An imam who leads the people in prayer, being an official imam, but who frequently goes on trips with his colleagues and performs 'Umrah, and receives a salary for his imamate, and delegates one of the young men to pray on his behalf
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The questioner : An imam who leads the people in prayer, being an official imam, but who frequently goes on trips with his colleagues and performs 'Umrah, and receives a salary for his imamate, and delegates one of the young men to pray on his behalf. This young man may come one day and be absent another. Is the imam's salary lawful, given that he is an employee? I ask for guidance and advice in this matter. May you be rewarded.
The Shaykh : This work that the imam is doing here is contrary to trustworthiness. A person is entrusted with his job, and it is not permissible for him to be negligent in it or to go here and there. He has no right to go with his colleagues in a permissible manner and leave behind a matter that is obligatory upon him, for Allah says:[Al-Ma'idah 5:1] and He says: [Al-Isra 17:34] The person who has taken on the imamate of this mosque or the adhan of this mosque has made a covenant with those responsible for the mosques that obligates him to fulfill it.
And this, in fact, I mean this behavior, contains a degree of intellectual deficiency. I mean by intellect, the intellect of sound judgment and conduct. How can one prioritize something recommended over something obligatory?
And if he is unable to live except in this manner, let him leave the mosque so that it may be for someone else who will maintain it.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. It may be that another person is free and will hold the mosque for all the days.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : This work that the imam is doing here is contrary to trustworthiness. A person is entrusted with his job, and it is not permissible for him to be negligent in it or to go here and there. He has no right to go with his colleagues in a permissible manner and leave behind a matter that is obligatory upon him, for Allah says:
O you who have believed, fulfill [all] contracts.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَوْفُوا بِالْعُقُودِAnd fulfill [every] commitment. Indeed, the commitment is ever [that about which one will be] questioned.
وَأَوْفُوا بِالْعَهْدِ إِنَّ الْعَهْدَ كَانَ مَسْئُولًاAnd this, in fact, I mean this behavior, contains a degree of intellectual deficiency. I mean by intellect, the intellect of sound judgment and conduct. How can one prioritize something recommended over something obligatory?
And if he is unable to live except in this manner, let him leave the mosque so that it may be for someone else who will maintain it.
The questioner : May Allah bless you. It may be that another person is free and will hold the mosque for all the days.
The Shaykh : Yes, indeed.
The questioner : May Allah bless you.