Ruling on Taking Payment for Birth Adhan or Tarawih – Complete Islamic Perspective
Source: Ahkam wa Masail in the Light of the Qur'an and Hadith – Vol. 01
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʾammā baʿd:
◈ Taking payment for Adhan at the time of nikah or birth does not seem correct.
✿ The essence of nikah lies in Ijab and Qubul, which anyone can perform. Even if someone does not have the khutbah or Qur’anic verses memorized, they can read them from a written text.
✿ Similarly, the words of the Adhan are generally known to everyone, so charging a fee for this is an unnecessary expense.
✿ The aim of the Shariʿah is to prevent such unnecessary customs, not promote them. This is why such practices did not exist in the Khayr al-Qurūn (best generations), although nikah, funeral, and birth events have existed since early times.
◈ Just as it is common nowadays, taking payment for Adhan, Iqamah, or Tarawih is also not correct.
✿ These acts do not prevent a person from earning their livelihood, and every Muslim is obligated to attend congregational prayer regardless.
✿ Adhan, Iqamah, or leading Tarawih are brief acts, and taking payment for them is impermissible — especially as there is prohibition in Hadith.
In Muntaqā, under Bāb al-Nahy ʿan Akhdh al-Ujrah ʿalā al-Adhan:
عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَاصِ قَالَ: آخِرُ مَا عَهِدَ إِلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ اتَّخِذْ مُؤَذِّنًا لَا يَأْخُذُ عَلَى أَذَانِهِ أَجْرًا
رواه الخمسة
Ibn Shawkani explained in Nayl al-Awtar (Vol. 1, p. 357):
Ibn al-ʿArabi allowed payment for Adhan, prayer leadership, judiciary, and other religious duties by analogy to wages for governors.
But Imam Shawkani rejected this, stating:
Ibn Hibban cited the Hadith of Abu Mahdhurah receiving silver from the Prophet ﷺ after giving Adhan as proof of permissibility.
But al-Yaʿmari explained:
◈ If payment for Adhan is disliked, then taking wages for leading prayer — a greater act — is even more inappropriate.
◈ In particular, taking money for leading Tarawih in Ramadan is strictly impermissible.
◈ Some Huffaz turn this month into a source of income, which leads to sin and severe warning.
Severe Warning:
مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ عِلْمًا مِمَّا يُبْتَغَى بِهِ وَجْهُ اللهِ لَا يَتَعَلَّمُهُ إِلَّا لِيُصِيبَ بِهِ عَرَضًا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا لَمْ يَجِدْ عَرْفَ الْجَنَّةِ يَعْنِي رِيحَهَا
رواه أحمد، أبو داود، ابن ماجه
“A Hafiz who recites Qur’an in Tarawih for money is worse than an Imam who recites only al-Takathur. If payment is fixed beforehand, neither the Imam nor the congregation gets reward. Reading so fast that letters are omitted is a grave sin.”
① Explicit condition — agreeing in advance on a fixed amount.
② Indirect demand — showing displeasure or complaining if nothing is given.
Supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ أَعْمَالَنَا كُلَّهَا صَالِحَةً، وَاجْعَلْهَا لِوَجْهِكَ خَالِصَةً، وَلَا تَجْعَلْ لِأَحَدٍ فِيهَا شَيْئًا
Source: Ahkam wa Masail in the Light of the Qur'an and Hadith – Vol. 01
Payment for Adhan at the Time of Birth
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ʾammā baʿd:
◈ Taking payment for Adhan at the time of nikah or birth does not seem correct.
✿ The essence of nikah lies in Ijab and Qubul, which anyone can perform. Even if someone does not have the khutbah or Qur’anic verses memorized, they can read them from a written text.
✿ Similarly, the words of the Adhan are generally known to everyone, so charging a fee for this is an unnecessary expense.
✿ The aim of the Shariʿah is to prevent such unnecessary customs, not promote them. This is why such practices did not exist in the Khayr al-Qurūn (best generations), although nikah, funeral, and birth events have existed since early times.
Payment for Adhan, Iqamah, or Tarawih
◈ Just as it is common nowadays, taking payment for Adhan, Iqamah, or Tarawih is also not correct.
✿ These acts do not prevent a person from earning their livelihood, and every Muslim is obligated to attend congregational prayer regardless.
✿ Adhan, Iqamah, or leading Tarawih are brief acts, and taking payment for them is impermissible — especially as there is prohibition in Hadith.
Clear Prohibition from Hadith
In Muntaqā, under Bāb al-Nahy ʿan Akhdh al-Ujrah ʿalā al-Adhan:
عَنْ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي الْعَاصِ قَالَ: آخِرُ مَا عَهِدَ إِلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنْ اتَّخِذْ مُؤَذِّنًا لَا يَأْخُذُ عَلَى أَذَانِهِ أَجْرًا
رواه الخمسة
Ibn Shawkani explained in Nayl al-Awtar (Vol. 1, p. 357):
- Al-Hakim graded this Hadith as Sahih.
- Ibn al-Mundhir narrated that the Prophet ﷺ told ʿUthman ibn Abi al-ʿAs: “Appoint a mu’adhdhin who does not take payment for his Adhan.”
- Ibn Hibban narrated that Yahya al-Bakali heard a man say to Ibn ʿUmar: “I love you for Allah’s sake.” Ibn ʿUmar replied: “I hate you for Allah’s sake.” When asked why, he said: “Because you take payment for Adhan.”
- Ibn Masʿud said: “Payment is not permissible for four things: Adhan, reciting Qur’an, distributing spoils of war, and judging between people.” (mentioned by Ibn Sayyid al-Nas in Sharh al-Tirmidhi)
- Al-Dahhak disliked taking payment for Adhan and said: “If something is given without request, there is no harm.”
- Muʿawiyah ibn Qurrah said: “Only appoint as mu’adhdhin one who gives Adhan purely for Allah’s sake.”
View Permitting Payment & Its Refutation
Ibn al-ʿArabi allowed payment for Adhan, prayer leadership, judiciary, and other religious duties by analogy to wages for governors.
But Imam Shawkani rejected this, stating:
- The mu’adhdhin cannot be compared to an official, as this analogy opposes a clear text.
- Ibn ʿUmar’s fatwa was unopposed among the Companions.
Hadith of Abu Mahdhurah
Ibn Hibban cited the Hadith of Abu Mahdhurah receiving silver from the Prophet ﷺ after giving Adhan as proof of permissibility.
But al-Yaʿmari explained:
- This occurred before ʿUthman ibn Abi al-ʿAs accepted Islam.
- The gift was likely for encouragement of a new Muslim, not as payment for Adhan.
Payment for Imamah and Tarawih
◈ If payment for Adhan is disliked, then taking wages for leading prayer — a greater act — is even more inappropriate.
◈ In particular, taking money for leading Tarawih in Ramadan is strictly impermissible.
◈ Some Huffaz turn this month into a source of income, which leads to sin and severe warning.
Severe Warning:
مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ عِلْمًا مِمَّا يُبْتَغَى بِهِ وَجْهُ اللهِ لَا يَتَعَلَّمُهُ إِلَّا لِيُصِيبَ بِهِ عَرَضًا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا لَمْ يَجِدْ عَرْفَ الْجَنَّةِ يَعْنِي رِيحَهَا
رواه أحمد، أبو داود، ابن ماجه
Examples from the Salaf
- ʿAbdullah ibn Maʿqil led people in Ramadan, but when gifts of money were sent to him on Eid, he returned them saying: “We do not take payment for the Book of Allah.”
- Malik ibn Dinar narrated about a man paid for Tarawih who was later arrested for financial irregularities, saying: “You were eating stolen bread; hence you fell into this trial.”
- Hasan al-Basri: “The prayer of one who leads for payment is invalid, as is that of his followers.”
- Ibn al-Mubarak: “I dislike leading prayer for payment, fearing the prayer must be repeated.”
- Imam Ahmad: “If an Imam says he will lead Ramadan prayers for a set fee, Allah protect us from him — who would pray behind him?”
Deoband Scholars’ Fatwa (1351 AH)
“A Hafiz who recites Qur’an in Tarawih for money is worse than an Imam who recites only al-Takathur. If payment is fixed beforehand, neither the Imam nor the congregation gets reward. Reading so fast that letters are omitted is a grave sin.”
Two Forms of Payment-Taking
① Explicit condition — agreeing in advance on a fixed amount.
② Indirect demand — showing displeasure or complaining if nothing is given.
Supplication:
اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ أَعْمَالَنَا كُلَّهَا صَالِحَةً، وَاجْعَلْهَا لِوَجْهِكَ خَالِصَةً، وَلَا تَجْعَلْ لِأَحَدٍ فِيهَا شَيْئًا
