Muqatta'at (Arabic: مقطعات) are unique letter combinations that appear in the beginning of 29 suras (chapters) of the Qur'an. Muqatta'at literally means abbreviated or shortened. Their meanings remain unclear and are considered by most Muslims to be divine secrets.
They are also known as fawātih (فواتح) or "openers" as they form the opening verse of their respective suras. Other names include the broken, dis-joined, initial, or isolated letters of the Qur'an.
They are also known as fawātih (فواتح) or "openers" as they form the opening verse of their respective suras. Other names include the broken, dis-joined, initial, or isolated letters of the Qur'an.
The complete Muqatta'at letters and their appearance in the Quran
- Chapter 2, Surah Al-Baqara (The Cow) : ʾAlif Lām Mīm
- Chapter 3, Surah Āl-Imran : ʾAlif Lām Mīm
- Chapter 7, Surah Al-Aʿarāf : ʾAlif Lām Mīm Ṣād
- Chapter 10, Surah Yunus : ʾAlif Lām Rāʾ
- Chapter 11, Surah Al-Hud : ʾAlif Lām Rāʾ
- Chapter 12, Surah Yusuf : ʾAlif Lām Rāʾ
- Chapter 13, Surah Al-Raʿd : ʾAlif Lām Mīm Rāʾ
- Chapter 14, Surah Ibrahim : ʾAlif Lām Rāʾ
- Chapter 15, Surah Al-Ḥijr : ʾAlif Lām Rāʾ
- Chapter 19, Surah Maryam : Kāf Hāʾ Yāʾ ʿAin Ṣād
- Chapter 20, Surah Ṭāʾ-Hāʾ : Ṭāʾ Hāʾ
- Chapter 26, Surah Al-Sha'ra (The Poets) : Ṭāʾ Sīn Mīm
- Chapter 27, Surah Al-Namal (The Ant) : Ṭāʾ Sīn
- Chapter 28, Surah Al-Qaṣaṣ : Ṭāʾ Sīn Mīm
- Chapter 29, Surah Al-Ankabut (The Spider) : ʾAlif Lām Mīm
- Chapter 30, Surah Al-Rom (The Romans) : ʾAlif Lām Mīm
- Chapter 31, Surah Luqmān : ʾAlif Lām Mīm
- Chapter 32, Surah Al-Sajda (The Adoration) : ʾAlif Lām Mīm
- Chapter 36, Surah Yāʾ-Sīn : Yāʾ Sīn
- Chapter 38, Surah Ṣād : Ṣād
- Chapter 40, Surah Al-Mu'min (The Believer) : Ḥāʾ Mīm
- Chapter 41, Surah Al-Fuṣṣilat : Ḥāʾ Mīm
- Chapter 42, Surah Al-Shūrā : Ḥāʾ Mīm; ʿAin Sīn Qāf
- Chapter 43, Surah Al-Zukruf (The Embellishment) : Ḥāʾ Mīm
- Chapter 44, Surah Al-Duqqan (The Smoke) : Ḥāʾ Mīm
- Chapter 45, Surah Al-Jasiya (The Kneeling) : Ḥāʾ Mīm
- Chapter 46, Surah Al-Ahqaf (The Sandhills) : Ḥāʾ Mīm
- Chapter 50, Surah Qāf : Qāf
- Chapter 68, Surah Al-Qalam (The Pen) : Nūn