The Guarded Tablet

S 85:21-22 Rather, it is a glorious quran, In a guarded [mahfuz] tablet.

Allah's eternal tablet is guarded? From whom or what? The jinn? But aren't they supposedly shot down with stars? Perhaps Allah's defence system isn't perfect. Or are there jinn wandering around up there, some of them being potential thieves?

Definitions:

مَحْفُوظ : - مَصُون

- Under protection and guard - Reliable or untroubled by danger - sustained; upheld; vindicated; reserved; protected; guarded; retained; safeguarded; conserved; saved; well-guarded; defended; maintained; secured; shielded; well-kept; sheltered; stored; well-preserved; well-protected; achieved; ensured; guaranteed; patrolled; preserved; protégé محفوظ In English - Translation and Meaning in English Arabic Dictionary of All terms Page 1

When discussing loss of the Quran, a Muslim may, if he sees that he's making no progress with the abrogation argument, say that the missing verses are in this tablet.

But what's the use of allowing loss of much of the physical Quran? The tablet is guarded but the written one is allowed to perish? Doesn't Allah want its words to be preserved for all to see? If not, why not?

S 15:9 "We have sent down the Dhikr and we are keepers for it." If this is the Quran, as Muslims will argue, and if chunks of it have been lost 'due to abrogation' but preserved in the tablet, how might that benefit Muslims? The word dhikr is often translated 'Reminder' or 'Remembrance'; does Allah want parts of the reminder or remembrance not to be remembered but actually forgotten?

Dhikr

The word quran was probably a known word, with the meaning of 'lectionary'. But what if other self-proclaimed prophets used the word of their own writings? Could the verses above mean that the quran that we are familiar with is one quran out of many which is in a guarded tablet?

"It is a glorious quran"; What is "it"? If the quran that we understand, why doesn't the author say 'THIS'?

A quran?

From an Answering Islam article:

THE ETERNAL TABLET

Even though it is an essential doctrine of Islam, the eternal / heavenly / well-guarded Tablet is mentioned only once in the Qur'an, al-Buruj 85:21-22:

    bal huwa qur'aan(un) majeed(un) fee lawH(in) maHfooZ(in)
    Yes, this is a glorious Qur'an on a tablet well guarded.

It is thought of as containing the heavenly original of the Qur'an. Muslims in general believe that has 104 parts.

The Eternal Tablet:

  104 Divisions
    - 100 were later taken back, of these were
       * 10 to Adam
       * 50 to Seth
       * 30 to Enoch
       * 10 to Abraham
    - 1 to Moses (Torah)
    - 1 to David (Zaboor)
    - 1 to Jesus (Injil)
    - 1 to Muhammad : the Qur'an

Throughout the Qur'an revelation from God is thought to be pre-existing and "sent down" to mankind at various times, e.g.

We have, without doubt, sent down the Message, and We will assuredly guard it. (al-Hijr 15:9)

According to the understanding of some Muslims, the Torah, Zaboor, and Injil are still left here (i.e. not taken back to heaven) because their purpose is to predict the coming of Muhammad (cf. as-Saff 61:6; al-A`raf 7:157).

The claim of another uncreated, eternal entity besides God, is a mystery (or a problem?) in Muslim theology. See this sample dialog for an illustration of the argument. The article God, His Word, and the Qur'an in Islam gives a very thorough discussion of it. Comparative Index to Islam : THE ETERNAL TABLET

In Tafsir Ibn Kathir the tablet is between the eyes of Israfil. The Noble Qur’an - Tafsir Ibn Katheer - Tafsir Surat Al-Burooj - Verse 22

Further reading: