The Imam Taking a Salary While Abandoning the Mosque for Recreation
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
The questioner says: I am the imam of a mosque, and I go out with my family on Thursdays and Fridays, not out of necessity, but for a leisure trip, and I leave the mosque on these two days for these obligatory prayers. Is it permissible to take the salary for that?
The Shaykh:
If the state permits it, there is no harm. If the Waqf (endowment) permits it, you should consult them. There is no blame on you, if Allah wills. Because the people need this a lot. So, if you seek permission from the Waqf, you seek permission for them, yes. And it is expected that someone who performs the duty like you or better than you takes over. Yes.
The questioner:
May Allah reward you. When it becomes easy for him to notify the Ministry of Awqaf, but he appoints whoever is to perform this task?
The Shaykh:
Once again, if Allah wills. This is a customary and known matter, and there is no blame on you, if Allah wills. But if you seek their permission and inform them, that would be better. But it is expected that someone like you or better than you takes over, and that is sufficient.
The questioner says: I am the imam of a mosque, and I go out with my family on Thursdays and Fridays, not out of necessity, but for a leisure trip, and I leave the mosque on these two days for these obligatory prayers. Is it permissible to take the salary for that?
The Shaykh:
If the state permits it, there is no harm. If the Waqf (endowment) permits it, you should consult them. There is no blame on you, if Allah wills. Because the people need this a lot. So, if you seek permission from the Waqf, you seek permission for them, yes. And it is expected that someone who performs the duty like you or better than you takes over. Yes.
The questioner:
May Allah reward you. When it becomes easy for him to notify the Ministry of Awqaf, but he appoints whoever is to perform this task?
The Shaykh:
Once again, if Allah wills. This is a customary and known matter, and there is no blame on you, if Allah wills. But if you seek their permission and inform them, that would be better. But it is expected that someone like you or better than you takes over, and that is sufficient.
Source
لقاءات لابن باز - لقاء مع إخوة في الله - ابن باز - ٣ — archive.org (25:59)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.