الٓر ۚ تِلْكَ ءَايَٰتُ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ
11:2; 12:2; 13:2; 14:2; 15:2.
26:2; 27:2; 31:3.
Important Words:
The abbreviated letters الر (Alif Lam Ra) stand for the words انا الله اری i.e. I am Allah Who is All-Seeing. For a detailed discussion of the مقطعات (abbreviations) see 2:2.
تلك (these) is a demonstrative pronoun used to indicate something distant. See also 2:3.
Commentary:
The placing of the particle تلك (these), which relates to something remote and distant, before the words verses of the Book which evidently are not remote, is not without reason. Various explanations have been given for this: Firstly, it has been said that the revelation of the Quran had been promised in previous Scriptures and the word تلك (these) has been used in reference to those verses of previous Scriptures which contained prophecies about the Quran and which have seen their fulfilment in the Quranic verses. Secondly, according to some commentators, God had with Him the complete Book written beforehand and it was out of that Heavenly Book that He revealed verses from time to time. The reference in the pronoun تلك is thus to the original Book with God. Thirdly, other commentators say that this particle has been used to denote the remoteness of the Quran in respect of its high rank. The use of the particle تلك is thus meant to express the great eminence of the verses of the Quran.
Besides the above explanations, there is yet another one, more obvious and better. In the verse that follows, the words, Is it a matter of wonder for men that We have inspired a man from among them, have been used to represent disbelievers as thinking that it was impossible that God should have chosen from among them a man to whom He should have sent His revelation. The pronoun تلك is meant to remove this misgiving of disbelievers, who are told that the thing which they consider to be so remote and impossible has actually come to pass. This meaning is supported by another verse of the Quran which says, They think it to be far off, but We know it to be nigh (70:7, 8.). The expression, full of wisdom, further points out that, not only is there no improbability or strangeness in God’s revelation being sent to man, but also the seemingly improbable prophecies made in the Quran will certainly be fulfilled in the near future.
The word الحکیم (full of wisdom), for which see 2:130, also points to three distinct qualities of the Quran: (a) that it is full of wisdom, comprising the basis of all spiritual knowledge and inculcating all truths; (b) that it embodies teachings suited to all occasions and all circumstances; and (c) that it gives true judgement in all religious differences.
11:2; 12:2; 13:2; 14:2; 15:2.
26:3; 27:2; 31:3.
See {16}.
Tilka is a demonstrative pronoun used to indicate something distant. The word is said to have been used in reference to those verses of the previous Scriptures which contained prophecies about the Qur’an and which saw their fulfilment in the Quranic verses. While according to some Commentators God had with Him the complete Book written beforehand and it was out of that Heavenly Book that He revealed verses from time to time and the reference is to that original Book with God, according to others the pronoun denotes the remoteness of the Qur’an in respect of its high rank and is meant to express the great eminence of the verses of the Qur’an.
The words 'full of wisdom' point to three distinctive qualities of the Qur’an: (a) It is full of wisdom, inasmuch as it comprises the basis of all spiritual knowledge and inculcates all truths; (b) it embodies teachings suited to all occasions and circumstances; and (c) it gives right judgment in all religious differences.