What is the ruling on a mu'adhdhin employed by the Ministry of Endowments who does not call the adhan and only cleans the mosque? What is the ruling on his salary?
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The questioner : Your Eminence, may Allah preserve you, some mosques are registered with the Endowments but no prayers are performed in them, meaning the mu'adhdhin is the mosque's mu'adhdhin, for example.
The Shaykh : But what is the situation?
The questioner : But the mosque's mu'adhdhin lives in another place and only cleans the mosque without calling the adhan there, and his job title is mu'adhdhin. What is the ruling on the salary he receives, given that the Endowments are aware of this?
The Shaykh : It is obligatory for the mu'adhdhin, if his job is calling the adhan, to call it himself. It is not permissible for him to appoint someone else to do it and take the salary, except in some cases, such as if he is absent for a day of the month for a leisure trip or something similar that is customary, in which case there is no harm. As for his home being far away and him saying, "I will appoint someone to call the adhan and I will take the salary," this is not permissible, even if the direct manager of the Endowments agrees to it. It is not permissible, because if you refer to the service department or the employees' department, you will see them say: It is not permissible, and we do not allow this.
The questioner : Okay, is there no congregation in the mosque itself?
The Shaykh : How can there be no congregation?
The questioner : I mean, there is no congregation in the mosque, for example, it is an old mosque, for example, the houses are old.
The Shaykh : Okay, if it is old, why is it not renovated in a way that allows for a congregation, or why is it not abolished, along with the adhan and other things?
The questioner : But is his salary permissible?
The Shaykh : No, no, it is absolutely not permissible. It is not permissible for him to take the salary. Rather, it is obligatory for him to go to the responsible authority, announce his resignation, and leave the mosque.
The questioner : Okay, does he bear sin for the past, before he knew? Does he bear sin, for example?
The Shaykh : By Allah, I see that out of scrupulousness, he should return it to them. If that is not possible, he should spend it on the interests of the mosques, yes.
The Shaykh : But what is the situation?
The questioner : But the mosque's mu'adhdhin lives in another place and only cleans the mosque without calling the adhan there, and his job title is mu'adhdhin. What is the ruling on the salary he receives, given that the Endowments are aware of this?
The Shaykh : It is obligatory for the mu'adhdhin, if his job is calling the adhan, to call it himself. It is not permissible for him to appoint someone else to do it and take the salary, except in some cases, such as if he is absent for a day of the month for a leisure trip or something similar that is customary, in which case there is no harm. As for his home being far away and him saying, "I will appoint someone to call the adhan and I will take the salary," this is not permissible, even if the direct manager of the Endowments agrees to it. It is not permissible, because if you refer to the service department or the employees' department, you will see them say: It is not permissible, and we do not allow this.
The questioner : Okay, is there no congregation in the mosque itself?
The Shaykh : How can there be no congregation?
The questioner : I mean, there is no congregation in the mosque, for example, it is an old mosque, for example, the houses are old.
The Shaykh : Okay, if it is old, why is it not renovated in a way that allows for a congregation, or why is it not abolished, along with the adhan and other things?
The questioner : But is his salary permissible?
The Shaykh : No, no, it is absolutely not permissible. It is not permissible for him to take the salary. Rather, it is obligatory for him to go to the responsible authority, announce his resignation, and leave the mosque.
The questioner : Okay, does he bear sin for the past, before he knew? Does he bear sin, for example?
The Shaykh : By Allah, I see that out of scrupulousness, he should return it to them. If that is not possible, he should spend it on the interests of the mosques, yes.