Al-Baqarah (21)

Last week, we stopped discussing whether receiving a wage for imparting knowledge to others is lawful.

Muslim scholars have delved into this discussion and asked several questions about imparting knowledge and teaching the Glorious Qur’an among the Ummah of Muhammad, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam. So, they asked if it is lawful for a Muslim scholar to collect a wage for the knowledge he imparts of the religion and the Qur’an. Is such money as he collects for teaching the Qur’an Halal?

A section of the Ulama said such payment is unlawful entirely. Their proof is the verse under discussion:

“…nor sell My Signs for a small price;…”

To this group, it is unlawful to be paid to teach the Quran and its memorisation, Tajweed, Tafseer, Fiqh, or Hadeeth. Receiving any money for teaching any of these is Haraam.

Besides this Qu’ranic verse, they also cited a Hadeeth:

Narrated Abu Hurayrah:

The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said: If anyone acquires knowledge that should be sought seeking the Face of Allah, but he acquires it only to get some worldly advantage, he will not experience the Arf, i.e. the fragrance of Paradise.

Sunan Abi Dawud 3664

So, they concluded by saying that on the authority of this verse and the Hadeeth, one should not be paid for teaching the Qur’an, teaching in Islamiyyah schools, leading prayer as Imam of a mosque, delivering the weekly Khutbah and so on! Enjoying any recompense for doing any of the above is unlawful. (Is this what encouraged the Tsangaya system?)

Another set of scholars using the same proof said that collecting such a wage is Makruh only. Others said no, but it is lawful to teach the Quran to people, lead prayers, etc., and be paid for that. To them, the verse quoted by scholars of the first and the second groups has no connection whatsoever with this issue. The verse speaks about the interpolation of Yahud on the Torah, concealing Allah’s messages to the people. Scholars of the first and second groups quoted the verse out of context as it does not refer to teaching any form of knowledge to people that is lawful. Their proof:

Ibn ‘Abbas said some of the Prophet’s companions passed a watering place where there was one who had been stung by a scorpion or bitten by a snake. One of the inhabitants of the watering place accosted them and asked whether anyone among them could apply a charm, for at the watering place, there was a man who had been stung by a scorpion or bitten by a snake. One of them went and recited Fatihat al-Kitab in return for some sheep, and he was cured, but when he brought the sheep to his companions, they disapproved of that, saying, “You have taken payment for God’s Book.” When they came to Medina and told God’s Messenger that he had taken payment for God’s Book, he replied, “The most worthy thing for which you have taken payment is God’s Book.”

Bukhari transmitted it. In a version, he said, “You have done right. Divide them and give me a share along with you.”

Mishkat al-Masabih 2985

This further proved that receiving salaries for teaching the Qur’an and any other knowledge is Halal.

Then came the fourth group that compartmentalised the issue:

When a scholar finds himself amid people who are completely ignorant about their religion, like reverts who don’t know how to perform Wudu’, salah, etc, it is his responsibility to teach them their religion without asking or collecting any wage. It has become obligatory for him to teach them just as it is mandatory for him to offer obligatory prayers. But where other scholars like him abound, he is free in this case to teach or not to teach; in case he asks for anything in leu of his services of teaching, he has every right to so ask, and it’s lawful.

But what does such a scholar do when it becomes obligatory for him to teach those who have no knowledge whatsoever about Islam, and he cannot fend for his family? He should find an occupation in which he can feed his household and give his extra time to teach the people.

Other scholars said he should teach, or if he must, then, he has to charge for his services.

These are some of the scholars’ opinions on the issue.

42  And cover not Truth with falsehood, nor conceal the Truth when ye know (what it is).

What is the meaning of the verse?

It means not to confuse تلبسوا. It does not mean covering the body with cloth or apparel.

9. Had We appointed an angel (Our messenger), We assuredly had made him (as) a man (that he might speak to men); and (thus) obscured for them (the truth) they (now) obscure. (Al-An’aam)

42  And cover not Truth with falsehood, nor conceal the Truth when ye know (what it is).

The Yahud confuse Truth with falsehood. For instance, when they were asked, is Muhammad a true messenger of Allah? They answered ‘yes he is’. Okay, why don’t you believe in him then? They said, ‘No, we do not have to believe in him because he was not sent to us’: ‘Muhammad’, they further said, ‘was sent to the unlettered people among the Arabs.’

Can you see the confusion?

Another meaning of the verse is in their addition and removal in God’s scriptures – they write words with their own hands and then attribute them to God:

79  Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands, and then say:”This is from Allah,” to traffic with it for miserable price!- Woe to them for what their hands do write, and for the gain they make thereby.

78. And Lo! there is a party of them who distort the Scripture with their tongues, that ye may think that what they say is from the Scripture, when it is not from the Scripture. And they say: It is from Allah, when it is not from Allah; and they speak a lie concerning Allah knowingly. (Aali Imraan)

“…nor conceal the Truth when ye know (what it is).”

Concealing the verses that refer to the last Messenger of Allah Muhammad in the scriptures.

43  And be steadfast in prayer; practise regular charity; and bow down your heads with those who bow down (in worship).

Salah in the verse could mean prayer (du’aa), places of worship or the five obligatory prayers. But the composition of the words as:

“And be steadfast in prayer;” could only refer to the five obligatory prayers.

“…practise regular charity;” is to give Zakah to the poor out of the property of the rich. Yes, the poor have a sore in the property of the rich.

Both Salah and Zakah mentioned here are obligations; it is mandatory to pray and to give Zakah to the poor. Of course, we know that Zakah is different from Sadaqah, an everyday alms we give the poor out of our own free will. But Zakah is obligatory and is extracted annually from the wealth of the rich and distributed among the poor.

Zakah cleanses the wealth and makes it grow, as well as cleanses the souls against greed and avarice.

“…and bow down your heads with those who bow down (in worship).”

Ruku’ is realised by placing your palms on your knees, stretching your back evenly with your face directed at where you will put your forehead while in Sujud and opening your two hands in such a way that if somebody stands behind you, they will see the curve of your underarms were you to be without a shirt. This is in accordance with the instructions of the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam, where he said:

He also told of God’s Messenger, saying to them, “Pray as you have seen me praying, and when the time for prayer comes, one of you should call the adhan for you and the oldest of you should act as imam.”*

* In this tradition, the plural is used throughout; in the preceding, the dual is used, two persons being referred to.

(Bukhari and Muslim.)

Mishkat al-Masabih 683

Why do we end up discussing Salah as taught by the Prophet, sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam when we have mentioned that most of the issues raised refer to Yahud? It is because Ruku’ is mentioned, and in Yahudi’s form of worship, there is no Ruku’. So, for Allah to mention it here, it means ‘And be steadfast in prayer..’ It means Salah as performed by Muslims.

“And be steadfast in prayer;” is a command to pray, and “bow down your heads with those who bow down (in worship)” means you are not to offer Salah alone; you are to pray in Jamaa’ah as prayer in a congregation is greater than prayer offered singly by 27 rewards, degrees, as explained by the Messenger, Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Prayer said in a congregation is twenty-seven degrees more excellent than prayer said by a single person.”

(Bukhari and Muslim.)

Mishkat al-Masabih 1052