Islamic Ruling on Receiving Compensation for Teaching, Qur’an, Adhan, and Imamate
Derived from: Fatawa Shaykh al-Hadith Mubarakpuri, Volume 1, Page 35
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
✦ Shaykh al-Hadith Mubarakpuri’s Position
◈ Personal Inclination:
Shaykh al-Hadith Mubarakpuri رحمه الله explicitly stated that his personal inclination is that receiving payment for religious duties such as:
➤ Teaching Islam
➤ Reciting or teaching the Qur’an
➤ Giving the Adhan (call to prayer)
➤ Leading the prayer as Imam
is not preferred.
Although he does not declare it Haram, his nature dislikes it, as he regards it akin to “selling knowledge.”
✿ Reason for Not Declaring It Haram
◈ Evidence from Hadith:
He cites the Hadith:
“إِنَّ أَحَقَّ مَا أَخَذْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا كِتَابُ اللَّهِ“
“Indeed, the most rightful thing for which you take payment is the Book of Allah.”
This Hadith establishes that taking a wage for teaching the Qur’an is permissible.
◈ General Scope of the Hadith:
The generality of this Hadith includes not only Qur’an education, but also:
➤ Leading Salah (Imamate)
➤ Giving the Adhan
➤ Other religious services
This narration is considered stronger and more authentic than the narrations and reports which discourage taking payment for religious duties.
✿ Worship Shifting to the Permissible (Mubah) Category
◈ Nature of Worship and Conditions:
Although acts such as:
➤ Teaching Qur’an
➤ Leading prayers
➤ Giving the Adhan
➤ Reciting during Taraweeh
are pure acts of worship, when they become:
➤ Bound to a specific time,
➤ Linked to a specific location,
➤ Appointed by a specific community or mosque —
Then these acts take the ruling of mubah (permissible acts) in such conditional contexts.
Therefore, under these circumstances, receiving payment becomes permissible.
✿ Further Clarification and References
◈ This issue is explained in detail in Fatawa Naziriya, Vol. 2, Pages 48 and 58.
◈ See also: Makatib Shaykh Rahmani binama Mawlana Amin Asari, Page 50.
ھذا ما عندي، والله أعلم بالصواب
