What is the ruling regarding my friend who gave a book containing the ذكر الله (remembrance of Allah) to someone who will place it on a rug that he considers unclean? Is he considered a disbeliever for assisting in that, knowing that he is a person suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (waswas)? What should he do if the man is not convinced by his advice, and should he give him the book or not?

Warn your friend about obsessive thoughts (waswas), and explain to him that placing a book on the ground or on a clean rug does not constitute harm or disrespect to a book of knowledge. Furthermore, whoever takes a book of knowledge for reading and studying does not disrespect it. This assumption is merely an obsessive thought. Your friend should assume the best intentions of Muslims and not believe that he is more reverent towards books of knowledge. He should give the book to whoever requests it from him; there is no harm or sin in that, rather it is an aid to righteousness and piety. He must discard these obsessive thoughts and ideas and pay no attention to them.