The Qur’an is considered to be the word of God. This is why believers of Islam handle the sacred text with the utmost respect.
In fact, to handle the Quran, Muslims must be in a state of purity and cleanliness. This is required even during the disposal of the Holy Book.
This guide will discuss the main guidelines for responsible disposal of the Quran.
Disposal of the Quran Needs Special Consideration
Muslims who believe in the word of the Quran treat the book with the utmost care and respect. They also place the book in a sacred area of their house.
This is all because they believe that the book contains the exact words of God for humankind. They are the direct link between humanity and the Divine.
After all, it is the literal word of God. Hence, the words of God should be treated with the respect they deserve.
However, there comes a time when disposing of a Quran becomes inevitable. Every paper, book, or object containing God’s word needs to be properly disposed of.
Therefore, everything that may have the Quran’s verse should be responsibly disposed of. Discarding and disposing of such materials can be tricky, especially for a layperson.
Even if the entire Quran is completely in shambles, you should follow proper guidelines for disposal. Similarly, even if a piece of paper contains a few words from the Quran, these guidelines would be applicable.
When the Quran is losing its binding or fading away, you might need to dispose of it. You should not throw away the Quran in the trash under any circumstance.
Doing so is not only disrespectful to the religion but is also considered a major sin. Allah’s words must be discarded in a way that shows reverence for the holiness of the text.
It is important to conduct proper research on this matter.
Luckily, this guide is all you need. We will provide you with the information you need on properly disposing of the Quran.
How to Dispose of the Quran the Right Way?
If you have a magazine, paper pieces, or the Quran itself and want to dispose of it, keep reading. There are certain guidelines you need to follow for the proper disposal of such sacred items and text.
Follow these methods if you want to safely and respectfully dispose of the Quran. There are various ways to dispose of it.
You should pick out a method that is the most convenient and easiest for you
Burning the Quran
This is one suggested method of disposal. Respectfully burning the Quran is completely permissible in the religion.
The most foolproof and popular method for disposal is through the burning of the Quran. Many people have followed this method of disposing of the Quran for decades.
However, many Islamic scholars state that burning should be considered a last resort. You should burn the Quran in a clean and pure place.
You must also carry out the burning procedure in a safe manner. Lastly, the most important point you must follow is ensuring that all the words are burned.
Every bit of the Quran should be burned in order for it to be disposed of. Hence, the burning should be done thoroughly until there is nothing left.
The pages should be completely destroyed, and no words should be left legible. The burning of the Quran is a procedure that was followed during the early years of the religion.
For this reason, there is no harm in burning the Quran in order to dispose of it.
However, burning can be quite dangerous, and too much smoke can accumulate. Another important thing to remember is that you should follow proper burning procedures.
This means that you must not burn the Quran with the rest of the trash. And you should also ensure that every bit of the Quran or verse is completely destroyed.
Once done, people tend to bury the ashes or scatter them in running water. This makes the burning procedure foolproof.
Shredding the Pieces
The easiest and most modern method of disposal of the Quran is shredding it. These days, with a shredder available, shredding the pieces of the Quran is straightforward.
You should thus consider using a shredding machine that allows you to insert the paper. This way, it shreds them into pieces.
However, there are still a few things you need to keep in mind when shredding the pieces. For example, you should ensure that they are shredded into extremely tiny pieces.
They should be so small that they are not readable. The shredded pieces should not be recognized as part of the Quran.
You must ensure that you shred them in such a way that they are unrecognizable from the Quran. This way, they will no longer be regarded as the words of Allah.
Once shredded, people also scatter the pieces in water or bury them. You should also consider doing either of these things, though it is unnecessary.
Most people opt for this method because it is clean and safe. Additionally, this method is also easy to carry out.
Other options, like burying and burning, can often be difficult. Hence, consider this one if you are looking for a quick disposal method.
Burying the Quran
Another popular method that was carried out decades ago is burying the Quran. It is also the most preferred method by scholars.
Before burying the Quran, you must figure out a spot that is best for the burial. The Quran and its pieces should be buried safely and cleanly.
The preferred ground is one where people do not walk on. Essentially, it should also not be a place where the Quran can be tampered with or accessed.
For this reason, the most popular burial spots are mosques or the graveyard. To bury the Quran, you should dig a deep hole in the selected spot.
Then, you should wrap a piece of cloth around the Quran to protect it from the soil. Then place the Quran and cover it with dirt.
Donating the Quran
If the Quran is still in good condition and usable, then you must consider donating it. Most mosques and Islamic centers happily accept such donations.
Hence, you should look up these places near your neighborhood. Then call them up and ask them if they would be willing to accept such a donation.
Following this method is not only convenient, but it also gives your Quran a good home. The Quran will not go to waste and be used efficiently.
You could also ask your friends and family if they want the Quran. Perhaps someone could find it useful.
This way, you would be disposing of the Quran and passing down knowledge. It’s a win-win situation both ways.
Placing It In Flowing Water
This popular method was followed during the early ages of Islam. Of course, it can only be carried out if there is accessible flowing water near you.
This is a good method of disposing of the Quran because it wipes away the ink. Hence, it naturally removes the words of Allah from the paper.
Similarly, the water also naturally disintegrates the paper, so it is no longer usable. For these reasons, placing it in flowing water is an excellent way of disposing of the Quran.
However, it is important that you check in with your local area’s regulations regarding throwing things in the water. If it is okay, then consider this method.
To dispose of the Quran in flowing water, you must tie it to a heavy object. Fasten the Quran with something heavy, such as a large stone.
Then, you must submerge the Quran respectfully in the water. This way, it will go with the flowing water and will never float on top of it.
Placing It In Permanent Storage
If you don’t use the Quran anymore, there is no harm in simply storing it safely and respectfully. Even if it has faded and is not in good condition, you can place it in permanent storage.
For example, wrap it in a pure cloth and place it safely somewhere. You can place them in a cave, attic, or an old mosque.
This is the easiest, most convenient, and safe way of disposal. You would be avoiding the issue altogether.
However, you have to figure out the right place for storage. You cannot just keep it anywhere, but rather at a safe and respectable place.
Final Words
It should be noted that all of these methods pertain to the original text only. Translated words are not considered to be Allah’s original words.
Hence, you don’t need to follow these techniques if you don’t have the original text. But if you have the original Quran that is fading or you have to dispose of it, follow these steps.
It is necessary to follow the safe disposal methods of the Quran. You must respect the words of Allah regardless of whether you follow the religion or not.
Hence, consider burning, burying, and placing the Quran in flowing water. If not, you can store it safely or give it to someone.
Either way, you should take out the time to figure out the right method. You must decide which one is the most convenient and easiest for you.
Other articles you may also like:
