The Quran – The book with Handling Instructions
The Quran is undoubtedly one of the most influential texts in history, but the book itself is truly unique in one, usually disregarded, respect – its handling instructions.
The Quran: How it was created
The holy book of Muslims, the Quran, is taken as the literal words of God. Muhammad, the last prophet spoke these wise words. He was illiterate, so throughout his life, the verses were spread orally. Many memorized these words, while some Islamic followers wrote them on various materials. After Muhammad’s death, Abu Bakr, the first caliph, and Muhammad’s father-in-law commissioned Zayd ibn Thabit to compile the first complete book of the Quran. From that copy, many other copies were made by hand. The Muslims believe that the present form of the Quran text is the original version compiled by Abu Bakr.
The holy book with handling instructions
It is, therefore, understandable that Muslims hold such reverence for their Holy Text. There are rules even for how to handle the Quran. One rule is clearly stated in the book itself: “This is indeed a Holy Quran, in a Book well-guarded, Which none shall touch but those who are clean”.
Whether this purity is physical or spiritual is a matter of debate. Some think that only pure Muslim believers could touch the book. However, others believe that one should perform the ritual handwashing before partaking in Quran handling. When not reading it, the Quran should be placed in a clean and respectable place. It should never be on the floor, and never with anything on top of it.
Disposing of the book
There are further instructions even for the disposal of worn-out copies of the book. Acceptable ways of disposing of a damaged copy of the Quran include wrapping it in cloth and burying it in a deep hole, placing it in flowing water so the ink dissolves, or, as a last resort, burning it so that it is completely consumed.
The deepest respect that this book requires can be seen in the beautiful handwritten copies in existence, with perfect handwriting and shiny decorations.
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