本章以两个单独的字母 Ţā Sīn 开头,用以指明本章乃至整部《古兰经》所由构成的基本材料。这两个字母是所有讲阿拉伯语的人都熟悉的,然而他们都无法写出类似《古兰经》的文字:他们曾受到挑战,要求他们这样做,但没有人能写出接近《古兰经》卓越程度的任何作品。在这两个字母之后,经文提到了《古兰经》本身:"这些是《古兰经》的节文,是一部明白的、阐明真理的经典。"(第1节)应当注意,在阿拉伯文原文中,"Qur'ān"一词之后出现了连词 wa(意为"和"),但在此用法中,它只表示"即是"之意。

The sūrah begins with two separate letters, Ţā Sīn, as reference to the basic material of which the sūrah and the entire Qur’ān are composed. These letters are available to all Arabic-speaking people, yet they are all unable to compose anything like the Qur’ān: they have been challenged to do so, yet none has ever produced anything that approximates the excellence of the Qur’ān. These two letters are followed by a reference to the Qur’ān itself: “These are verses of the Qur’ān, a clear, elucidating book.” (Verse 1) It should be noted that in the Arabic text the conjunction wa, which means ‘and’, occurs after the word ‘Qur’ān’, but in this usage it only means ‘which is’.

将古兰经称为"一卷书"，在这里隐含着一种微妙的对照：一方面是麦加的不信道者如何接受从天上降下给他们的这卷经典，另一方面是示巴女王及其子民如何接受所罗门的信件——在本章中，这封信同样被称为 kitāb，即"书"。然而，所罗门不过是真主的一位仆人。

Describing the Qur’ān here as ‘a book’ provides a subtle element of comparison with how the unbelievers in Makkah received the book bestowed on them from on high and how the Queen of Sheba and her people received Solomon’s letter, which in this sūrah is also called a kitāb, meaning ‘book’. Yet Solomon is no more than God’s servant.

《古兰经》，或称“那部经典”，随后被描述为“对信士的指导和喜讯”。（第2节）这种表述比说它“包含”或“提供”指导和喜讯更为传神。确实，这样的描述方式使《古兰经》本身就成为指导和喜讯。可以肯定的是，《古兰经》在各方面、各层意义上都为信士提供指引；它也赐予他们今世与后世的幸福所需之物。

The Qur’ān, or the book, is then described as “a guidance and joyful tidings to the believers.” (Verse 2) This is more expressive than saying that it contains or provides guidance and joyful tidings. Indeed the way the description is phrased makes the very entity of the Qur’ān the guidance and the happy tiding. For certain, the Qur’ān provides guidance to believers in every way and every sense. It also gives them what brings happiness both in this life and in the life to come.

那些对信士而言的指引与喜讯，这一点尤为重要。《古兰经》并非一部仅供理论探讨或应用科学的书，不会只把它的一切益处交给读之、解之的人。《古兰经》首先面向的是人心，它将自己全部的光明与芬芳赐予那以确信和满足之心来接受它的开放心灵。当人的心灵因坚定的信仰而焕发新生时，便能更好地领会《古兰经》，并理解远超我们想象的更多经义。当人舍弃旧有的生活方式、采纳新的生活方式时，《古兰经》便在今世带来奇迹般的改变。《古兰经》所倡导的一切制度、立法与价值观，首先和最根本地都建立在信仰之上。因此，一个内心深处不相信真主、不接受这部《古兰经》是真主所降示、或不接受其内容代表真主希望在人类生活中实施之制度的人，便无法从《古兰经》中找到所期望的指引，也不会分享它所带来的喜讯。

That the guidance and the happy news are given to the believers only is especially significant. The Qur’ān is not a book of theoretical or applicable science that yields all its benefits to whoever reads and understands it. The Qur’ān addresses hearts in the first instance and gives all its light and fragrance to an open mind which receives it with certainty and contentment. When a person’s mind is refreshed with firm belief, it can better appreciate the Qur’ān and understand far more of its meanings than we can imagine. It brings about miraculous changes in this life as one adopts a new way of life and discards his old one. All the systems, legislation and values the Qur’ān promotes are based first and foremost on faith. Hence, a person who does not, deep at heart, believe in God or accept that this Qur’ān is revealed by God or that its contents represent the system God wants implemented in human life, cannot find the desired guidance in the Qur’ān and will not share in the joyful news it brings.