1: What is Islamic ruling about placing holy and respectable books/paper on floor?
a) What about Qur’an, Hadith, Tafseer, Seerah books on the floor?
b) What about other religious books, papers on the floor?
c) What about urdu newspapers/magazines that has little bit of Islamic material?
I have seen our Egyptian brothers placing the Qur’an on the floor while reading it in a ‘halaqa’, but we Pakistanis cannot imagine to put Quran on the floor and read; (we use ‘rail’ (Qur’an book stand))
2: If not placing on floor (or equavalent to feet) what level should such literature be placed.
a) What about in a book shelf that starts just little above the ground?
b) I will put Quran and Hadith books up on the top shelf, but what about material that contains some Islamic literature (like in urdu newspapers/magazines) with other stuff. Obviously, I can't put everything on top shelves. So what is an acceptable level for such materials be placed? Considering we sit and lay on bed and the book shelves are below our feet level ( Am I stretching it too far here?) and pointing feets toward them while laying down and relaxing?
3: How to dispose off such literature? I have heard of burning such literature to avoid any disrespect toward such material. But what about big bundles of Urdu newspapers what contains some islamic literature? Should I go for BBQ occasionally and burn those there? Can’t do it at home, b/c of fire alarms, neighbors
4: What about pictures of Holy Ka’ba and shrines?
a) We put them on wall, can’t imagine to have them on the floor, but once I made a flyer with Ka’ba picture on it. I put some around campus and gave some to my religious American-Egyptian brother to help me out. After some days I found some of those flyers on his car floor where I put my feet to sit;… very sad.
b) But then I thought we put 'Jay-e-Namaz' (prayer matt, 'musalla') with Ka'ba, Prophet Muhammad :saw: shrine and other masajid picture on floor and sometime we even step on it after we finish praying. That's why I consider such material/objects not to be printed on 'musalla;' right? When I performed Hajj (Al-hamdulillah) I saw no prayer matt at shops with such objects, just beautiful decoration.
c) But then also, I thought we don't worship idols or pictures (of Ka'ba and holy shrines), we worship Allah. So what respect should be given to such holy images?
d) And what about pointing feet toward Ka'ba? In Pakistan we are told not to point our feet toward Ka'ba, but again our Arabic brothers have never heard of such an issue (at least my friends). In Pakistan, is it out of respect and that's why it should be followed, or is there any Hadith or Islamic ruling about this issue?
Please provide any opinion from scholars and your knowledgeable input for the post above and this. Thanks.
Depends on the difference of definition of "respect" in different cultures, societies or communities. This difference of definition is one of the main cause of disputes among Muslims and root cause of origination of many sects in Islam. Each member of a sect, culture, society or community thinks that the other peoples are devaluating things for which he is giving more by doing such act. Both have their arguments and built their concepts on certain evidences. Some are correct and some are in-correct; but all have their own way of thinking.
1: no obvious rulings that i have seen anywhere....
a) its common sense more than religion....
b) depends on what floor u r talking about....
c) find a proper way of discarding it....
give it to the recycle firms....
2: place it anywhere on a good place where u can easily access it....
a) what cud be wrong in that????
b) u r thinking too much....
just place them whereever u think is a good place....
sorry to say, but u r making a "raayi ka pahaarr"....
I believe you can discard by throwing them in the sea.
As for other aspects people have their own way of thinking.
Some people don't find it offensive to put small books (with surah in it) on the jainamaz when they pray. But some other people looking at this will feel it's disrespectful.
I personally don't like putting these books etc on the floor. They are usually put in a cupboard.
Can’t do it at home, b/c of fire alarms, neighbors