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Fatwa CenterKeeping books that contain inappropriate descriptions of people named after Prophets
Question
As-salaamu 3laikum, What is the ruling on keeping books which mention people who are named after some of the prophets or for example Maryam the mother of 'Isa, and these people are named with the English versions of the names, and they put adjectives which are not particularly respectful to describe that particular person? I hope you understand what I mean, they are describing a person who has that name not the prophet they are named after. If it is not allowed to keep such descriptions, is it ok to tear out that page and keep the rest of the book? Jazaakum Allahu khair
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad 
is His slave and Messenger.
Describing those persons who are named after some Prophets with inappropriate descriptions does not detract from those Prophets, but it is not permissible to have disdain for people. Abdullaah ibn Mas’ood 
narrated that the Prophet said: "Anyone who has an atom’s weight of pride in his heart shall not enter Paradise." A man said: "A man likes that his clothes look nice and his shoes look nice." He (the Prophet) said: "Allaah is beautiful and He loves beauty. Pride is rejecting the truth (out of self-conceit) and disdaining people." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]
Hence, there is nothing wrong with keeping those books if they principally contain what is useful. If it is possible to remove or cover the inappropriate descriptions which they contain, then this will be good; otherwise, removing them is not an obligation in principle, and it is permissible to keep them as they are.
Allaah Knows best.
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