A Summary of the Discussion on the Issue of When It Is Permissible to Take a Wage for Religious Duties

And the summary of that is that deeds are only by intentions. So if you are a mu'adhdhin, or an imam, or a teacher of religious lessons, do not intend that what you take is a wage for you, a right of yours, as if you had done any worldly job. This is not the case, because this corrupts your sincerity in the obedience of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) and in His worship. From this, you learn the importance of keeping a good intention present before good deeds. And Allah (Mighty and Majestic) says: The scholars of tafsir said that this noble verse gathered two conditions for a deed to be accepted by Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). The first condition is that it be good, in accordance with the Sunnah, so that it is not an innovation, because every religious innovation is misguidance, and every misguidance is in the Fire, as you know. And from his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): So a deed is not good unless it is in accordance with the Sunnah. This is the first condition for the acceptance of a deed. The second condition is that one does not associate anyone with Allah in it. And so He said: The first condition means that one intends by this act of worship something of the perishable things of this world. And this is not limited to the perishable things of this world being only money. The matters that relate to this world and corrupt the good deed that is done in accordance with the Sunnah are many, and very many.