Disposing of Islamic papers

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

Hanafis preferred to bury or wash papers with Allah’s name or a verse of Quran. However, washing them does not work in our time, since the ink does not wash away. That only leaves burial. Where as the Shafi Madhab does permit burning them.

Explanation

فَفَعَلُوا حَتَّى إِذَا نَسَخُوا الصُّحُفَ فِي المَصَاحِفِ، رَدَّ عُثْمَانُ الصُّحُفَ إِلَى حَفْصَةَ، وَأَرْسَلَ إِلَى كُلِّ أُفُقٍ بِمُصْحَفٍ مِمَّا نَسَخُوا، وَأَمَرَ بِمَا سِوَاهُ مِنَ القُرْآنِ فِي كُلِّ صَحِيفَةٍ أَوْ مُصْحَفٍ، أَنْ يُحْرَقَ

They did so, until they had written copies. Thereafter, Uthman returned the original manuscript to Hafsah. Then he sent a copy from their copies to every Muslim province. And he ordered that all other copies be burnt. (Sahih al-Bukhari, 4987).

In the narration above it is clarified that Sayidina Uthman (May Allah Most High be pleased with him) commanded that all personal Mushafs (copies of the Quran) be burned. He done this to make sure that people’s personal notes do not become mixed up with the text of the Holy Quran. This seems to be a clear proof for the permissibility of burning papers with Allah’s name or Quranic verses on them.

Explaining the narration

وَاخْتَلَفَ الْعُلَمَاءُ فِي وَرَقِ الْمُصْحَفِ الْبَالِي إِذَا لَمْ يَبْقَ فِيهِ نَفْعٌ أَنَّ الْأَوْلَى هُوَ الْغَسْلُ، أَوِ الْإِحْرَاقُ؟ فَقِيلَ: الثَّانِي لِأَنَّهُ يَدْفَعُ سَائِرَ صُوَرِ الِامْتِهَانِ، بِخِلَافِ الْغَسْلِ فَإِنَّهُ تُدَاسُ غُسَالَتَهُ، وَقِيلَ الْغَسْلُ وَتُصَبُّ الْغُسَالَةُ فِي مَحَلٍّ طَاهِرٍ لِأَنَّ الْحَرْقَ فِيهِ نَوْعُ إِهَانَةٍ. قَالَ ابْنُ حَجَرٍ: وَفِعْلُ عُثْمَانُ يُرَجِّحُ الْإِحْرَاقَ، وَحَرْقُهُ بِقَصْدِ صِيَانَتِهِ بِالْكُلِّيَّةِ لَا امْتِهَانَ فِيهِ بِوَجْهٍ، وَمَا وَقَعَ لِأَئِمَّتِنَا فِي مَوْضِعٍ مِنْ حُرْمَةِ الْحَرْقِ يُحْمَلُ عَلَى مَا إِذَا كَانَ فِيهِ إِضَاعَةُ مَالٍ بِأَنْ كَانَ الْمَكْتُوبُ فِيهِ لَهُ قِيمَةٌ يُذْهِبُهَا الْحَرْقُ

 قُلْتُ: هَذَا تَأْوِيلٌ غَرِيبٌ وَتَفْرِيعٌ عَجِيبٌ فَإِنَّ فَرْضَ الْمَسْأَلَةِ فِيمَا لَيْسَ فِيهِ نَفْعٌ وَالْقِيَاسُ عَلَى فِعْلِ عُثْمَانَ لَا يَجُوزُ لِأَنَّ صَنِيعَهُ كَانَ بِمَا ثَبَتَ أَنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ أَوْ مِمَّا اخْتَلَطَ بِهِ اخْتِلَاطًا لَا يَقْبَلُ الِانْفِكَاكَ، وَإِنَّمَا اخْتَارَ الْإِحْرَاقَ لِأَنَّهُ يُزِيلُ الشَّكَّ فِي كَوْنِهِ تَرَكَ بَعْضَ الْقُرْآنِ، إِذْ لَوْ كَانَ قُرْآنًا لَمْ يُجَوِّزْ مُسْلِمٌ أَنَّهُ يَحْرِقُهُ وَيَدُلُّ عَلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَأْمُرْ بِحِفْظِ رَمَادِهِ مِنَ الْوُقُوعِ فِي النَّجَاسَةِ. (مرقاة المفاتيح شرح مشكاة المصابيح)

The scholars differed regarding the worn-out Mushaf. If there is no benefit left, then is it better to wash it or burn it? It was said: The second. Since it eliminates all forms of disrespect. As opposed to washing. Since the washing water could be stepped on. And it was said, washing (is preferable).  And the washing water should be poured out in a clean place. Since burning dictates disrespect.

Ibn Hajar said: Uthman’s action supports burning. And burning with the intention of complete protection does not include disrespect in any way. What our Imams said regarding the prohibition of burning is to be understood to refer to that which includes wasting money. For example, it was written on something that has value, which will be destroyed by burning.  

I say: This is a strange interpretation and a surprising ruling. The issue is regarding that in which there is no benefit. And to compare it to the action of Uthman is not permitted. Since his action was taken regarding that which was definitely not from the Qur’an. Or from what was mixed with it in an inseparable manner.

He only decided to burn it because it removes doubt that he left out some of the Qur’an. Because if it was the Qur’an, no Muslim would have allowed him to burn it. This is supported by the fact that he did not command the protection of the ashes from falling into impurity. (Imam Ali al-Qari 1014H, Mirqaat al-Mafateeh).

In the Nass (text) above, Imam Ali al-Qari explains why the action of Sayidina Uthman is not directly relevant to the discussion on disposing of Mushafs that are not useable. He explains that the action of Sayidina Uthman is more relevant to Islamic papers than Mushafs (copies of the Quran).

However, even this explanation would permit the burning of papers with Allah’s name or other Islamic literature. Whereas the Hanafi say such papers should be washed or buried.

 

The Hanafi view

 

وفي ” جامع شمس الأئمة “: الرسائل والآثار والكتب التي لا منفعة فيها يمحى عنها اسم الله وملائكته ورسله، ويحرق بالنار فلو ألقاها في الماء الجاري أو دفنها لا بأس به. والدفن أحسن كما في الأنبياء والأولياء إذا ماتوا، وكذا جميع الكتب إذا بليت وخرجت عن الانتفاع. (البناية شرح الهداية)

In Jami’ Shams al-Aiamah: Letters, traditions and books that have no benefit left should have the name of Allah, His angels, and His messengers erased from them. Then burned with fire. If he throws them in running water or buries them, there is nothing wrong with it. Burial is better, as is the case with the prophets and Awliyaa when they die. Likewise all books if they become worn-out and no longer useful. (Imam Badr al-Deen al-Ayni 855H, al-Binayah Sharh al-Hidayah).

In the Nass above, Imam al-Ayni explains the Qiyas (legal analogy) Hanafis used to prefer the burial of papers with Allah’s name.  They explained that we burial the bodies of the Prophets (peace be upon them) which are blessed and sacred, so burying sacred text should also be correct.

Although this is a strong argument, the counter to it would be that Sayidina Uthman was well aware of this and still preferred to burn personal copies of the Holy Quran rather than bury them.

A stronger argument would be to explain that Sayidina Uthman wanted to make sure there is no confusion regarding the Quran. Such that people’s personal notes are not mixed up with the Holy Quran. Therefore, burial would not fulfil this goal. Since, people may come across these copies years later and become confused regarding the Holy Quran.

Did Hanafis accept burning

الْكُتُبُ الَّتِي لَا يُنْتَفَعُ بِهَا يُمْحَى عَنْهَا اسْمُ اللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ وَيُحْرَقُ الْبَاقِي وَلَا بَأْسَ بِأَنْ تُلْقَى فِي مَاءٍ جَارٍ كَمَا هِيَ أَوْ تُدْفَنَ وَهُوَ أَحْسَنُ كَمَا فِي الْأَنْبِيَاءِ

وَكَذَا جَمِيعُ الْكُتُبِ إذَا بَلِيَتْ وَخَرَجَتْ عَنْ الِانْتِفَاعِ بِهَا اهـ. يَعْنِي أَنَّ الدَّفْنَ لَيْسَ فِيهِ إخْلَالٌ بِالتَّعْظِيمِ، لِأَنَّ أَفْضَلَ النَّاسِ يُدْفَنُونَ. وَفِي الذَّخِيرَةِ: الْمُصْحَفُ إذَا صَارَ خَلَقًا وَتَعَذَّرَ الْقِرَاءَةُ مِنْهُ لَا يُحْرَقُ بِالنَّارِ إلَيْهِ أَشَارَ مُحَمَّدٌ وَبِهِ نَأْخُذُ، وَلَا يُكْرَهُ دَفْنُهُ، وَيَنْبَغِي أَنْ يُلَفَّ بِخِرْقَةٍ طَاهِرَةٍ، وَيُلْحَدَ لَهُ لِأَنَّهُ لَوْ شُقَّ وَدُفِنَ يَحْتَاجُ إلَى إهَالَةِ التُّرَابِ عَلَيْهِ، وَفِي ذَلِكَ نَوْعُ تَحْقِيرٍ إلَّا إذَا جُعِلَ فَوْقَهُ سَقْفٌ وَإِنْ شَاءَ غَسَلَهُ بِالْمَاءِ أَوْ وَضَعَهُ فِي مَوْضِعٍ طَاهِرٍ لَا تَصِلُ إلَيْهِ يَدُ مُحْدِثٍ وَلَا غُبَارٌ، وَلَا قَذَرٌ تَعْظِيمًا لِكَلَامِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ اهـ.

Imam al-Haskafi: Books that are no longer beneficial, must have the name of Allah, His angels, and His messengers erased, and the remained is burned. There is no harm in throwing them into running water as they are. Nor burying them. Which is better as occurs with the Prophets.

Imam Ibn Abideen: The same applies to all books when they become worn-out and no longer beneficial. Meaning that there is no violation of reverence in burial. Since the best people are buried. And in al-Dhakhirah: If the Mushaf is torn and it is impossible to read from it, it should not be burned with fire. Muhammad indicated this and we take it. And burying it is not disliked. Rather it should be wrapped in a piece of pure cloth, then placed in a Lahad grave. Because putting it in a Shaqq would require it to be covered with soil. And that necessitates a kind of disrespect. Unless a roof is placed over it. If he wishes, he washes it with water or places it in a pure place that cannot be reached by the hand of a person without Wudu. Nor (is it exposed to) dust or dirt. This is to honour the word of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). (Radd al-Muhtar).

 

As seen in the Nass above, there are circumstances in which Hanafis did accept the burning of papers with Allah’s name on them. However, the preferred method mentioned by Hanafis is burial. Especially since washing away the ink is no longer possible

 

Respect the difference

Although the Hanafi are generally averse to burning papers with Allah’s name or the Mushaf, the difference of opinion must be respected. The opinion that permits burning such papers is linked to one of the greatest companions of our beloved Prophet ﷺ. Thus, it requires due respect.

There is also an argument that the Sahabah who were present did not object to burning personal copies of the Holy Quran, so there is consensus (Ijma) on burning. Therefore, the argument for the permissibility of burning Islamic papers is strong. And that opinion must be respected.

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (17.09.2024)

See also:

How to respect difference of opinion?.

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