SANDAKAN – A senior citizen who sifted through the remains of his home, which was completely ravaged by a fire yesterday, made a remarkable discovery: amid the ashes, his Quran remained unscathed.
Ibnu Dammang, 70, along with his family of 16, found themselves displaced after a devastating blaze razed 22 squatter houses in Kg Mangkalinau Parit, also known as Kg Sentosa Jaya Batu 3, yesterday at around 4pm.
While inspecting the damaged home, Ibnu and his son returned to salvage what they could, only to find everything charred except for the copy of the holy book.
“Everything was burnt… except for this,” Ibnu told Scoop while holding the surviving Quran.
Despite the loss of their belongings, Ibnu remained awestruck by the Quran’s condition, noting it was only minimally damaged, a testament to what he believes is the protective power of Allah.
“I am amazed, but I am not completely shocked. I think this showed the power of Allah. It was protected by Allah,” he said.
Though the Quran was no longer usable, Ibnu planned to hand it over to the village mosque, An-Nur Mosque, for proper disposal. However, the mosque was also hit by the fire, which left the building partially damaged.
While reflecting on the ordeal, Ibnu expressed gratitude that no lives were lost in the fire.
However, he emphasised the importance of perspective.
“Yes, we lost everything. But houses, we can build. Things, we can buy. Money, we can find. I am just very thankful that everyone was fine.”
Recounting the community’s efforts during the incident, Ibnu said villagers attempted to salvage religious items from the mosque, ensuring the safety of the Quran and religious books.
As the family grapples with homelessness, Ibnu’s 24-year-old son, Anel, is focused on providing for his loved ones, expressing resilience amid uncertainty about their future living arrangements.
“We are still in shock… right now, I just focus on providing food for my family. We will think about it (where to live) later, see how it goes,” the father of one said. – May 2, 2024