Regarding the one who makes reading the Noble Qur'an his profession, relying on it for his livelihood at funerals, for example, in exchange for a large sum of money, what is the opinion of the Shari'ah?
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The questioner : Regarding the one who makes reading the Noble Qur'an his profession, relying on it for his livelihood at funerals, for example, in exchange for a large sum of money, what is the opinion of the Shari'ah in your view?
The Shaykh : In my view, the work of these people is forbidden, and this path by which they seek to acquire wealth is not a lawful path. Indeed, the words of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, were revealed only so that one may draw near to Allah, Glorified and Exalted, by reciting them, understanding their meanings, and acting upon them. If a person turns them into a means to catch something of this world, he has taken them out of their intended purpose and out of what Allah, Mighty and Majestic, intended for them. His earnings through this path are forbidden earnings for which he is sinful, and everyone who helps him in that and gives him this compensation is also sinful, because helping him and giving him the compensation is a form of cooperating in sin and transgression. And Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Ma'idah 5:2].
Let it be known that these hired readers who are hired when people die to read some of the Qur'an for them, or to read the entire Qur'an, should know that they have no reward that reaches the deceased, because their work is null and void and returned to them, as Allah the Exalted said:[Hud 11:15-16] and as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sahih al-Bukhari 2529 So this reader has not gained any reward from his recitation other than what he took from the debris of this world, and what he took from the debris of this world does not reach the deceased, nor does the deceased benefit from it.
Consequently, there is a loss for the family of the deceased: a worldly loss by wasting this money they spent on this reader who is invalid in his recitation, and a loss in the Hereafter because they helped this sinner in his sin and thus shared in it. So my Muslim brothers should repent to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, from these actions, and they should follow in times of calamity what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) followed and guided his Ummah to, which is patience and endurance. And a person should say when he is struck by a calamity:Sahih Muslim 918a, so that he falls under the words of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Baqarah 2:155-157] And whoever says this with sincerity, hoping for reward, and seeking recompense from Allah, Mighty and Majestic, it is likely that Allah will replace for him something better than his calamity.
The questioner : Our dear listening brothers, this meeting of ours was with His Eminence Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen, professor at the College of Sharia in al-Qassim and imam of the Grand Mosque in Unayzah. May Allah reward him for his eminence, and thank you, our noble brothers, for your good follow-up. We will have a meeting with you, by the permission of the Exalted, tomorrow, and we and you are in good health and well-being by the might and power of Allah.
The Shaykh : In my view, the work of these people is forbidden, and this path by which they seek to acquire wealth is not a lawful path. Indeed, the words of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, were revealed only so that one may draw near to Allah, Glorified and Exalted, by reciting them, understanding their meanings, and acting upon them. If a person turns them into a means to catch something of this world, he has taken them out of their intended purpose and out of what Allah, Mighty and Majestic, intended for them. His earnings through this path are forbidden earnings for which he is sinful, and everyone who helps him in that and gives him this compensation is also sinful, because helping him and giving him the compensation is a form of cooperating in sin and transgression. And Allah the Exalted said:
but do not cooperate in sin and aggression
ولا تعاونوا على الإثم والعدوانLet it be known that these hired readers who are hired when people die to read some of the Qur'an for them, or to read the entire Qur'an, should know that they have no reward that reaches the deceased, because their work is null and void and returned to them, as 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. And lost is what they did therein, and worthless is what they used to do.
من كان يريد الحياة الدنيا وزينتها نوف إليهم أعمالهم فيها وهم فيها لا يبخسون أولئك الذين ليس لهم في الآخرة إلا النار وحبط ما صنعوا فيها وباطل ما كانوا يعملونand whoever migrated for worldly benefits or for marrying a woman, then his migration will be for what he migrated for.
من كانت هجرته لدنيا لدنيا يصيبها أو امرأة يتزوجها فهجرته إلى ما هاجر إليهConsequently, there is a loss for the family of the deceased: a worldly loss by wasting this money they spent on this reader who is invalid in his recitation, and a loss in the Hereafter because they helped this sinner in his sin and thus shared in it. So my Muslim brothers should repent to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, from these actions, and they should follow in times of calamity what the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) followed and guided his Ummah to, which is patience and endurance. And a person should say when he is struck by a calamity:
We belong to Allah and to Him shall we return; O Allah, reward me for my affliction and give me something better than it in exchange for it
إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون اللهم أجرني في مصيبتي وأخلف لي خيراً منهاbut give good tidings to the patient, (156) Who, when disaster strikes them, say, "Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return." (157) Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided.
وبشر الصابرين الذين إذا أصابتهم مصيبة قالوا إنا لله وإنا إليه راجعون أولئك عليهم صلوات من ربهم ورحمة وأولئك هم المهتدونThe questioner : Our dear listening brothers, this meeting of ours was with His Eminence Shaykh Muhammad ibn Salih al-Uthaymeen, professor at the College of Sharia in al-Qassim and imam of the Grand Mosque in Unayzah. May Allah reward him for his eminence, and thank you, our noble brothers, for your good follow-up. We will have a meeting with you, by the permission of the Exalted, tomorrow, and we and you are in good health and well-being by the might and power of Allah.