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Introduction

In early 2023, there was a viral incident where numerous copies of the Quran were found in drains in Lombong Seri Murni, Selayang, Gombak, Selangor. As Muslims, this is undoubtedly heartbreaking, and we can only pray that those responsible for such acts face retribution from Allah or, at the very least, are granted guidance by Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala. But did you know that similar incidents have occurred in other Muslim countries? Even more shocking, in Saudi Arabia.

Location

This incident actually took place in the city of Ta’if. Although it’s an old story, it recently resurfaced as a topic of discussion on Quora. Ta’if is a historic city that once caused great sorrow to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) because his message was rejected by its people. According to the Seerah, not only was his message dismissed, but he was also driven out of the city. While walking away, he was pelted with stones by the people there, causing him to bleed until the blood pooled in his sandals.

In a hadith narrated by Bukhari, when Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked the Prophet if there was a day worse than the Battle of Uhud, he recounted the incident in Ta’if. This story, recorded in Sahih Bukhari, describes how the Prophet was deeply saddened by what happened there. Even so, when the Angel Jibreel offered to destroy the city by crushing it between two mountains, the Prophet declined and instead prayed that their descendants would one day believe in Allah. This story is a reminder of the events that unfolded in Ta’if.

Returning to the issue of the Quran being discarded in the sewer system, as Muslims, it is natural to feel both deeply saddened and perplexed. Such acts are less surprising when they occur in non-Muslim countries. There have been numerous incidents of desecrating Allah’s sacred words, often aimed at provoking Muslims into reacting impulsively, such as burning the Quran, trampling on it, or insulting its contents. Then, when Muslims react, we are labeled as terrorists and barbaric.

But what is perplexing is this:

In my YouTube video, it shows a man speaking in Arabic stepping on pages of the Quran. The true religion of this despicable individual is unclear.

As mindful believers with higher IQ than these ignorant individuals, if such an incident of the Quran being discarded in the sewer system happens again, like what occurred last year, report the matter to the authorities. Then, we can retrieve the Quran and hand it over to the Islamic religious department for proper handling. If we manage to catch the perpetrator ourselves, hand them over to the authorities.

Allah says in Surah Al-An’am, verse 68, that if we see people mocking Allah’s verses, we should turn away from them until they engage in a different conversation. Allah does not instruct us to attack or take their lives with our own hands. In a hadith narrated in Sahih Muslim, it is a duty for us to obey the laws of the government. Let the authorities handle the matter with the enforcement powers they have been given.

Allah’s Promise to Protect His Revelation

So, how exactly is Allah’s promise to protect His sacred verses fulfilled? In Surah Al-Hijr, verse 9, Allah says that He is the one who revealed the Quran, and He is the one who will preserve it. But how? Dear brothers and sisters blessed by Allah, this is the core message of this video—for us to reflect on and appreciate the greatness and majesty of Allah, the All-Powerful.

The true Quran lies in its memorization and recitation, not merely in its text and writing. The Quranic copy that we hold and read is actually called a mushaf. If, hypothetically, there were a sophisticated device capable of erasing all written copies of the Quran worldwide with the press of a single button, we could restore the Quran within a few days. Why? Because every one of us has already memorized portions of it, even if we haven’t memorized it entirely. Together, we could recreate a new mushaf that retains its authenticity, just as Allah has promised. No matter our sects or schools of thought, Allah’s words flow through our veins and remain on our tongues and in the hearts of our children and future generations. Allah does not preserve the mushaf; He preserves the Quran in the hearts of the believers.

This is the evidence: when someone attempts to alter the Quranic text—whether to mock it, confuse others, or manipulate it for their own benefit—they cannot change the Quran that is safeguarded in the hearts of over 2 billion Muslims worldwide. At best, they only alter a single mushaf. Noob.

This, my dear friends, is a miracle. Take a moment to reflect: is there any other book that is memorized by people of all ages across the world? Even children as young as 9 years old have memorized the entire Quran from start to finish. Have you ever seen the movie The Book of Eli? In the film, the character Eli possesses the last surviving copy of a book believed to contain the word of God, capable of guiding humanity back to the right path after everyone has gone astray. The movie is set in a post-apocalyptic world. I won’t spoil too much, but if you haven’t watched it, do check it out online.

The point is, no one in the movie had memorized the book, even though it was once believed and followed by many before the apocalypse. If that book were destroyed and Eli defeated, the so-called word of God would be lost forever. But for us, the Quran is ingrained in the hearts, souls, minds, and lives of Muslims worldwide. So, let us be grateful and say Alhamdulillah.

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Citations:

1. الطائف: خالد الشهري. (1970b, January 1). الطائف.. العثور على “مصاحف” بـ’مجاري’ الصرف الصحي. Watanksa. https://www.alwatan.com.sa/article/209391 (Ta’if)
2. Sahih Al-Bukhari 3231 – Beginning of Creation – كتاب بدء الخلق – Sunnah.com – Sayings and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم). (n.d.). https://sunnah.com/bukhari:3231 (Sirah Rasulullah di Ta’if)
3. Pejabat Mufti Wilayah Persekutuan – BAYAN LINNAS SIRI KE-139 : AL-QURAN : KALAMULLAH YANG MUKJIZAT. (2018, June 26). https://muftiwp.gov.my/en/artikel/bayan-linnas/2486-bayan-linnas-siri-ke-139-al-quran-kalamullah-yang-mukjizat (Al-Quran dan mushaf)
4. Sahih Muslim 1839a – The Book on Government – كتاب الإمارة – Sunnah.com – Sayings and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم). (n.d.). https://sunnah.com/muslim:1839a (Follow Undang-undang)
5. https://www.bharian.com.my/rencana/lain-lain/2022/07/979432/perluas-skop-akta-hasutan-hukum-penghina-agama-cetuskan-konflik (Akta Hasutan)
6. Wikipedia contributors. (2024, March 17). Mushaf – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushaf 
7. Ghani, M. S. A. (2019, April 10). Penganut Islam paling ramai di dunia menjelang 2070. Sinar Harian. https://www.sinarharian.com.my/article/22810/berita/nasional/penganut-islam-paling-ramai-di-dunia-menjelang-2070#google_vignette (Jumlah umat Islam)