Is it permissible to accept gifts or stipends (Jawa'iz) from the Sultan?
Chapter on Selling the Musarrah (Animal with milk retained in udder)
Al-Mughni
Book of Sales
Primary text
Accepting the stipends of the Sultan is generally permissible. This view is held by Ibn Umar, Ibn Abbas, Aisha, and others among the Companions, as well as Al-Hasan, Al-Hussain, and Abdullah bin Ja'far. Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Makhul, Al-Zuhri, and Al-Shafi'i permitted it. The evidence cited is that the Prophet, peace be upon him, bought food from a Jew and died while his armor was mortgaged to him, and he accepted the invitation of a Jew to eat his food, despite the information that they consume 'suht' (ill-gotten gains). Furthermore, it is stated that the amount given from the public treasury that is lawful exceeds what is unlawful. One should not ask the Sultan for anything, but if something is given, it is acceptable because the lawful content of the treasury exceeds the unlawful content.
Supporting text
Imam Ahmad—may Allah have mercy on him—did not accept the stipends of the Sultan and strongly admonished his son and uncle for accepting them, holding this position out of piety and caution, not because he deemed them unlawful. Others who avoided them include Sa'id bin Al-Musayyab, Al-Qasim, Bishr bin Sa'id, Muhammad bin Wasi', Al-Thawri, and Ibn Al-Mubarak. Imam Ahmad himself stated that the Sultan's stipends were more desirable to him than charity (Sadaqah), reasoning that every Muslim has a share in these funds, making it impossible to declare them entirely forbidden ('suht').