Question Summary:
Newspapers have a lot of names of Allah and Rasul (S.A.W), especially Urdu newspapers…Can one trash the newspaper?

Question Detail:

Q1. Newspapers have a lot of names of Allah and Rasul (S.A.W), especially Urdu newspapers. What should one do? Can one trash the newspaper? I thought about burying them but it’s kind of hard to do that in western countries. can we put them in those paper recycle bins?
Q. 2 My work area is mostly of Christians but my manager is a Muslim. What he does is he gives gifts to everyone on Christmas including me. I told him not to but his argument was that to take it and consider it as an yearly gift, not as a Christmas gift. But still the only reason he is actually giving gifts is because it’s Christmas, no gifts are exchanged on eid and i dont want to seem rude so i give him a gift back too. So can we accept and exchange gifts or should I wisely refuse to take it.

Answer :

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Assalaamu `alaykum waRahmatullahi Wabarakatoh
1) The ruling regarding newspapers, pamphlets etc. that contain the name of Allah or verses of the Quran is that they should be wrapped up in a cloth and should be buried inside a ground upon which people rarely walk. In cities, where it is difficult to bury such stuff very often, these papers could be collected and buried when a huge heap is accumulated. If this is also not possible, then one could resort to burning such paper.
Fatawa Mahmoodiyah Vol.3 Pg.542 (Jami’ah Farooqiyah)
Fatawa Uthmani Vol.1 Pg.209  (Maktabah Darul Uloom Karachi)
Kifayatul Mufti Vol.1 Pg.118 (Maktbah Haqqaniyah)
المصحف إذا صار بحال لا يقرأ فيه يدفن كالمسلم
( قوله : يدفن ) أي يجعل في خرقة طاهرة ويدفن في محل غير ممتهن لا يوطأ .
Raddul Muhtar Vol.1 Pg.177 (H.M. Sa’eed Company)
It will not be permissible to put them into paper recycle bins due to the following reasons:
·        These recycle bins are handled by non-Muslims, and it is not permissible to hand over papers with Allah’s name or Quranic aayahs to non-Muslims.
ويمنع النصراني من مسه
( قوله : ويمنع النصراني ) في بعض النسخ الكافر ، وفي الخانية الحربي أو الذمي .
Raddul Muhtar Vol.1 Pg.177 (H.M. Sa’eed Company)
·        It is not permissible to make use of paper that contains the name of Allah or verses of the Quran for other purposes.
However, if the name of Allah or the verses of the Quran are erased or written over with a pen in such a way that they are no longer visible, then it will be permissible to put them into the paper recycle bin or use them for some other purpose.
 
Imdadul Fatawa Vol.4 Pg.55 (Maktabah Darul Uloom Karachi)
ولا يجوز لف شيء في كاغد فيه فقه ، وفي كتب الطب يجوز ، ولو فيه اسم الله أو الرسول فيجوز محوه ليلف فيه شيء ، ومحو بعض الكتابة بالريق يجوز
Raddul Muhtar Vol.1 Pg.178 (H.M. Sa’eed Company)
2) It is not permissible to celebrate or take part in any of the festivals of the non-Muslims. However, it is permissible to accept their gifts on such days as long as they are not impure or something prohibited by Shariah.
Fatawa Mahmoodiyah Vol.18 Pg.174/5 (Jami’ah Farooqiyah)
Aapke masail aur Unka Hal Vol.1 Pg.67 (Maktabah Bayyinat)
In the context of the abovementioned, it will be permissible to accept the gift from your boss, especially when he is a Muslim and he is saying that it is a yearly gift.
It will also be permissible for you to give a gift back to him, as long as you do not make intention of celebrating Christmas, but just give it to keep the relationship.
However, you should also explain to your boss that if he is giving these gifts to celebrate Christmas or to honour the Christians, it will be regarded as a grave sin.
And Allah knows best
Wassalam
Ml. Abu Yahya,
Student Darul Iftaa
Checked and Approved by:
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
Darul Iftaa, Madrassah In'aamiyyah