The Ruling on Teaching Islam and the Qur'an for a Fee

Question:
Allah the Exalted says: [Yasin:21] to the end of the verse. Some people have cited this verse, and others, as evidence that it is not permissible to teach Islam, or to teach the Qur'an, for a fee. What is your Eminence's opinion, and what is the correct view regarding this statement?

Answer:
This applies to the Messengers. Allah sent the Messengers to call people to the truth, goodness, and guidance, and they are not to take a fee from people for their calling. If they were to take a fee, they would be suspected of having undertaken this calling for the sake of money. Therefore, the Messengers are prohibited from taking a fee. They give to people and do not take from them, so that people know that they did not come to take money, but rather came for the message, the calling, and guidance. As for those who teach people goodness, who teach the Qur'an, and who teach them knowledge, if they need to do so, there is no harm in it.
That is, if they devote themselves to teaching them and allocate their time to it, there is nothing wrong with being given what helps them with their children, teaching them jurisprudence, and memorizing the Book of Allah for them, according to the majority of scholars. There is no blame in that. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: and he made taking a fee for the Book of Allah a right. When some of the Companions passed by a group of Arabs whose leader was bitten by a snake, and they had done everything possible but it did not help him, they said to them: "Is there anyone among you who can perform ruqyah (healing by Qur'anic recitation)?" They said: "Yes, but we have come down to you, and you have not provided for us, nor hosted us, so we will not recite for him except for a fee." They agreed with them on a herd of sheep to recite for this bitten man; if Allah cured him, they would give them the herd. One of the Companions stood up to him and recited the opening of the Book (Surat al-Fatihah) for him, recited over him, and spat over him. So Allah released him and healed him. They gave them the herd of sheep. They said: "We will not eat it, nor dispose of its right. We will go to Madinah and ask the Prophet (may the prayers and peace of Allah be upon him)." When they arrived in Madinah, they asked the Prophet, and he said: .
The point is that there is nothing wrong with this for treatment, or for teaching.