Is it permissible to accept financial scholarships for students of Islamic knowledge and consider them a means of earning a livelihood?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner: O our Shaykh.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner: May Allah bless you. I want to say something else. If a person is in the previous state I mentioned to you earlier, meaning, there is no doubt that a person must take the means of sustenance, such as housing, clothing, food, and drink. And of course, there is no doubt that if a person is in that state, he cannot and is unable to work there and be in that state, as far as I know. If he is a student of Islamic knowledge, as is our case, if Allah wills, as I informed you, a monthly scholarship is allocated to students of Islamic knowledge. Is it permissible to accept such a scholarship, and is it considered, of course, a means of earning a livelihood?
The Shaykh: It is considered. The unknown object and the known subject, who is it?
The questioner: I want clarification, O Shaykh. I did not understand.
The Shaykh: You say it is considered sustenance.
The questioner: I mean, that is.
The Shaykh: Who is the one who considers it?
The questioner: If this person, for example, I personally.
The Shaykh: O Shaykh, may Allah guide you. Do not repeat the words. I understood the words, but you must also understand with me. I am telling you, you said it is considered sustenance. Who is the one who considers it?
The questioner: I mean, this scholarship allocated to students of Islamic knowledge.
The Shaykh: There is no power or strength except in Allah. You seem like a non-Arab. I am asking you a clear, clear, clear question. Who is the one who considers it? Is "al-mu'tabar" a doer noun or a done-to noun?
The questioner: The one who considers it.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner: The one who is considered is a done-to noun.
The Shaykh: Then you are not a student of knowledge.
The questioner: There is no doubt that I am a student of knowledge.
The Shaykh: You are not a student of knowledge because you did not learn the Arabic language. "Al-mu'tar" is a doer noun, and "al-mu'tar" is a done-to noun. The important thing is that after it became clear to us that you, O Algerians, unfortunately, have lost your Arabic language due to French colonialism. We ask Allah to save you from their effects. Say, Ameen.
The questioner: Ameen, Ameen, O our Shaykh.
The Shaykh: O our Shaykh, be patient with me as you were patient with me.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh: Be patient with me as you were patient with me. Do you have patience?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Yes. Say your word frankly. You said earlier that the scholarship is considered sustenance. Who considers it as sustenance? Is it you and those like you, the students?
The questioner: It is not me, but those who go there.
The Shaykh: May Allah guide you. I said you and those like you, the students, students of knowledge.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Are they the ones who consider this as sustenance?
The questioner: I inquired about the matter, so I was informed as I mentioned, and I only want to know if this state is permissible in the Shari'ah or not, only?
The Shaykh: It is permissible in the Shari'ah.
The questioner: It is permissible in the Shari'ah.
The Shaykh: Yes, but your expression is wrong, and I will not go into it with you any further. It is permissible in the Shari'ah, but on the condition that it is not considered, first, a wage, and second, that the student of knowledge does not seek it out. Because if the student of knowledge does not seek it out, his case matches the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when the war spoils would come to him, he (peace be upon him) would distribute them among his Companions. 'Umar said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would give me a portion of the money, and I would say: O Messenger of Allah, give it to one who is more deserving of it than me. He would say:, do you hear me?
The questioner: Yes, O Shaykh, yes.
The Shaykh: And do you understand the meaning, and your soul is not eager for it?
The questioner : Yes, yes.
The Shaykh: Ah,Sunan al-Bayhaqi 9:387, this is my answer. And perhaps we have prolonged the speech beyond the norm; therefore, I conclude by saying: Peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner: May Allah bless you. I want to say something else. If a person is in the previous state I mentioned to you earlier, meaning, there is no doubt that a person must take the means of sustenance, such as housing, clothing, food, and drink. And of course, there is no doubt that if a person is in that state, he cannot and is unable to work there and be in that state, as far as I know. If he is a student of Islamic knowledge, as is our case, if Allah wills, as I informed you, a monthly scholarship is allocated to students of Islamic knowledge. Is it permissible to accept such a scholarship, and is it considered, of course, a means of earning a livelihood?
The Shaykh: It is considered. The unknown object and the known subject, who is it?
The questioner: I want clarification, O Shaykh. I did not understand.
The Shaykh: You say it is considered sustenance.
The questioner: I mean, that is.
The Shaykh: Who is the one who considers it?
The questioner: If this person, for example, I personally.
The Shaykh: O Shaykh, may Allah guide you. Do not repeat the words. I understood the words, but you must also understand with me. I am telling you, you said it is considered sustenance. Who is the one who considers it?
The questioner: I mean, this scholarship allocated to students of Islamic knowledge.
The Shaykh: There is no power or strength except in Allah. You seem like a non-Arab. I am asking you a clear, clear, clear question. Who is the one who considers it? Is "al-mu'tabar" a doer noun or a done-to noun?
The questioner: The one who considers it.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner: The one who is considered is a done-to noun.
The Shaykh: Then you are not a student of knowledge.
The questioner: There is no doubt that I am a student of knowledge.
The Shaykh: You are not a student of knowledge because you did not learn the Arabic language. "Al-mu'tar" is a doer noun, and "al-mu'tar" is a done-to noun. The important thing is that after it became clear to us that you, O Algerians, unfortunately, have lost your Arabic language due to French colonialism. We ask Allah to save you from their effects. Say, Ameen.
The questioner: Ameen, Ameen, O our Shaykh.
The Shaykh: O our Shaykh, be patient with me as you were patient with me.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh: Be patient with me as you were patient with me. Do you have patience?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Yes. Say your word frankly. You said earlier that the scholarship is considered sustenance. Who considers it as sustenance? Is it you and those like you, the students?
The questioner: It is not me, but those who go there.
The Shaykh: May Allah guide you. I said you and those like you, the students, students of knowledge.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh: Are they the ones who consider this as sustenance?
The questioner: I inquired about the matter, so I was informed as I mentioned, and I only want to know if this state is permissible in the Shari'ah or not, only?
The Shaykh: It is permissible in the Shari'ah.
The questioner: It is permissible in the Shari'ah.
The Shaykh: Yes, but your expression is wrong, and I will not go into it with you any further. It is permissible in the Shari'ah, but on the condition that it is not considered, first, a wage, and second, that the student of knowledge does not seek it out. Because if the student of knowledge does not seek it out, his case matches the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) when the war spoils would come to him, he (peace be upon him) would distribute them among his Companions. 'Umar said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would give me a portion of the money, and I would say: O Messenger of Allah, give it to one who is more deserving of it than me. He would say:
O 'Umar, whatever wealth Allah has given you, take it and possess it; for it is only sustenance that Allah has sent to you. Whatever wealth Allah has given you and your soul is not eager for it
يا عمر ، ما آتاك الله من مالٍ فخُذْه وتموَّلْه ؛ فإنما هو رزقٌ ساقَه الله إليك ، ما آتاك الله من مال ونفسك غير مشرفةٍ إليهThe questioner: Yes, O Shaykh, yes.
The Shaykh: And do you understand the meaning, and your soul is not eager for it?
The questioner : Yes, yes.
The Shaykh: Ah,
Take it and possess it; for it is only sustenance that Allah has sent to you
فخُذْه وتموَّلْه ؛ فإنما هو رزقٌ ساقَه اللهُ إليك
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.