Q. An e-mail is in circulation which includes 9 boxes in each of which is written a word of Qur’anic Arabic, such as Ya Seen, Ha Meem, Alif Lam Meem. People say that if one looks at these in the morning, all his problems will be taken care of. Some people firmly believe in this. Could you please explain whether it is correct.

Faiza

A. I can confirm that it is absolutely incorrect. To start with, these are not Arabic words. They are separate letters with which some surahs of the Qur’an start. None of them has a meaning on its own, or when placed in a sentence. They are just like you say in English ‘y, s,’ or ‘h, m,’ etc.

Their inclusion at the beginning of Qur’anic surahs is made in a form of a challenge to the unbelievers. The challenge tells them that the Qur’an is composed of Arabic words and sentences, which are made of these letters, available to them all the time. Why cannot they use these letters to produce something like the Qur’an? Needless to say, they could not produce a single surah like it, and the challenge remained open and will remain open for the rest of time. No one will ever produce anything like the Qur’an, which is God’s word.

The Qur’an gives much blessing when it is read, deliberated upon and implemented. The mere recitation of the Qur’an is a blessing. However, the Qur’an does not grant its blessings to anyone who uses it as an article that brings benefit and deters harm. Some people place a copy of the Qur’an in their cars, thinking that it would prevent accidents. It does not. We in fact degrade the Qur’an if we think of it in this way. It is not a charm or a talisman to wear or place in a good position to prevent harm. It certainly prevents much harm when it is implemented, because it ensures justice and community welfare.

We must always think of the Qur’an as God’s message that He sent to us to implement, not to use as an article of adornment, or to make of it something that does not please God. Certainly God will not be pleased if we abandon the implementation of the Qur’an, reducing it to an article that brings good effects by its mere presence in a place or by playing a cassette of the Qur’an in the background.

If you have a copy of this e-mail, do not send it to anyone. Get rid of it and do not accept anything of similar nature.