Newspapers and stuff with Allah's name in them

[Visitor]

What do we do with newspapers that contain loads and loads of references to Allah's name?
Like you buy an Arabic or Urdu newspaper and you see loads of names in there like "Abdul Rahman" and "Abdullah" and "Muhammad etc. etc." as a lot of politicians and people in the news have muslim names.
What do they do in the muslim world with all these newspapers once the day is over?
Do like you do with anything that has Allah's name on it? i.e. burn it, bury it, or drop it in flowing water?

Good question isnt it?

[ahmad12]

:salam:

Cut them out and collect them all until you can do one of the following:

Bury them (in a place where people won't walk over it)
Leave them in running water

I think burning isn't supposed to be done

And Allah knows best

:jazak:

[Visitor]

:salam:

Cut them out and collect them all until you can do one of the following:

Bury them (in a place where people won't walk over it)
Leave them in running water

I think burning isn't supposed to be done

And Allah knows best

:jazak:#
With respect brother, i dont think u have read my post properly.
u are telling me what we already know in regards to dealing with qurans etc.
but what about dealing with newspaper filled with these words on a daily basis?
what do the shops do with unsold papers?
what do the masses do in muslim countries?
are you telling me every zaid and bakr does what u suggest above? i dont think so. i may be wrong tho.
but thats why i started this thread.

comone guys, there must be some arab or paki guys on here who have to deal with this issue??

[mercyofAllah]

:bism:
Is it permissible to throw away papers with the name of Allah on them, or not? What is the proper way to dispose of?

I teach at an islamic school and have lots of papers and magazines with Allah's name.
Respected Brother-in-Islam

Assalaamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullaahi Wa Barakaatuhu

Any material containing translation or transliterations of Qur'aanic verses
should be disposed of either by burying it or placing it in running water.
Burning is also permitted though not preferable. (Fataawa Mahmoodiyyah,
vol.1 pg.17)

'Allah', 'Jazaakallah' and any other words containing the names of Allah
such as 'Assalaamu Alaykum' ('Salaam' being one of the names of Allah)
should be removed from any material prior to disposal or the material
disposed of as mentioned above. (Ibid)

and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best

Mufti Ebrahim Desai
FATWA DEPT.
http://www.islam.tc/cgi-bin/askimam/ask.pl?q=2605&act=view

[abuhajira]

Question

Kindly advise on how Islamic literature should be disposed. I have many Islamic magazines, pamphlets and newsletter lying around at home. I know that I am not allowed to throw them in the bin as they contain verses from the Qur’an, the name of Allah and the Hadith. What is the best way of disposing of such articles? Can we put them in the green box placed by the city here in Canada where all used books are placed by people and then recycled?

Answer

In the Name of Allāh, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Islam gives great reverence to the tools of learning knowledge. Our pious predecessors would go at length to keep respect of pens, papers, books or any medium of gaining knowledge. This reverence is further increased when these papers contain the sacred name of Allah or any part of Qur’ān on them. In our times, we have excelled tremendously in publishing Islamic material. The new technologies have proven very beneficial in propagating our Dīn. However, one shortcoming to such widespread propagation is the pamphlets, books and posters do not get the reverence and respect they deserve. Once these go into the hand of public, then they get trampled upon or disrespected in other ways.
It is therefore very important to dispose of any Islamic material which is no longer needed in the proper Shar῾ī way. While recycle bins may seem a suitable choice, but these papers are handled by non Muslims. Moreover they get thrown down, trampled or torn into pieces before they get to be recycled. It is not appropriate for material which has Allah’s name or a part of Qur’ān on it to be handled by a non Muslim.[1]
The more suitable way is to wrap up the Islamic material, papers, or Qur’ān copies and then bury them in a place which is not commonly walked upon. It is mentioned in Ad Durrul Mukhtār,

“When a Qur’ān copy becomes (so) old that it is no longer legible, then it should be wrapped up (in some cloth) and buried like a (deceased) Muslim.”[2]

However, if it is not possible to bury these parchments or papers in a secure place, then one may resort to collect these papers and burn them.

And Allāh knows best.
Ml. Abu Hajira bin Abdul Hamid
Durban, South Africa

Concurred by:
Muftī Abrar Mirza
Chicago, IL (USA)

Under the Supervision of Muftī Ebrahim Desai (South Africa)


[1] ( ويمنع النصراني ) في بعض النسخ الكافر - حاشية ابن عابدين - مطلب يطلق الدعاء على ما يشمل الثناء (1 / 321)
[2] المصحف إذا صار بحال لا يقرأ فيه يدفن كالمسلم - الدر المختار - (1 / 320)
( يدفن ) أي يجعل في خرقة طاهرة ويدفن في محل غير ممتهن لا يوطأ - حاشية ابن عابدين -مطلب يطلق الدعاء على ما يشمل الثناء (1 / 320)

http://www.askimam.org/public/question_detail/19154

[Shuayb Abdul-Khaaliq]

:salam:

Mufti Abu Hajira Saheb, or any other scholar reading this:

Is it permissible to shred Islamic literature in a cross-cut shredder?

:jazak:

:salam:

[abuhajira]

:salam:

Mufti Abu Hajira Saheb, or any other scholar reading this:

Is it permissible to shred Islamic literature in a cross-cut shredder?

:jazak:

:salam:

:salam:

The same opinion will follow. That is, keep burning or shredding as a last resort. Try and see if you can do it in the ideal way. But if it is not possible then resort to these measures.

:ws:

[Visitor]

Jazkallah for the replies.

so it seems we must try to bury as much as we can. if we cant do that then we should drop in running water. if not that then we can burn. if that is too difficult then we can shred as a last resort. hmmm i need to buy a shredder maybe!

my question actually has worldwide consequences but no one seems to have picked that up. newspapers get thrown away on a DAILY basis by muslims all over the world. why dont ulama talk about this topic bcos its a big time baytbe of holy words.

[Slave_of_ Allah]

:salam:

The same opinion will follow. That is, keep burning or shredding as a last resort. Try and see if you can do it in the ideal way. But if it is not possible then resort to these measures.

:ws:

As-Salamu-Alaykum Shaykh,

We have an annual subscription to one of the English language local newspapers here (in the UAE). Sometimes (in fact alot of the times) we do not read these newspapers. Can we then dispose of them by throwing them away? Are we required to go through the newspaper to look for Islamic content so that we can cut it out and dispose it (the cut out part) in the correct manner, and then the rest of the newspaper can be thrown away?

Or should we not go through the newspaper and just dispose it normally (i.e. throw it away)?

Jazaak Allah Khayr.

[abuhajira]

:salam:

Since you are talking about normal newspaper, which may or may not have islamic content, You are not required to carry out all the steps. Simply give it off to one of the recycling facilities.

If you fear that there may be quite a bit of islamic material then try and locate a facility of islamic literature disposal in your city. I am sure UAE must have some facility for it. If you find any, then collect monthly newspaper and dispose them through that facility.

If you do not have such facility, then search for facility of burning items. I have seen some such localized facilities in Pakistan. Maybe you might find something there.

If you cannot find any other way, then have your own bornfire.

All this is upon your discretion. But do not throw away the newspaper just like that, it is not desirable. In any even a paper is a tool of learning and should be afforded some grace.

:ws:

[Visitor]

:salam:

Since you are talking about normal newspaper, which may or may not have islamic content, You are not required to carry out all the steps. Simply give it off to one of the recycling facilities.

If you fear that there may be quite a bit of islamic material then try and locate a facility of islamic literature disposal in your city. I am sure UAE must have some facility for it. If you find any, then collect monthly newspaper and dispose them through that facility.

If you do not have such facility, then search for facility of burning items. I have seen some such localized facilities in Pakistan. Maybe you might find something there.

If you cannot find any other way, then have your own bornfire.

All this is upon your discretion. But do not throw away the newspaper just like that, it is not desirable. In any even a paper is a tool of learning and should be afforded some grace.

:ws:
Thanks for ur reply maulana sahib.

as the OP i was after more of a ruling on the matter if possible.
i.e. halal, haram, makruh etc.?

some things are clear even for a non-mufti, for eg. to put a quran in the bin is clearly haram (may Allah forgive me for having to type that example out!)
and some things are clearly not haram eg. to put an English Times newspaper in the bin.

but what about the things that lie in between in the grey area? eg. newspapers with *some* islamic terms in them eg. the name President AbduALLAH, or Prime Minister Mohammed.

what is the ruling on this?

u say "discretion". but what does that mean? it's up to u? u won't be sinful if you do either?

plz elucidate and clarify. jazakallah kahir.

wasalam.

[abuhajira]

:salam:

Discretion in my answer means that you may apply your judgement. If you feel that the newspaper contain islamic phrases and Quranic texts then send it for Islamic disposal. If your judgement is that it doesnt contain, or the extent is someone's name etc then opt for normal paper recycling. Do not throw away the paper away.

While you do so, make istighfar for any shortcoming that may come from our actions. Indeed many times one may do something unknowingly, or one may err in his judgement. So Istighfar for such error is sufficient and a means of Qurbat towards Allah. Beyond this one should not obsessively indulge in finding exact words which may or may not be there in such newspapers. For that discretion (as explained above) is sufficient.

Wallahu A'lam bissawaab.

:ws: