A ninety-five year old Muslim man from Russia explained how the ʿUlamā (Muslims scholars) of Russia taught the Qurʼān during the days of communism. He was twenty-five years of age when the execution and oppression of the Muslims commenced and he witnessed the entire period.
He explains: “We used to construct large homes with an open hall in the centre. On all sides of this hall, we would build sound-proof chambers. There was a secret door, leading out of the hall towards these chambers, where we would place a show-case displaying bottles of liquor. We would place portraits of Lenin and others, a television screen and other such obscene items close to the wall where the secret door was situated.
Whenever the police arrived and searched the house, they would find nothing. They would notice the liquor bottles and assume that the residentsʼ beliefs and ideologies were in conformity with their own. They would leave, satisfied, but deceived by what they had observed. Little did they realise, that just a few meters away from those bottles of liquor, were young innocent children reciting the Qurʼān. We would lock ourselves up in those chambers for six months at a time, teaching our young children how to recite the Qurʼān. The Ṣaḥīh Bukhārī was taught there as well. Beyond the confines of those chambers, the black winds of communism were blowing unabatedly, but within, the words of Allāh and His Nabī (peace and blessings be upon him) were being recited and memorised.”
May Allāh reward the ʿUlamā of Islam for their supreme sacrifices and dedication in preserving the faith of the Muslims in areas of oppression and injustice. Their invaluable contribution should inspire Muslims to remain dedicated to Islamic teachings during difficult times.
Source: Pearls from the Path – Fascinating Anecdotes From Islamic History – Volume 2 – Compiled by Moulana Afzal Ismail