How many Surahs of the Holy Quran begin with the disjointed letters (Huruf Muqatta'at)?

The correct answer is 29 Surahs. In the Holy Quran, several Surahs begin with disjointed letters known as Huruf Muqatta'at or mysterious letters. These letters appear at the start of 29 Surahs and consist of combinations of one to five Arabic letters such as Alif, Lam, Meem (الم), Ha-Meem (حم), Ta-Seen (طس), and others.

The precise meaning of these letters is known only to Allah (SWT), but scholars explain that they serve several purposes. They act as a divine sign of the Quran’s miraculous nature, drawing attention to the text that follows and emphasizing that the Quran is beyond human composition. They also challenge the skeptics, as these simple letters form part of a text whose eloquence and depth cannot be imitated by humans, despite using the same Arabic letters.

The Surahs that begin with Huruf Muqatta'at cover various themes, including Tawheed (Oneness of Allah), Prophethood, accountability, warnings to disbelievers, and comfort for believers. For example, the letters Alif, Lam, Meem appear in Surah Al-Baqarah, and Ha-Meem appears in a group of Surahs from Ghafir to Al-Ahqaf. Each set of letters has a special context, often followed by profound guidance or admonition.