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Lohe Qurani: the disjoined letters (muqaṭṭaʿāt) of the Quran
Lohe Qurani — better known in Arabic as al-ḥurūf al-muqaṭṭaʿāt, the “disjoined letters” — are single Arabic letters recited one at a time at the beginning of certain chapters of the Quran, such as Alif-Lām-Mīm (الم) and Yā-Sīn (يس). They appear at the start of 29 surahs and are formed from 14 different letters in 14 distinct combinations. The most widely held view among classical scholars is that their exact meaning is known only to Allah.
Lohe Qurani — quick facts
- What they are
- Disjoined Arabic letters (al-muqaṭṭaʿāt) that open certain surahs
- Surahs that begin with them
- 29
- Distinct letters used
- 14 (half of the 28-letter Arabic alphabet)
- Distinct combinations
- 14
- Examples
- الم, الر, حم, طه, يس, ص, ق, ن
- Most common scholarly view
- Their true meaning is known only to Allah
Understanding Lohe Qurani
What does “Lohe Qurani” mean?
“Lohe Qurani” is a popular name — used widely in Urdu and Persian — for the muqaṭṭaʿāt, the isolated letters that open 29 surahs. They are read letter by letter (for example “Alif-Lām-Mīm”, not “Alam”), which is why they are called the “disjoined” or “broken” letters.
The 14 letters
Exactly 14 of the 28 Arabic letters appear as muqaṭṭaʿāt: ا (alif), ل (lām), م (mīm), ص (ṣād), ر (rā), ك (kāf), ه (hā), ي (yā), ع (ʿayn), ط (ṭā), س (sīn), ح (ḥā), ق (qāf) and ن (nūn). Scholars famously gathered them in the phrase “naṣṣun ḥakīmun qāṭiʿun lahu sirr” (“a wise, decisive text that holds a secret”).
How many are there?
The letters open 29 surahs and form 14 distinct combinations — ranging from a single letter (ص, ق, ن) to five-letter groups (كهيعص, حم عسق). Some combinations, such as الم and حم, open several surahs each.
What do they mean?
The most widely held view among the early scholars (the salaf) is that the muqaṭṭaʿāt belong to the mutashābihāt — verses whose precise meaning is known only to Allah. Other scholars suggested they draw attention to the miraculous nature of the Quran, which is composed from these very Arabic letters, or that they serve as names of the surahs. No single interpretation is agreed upon as definitive.
The 14 combinations across 29 surahs
Every place the muqaṭṭaʿāt appear in the Quran, with the surahs each combination opens (by surah number).
| Letters | Pronunciation | Surahs (by number) |
|---|
| الم | Alif-Lām-Mīm | 2, 3, 29, 30, 31, 32 |
| المص | Alif-Lām-Mīm-Ṣād | 7 |
| الر | Alif-Lām-Rā | 10, 11, 12, 14, 15 |
| المر | Alif-Lām-Mīm-Rā | 13 |
| كهيعص | Kāf-Hā-Yā-ʿAyn-Ṣād | 19 |
| طه | Ṭā-Hā | 20 |
| طسم | Ṭā-Sīn-Mīm | 26, 28 |
| طس | Ṭā-Sīn | 27 |
| يس | Yā-Sīn | 36 |
| ص | Ṣād | 38 |
| حم | Ḥā-Mīm | 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46 |
| حم عسق | Ḥā-Mīm; ʿAyn-Sīn-Qāf | 42 |
| ق | Qāf | 50 |
| ن | Nūn | 68 |
Lohe Qurani — frequently asked questions
- How many Lohe Qurani are there?
- The disjoined letters (muqaṭṭaʿāt) appear at the beginning of 29 surahs of the Quran and form 14 distinct combinations, built from 14 different Arabic letters.
- What are the muqaṭṭaʿāt (disjoined letters)?
- They are individual Arabic letters — such as Alif-Lām-Mīm (الم) or Ḥā-Mīm (حم) — recited one letter at a time at the start of certain surahs. They are called “disjoined” because each letter is pronounced separately rather than as a word.
- Which letters are used in Lohe Qurani?
- Fourteen letters: ا, ل, م, ص, ر, ك, ه, ي, ع, ط, س, ح, ق and ن — exactly half of the 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet.
- What is the meaning of the disjoined letters?
- Most early scholars held that their exact meaning is known only to Allah. Others suggested they highlight the Quran's miraculous eloquence, since it is composed from the same letters the Arabs use, or that they serve as names of the surahs.
- Which surah opens with the most disjoined letters?
- Surah Maryam (19) opens with five letters, Kāf-Hā-Yā-ʿAyn-Ṣād (كهيعص), and Surah ash-Shūrā (42) opens with Ḥā-Mīm followed by ʿAyn-Sīn-Qāf (حم عسق).
- Is Yā-Sīn one of the disjoined letters?
- Yes. Yā-Sīn (يس) opens Surah Ya-Sin (36) and is one of the 14 muqaṭṭaʿāt combinations.