The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 4) — Page 477
PT. 19 ركوعاتها ٧ سُورَةُ النَّمْلِ مَكِيةٌ ٢٧ اتها ٩٤ (AN-NAML) 1. "In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. 2814 CH. 27 بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ the Quran, and of an illuminating Book, 2814A قف طس تِلْكَ ايْتُ الْقُرْآنِ وَكِتَابِ Ta Sin. These are verses of. 2 مبينة çksjykäejai; هُدًى وَبُشْرَى لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ 3. dA guidance and good tidings to those who would believe, 2815 "See 1:1. 26:2; 28:2. 15:2; 26:3; 28:3. d2:3; 10:58; 12:112; 31:4. 2814. Commentary: See 1:1. 2814A. Commentary: For a general discussion about abbreviated letters see 2:2 & 19:2 and about see 26:2. It is significant that whereas 26th and 28th chapters which have the abbreviated letters in their beginning open with the verse "These are the verses of the clear Book", the present Surah which is prefixed with b begins with the verse, "These are verses of the Quran, and of an illuminating Book. " This shows that while in the former two Surahs the Quran was alluded to only with reference to Moses' Book, in the present Surah it has been mentioned expressly and by name, as in the verse under comment as well as in vv. 7, 93. One more fact deserves special notice. The verse has used two descriptive words for the Quran, viz. i. e. the Book and the Quran. The use of these two words implies a 2391 mighty prophecy that the Holy Book of Islam will continue to be preserved in the form of a book till the end of time and that it will be widely studied and read, the word ✓✓ meaning a book that is read. This prophecy was made at a time when the very art of printing had not yet been known and it was made to a people most of whom could not even read or write. The prophecy has met with marvellous fulfilment. Even the most hostile opponent of Islam can hardly deny the fact that no other book is so widely and frequently read as the Quran. The famous German orientalist Nöldeke writes: "Since the use of the Koran in public worship, in schools and otherwise, is much more extensive than, for example, the reading of the Bible in most Christian countries, it has been truly described as the most widely read book in existence" (Enc. Bri. 9th edit. vol. 16, p. 597). 2815. Commentary: The verse points to the two