What is the ruling on paying a fee to a reciter of the Qur'an?

The questioner : Honorable Shaykh, the questioner asks: What is the ruling on paying a fee to a reciter who recites the Qur'an and dedicates its reward to the person who paid the fee?

The Shaykh : Paying a fee for reciting the Qur'an is forbidden, and both the one who takes it and the one who pays it commit a sin. This is because reciting the Qur'an is only an act of devotion to Allah the Exalted, and it is among the best forms of devotion. Just as it is not permissible for a person to say to someone, "I will pay you a fee to pray two rak'ahs for me," it is not permissible to say, "I will pay you a fee to recite something of the Qur'an for me," whether the whole of the Qur'an or a part of it. Therefore, hiring someone to recite the Qur'an is forbidden. Who is at fault? The one who pays and the other. The one who takes the fee and recites has no reward in the Hereafter, nor any humility, because he sought the worldly life with his deed. And whoever seeks the worldly life with his deed has no share in the Hereafter.
And on this basis, if someone hires a person to recite the Qur'an, as they say, for the soul of the deceased, and he recites, we say this is a loss in both religion and worldly life.
As for it being a worldly loss, it is because of the spending of money. As for it being a religious loss, it is because both the one who pays and the one who takes are sinful and deserving of punishment in the Hereafter. And as for it being a loss, it is because this reciter has no reward, and if he has no reward, the deceased does not benefit from it. He has nothing to benefit from?
This is the answer to this issue, which many people are afflicted with at the time of death and during condolences. They bring in reciters who take a fee for reciting the Qur'an for the soul of the deceased, as they claim. Is that clear? Good.
As for taking a fee for teaching the Qur'an, there is nothing wrong with that. Because the benefit of this extends to the learner. It is a worldly benefit: learning the Qur'an. So there is nothing wrong with that. If someone hires a person to teach him the Qur'an for a certain amount each month, or for a certain amount per surah, there is nothing wrong with that.