Al-'Ankabut 29:1

<h2>Which was revealed in Makkah</h2><div class="arabic uthmani">بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ </div><p>In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.</p><h2>The Believers are tested so that it may be known Who is Sincere and Who is Lying</h2><p>Allah says:</p><div class="arabic uthmani">الم</div><p>Alif Lam Mim. </p><p>In the beginning of the Tafsir of Surah Al-Baqarah, we discussed the letters which appear at the beginning of some Surahs.</p><div class="arabic uthmani">أَحَسِبَ النَّاسُ أَن يُتْرَكُواْ أَن يَقُولُواْ ءَامَنَّا وَهُمْ لاَ يُفْتَنُونَ </div><p>(Do people think that they will be left alone because they say: "We believe," and will not be tested.) This is a rebuke in the form of a question, meaning that Allah will inevitably test His believing servants according to their level of faith, as it recorded in the authentic Hadith:</p><div class="arabic uthmani">«أَشَدُّ النَّاسِ بَلَاءً الْأَنْبِيَاءُ، ثُمَّ الصَّالِحُونَ، ثُمَّ الْأَمْثَلُ فَالْأَمْثَلُ، يُبْتَلَى الرَّجُلُ عَلَى حَسَبِ دِينِهِ، فَإِنْ كَانَ فِي دِينِهِ صَلَابَةٌ زِيدَ لَهُ فِي الْبَلَاء»</div><p>(The people most severly tested are the Prophets, then the righteous, then the next best and the next best. A man will be tested in accordance with the degree of his religious commitment; the stonger his religious commitment, the stronger his test.) This Ayah is like the Ayah,</p><div class="arabic uthmani">أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن …

Alif. Lam. Mim.

A. L. M.

Alif-Lam-Mim. [These letters are one of the miracles of the Quran, and none but Allah (Alone) knows their meanings.]

Alif, Lam, Meem.