“If anyone recites a letter of God’s Book he will be credited with a good deed, and a good deed gets a tenfold reward (Al-Qur’ān, 6:160). I do not say that A.L.M are one letter*, but alif is a letter, lām is a letter and mīm is a letter.” *These letters occur at the beginning of sūras 2, 3, 29, 30, 31 and 32. No satisfactory explanation of their meaning has been given. A brief discussion of them is given by Abdullāh Yūsuf Ali in The Holy Qur’ān, Text, Translation & Commentary (Lahore, 1934 and later editions), note 25. Sea also pp. 118-120.Tirmidhī and Dārimī transmitted it, Tirmidhī saying this is a hasan sahīh tradition whose isnad is gharīb.
The Excellence of Reciting the Qur'an
This noble hadith from the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) establishes the immense reward for reciting the Qur'an, even for single letters. The Prophet clarifies that compound letters like "Alif-Lam-Mim" are counted as three separate letters, each bringing its own reward.
Divine Multiplication of Rewards
Allah promises in Surah Al-An'am (6:160) that a single good deed is multiplied tenfold. When applied to Qur'an recitation, each letter brings ten rewards, demonstrating Allah's boundless generosity toward those who engage with His revealed words.
The Mysterious Letters
The reference to "A.L.M" (Alif-Lam-Mim) points to the disconnected letters that begin certain surahs. While their precise meaning is known only to Allah, scholars suggest they emphasize the Qur'an's miraculous nature and challenge those who doubt its divine origin.
Scholarly Authentication
This tradition is recorded in Mishkat al-Masabih 2137 and classified by Imam Tirmidhi as hasan sahīh gharīb, indicating its sound authenticity through a unique chain of transmission. This underscores the reliability of this teaching about Qur'anic virtues.