The ruling on one who takes a salary or a fee for leading the prayer but does not lead the people in prayer, rather he appoints someone else in his place?

The questioner : You mentioned previously—may Allah bless you—regarding the salaries for leading the prayer and the call to prayer; that it is permissible for them to take from the fee, they only take from the fee, but not the salary. However, the current situation is...

The Shaykh : No, that is not what I said. As for the salary, it is not permissible. The salary and the fee are essentially the same meaning; it is not permissible to take that as a wage.

The questioner : As a wage, yes.

The Shaykh: All right.

The questioner : But now we see the reality, meaning they take the wage and then appoint others in their place, specifically the imams. They appoint people and give them a small portion of what they took, and these people lead the people in prayer, and these appointers seem to be taking it this way.

The Shaykh : This is evidence that they are taking what they take as a wage, and this is one of the most invalid wages. Therefore, it is not permissible in any way whatsoever; because they are taking a salary and a fee in exchange for performing a duty to manage affairs for the Muslim community. If the person who is entitled to the salary does not perform his obligation, but rather appoints a person and does not give him what he takes from him, then what he takes while not performing his obligation is forbidden, and it is not permissible for him to do so.
Please proceed.