Ruling on one who receives a salary for leading the prayer in a mosque where he only prays on Friday
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Ruling on one who receives a salary for leading the prayer in a mosque where he only prays on Friday
Your Eminence! I am the imam and khatib of a mosque in a remote village about sixty or fifty kilometers from my residence. I am a teacher in the village where I live, and I am unable to pray there except for the Friday sermon. I cannot manage the other times. The Endowments Authority is unaware of this, and it is far from me, so I cannot reside there. The village has only about seven houses, and the rest of the people come from the desert. What is the ruling regarding the salary?
It is forbidden for you to take the salary while you only pray on Friday; because the salary is for the five daily prayers and Friday. So, I advise you to leave this position.If the village is in need, meaning: There is no one there to perform this duty. The questioner: There is a person there.
The Shaykh: If there is a person there who performs the duty of the five daily prayers but does not perform Friday, then you should agree with the authority responsible for the mosque that you will be the imam and khatib only.
The questioner: And if they do not agree?The Shaykh: Leave the position.
The questioner: Now, for example, regarding resigning from the position so that this existing person who is chosen takes it over. For example, I leave the salary for him to take it and remain, or should I inform the Endowments Authority and suspend the position?The Shaykh: You must inform the Endowments Authority.
The questioner: For only four months, for example.
The Shaykh: And not for one month.
You must inform the Endowments Authority, and they will manage the matter.
The questioner: As for this salary, the Shaykh: The salary is forbidden for you, my brother.Return it to the ministry and tell them: I only pray on Friday.
The questioner: And what has passed?The Shaykh: What has passed, if you are aware of the matter, return it to the ministry.
The questioner: A Shaykh previously issued a fatwa to me before this, may Allah reward him with good. By Allah, I do not remember his name. The Shaykh: Did a scholar from among the scholars issue a fatwa to you?The questioner himself: Yes, that is correct.
The Shaykh: What did he say?The questioner: He said: The approval of the congregation only. If the congregation approves of you, you pray Friday with them, and there is no harm in that. I continued with that until now, until I came and asked you.
The Shaykh: In any case: As long as you are relying on the fatwa of a scholar who is not an ignorant person from among these common people, there is no sin on you. But know that this fatwa is wrong. So, what you took based on the fatwa is lawful, but from now on in the future, stop. Submit your resignation.
Your Eminence! I am the imam and khatib of a mosque in a remote village about sixty or fifty kilometers from my residence. I am a teacher in the village where I live, and I am unable to pray there except for the Friday sermon. I cannot manage the other times. The Endowments Authority is unaware of this, and it is far from me, so I cannot reside there. The village has only about seven houses, and the rest of the people come from the desert. What is the ruling regarding the salary?
It is forbidden for you to take the salary while you only pray on Friday; because the salary is for the five daily prayers and Friday. So, I advise you to leave this position.If the village is in need, meaning: There is no one there to perform this duty. The questioner: There is a person there.
The Shaykh: If there is a person there who performs the duty of the five daily prayers but does not perform Friday, then you should agree with the authority responsible for the mosque that you will be the imam and khatib only.
The questioner: And if they do not agree?The Shaykh: Leave the position.
The questioner: Now, for example, regarding resigning from the position so that this existing person who is chosen takes it over. For example, I leave the salary for him to take it and remain, or should I inform the Endowments Authority and suspend the position?The Shaykh: You must inform the Endowments Authority.
The questioner: For only four months, for example.
The Shaykh: And not for one month.
You must inform the Endowments Authority, and they will manage the matter.
The questioner: As for this salary, the Shaykh: The salary is forbidden for you, my brother.Return it to the ministry and tell them: I only pray on Friday.
The questioner: And what has passed?The Shaykh: What has passed, if you are aware of the matter, return it to the ministry.
The questioner: A Shaykh previously issued a fatwa to me before this, may Allah reward him with good. By Allah, I do not remember his name. The Shaykh: Did a scholar from among the scholars issue a fatwa to you?The questioner himself: Yes, that is correct.
The Shaykh: What did he say?The questioner: He said: The approval of the congregation only. If the congregation approves of you, you pray Friday with them, and there is no harm in that. I continued with that until now, until I came and asked you.
The Shaykh: In any case: As long as you are relying on the fatwa of a scholar who is not an ignorant person from among these common people, there is no sin on you. But know that this fatwa is wrong. So, what you took based on the fatwa is lawful, but from now on in the future, stop. Submit your resignation.