Is it permissible to accept payment (Ajr) for teaching the Qur'an?
General Chapter
Al-Mughni
Book of Leasing
Primary text
There is an authoritative opinion stating that accepting payment for teaching the Qur'an is permissible. This view is supported by Malik, Al-Shafi'i, Abu Qilabah, Abu Thawr, and Ibn al-Mundhir. The evidence supporting permissibility includes the Prophet's action of marrying a man to his wife in exchange for teaching her what he knew of the Qur'an (agreed upon). Furthermore, the saying, 'The most worthy thing you take wages for is the Book of Allah,' is cited as a sound Hadith. The permissibility is analogized to the validity of compensation in marriage contracts and validated by the incident where Abu Sa'id accepted compensation (Ja'l) for healing with the Fatiha, which the Prophet ﷺ approved.
Supporting text
A second narration from Ahmad permits this. Ahmad preferred teaching over relying on rulers, managing estates, or incurring debt that might lead to failing to repay trusts. This suggests that where teaching is forbidden, it is due to dislike (Karahah), not outright prohibition (Tahrim). An alternative view holds that accepting payment is impermissible because these acts are acts of devotion (Qurbah) to God, and one should not take compensation for acts of devotion, similar to hiring someone to pray on one's behalf for Jumu'ah.