Libyans Repair Old Qurans for Ramadan

Libyans Repair Old Qurans for Ramadan

As the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins, a group of volunteers in Libya work long hours to repair old or damaged copies of the Quran. The Quran is Islam's most important holy book.

Khaled al-Drebi is one of Libya's best-known Quran restorers. He is among the artisans who arrive at a workshop in Tripoli every day to meet the rising demand for Qurans during Ramadan.

For Muslims, Ramadan is a month of spirituality. There are daily sunrise-to-sundown fasts, along with prayer and acts of kindness. The month also means an increase in the sales of Qurans.

"The purchase of new Qurans traditionally increases before the month of Ramadan, but this has recently changed in Libya," Drebi told the French News Agency (AFP).

For many people, it has been harder to buy Qurans. There has been an increase in the cost of Qurans, especially "since the state stopped printing" them in Libya, Drebi said.

The North African nation has been through 11 years of conflict. The government is weak and the country's economy, which depends on oil exports, is in poor condition.

But, Drebi said, "Restoring old Qurans has gained unprecedented¹ popularity."

A new Quran can cost more than $20. Drebi's workshop charges just a few dollars to restore one.

'Indescribable joy'

But cost is not the only important thing. For many people, the older Qurans also have sentimental² value.

"There is a spiritual connection for some" people, Drebi said. He added that many choose to save Qurans passed on from relatives. "Some say this Quran has the smell of my grandfather or parents."

Abdel Razzaq al-Aroussi works on going through thousands of Qurans based on their level of damage.

"The restoration of Qurans with limited damage takes no more than an hour, but for those that are very damaged, they could require two or more hours," Aroussi said.

They "must be undone³, restored and then bound," he said. It is a difficult process that requires a lot of "time and concentration."

Mabrouk al-Amin is also involved with the workshop. He said the restoration process "requires a good number of artisans."

"Working with the book of God is very enjoyable and we don't get bored...there is an indescribable joy in this work," he said.

Restorers say they have repaired half a million Qurans since the workshop opened in 2008. More than 1,500 trainees⁴ have graduated from 150 restoration workshops.

Women restorers

In recent years, more and more women have been restoring Qurans.

One female restorer, Khadija Mahmoud, trains women at a workshop in Zawiya, 45 kilometers west of Tripoli. She said it is easier and faster to restore Qurans in a women's workshop.

She added that the restoration work has given many women a meaningful way to fill their free time. She has even held training sessions for blind women.

"A large segment of trainees and restorers are retirees," she said. "For them, there is nothing better than spending their spare time in the service of the Quran."

Words in This Story

restore — v. to return (something) to an earlier or original condition by repairing it, cleaning it

fast — v. to not eat for a period of time

unprecedented— adj. not done or experienced before

sentimental— adj. something that is important to someone because of its connection with a happy time of life, a special person and similar feeling

bind⁵ — v. to put a cover or binding⁶ on a book

concentrate — v. to give your whole attention to the thing you are doing

bored — adj. to be tired or uninterested in something often because it is always the same

1 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

2 sentimental   

adj.多愁善感的，感伤的

参考例句：

• She's a sentimental woman who believes marriage comes by destiny.她是多愁善感的人，她相信姻缘命中注定。
• We were deeply touched by the sentimental movie.我们深深被那感伤的电影所感动。

3 undone   

a.未做完的，未完成的

参考例句：

• He left nothing undone that needed attention.所有需要注意的事他都注意到了。

4 trainees   

新兵( trainee的名词复数 )； 练习生； 接受训练的人； 训练中的动物

参考例句：

• We've taken on our full complement of new trainees. 我们招收的新学员已经满额了。
• The trainees were put through an assault course. 受训人员接受了突击训练课程。

5 bind   

vt.捆，包扎；装订；约束；使凝固；vi.变硬

参考例句：

• I will let the waiter bind up the parcel for you.我让服务生帮你把包裹包起来。
• He wants a shirt that does not bind him.他要一件不使他觉得过紧的衬衫。

6 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。