Sharʿi Ruling on Taking Wages for Teaching Qur’an, Leading Prayer, and Ruqyah
Taken from: Aḥkām wa Masāʾil, Masāʾil al-Buyūʿ, vol.1, p.391
❖ The Question
Is it permissible to take wages for leading prayers (imāmah), delivering sermons (khuṭbah), teaching the Qur’an, reciting Qur’an in Tarāwīḥ, performing ruqyah (Qur’anic healing), or writing Qur’anic amulets? Please explain the Sharʿi ruling with evidence.
❖ The Answer
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu wa-s-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, ammā baʿd:
◈ Evidence from Ḥadīth
In Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī (vol.2, Kitāb al-Ṭibb, Bāb al-Sharṭ fī al-Ruqyah bi-Qaṭīʿ min al-Ghanam, p.854), it is narrated from ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنهما):
A Companion recited Sūrat al-Fātiḥah as ruqyah for someone and took sheep in return. The man was cured. When they brought the sheep, the other Companions disliked it, saying: “You took wages for reciting the Book of Allah?”
When they came to Madīnah, they asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He said:
«إِنَّ أَحَقَّ مَا أَخَذْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا كِتَابُ اللَّهِ»
“The most deserving thing for which you can take wages is the Book of Allah.”
◈ Fiqh Principle
The Prophet’s ﷺ words:
“The most deserving thing for which you can take wages is the Book of Allah”
constitute a general ruling.
Thus, taking wages for Qur’anic services is permissible — whether it is:
- Teaching Qur’an,
- Ruqyah (healing through Qur’an),
- Reciting Qur’an in prayer (including Tarāwīḥ),
- Or performing duties of imāmah and khuṭbah.
This follows the usūl principle:
«وَالْعِبْرَةُ بِعُمُوْمِ اللَّفْظِ لاَ بِخُصُوْصِ السَّبَبِ»
“The consideration is for the generality of the wording, not the specificity of the reason.”
◈ Exceptions
- Acts not established by Sharʿi evidence — such as reciting Qur’an at graves — cannot be a source of wages, since their Sharʿi validity is itself doubtful.
- Regarding amulets (taʿwīdhāt): both Qur’anic and non-Qur’anic, these were not established from the Prophet ﷺ. Therefore, taking wages for them is not permissible.
❖ Conclusion
✔ Taking wages for imāmah, khuṭbah, teaching Qur’an, Qur’an recitation in Tarāwīḥ, and ruqyah is permissible, provided these are carried out within Sharʿi limits.
✘ Taking wages for amulets (taʿwīdhāt), or for acts like reciting Qur’an at graves, is not permissible.
ھذا ما عندي والله أعلم بالصواب
