religion of Ibraheem (as) that has been perfected by the arrival of Muhammadﷺ in this world. How was Islam perfected ?

THE BEGINNING OF REVELATION

Jibreel (as) appeared in the cave Hira and said Iqra  (Read). The first Letter uttered by Jibreel was  Alif in the word Iqraa اقرأ (Read). Muhammad ﷺ replied: Ma ana bi qaree. ” I do not know how to read.” The first Letter uttered by Muhammad ﷺ was Meem (م). [Q’n 4]

Iqraa اقرأ

Islam is Between Alif and Meem

Islam اسلام is somewhere between  Alif ا and Meem (م). That is Islamاسلام begins from  Alif and completes on Meem (م). [img]

Islam اسلام

Another way of looking at this is that Ibraheem (as) was on the religion of Islam. Muhammad ﷺ is the direct descendant of Ibraheem (as). With Muhammadﷺ being the Seal of Messengers, the religion of Islam had to start with  Alif and finish on Meem (م). Ibraheem (as) built the Kaaba in Makkah as the first house and Muhammad ﷺ restored it by removing all the idols from it.

THE PERFECTION OF ISLAM

The perfection of Islam has been recorded in the holy Quran. The holy Quran is the perfection. The Quran is packed with Verses or Signs or Ayats آياتها. Why are the verses referred to as Ayats (signs)?

Ayats (signs) آياتها

• The entire Quran is from Allah (1)

• Full of Knowledge (ي). The Letter Ya (ي) leads us back to the Letter  Alif as it was stated in the Book on the Letter Ya (ي).

• We must do توبه Tawba (ت) repent or turn back and find هو Hu ( (5) and Hu is Allah (1) !

Every Ayat آية [verse/sign] in the Quran is perfect. Since Islam has been perfected by Allah there is no room for another Messenger after Muhammad ﷺ.

THE FIRST AND LAST EXISTENCE

Allah is the Awwal اول (First) and He is the Akhir آخر (Last). The First existence was that of Allah and there was nothing with Him. In the end there will be Allah and there will be nothing with Him. And as Hadrat Ali Karam Ullah Wajha said: “This moment is that very moment”.

May Allah have Mercy on us all. Ameen.

Only Allah Knows Best.

Khalid M. Malik Ghouri

 اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ، وَعَلَى آلِ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَ سَلِّمْ. 

“Allahumma salli ‘ala Sayyidina Muhammadin wa ‘ala aali  Sayyidina Muhammadin wa Sallim.” 

 “O Allah! Send Peace and blessings upon our master Prophet Muhammad and upon the Family of our master Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)” 

ALLAHUMMA SALLI ALA MUHAMMADIN WA ALA ALI MUHAMMADIN KAMA SALLAITA ALA IBRAHEEMA WA ALA ALI IBRAHEEM INNAKA HAMEEDUM MAJEED.

NAMES OF ALLAH STARTING WITH THE LETTER ALIF

1. الله Allah,
2. الاحد Al Ahad,
3. الاول  Al Awwal,
4. الآخر Al Akhir

Darood (Blessings) and Salaam (Peace) on Sayedina Muhammad (s), His Family, and His Companions

Related Articles:

• ALIF LAAM MEEM. “Huda lil Muttaqeen” (2:2)- Who are Muttaqeen?
• Arabic Letter Ha (ح)
• Arabic Letter Yaa (ي)
• Main Page of Ilm e Huroof – Fawatih (Opening) and Muqatta’at Letter

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