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Is it obligatory to pick up papers on which "Bun Abd Al-Mabud" is written from the ground, and is there a sin upon whoever does not pick them up, for fear of desecrating the word "Al-Mabud"?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The term "the worshipped" (al-ma'būd) refers to everything that is worshipped, whether rightfully or wrongfully. However, for Muslims, it specifically means "Allah." Naming someone "Abd al-Ma'bud" (Servant of the Worshipped) is permissible, even if the name is not directly mentioned in the Qur'an or Sunnah, as long as the intention is Allah. Similarly, it is permissible to use names that have not been definitively proven to be among the Beautiful Names of Allah, such as "Abd al-Muhsin" (Servant of the Benefactor) and "Abd al-Hadi" (Servant of the Guide), because the intended referent is Allah.

Papers containing the names of Allah or names that denote servitude to Him must be respected and not thrown into the trash. Rather, they should be burned or torn up. The responsibility lies with the person who discards these papers. For someone who finds such papers, it is recommended to remove them from a place of disrespect, especially if they are from a Mushaf (copy of the Qur'an). However, if they are numerous and difficult to collect, it is not obligatory to pick up every single piece of paper.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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