The golden lettering of the beautiful Arabic calligraphy on the cover is fading. The green hard bound cover is fraying at the edges. The bookmark thread has torn off from the end where it is attached to the inside of the hard cover.
There is a spot here or there. Remnant of drops of water, now dried. Her tears maybe. There is a mark in the last part of 29th Chapter, a stray mark. She might have made it unknowingly, while studying as a child. Otherwise, the Book is free of any written marks. The pages are sharp and crisp. Still.
Her mother gifted it to her when she was in 7th grade, after she came back from Hajj. Until then she had used the smaller, by parts, version of the book. She was happy beyond words. She was growing up, she knew.
Little did she know then, the Book would travel with her from her childhood home, to the strict hostel run by nuns, to her ancestral home in Kerala, to her first hostel in Bangalore, to the bigger, better second hostel and then finally to the single room she spent the last 8 months of her college life. From there, the book travelled with her to her new family home in Doha, while she went for Umrah and then to her house in Kerala. Wherever she went, the Book travelled with her.
She read it while she was lonely when all her friends were out partying, stressed out before her exams, scared while she was travelling alone, broken up when her dreams didnt come true, betrayed by her friend.
She regrets it to this day for not reading it, while her grandfather was breathing his last, like her dad asked to. She was scared if she would make any mistakes, in that sacred moment. She regrets to not giving the Book time, when she was happy, free and relaxed. Had she spent time with the Book, during her times of ease, would harship have arrived? During periods of contenment, why do we forget the pillars of support of our hard times?
She regrets not learning of the secrets of the Book. She prays everyday, for the knowledge of the Book to be opened to her.
In His most beloved house, she prayed for her soul to be taken back to Him, only after she had learnt and comprehended the wisdom of the Book. A secret, sincere plea.
The Book is healing, mercy and guidance.
Her Mushaf.
Al Quran al Kareem. His divine word.
