What is the ruling on one who takes a reward for the adhan and prayer, and who has another official job for which he receives a salary?

The questioner : What is the ruling on taking a wage for leading the prayer and calling the adhan as a reward from the state, represented by the Ministry of Awqaf, given that this imam or mu'adhdhin is a volunteer in this work and has another official job besides it? In our system, an employee can be an imam or mu'adhdhin, so the state gives him a reward for his imamah, and he has a second job from which he receives the official salary. What is the ruling?

The Shaykh : And the second job is from the state?

The questioner : From the state as well, O Shaykh?

The Shaykh : But we know that states generally do not allow combining two jobs, so how is this?

The questioner : We have a system only for imamah and adhan.

The Shaykh : Ah, as an honor, meaning for the imam.

The questioner : A reward; they give him a fixed salary, is that what it is called?

The Shaykh : But in your question, as I understand it, there is a contradiction: on one hand you ask about a wage, is it permissible, and on the other hand you mention a reward, and a wage is not a reward.

The questioner : It is a monthly salary, but a fixed one, that is what it is called.

The Shaykh : Did you understand me? I am only pointing this out, meaning to remind you. Now, whether the imam is an employee in another job, or is specialized in imamah, adhan, or khutbah, it is not permissible for these employees in religious duties to take what is offered to them, as I said last, whether a salary or a reward. It is not permissible for them to take that as a wage, because religious works, in that it is not permissible to intend by them anything from the perishable things of this world, are not like worldly works or professional trades in which a person seeks a wage. Therefore, a material wage is taken for a purely material work, but taking a wage for an act of obedience or worship that a Muslim performs, taking it as a wage, is forbidden for him, because it contradicts many texts that have come in the Book and the Sunnah. The most famous of them is So there is no doubt that leading the Muslims in the mosques, calling the adhan in the mosques, delivering the khutbah to them, teaching them, and guiding them, in all of this there is a great reward with Allah Mighty and Majestic, on the condition of sincerity in all of it for Allah Blessed and Exalted is He. If any of these people seeks by their worship anything else, there is no difference between them and one who prays to Allah to take a wage for his prayer, because he did not intend by his prayer the Face of Allah, so he will be struck in the face with it on the Day of Allah. Likewise, it is said about all the acts of worship, including what was mentioned of khutbah, imamah, and adhan, as well as teaching the religious sciences. For this reason, it is incumbent upon everyone who is charged with any of these religious duties, or who is a volunteer as you said in your question, if something comes to him, not to take it as a right of his, a wage for him, as if he had done any of the matters of the world. Here comes to us his saying, peace and blessings be upon him, to 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, as it came in the authentic collections, that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when money came to him, would allocate a portion of it to 'Umar ibn al-Khattab, and he would say: "O Messenger of Allah, give it to one who is more deserving of it than me." He would say to him, peace and blessings be upon him: So, everyone who is engaged in a religious matter seeking the reward of Allah Mighty and Majestic, if something of money comes to him, there is no harm in taking it, but not as a wage, rather it is as he, peace and blessings be upon him, said to 'Umar ibn al-Khattab: And its meaning, in another narration, points to a method that some people of pure and noble souls who do not covet the money of others may overlook; they are modest and do not take the money that comes to them. So the Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, teaches him to be a cause for earning reward with Allah by the manner of his taking this money that came to him, without his soul coveting it. He says to him: So, if you are in need, you spend it on yourself, and if you are wealthy, you distribute it to poor and needy people, and reward is written for you. This is the answer to the questions you asked. A final question, but perhaps the last minute remaining.