Delegating the Imam's duties to another without a valid excuse and the ruling on his salary
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
We ask your permission to wait until the arrangements for the 'Isha' prayer are completed, in order to add a question or some important questions. Here is a question that asks: Is it permissible for the imam to delegate one of the noble, suitable brothers without an excuse? And if the imam does so, what is the ruling on the salary he receives if his presence in the mosque is infrequent? Is it permissible for the imam to delegate one of the noble, suitable brothers without an excuse? And if the imam does so, what is the ruling on the salary he receives in exchange for leading the prayer, since his presence in the mosque is infrequent or distant?
The Shaykh:
He has no right to delegate except by consulting the competent authority; because he has not been given permission to delegate. As for a minor, temporary occurrence, such as one or two times, that happens to a person, as mentioned earlier, the matter is lenient, if Allah wills. But if he goes on a trip or leaves the job and delegates, no, he does not have this right, until he consults the competent authority. And the salary he receives in this manner is not good. It is not befitting for him to take a salary in this manner where he is lenient and does not care to consult the responsible authorities. So there is danger in this and a doubt (shubhah) in this salary. He should seek permission so that he may lawfully take the salary from the responsible authority that has been entrusted with this matter, not from the mu'adhdhin, not from the khatib, and not from the imam. We ask Allah for guidance for us and for him.
The questioner:
They see, may Allah be pleased with them, flexibility in this.
The Shaykh:
The minor amount is considered, I say the minor amount is considered, but the thing that may be long, or for a long period, it appears that it is not permissible except by his consulting the competent authority.
The questioner:
Will this be an incentive for some people to leave leading the prayer, and say, "I cannot be bound by this binding, if in every matter I have to consult the ministry, will this be difficult for you?"
The Shaykh:
He takes a general permission from the ministry or the competent directorate, a general permission, and it becomes, praise be to Allah, because some people are lenient
The questioner:
greatly.
The Shaykh:
He does not care, and perhaps he appoints someone who is not suitable as well.
The questioner:
Correct, it is a calamity.
The Shaykh:
We ask Allah for success for everyone. Let no one be discouraged from asking and advancing in these matters.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good and preserve and protect you.
We ask your permission to wait until the arrangements for the 'Isha' prayer are completed, in order to add a question or some important questions. Here is a question that asks: Is it permissible for the imam to delegate one of the noble, suitable brothers without an excuse? And if the imam does so, what is the ruling on the salary he receives if his presence in the mosque is infrequent? Is it permissible for the imam to delegate one of the noble, suitable brothers without an excuse? And if the imam does so, what is the ruling on the salary he receives in exchange for leading the prayer, since his presence in the mosque is infrequent or distant?
The Shaykh:
He has no right to delegate except by consulting the competent authority; because he has not been given permission to delegate. As for a minor, temporary occurrence, such as one or two times, that happens to a person, as mentioned earlier, the matter is lenient, if Allah wills. But if he goes on a trip or leaves the job and delegates, no, he does not have this right, until he consults the competent authority. And the salary he receives in this manner is not good. It is not befitting for him to take a salary in this manner where he is lenient and does not care to consult the responsible authorities. So there is danger in this and a doubt (shubhah) in this salary. He should seek permission so that he may lawfully take the salary from the responsible authority that has been entrusted with this matter, not from the mu'adhdhin, not from the khatib, and not from the imam. We ask Allah for guidance for us and for him.
The questioner:
They see, may Allah be pleased with them, flexibility in this.
The Shaykh:
The minor amount is considered, I say the minor amount is considered, but the thing that may be long, or for a long period, it appears that it is not permissible except by his consulting the competent authority.
The questioner:
Will this be an incentive for some people to leave leading the prayer, and say, "I cannot be bound by this binding, if in every matter I have to consult the ministry, will this be difficult for you?"
The Shaykh:
He takes a general permission from the ministry or the competent directorate, a general permission, and it becomes, praise be to Allah, because some people are lenient
The questioner:
greatly.
The Shaykh:
He does not care, and perhaps he appoints someone who is not suitable as well.
The questioner:
Correct, it is a calamity.
The Shaykh:
We ask Allah for success for everyone. Let no one be discouraged from asking and advancing in these matters.
The presenter:
May Allah reward you with good and preserve and protect you.
Source
لقاءات لابن باز - لقاء الأئمة - ابن باز - ٢ — archive.org (34:18)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.