Jonah
IN THE NAME OF GOD, THE MOST GRACIOUS, THE DISPENSER OF GRACE[10:1]
Alif. Lām. Rā.
THESE ARE MESSAGES of the divine writ, full of wisdom.

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* v.1 : See Appendix II.
* The term hakīm – which, when qualifying an animated being, may be translated as “wise” – has here the connotation of a means of imparting wisdom. Some of the classical commentators (e.g., Tabarī) are of the opinion that the “divine writ” (kitāb) mentioned here is the Qur’ān as a whole, while others (e.g., Zamakhsharī) see in it a reference to this particular sūrah. In view of the sequence, it seems to me that the former interpretation is preferable.