Yā-Sīn: (1-2) Yā-Sīn

We have previously discussed the general topic of the disconnected letters (Hurūf al-Tahajjī) in Sūrat al-‘Ankabūt, noting that every Sūrah beginning with these letters mentions either the Revelation (Dhikr), the Book (Kitāb), or the Qur’ān at its beginning. Here, we will present several discussions.

The First Discussion

The inclusion of these letters at the beginning of the Sūrahs indicates that they are not devoid of wisdom, even if the extent of that wisdom is beyond human comprehension.

As for what is generally known about the wisdom within them: God Almighty mentioned exactly half of the letters—fourteen letters, which is half of the twenty-eight letters in the Arabic language (assuming the hamzah is the moving alif).

Furthermore, God divided the letters into three groups:

1. The first nine letters (from Alif to Dhāl).
2. The last nine letters (from Fā’ to Yā’).
3. The ten middle letters (from Rā’ to Ghīn).

From the first group, He mentioned two letters (Alif and Ḥā’) and omitted seven. From the last group, He mentioned seven letters and omitted two (Fā’ and Wāw). From the first group (letters of the throat and chest), He omitted only one letter, which is Khā’. From the last group (letters of the lips), He omitted only one letter, which is Mīm.

Regarding the ten middle letters, He mentioned one letter and omitted one in each pair: He mentioned Rā’ and omitted Zāy; mentioned Sīn and omitted Shīn; mentioned Ṣād and omitted Ḍād; mentioned Ṭā’ and omitted Ẓā’; mentioned ʿAyn and omitted Ghīn.

This is not a matter of chance; rather, it is an intentional arrangement pointing to a profound wisdom. That the precise nature of this wisdom is unknown is self-evident.

Suppose someone claims to know the reason. What would they say about some Sūrahs beginning with a single letter (like Nūn, Qāf, Ṣād), some with two (like Ḥā-Mīm, Yā-Sīn, Ṭā-Sīn, Ṭā-Hā), some with three (like Alif-Lām-Mīm, Ṭā-Sīn-Mīm, Alif-Lām-Rā’), some with four (like Alif-Lām-Mīm-Rā’, Alif-Lām-Mīm-Ṣād), and some with five (like Ḥā-Mīm-ʿAyn-Sīn-Qāf, Kāf-Hā-Yā-ʿAyn-Ṣād)?

If someone suggests that this refers to the composition of speech—that it can be a particle (ḥarf), a verb (fiʿl), or a noun (ism)—and notes that particles often appear as single letters (like the wāw of conjunction, the fā’ of sequence, the alif of interrogation, the kāf of similitude, the bā’ of attachment, etc.), and two letters (like min for partiality, aw for choice, a for mid-interrogation, anna for condition, etc.), and that nouns, verbs, and particles can appear as three letters (like ilā and ʿalā for particles and nouns, and alā ya’lū and ʿalā yaʿlū for verbs), and nouns and verbs as four letters, while nouns alone can be three, four, or five letters (like fijl, sijill, jardahal)... If this is the case, what would this claimant say about restricting certain Sūrahs to one letter and others to more?

The complete secret is known only to God, or to whomever God informs.

Once this is established, we say: Know that acts of worship (ʿibādah) are of three types: those of the heart, those of the tongue, and those of the limbs. Each type has two categories: one whose meaning and reality are known, and one whose meaning is not known.

Even in the acts of the heart, which are furthest from doubt and ignorance, there are aspects whose rationale is not known by reason, yet belief and conviction are obligatory based on transmission (sam‘). Examples include the Ṣirāṭ (bridge), which is finer than a hair and sharper than a sword, which the believer and the certain will cross like a lightning flash; the Mīzān (Scales) by which deeds lacking apparent weight are weighed; and the nature of Paradise and Hellfire. The existence of these things is not known by rational proof; what is known rationally is only their possibility, while their occurrence is established with certainty through transmission. Other aspects of the heart's worship are known, such as Tawḥīd (Oneness of God), Prophethood, God's Power, and the truthfulness of the Messenger.

Similarly, among the physical acts of worship, some meanings are known and some are not, such as the precise measure of effort required or the number of rak‘ahs (units of prayer). The wisdom behind this is that when the servant performs what is commanded without knowing the benefit therein, they are performing pure worship. This contrasts with a situation where the benefit is known; in that case, they might perform it for the sake of the benefit, even if they lack faith—like if a master tells his slave to move these stones without explaining why, the slave moves them. But if the master says, "Move them, for beneath them is a treasure for you," the slave moves them even without faith.

Given this, the same applies to the verbal acts of worship (remembrance/recitation). It is necessary that some of them have meanings that are not understood. Thus, when the servant utters them, it is known that their intention is nothing but submission to the command of the commanding and forbidding Deity. When one says, {Ḥā-Mīm. Yā-Sīn. Alif-Lām-Mīm. Ṭā-Sīn.}, they utter them not for a meaning they or others understand, but in fulfillment of what they have been commanded.

The Second Discussion

Regarding Yā-Sīn specifically, it has been suggested that it is a call (nidā’) meaning "O Human Being" (Yā Insān). The reasoning is that the diminutive form of Insān is Unaysīn. It is as if the first part (In) was dropped, and the latter part (sīn) was taken, resulting in {Yā-Sīn}, meaning Unaysīn. Based on this interpretation, the address could be directed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), supported by the subsequent verse: {Indeed, you are one of the Messengers}.

The Third Discussion

The recitation of Yā-Sīn has several variants:

1. With Raf‘ (Nominative): As the predicate of an omitted subject, as if saying, "This is Yā-Sīn."
2. With Ḍamm (Nominative): As a vocative for a singular noun, or as an indeclinable word like ḥaythu.
3. With Naṣb (Accusative): Meaning "Recite Yā-Sīn" (Utlu Yā-Sīn).
4. With Fatḥ (Accusative): Like ayna and kayfa.
5. With Kasr (Genitive): Like jīr, due to the sukūn on the Yā’ and the kasrah preceding it. It cannot be in the genitive case (Jarr) because omitting the preposition is impermissible, and there is no explicit preposition of oath present.

And His saying, {Wa al-Qur’ān al-Ḥakīm} (And by the Wise Qur’ān), means the Qur’ān possessing wisdom, similar to ʿīshatan raḍiyyah (a pleasing life, i.e., one possessing pleasure), or it means it speaks forth wisdom, like a living, speaking being.

7 < { Indeed, you are one of the Messengers. } > 7

And His saying, {Indeed, you are one of the Messengers}...