The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 163
Prophethood in Islam 163 buried under the earth and are of no use to anyone? Can anyone imagine that this is the true meaning of this verse?. If so, there is nothing extraordinary about it. Rather, such a claim is laughable and amounts to inviting ridicule from the enemies of Islām. Of what use is the safeguarding which does not serve the true purpose? It is quite possible that a copy of the Torah or the Gospel may be found which has been similarly safeguarded. There are thousands of books, which have continued to exist entirely unaltered and which are for certain the writings of a particular person. There is no particular merit in such preservation, and such safeguarding of the Qur'an would be of no benefit to the Muslims. It is true that the safeguarding of the text of the Holy Qur'an is greater than that of all other books and is in itself extraordinary, but we cannot imagine that God Almighty, Who always has a spiritual purpose, meant only the safeguarding of the text of the. Holy Qur'an. The very word dhikr [remembrance] clearly indicates that the Holy Qur'an will be preserved forever as a remembrance, and its true dhākirin 133 will always be present. This is confirmed by another verse, which says: 134 بَل هُوَ ايت بينت في صُدُورِ الَّذِينَ أوتُوا العِلم 'The Holy Qur'an is composed of clear signs in the bosoms of those who have been bestowed knowledge. '. This verse clearly means that the believers have been bestowed knowledge of the Holy Qur'an and they act upon it. As the Qur'ān is preserved in the bosoms of the believers, the verse: 133 Those who learn the Qur'an, act according to it, and recite it to others. [Publisher] 134 Al-'Ankabut, 29:50, [Publisher]