I have a son who memorizes the Qur'an and is well-versed in religion, and he works as the imam of a mosque, delivering the sermon and leading the prayer, but he takes a wage for this from the owner of the mosque. Is this wage all he has?
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The questioner : I have a son who memorizes the Qur'an, praise be to Allah, and is well-versed in religion, and he works as the imam of a mosque, delivering the sermon and leading the prayer, but he takes a wage for this from the owner of the mosque. Is this wage all he has with Allah in terms of reward for the imamate, because he took it from this world, or will he have a reward? We ask you to provide us with information.
The Shaykh : The compensation given to one who performs an act of obedience whose benefit extends to others is divided into three categories. The first is that it is done through a wage contract, such as when this worker who performs this act of obedience agrees with another on a binding lease contract where both the compensation and the work are intended. The correct view is that this is not valid, just as if one were to perform the imamate or the adhan for a wage. This is because the work of the Hereafter cannot be a means for the work of this world, for the work of the Hereafter is more noble and higher than to be a means for the work of this world, which is lower. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-A'la 87:16-19].
The second category is that one takes compensation for this work by way of a reward (ji'alah), such as when someone says: "Whoever performs the adhan in this mosque will have such and such," or "Whoever performs the imamate in this mosque will have such and such." The correct view among the scholars in this issue is that this is permissible, because this work is not a wage and is not binding.
As for the third category, it is that the compensation is provided from the public treasury, which the state gives to the one who performs this work. This is permissible without doubt, because it is one of the expenditures for which the public treasury is used, and you are entitled to it by virtue of this work. So if you take it, there is no blame on you. However, it should be known that these compensations that are permitted for those who hold such positions should not be the slave's intention. If they are intended, he is deprived of the reward of the Hereafter. But if he takes them to help him in obeying Allah and in performing this work, they do not harm him. It should also be known that taking a wage for reciting to the sick is not a problem, because it is not of this category, and there is what has come in the Sunnah indicating its permissibility. Yes.
The questioner : The female listener, a citizen from the Erbil Governorate in Iraq, says: I greet you with the greeting of Islam, and may Allah's peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you. I hope for an answer to my question, O honorable Shaykh.
The Shaykh : The compensation given to one who performs an act of obedience whose benefit extends to others is divided into three categories. The first is that it is done through a wage contract, such as when this worker who performs this act of obedience agrees with another on a binding lease contract where both the compensation and the work are intended. The correct view is that this is not valid, just as if one were to perform the imamate or the adhan for a wage. This is because the work of the Hereafter cannot be a means for the work of this world, for the work of the Hereafter is more noble and higher than to be a means for the work of this world, which is lower. Allah the Exalted said:
(16) But you prefer the worldly life, (17) While the Hereafter is better and more enduring. (18) Indeed, this is in the former scriptures, (19) The scriptures of Abraham and Moses.
بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا * وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَى * إِنَّ هَذَا لَفِي الصُّحُفِ الْأُولَى * صُحُفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَىThe second category is that one takes compensation for this work by way of a reward (ji'alah), such as when someone says: "Whoever performs the adhan in this mosque will have such and such," or "Whoever performs the imamate in this mosque will have such and such." The correct view among the scholars in this issue is that this is permissible, because this work is not a wage and is not binding.
As for the third category, it is that the compensation is provided from the public treasury, which the state gives to the one who performs this work. This is permissible without doubt, because it is one of the expenditures for which the public treasury is used, and you are entitled to it by virtue of this work. So if you take it, there is no blame on you. However, it should be known that these compensations that are permitted for those who hold such positions should not be the slave's intention. If they are intended, he is deprived of the reward of the Hereafter. But if he takes them to help him in obeying Allah and in performing this work, they do not harm him. It should also be known that taking a wage for reciting to the sick is not a problem, because it is not of this category, and there is what has come in the Sunnah indicating its permissibility. Yes.
The questioner : The female listener, a citizen from the Erbil Governorate in Iraq, says: I greet you with the greeting of Islam, and may Allah's peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you. I hope for an answer to my question, O honorable Shaykh.