Is it permissible to recite the Qur'an and record tapes in exchange for money?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
He says: Is reciting the Qur'an for money forbidden? And do those who record tapes and sell them have a sin in selling them? And do those who hire the reciter to listen to him have a sin? And likewise those who buy those tapes? Please inform us, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh:
Reciting the Qur'an is an act of worship and a means of drawing near to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), so it is not permissible to take the recitation of the Qur'an for the sake of worldly money, because recitation is worship, and acts of worship are not permissible to be performed for the sake of greed for this world. Allah the Exalted said:[Hud 11:15-16] As for teaching the Qur'an and taking a wage, this is permissible according to some scholars out of need, because he cannot devote himself to teaching the Qur'an unless he takes something to spend on himself and those he supports, so taking it for the sake of teaching the Qur'an is not a problem. Likewise, taking it for the sake of ruqyah (healing by Qur'anic recitation), as the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) took from the man whose master they performed ruqyah on; they took a flock of sheep from him as a condition, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) approved them for that. So taking money for the sake of teaching the Qur'an, or for the sake of ruqyah, is not a problem for one who is qualified for it. But taking [payment] for the Qur'an for mere recitation, this is not permissible; because recitation is worship. Yes.
The questioner:
Taking money, meaning.
The Shaykh:
Taking money in general, yes.
The questioner:
He says: Do those who hire the reciter to listen to him have a sin, within the question?
The Shaykh:
We mentioned this; we said taking [payment] for the Qur'an for the sake of recitation only, this is not permissible; because recitation is worship, so it is not permissible to take compensation for it except from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). Yes.
He says: Is reciting the Qur'an for money forbidden? And do those who record tapes and sell them have a sin in selling them? And do those who hire the reciter to listen to him have a sin? And likewise those who buy those tapes? Please inform us, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh:
Reciting the Qur'an is an act of worship and a means of drawing near to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He), so it is not permissible to take the recitation of the Qur'an for the sake of worldly money, because recitation is worship, and acts of worship are not permissible to be performed for the sake of greed for this world. Allah the Exalted said:
(15) Whoever desires the life of this world and its adornments - We fully repay them for their deeds therein, and they therein will not be deprived. (16) Those are the ones for whom there is not in the Hereafter but the Fire
مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتَهَا نُوَفِّ إِلَيْهِمْ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فِيهَا وَهُمْ فِيهَا لَا يُبْخَسُونَ أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ لَيْسَ لَهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا النَّارُThe questioner:
Taking money, meaning.
The Shaykh:
Taking money in general, yes.
The questioner:
He says: Do those who hire the reciter to listen to him have a sin, within the question?
The Shaykh:
We mentioned this; we said taking [payment] for the Qur'an for the sake of recitation only, this is not permissible; because recitation is worship, so it is not permissible to take compensation for it except from Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، 5596- هل يجوز قراءة القرآن وتسجيل الأشرطة مقابل المال؟ - الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.