Allah is the preserver of the Qur’an, and it has reached us as our Prophet delivered it, without distortion or alteration.

His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, Chairman of the Muslim Council of Elders, Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, said: “Allah’s preservation of His servants, derived from His name ‘Al-Hafiz’ (The Preserver), includes all people, whether they are obedient to Him or disobedient. Even if a person disobeys Allah, he is preserved. You will usually find that the disobedient or those who transgress the limits of Allah have more blessings, which indicates that these blessings are insignificant in the Divine account, and that this world is for the obedient and the disobedient alike. He added that Allah Almighty gives respite to the disobedient, not to lie in wait for them, but in the hope that they will repent or return. In everything, you find a practical application of the words of Allah Almighty in the Qudsi Hadith: “Indeed, My mercy precedes My wrath.’”

During his talk today in the eighth episode of his Ramadan program “Imam Al-Tayeb” 2025, Imam Al-Tayeb explained that the name “Al-Hafeezh” (The Preserver) has two meanings. The first is precision, and its meaning is the opposite of forgetfulness or negligence. It is said: “So-and-so has memorized the Quran by heart,” meaning he cannot make a mistake in any of his words. The second meaning is “guarding” from loss, and this can only be achieved through the protection of Allah. He pointed out that Allah’s preservation of the earth and the sky means “holding” and “subjecting”. He, the Almighty, holds back the sky from falling to the earth out of mercy for His servants, so that they may be subjected in a complete manner that benefits humanity and helps them fulfill their mission in this life.

His Eminence added that Allah Almighty’s preservation also includes the Holy Quran. Allah Almighty is the One who preserves the Holy Quran from distortion, alteration, and loss, in accordance with His Almighty saying: “Indeed, it is We who sent down the message [i.e., the Qur’ān], and indeed, We will be its guardian” (Quran, 15:9). This is the greatest confirmation that not even a single letter of the Quran has been tampered. It has reached us as the Prophet (PBUH) conveyed it, and it is in our hands as it was recited before him without any distortion or change.

His Eminence concluded by saying that, in addition to being protected by Allah, humans are required to work on preserving themselves and their minds, as these are the most important blessings that Allah Almighty bestows upon them. They are required to protect themselves from sins and desires, and they're also required to protect their mind from harmful information and content, such as that which might lead to doubting religion or belief. In this way, they can protect themselves and their minds.