Remuneration for teaching the Quran

Money Matters

Mufti Abu Muhammad Ali Asghar Attari Madani

Remuneration for teaching the Quran

Question 1: What do the honorable scholars say about the following issue: is it permissible for a person to teach the Quran online and get paid for it?

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

Answer: Yes! It is permissible (mubah) to be paid for teaching the Qur'an, whether the teaching takes place online or onsite. In respect of people’s needs, the latter jurists of Islam permitted salaries for teaching the Qur'an, executing Imam duties, and fulfilling other religious responsibilities.

However, the basic conditions of the contract must be met. For example, the time must be fixed, the wage must be agreed, and other necessary conditions for the contract to be valid must also be met.

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

Opening of a game zone shop

Question 2: What do the honorable scholars say about the following issue: someone wants to open a game zone shop in which people will come and play computer games and they will pay for the duration of the time they remain there. Will the earning be permissible?

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

Answer: The income from the game zone is not lawful (halal) because it comes from frivolous activities which are not necessarily used by customers for sound worldly benefits. Moreover, music and other un-Islamic things are an essential part of such facilities, therefore, there is no doubt in it being frivolous activities and receiving money for frivolous activities services is impermissible.

Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:

وَ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ یَّشْتَرِیْ لَهْوَ الْحَدِیْثِ لِیُضِلَّ عَنْ سَبِیْلِ اللّٰهِ بِغَیْرِ عِلْمٍ ﳓ

‘And some people buy words of amusement (i.e. fake stories, music, etc.) in order to mislead (others) from Allah’s path without understanding,’

[Kanz-ul-Iman (translation of Quran)] (Part 21, Surah Al-Luqman, Verse 6)

Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه writes: ‘Every play and futile action in which there is no religious or permissible worldly benefit is disliked and useless, some to a greater degree than others,’ (Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 24, p. 78).

The jurists of Islam have stated: ولا یجوز الاجارۃ علی شیئ من الغناء واللھو ‘It is not permissible to receive a remuneration for music and frivolous activities (i.e. play and useless works),’ (al-Bahr al-Raaiq, vol. 8, p. 36)

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

Mediating for someone to get a job

Question 3: What do the honorable scholars say about a person mediating for someone to get a job?

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

Answer: Mediating and recommending a competent person for a job is permissible. However, if someone’s right is violated in the process or if the recommended person is not qualified for the role, then it is impermissible. Moreover, it should be clear that bribery is not permissible in order to help one get a job.

The blessed hadith states: لعن رسول الـلّٰـه صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم الراشی والمرتشی ‘The Messenger of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم cursed the one giving and taking bribe,’ (Tirmizi, vol. 3, p. 66, Hadith 1342).

Explaining the ruling on mediating, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه states: To mediate for a good thing, such as mediating for an oppressed person to receive his right or saving a Muslim from harm or helping a needy person is a good form of mediation. Such a mediator will be rewarded even if his mediation is not successful. And to mediate for an evil thing that results in sin is a bad form of mediation. The one carrying out such a mediation will suffer the consequences of it even if it is unsuccessful, (Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 23, p. 407).

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

Renting a house to a non-Muslim

Question 4: What do the honorable scholars say about the following issue: can a Muslim rent his house to a non-Muslim or not?

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

Answer: There is nothing wrong with a Muslim renting his house to a non-Muslim, and the Muslim will have nothing to do with his impermissible activities that take place in it because the Muslim has only rented the house for accommodation purposes, which is permissible in Islam.

Mufti Amjad Ali A’zami رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه writes: ‘A Muslim rents a house to a non-Muslim to live in; this contract is permissible, there is no harm in this,’ (Bahar-e-Shari’at, vol. 3, p. 145).

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم

Making a profit on a pawned item?

Question 5: What do the honorable scholars say about the following issue: Zayd gave a loan of a few hundred thousand rupees to Bakr and pawned his house for three years. After three years, Bakr will return Zayd's money and take back his house. Zayd will take the rent for this house for three years. Is it permissible to do such a thing?

اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ

Answer: The case mentioned in the question is impermissible and Haraam and it falls under the category of interest. Therefore, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه says:

The condition of any kind of benefit in a pawned possession is undoubtedly Haraam and pure interest, rather, according to the norms (Urf) of these lands, for the Murtahin (pawnbroker) to take benefit from the marhoon (the pawned item) without any condition is also considered pure usury with conditional benefit. ‘Allamah Shaami رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه said:

قال الشامی قال ط قلت والغالب من احوال الناس انھم انما یریدون عند الدفع الانتفاع و لولاہ لما اعطاہ الدراھم و ھذا بمنزلة الشرط لان المعروف کالمشروط وھو مما یعین المنع

Translation: Tahawi mentioned: I say that the state of most people is that they intend to take benefit from the pawned possession, and if they did not expect this, then they would not even give a loan. This is equivalent to a condition because that which is known (Ma’ruf) is in the ruling of a conditional thing (mashrut). This fact declares its impermissibility, (Fatawa Razawiyyah, vol. 25, p. 57).

وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہٗ اَعْلَم صلَّی اللہ علیہ واٰلہٖ وسلَّم