Purity: Is Shredding or Altering Sacred Texts Enough to Nullify Their Sanctity?
Practical Laws of Islam as per the teachings of Imam Khamenei
Purity: Is Shredding or Altering Sacred Texts Enough to Nullify Their Sanctity?
English:
Question #165
What is the rule concerning shredding the holy names and Qur’anic verses in such a way that no two letters remain connected to each other and the names and verses become illegible? Does it suffice in their effacement, in order to evade their rule, to change their written form by adding some letters to them or erasing some of their letters?
Answer #165
If shredding them in such a manner amounts to disrespect, it is impermissible. Otherwise, if it does not lead to the disappearance of Allah’s name and verses of the Holy Qur’an, it is not sufficient. Also, changing the words through addition or removal of some letters does not prevent the rule from being applied to a letter intended to be a part of Allah’s name at the time of writing. It is not remote to say, when changing of the letters is considered as effacement, that the rule of holy names is not applied to them, though caution lies in refraining from touching them without wuḍū’.