When those who neglected and abandoned the Quran mourn their misfortune in the Hereafter, the Messenger of Allah himself will bear witness to their crime and lodge a complaint before Allah. This complaint concerns Muslims turning the Quran into a “forsaken book.” The Quran mentions this event in the following words:
“And the messenger will say: “‘Lord! The people of my nation had totally ignored this Quran.’” (Al-Furqan, 25:30)
Historical evidence indicates that this was the same crime committed by the past “Muslims” (Jews and Christians), and it remains the crime of today’s Muslims. Despite claiming belief in the divine scriptures, the Jews and Christians practically cast the Book of Allah behind their backs (fa nabadhuhu waraa’ zuhoorihim), relegating it from being the ultimate standard for words and deeds to a secondary position.
Likewise, many contemporary religious and non-religious Muslims have adopted a similar approach toward the Book of Allah. While the Quran is considered a national scripture in belief, in practice it no longer retains its original status as the “Book of Guidance” in our lives. It has been reduced to a secondary source and a sacred text within our schools, mosques, Islamic colleges, khanqahs, academies, universities, and institutions. It is read and taught as a revered syllabus but not upheld as the primary guide and central focus of our educational and practical lives.
Consequently, the Quran has become an adornment for our pulpits and prayer niches but has not been established as the primary source of guidance among us. Positions like Sheikh al-Tafseer and Sheikh al-Mashayikh have been institutionalized, yet the Quran itself has never been accorded such a status. Religious institutions like Darul Qaza and Darul Ifta have been established for resolving religious matters, along with the appointments of muftis and qadis. However, the Quran has never been practically declared the ultimate arbiter in these matters.
In our institutions, the Quran has been included in curricula as an added religious attraction and a means of gaining popularity and trade. Yet, it has not been given the role of the ultimate governing principle within our educational system. The Quran has become a ceremonial part of our gatherings, serving as a transient opening grace, but it has not been adopted as the permanent starting point of our lives.
The Quran has been used as the heading for sermons, exhortations, scholarly and religious research, and religious literature. However, it has never been given the status of an absolute criterion in these fields. In our religious and educational systems, the Quran has become akin to a foundational reader (Qaidah Baghdadi), but it has yet to attain the status of the fundamental principle and cornerstone of these systems.
This is what it means to make the Quran a “forsaken book” among us. And this is the crime for which, on the Day of Judgment, the Messenger of the Last Era (PBUH) will present a case against us in the Divine Court of the Almighty.
Is there anyone among us who can defend themselves in this case before Allah? Can we refute the charges that the Prophet himself will bring against us by relying on the things we have devoted all our time and energy to, instead of the Book of Allah?