Explanation of Kaf-Ha-Ya-Ain-Swad تفسير قوله تعالى كهيعص

Praise be to Allah, and may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family and his companions.
As to what follows:
With regards to answering your question we say, success is by Allah Almighty.
There is no difference of opinion among scholars that the letters of muqata’at that Allah commences some of the surahs of the Quran with like surah al-baqara (Alif-Lam-Meem), surah al-a’raf (Alif-Lam-Meem-Swad), surah Yunus (Alif-Lam-Ra), surah Maryam (Kaf-Ha-Ya-Ain-Swad), surah Swad (Swad) and other surahs are read seperatelyand are not read together.
Beginning of surah al-Baqara is read as (Alif-Lam-Meem).
Regarding the meanings of these letters, scholars have differed into 4 opinions:
1st: these letters have meanings only known to Allah, and this is the opinion of a group of sahabah including the rightly guided khalifahs, Ibn Mas’ud and others.
2nd: these lettes have meanings known by people but differed in defining their meanings: some said they are names of surahs, some also said they are names of Allah and others held other views.
3rd: not saying anything regarding the meanings of these letters. It is neither said they have meaning nor is it said they don’t have meanings.
4th: these letters do not have meanings on their own, this was the opinion of Mujahid Ibn Jabr. This is so because the Arabic language in which the Quran was revealed cannot define the meanings of these letters.
But absence of meaning does not negate wisdom, for indeed the wisdom behind mentioning of these letters of muqata’at at the beginning of some surahs is to show the miraculous nature of the Quran and inability of the creation to produce it’s like in spite of it being made up of these letters of muqata’at which are well known to the Arab people and also communicate with them.
What indicates this is that after these letters, Allah mentions that it is the truth wherein there is no doubt. This shows the wisdom behind mentioning these letters.
In surah al-Baqara, Allah says:
“(Alif-Lam-Meem)” then after that He says: “This is the Book (the Quran), whereof there is no doubt” [al-Baqara 2:2]
In surah al-Imran, Allah says:
“(Alif-Lam-Meem)” then after that He says: “none has the Right to be worshipped but He, the ever living, the one who sustains and protects All that exists.” [al-Imran 3:2]
And in surah al-A’raf, Allah says:
“(Alif-Lam-Meem-Swad)” then He says: “(this is the) Book (the Quran) sent down unto you (O Muhammad), so let not your breast be narrow there from.” [al-A’raf 7:2]
A group of scholars said that the rest of the surahs follow a similar pattern. From these are Al-Mubrid, Al-Fara’, Ibn Taymiyyah, Al-Muzzi and others.
Shaykh Muhammad Amin Shanqiti affirmed this in Adhwa ul-bayan fi tafseer surah Hud. This is also what Shaykh Muhammad al-Uthaymin (may Allah have mercy on him) said.

  Your brother,
Dr. Khalid al-Muslih
14 / 03 / 1425 AH