Loh-e-Quran with Recitation

Huroof muqatta’at in Arabic means the mysterious or disjointed letters. These are combinations of 1-5 Arabic letters that Allah has placed at the start of many surahs in the Quran. Out of the 114 chapters of the Quran, these letters start 29 of them. These words don’t have an obvious meaning in Arabic and we don’t know the precise importance of these letters. These letters are also known in South Asia and the subcontinent as Loh-e-Qurani, and many people consider them to have various benefits.

Instances in the Quran

●ALM – Alif Laam Meem: At the starts of Surahs al-Baqarah, aal-Imran, al-Ankabut, ar-Rum, Luqman, as-Sajdah

●ALMS – Alif Laam Meem Saad: At the start of Surah al-A’raf

●ALR – Alif Laam Ra: At the start of Surahs Yunus, Hud, Yusuf, Ibrahim, al-Hijr

●ALMR – Alif Laam Meem Raa: At the start of Surah ar-Ra’d

●KHYAS – Kaaf Haa Yaa ‘Ain Saad: At the start of Surah Maryam

●TH – Ta Ha: At the start of Surah Taha

●TSM – Ta Seen Meem: At the start of Surahs ash-Shuara and al-Qasas

●TS – Ta Seen: At the start of Surah an-Naml

●YS – Yaa Seen: At the start of Surah Yaaseen

●S – Saad: At the start of Surah Saad

●HM – Haa Meem: At the start of Surahs Ghaafir, Fussilat, az-Zukhruf, ad-Dukhan, al-Jathiya, and al-Ahqaf

●HMASQ – Haa Meem ‘Ain Seen Qaaf: At the start of Surah ash-Shura

●Q – Qaaf: At the start of Surah Qaaf

●N – Noon: At the start of Surah al-Qalam

The meanings of Loh-e-Qurani

From what we know about Prophet Muhammad (SAWW) and his sunnah, he never specified the meanings of these letters. There are no narrations about him interpreting their meanings. Moreover, many of the companions of the Prophet ((SAWW) also did not try to interpret these verses of the Quran.

These are some inconclusive reports about some of the Prophet ((SAWW)’s companions attempting to explain the meanings. They suggest that these letters represent words and phrases about Allah and His attributes.

What we should think about this is: If the Prophet ((SAWW) and many of his major companions didn’t interpret these letters, do we need to go any further? Logical reasoning suggests that we should accept that we don’t know the exact meanings. Allah knows best.

The Quran is the uncreated Word of Allah. It is His direct speech; therefore, He knows its meanings the best. If we don’t know the meaning of something, it’s better to just leave it be. If we wrongfully interpret the meanings, that is tantamount to disrespect of the Quran.

Blessings and Benefits of Loh-e-Qurani?

People ascribe many various blessings and benefits to these letters. People say that if someone looks at these letters, he will get accordingly whatever he wishes for. Others say that if you see if early during the day, your day will be perfect, and you won’t face any hardship.

The reality is that these are just theories and as Muslims, our faith is based on the Quran and the Sunnah. Unless Allah or His Prophet (PBUH) informed us of any of these alleged benefits, we cannot accept their validity.

We can say that these letters have one benefit, however. Prophet Muhammad (SAWW) specified that a person who recites a letter of the Quran gets ten rewards. Hence, we can say that reciting each letter gets us ten rewards, as is the case with every letter of the Quran.

Conclusion

No one can claim to know the exact meanings of Huroof-e-Muqatta’at or Loh-e-Qurani. That is because Allah and His Prophet (SAWW) didn’t inform us about them. As a result, any supposed meanings are simply speculation.

As with the rest of the Quran, Loh-e-Qurani letters are of significance. However, singling them out for specific benefits and blessings is wrong. Moreover, hanging Loh-e-Qurani calligraphy clearly depends on one’s intentions. If people think of them as a means of gaining blessings or protection, that is like using them as amulets, which Islam doesn’t allow. May Allah protect us and enable us to follow Islam according to the Quran and Sunnah.