Controversial American preacher, Yusuf Estes, explains his belief about the Quran, that it is not actually present in the mushaf, but rather the mushaf merely “represents” the Quran preserved in al-Lowh al-Mahfooth (the Preserved Tablet).  He says:

This (referring to the Quran) is something more than pieces of paper and ink. As we mentioned in the previous program, a person could change this, right here by just putting ink in there and changing it around, or rip a page out – I hope they don’t do that, that’s not nice. But it really doesn’t change the Quran. It changes this book. It changes this mus-haf, yes, but you can’t change the Quran, why? Because, first of all, Allah tells us that the Quran is actually with Him, “fee lowhin mahfooth” (in the Preserved Tablet), which means: it’s with Allah in Paradise, and nobody can touch it, none can touch this except the Angels of Allah, nobody can even approach it…

Source: “Beauties of the Quran,” part 2 of 2, at precisely 1:47 to 2:27, produced by Huda TV, from the series called “Beauties of Islam,” uploaded on May 26, 2011. ( YouTube / Safeshare )

Not convinced? Watch over a dozen videos of Yusuf Estes teaching this and similar ideas about the Quran not being a book, not being preserved, only considered Quran in recitation form, etc. in our video library.

Important Commentary

Yusuf Estes clearly states here that the mushaf is not the actual Quran, and that it only represents the Quran.  This is a violation of the basic Islamic belief that Ahlus-Sunnah hold by consensus, recorded in the Muslims’ source books of creed.

Imam Ibn Jareer at-Tabaree (d.310) said:

The Speech of Allah, the Mighty and Honored, is not created, no matter how it is written, no matter how it is recited, no matter where it is recited, whether it is found in the heavens or on earth, wherever it is memorized, whether it is written in al-Lowh al-Mahfooth (Preserved Tablet) or drawn on the boards in children’s classrooms, whether it is engraved on a stone, written on a paper, memorized by heart, or recited verbally. Whoever says otherwise, or claims that a Quran on earth or in the heavens is not the same Quran we recite with our tongues and write in our mus-hafs, or believes otherwise, whether he hides it or speaks openly with it as his Religion, such a person is a disbeliever in Allah, subject to capital punishment. He is free from Allah, and Allah is free from him… (Sareeh as-Sunnah, p.18)

Imaam al-Aajurree (d.360) said:

And those who claim that this Quran is only a narration
of the Quran which is in al-Lowh al-Mahfooth have lied. (ash-Sharee’ah, 1/534)

Imam Ibn Abil-‘Izz al-Hanafee (d.792) said:

Whoever says that what is written in the mushafs is a representation of Allah’s Speech, or a narration of Allah’s Speech, and that it is not actually the Speech of Allah, has surely opposed the Book, the Sunnah, and the Salaf of this nation, and that is sufficient as misguidance! (Sharh ‘Aqeedah at-Tahaawiyyah, pp.143-144)

These ideas propagated by Yusuf Estes are serious errors, identified by our early scholars as statements of disbelief.  These beliefs were first propogated by the Laf-thiyyah Sect, one of the heretical ancient sects of the Jahmiyyah Cult of disbelievers.

For more information on this important topic, refer to this free e-book:

The Teachings of Yusuf Estes About the Quran (PDF)

Updated: May 20, 2013