Taking wages for the religious duties in Islam

بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم

إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ، نَحْمَدُهُ وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ، مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ، وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، أَمَّا بَعْدُ

قالَ اللہُ تعالیٰ فِي سورةِ آلِ عمران :

وَ اِنَّ مِنْ اَهْلِ الْكِتٰبِ لَمَنْ يُّؤْمِنُ بِاللّٰهِ وَ مَاۤ اُنْزِلَ اِلَيْكُمْ وَ مَاۤ اُنْزِلَ اِلَيْهِمْ خٰشِعِيْنَ لِلّٰهِ١ۙ لَا يَشْتَرُوْنَ بِاٰيٰتِ اللّٰهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيْلًا١ؕ اُولٰٓىِٕكَ لَهُمْ اَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ١ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ سَرِيْعُ الْحِسَابِ۰۰۱۹۹

[آل عمران: 199]

And there are, certainly, among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), those who believe in Allah Ta’ala and in that which has been revealed to you, and in that which has been revealed to them, humbling themselves before Allah. They do not sell the Verses of Allah Ta’ala for a little price, for them is a reward with their Lord. Surely, Allah Ta’ala is Swift in account.

In this verse, Allah Ta’ala has mentioned in a very good way the mention of those who do not accept the worldly reward for the verses of Allah Ta’ala but said that their reward is with their Lord. That is, the reward for one’s deeds is in the Hereafter and not in this world. Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur’an:

وَ اٰمِنُوْا بِمَاۤ اَنْزَلْتُ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا مَعَكُمْ وَ لَا تَكُوْنُوْۤا اَوَّلَ كَافِرٍۭ بِهٖ١۪ وَ لَا تَشْتَرُوْا بِاٰيٰتِيْ ثَمَنًا قَلِيْلًا١ٞ وَ اِيَّايَ فَاتَّقُوْنِ۰۰۴۱

[البقرة: 41]

And believe in that which I have revealed, confirming that which is with you (the Torah and the Gospel) and do not be the first to deny it and do not sell My verses for a small price and only Fear me, then.

۔ ۔ ۔ فَلَا تَخْشَوُا النَّاسَ وَ اخْشَوْنِ وَ لَا تَشْتَرُوْا بِاٰيٰتِيْ ثَمَنًا قَلِيْلًا١ؕ وَ مَنْ لَّمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَاۤ اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ فَاُولٰٓىِٕكَ هُمُ الْكٰفِرُوْنَ۰۰۴۴

[المائدة: 44]

“Do not be afraid of people but fear Me and do not sell My verses for a small price. Those who do not judge according to what is revealed by Allah Ta’ala are the disbelievers.”

That is, the command not to sell the verses of the Qur’an is the command of Allah, and those who decide against it, that is, to justify their earnings, are the disbelievers. Allah Ta’ala declares at another place:

[البقرة: 174]

Verily, those who conceal what Allah has sent down of the Book and purchase a small gain therewith (of worldly things), they eat into their bellies nothing but fire. Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor purify them, and theirs will be a painful torment.

In this verse two things are stated, firstly those who conceal the commands revealed by Allah and secondly those who earn through this Qur’an, these are the people who are filling their bellies with hell fire. It means that this earnings on the Quran are in fact the fire of hell. And on the Day of Resurrection, Allah will not even speak to such people, that is, He will be wrathful to them. They will not be purified because only pure people will go to heaven.

It means that it is haraam (religiously illegitimate) to take money for leading the prayers reciting the Quran and teaching of the Quran.

And Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) says:

اقْرَءُوا الْقُرْآنَ ، وَلَا تَغْلُوا فِيهِ ، وَلَا تَجْفُوا عَنْهُ وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا بِهِ ، وَلَا تَسْتَكْبِرُوا تَسْتَكْثِرُوا بِهِ

( مسند احمد، مسند المكيين ، حدیث عبد الرحمن بن شبل ؓ)

Recite the Qur’an, and do not exaggerate in it, and do not be shy about it, and do not eat of it, and do not seek abundance by it.

عن سهل بن سعد الساعدي، قال: خرج علينا رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يوما ونحن نقترئ، فقال: الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ، كِتَابُ اللَّهِ وَاحِدٌ، فِيكُمُ الْأَحْمَرُ، وَفِيكُمُ الْأَبْيَضُ، وَفِيكُمُ الْأَسْوَدُ، اقْرَءُوهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَقْرَأَهُ أَقْوَامٌ يُقَوِّمُونَهُ كَمَا يُقَوَّمُ السَّهْمُ؛ يَتَعَجَّلُ أَجْرَهُ وَلَا يُتَأَجَّلُهُ

( ابو داؤد، كتاب الصلاة ، باب ما يجزئ الأمي والأعجمي من القراءة )

On the authority of Sahl bin Saad Al-Saadi (رضی اللہ عنہ) who said, “The Messenger of Allah(ﷺ) one day came out to us while we were reciting (the Quran). He said: “Praise be to Allah. The Book of Allah is one, and among you are the red, and among you are the white and among you are the black. Recite it before there appear people who will recite it and straighten it as an arrow is straightened. They will get their reward for it in this world and will not get it in the Hereafter.”

عن عثمان بن أبي العاص قال: قلت : يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، اجْعَلْنِي إِمَامَ قَوْمِي. قَالَ: أَنْتَ إِمَامُهُمْ، وَاقْتَدِ بِأَضْعَفِهِمْ، وَاتَّخِذْ مُؤَذِّنًا لا يَأْخُذُ عَلَى أَذَانِهِ أَجْرًا

( سنن النسائی، کتاب الاذان ، اتخاذ المؤذن الذي لا يأخُذُ على أذانهِ أجرًا )

On the authority of ‘Uthman bin Abi Al-Aas who said:

“I said: ‘O Allah’s Messenger (), make me the Imam of my people.’ He said: ‘You are their Imam, so consider the weakest among them and choose a Mu’adhdhin (one who calls adhan for the salat) who does not take any payment for his adhan.”

عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، قَالَ: عَلَّمْتُ نَاسًا مِنْ أَهْلِ الصُّفَّةِ الْكِتَابَ، وَالْقُرْآنَ فَأَهْدَى إِلَيَّ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ قَوْسًا فَقُلْتُ: لَيْسَتْ بِمَالٍ وَأَرْمِي عَنْهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، لَآتِيَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَلَأَسْأَلَنَّهُ فَأَتَيْتُهُ، فَقُلْتُ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، رَجُلٌ أَهْدَى إِلَيَّ قَوْسًا مِمَّنْ كُنْتُ أُعَلِّمُهُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْقُرْآنَ، وَلَيْسَتْ بِمَالٍ وَأَرْمِي عَنْهَا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ: «إِنْ كُنْتَ تُحِبُّ أَنْ تُطَوَّقَ طَوْقًا مِنْ نَارٍ فَاقْبَلْهَا

(المستدرک علی الصحیحین للحاکم ، کتاب البیوع، وَأَمَّا حَدِيثُ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ )

It is narrated on the authority of Ubada bin Samit ((رضی اللہ عنہ)) who said, “I taught some persons from the people of Suffah writing and the Qur’an. A man of them presented to me a bow. I said: “It cannot be reckoned as property; I will shoot (arrows) with it in Allah’s path?” (I thought) I must come to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and ask him (about it). So, I came to him and said: “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), one of those whom I have been teaching writing and the Qur’an, has presented me a bow, and as it cannot be reckoned as maal (money/property), (and) I will shoot with it in Allah’s path?” He said: “If you want to have a necklace of fire on you, accept it.”

عن أبي هريرة، قال: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ عِلْمًا مِمَّا يُبْتَغَى بِهِ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ، لَا يَتَعَلَّمُهُ إِلَّا لِيُصِيبَ بِهِ عَرَضًا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا، لَمْ يَجِدْ عَرْفَ الْجَنَّةِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ

( صحیح ابن حبان ، کتاب العلم ، ذكر وصف العلم الذي يتوقع دخول النار في القيامة لمن طلبه )

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: If anyone acquires knowledge that should be sought seeking the Face (pleasure) of Allah, but he acquires it only to get some worldly advantage, he will not find the arf (the fragrance) of Paradise.

Dear readers! These are the hadiths that give tremors in the body that even the one who receives a gift on the teachings of the Qur’an will wear a necklace of fire and those who make a living from it will not be able to smell the fragrance of heaven. May Allah protect us from this grave mistake.

The Quran and the ahadeeth of the Prophet (ﷺ) prove that

Taking any kind of monetary rewarding for the verses of the Quran,

Taking any gift for them,

Taking advantage of it in any other way, means

You are putting fire of hell in your stomach.

It is also denial of Allah’s command,

And denial in the command of the Prophet (ﷺ).

Similarly, taking salary for pronouncing adhan has also been prohibited.

Scores of sects have been founded in the name of Islam, they disagree with each other on many issues, but surprisingly:

All sects agree on taking wages on religious matters.

The reason for this is that all the control of the sects is in the hands of their Mufti and Maulvi, and they are not ready to give up their earnings in any way, they have made religion their profession. Inshallah, in the next episode, the reality of the deception of these Maulvis and Muftis will be explained on this subject.

Earlier, plenty of evidence were presented from the Book of Allah for taking wages on religious duties, but the sectarian scholars particularly tried to prove contest that these Qur’anic evidences do not mean that wages are forbidden on the Qur’an, because the verses of the Qur’an explain each other. In this regard, they present few verses:

اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَكْتُمُوْنَ مَاۤ اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ مِنَ الْكِتٰبِ وَ يَشْتَرُوْنَ بِهٖ ثَمَنًا قَلِيْلًا١ۙ اُولٰٓىِٕكَ مَا يَاْكُلُوْنَ فِيْ بُطُوْنِهِمْ اِلَّا النَّارَ وَ لَا يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللّٰهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ وَ لَا يُزَكِّيْهِمْ١ۖۚ وَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ اَلِيْمٌ۰۰۱۷۴ اُولٰٓىِٕكَ الَّذِيْنَ اشْتَرَوُا الضَّلٰلَةَ بِالْهُدٰى وَ الْعَذَابَ بِالْمَغْفِرَةِ١ۚ فَمَاۤ اَصْبَرَهُمْ عَلَى النَّارِ۰۰۱۷۵

[البقرة : 174-175]

Verily, those who conceal what Allah has revealed in His Book and earn a little reward over it (the Qur’an), they are eating nothing for their bellies except the fire. Allah will not speak to them, nor will He purify them, and for them is a painful punishment. These are they who buy way wardness by (replacing it with)the guidance and (buy)punishment by (replacing it with) forgiveness, so see how patient they are (on the reward) of the fire.

وَ اِذْ اَخَذَ اللّٰهُ مِيْثَاقَ الَّذِيْنَ اُوْتُوا الْكِتٰبَ لَتُبَيِّنُنَّهٗ۠ لِلنَّاسِ وَ لَا تَكْتُمُوْنَهٗ١ٞ فَنَبَذُوْهُ وَرَآءَ ظُهُوْرِهِمْ وَ اشْتَرَوْا بِهٖ ثَمَنًا قَلِيْلًا١ؕ فَبِئْسَ مَا يَشْتَرُوْنَ۰۰۱۸۷

[آل عمران: 187]

And when Allah took a solemn covenant with those who were given the Book that He would make it clear to the people and would not hide it. Then they put the book behind them and sold it for a small price. How bad is the price they are charging.”

Presenting these verses, they say that it is haraam only when someone hides the religious verdicts from the public and then get paid for religious duties, otherwise it is permissible.

Explanation:

Of course, it is openly haraam to take a reward for doing so, but these muftis are also playing games with this ummah in the same way that the scholars of the Bani Israel used to do by hiding much of what Allah had revealed. Allah Ta’ala has informed every reader about such people. The Lord of the universe says:

يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيْنَ اٰمَنُوْۤا اِنَّ كَثِيْرًا مِّنَ الْاَحْبَارِ وَ الرُّهْبَانِ لَيَاْكُلُوْنَ اَمْوَالَ النَّاسِ بِالْبَاطِلِ وَ يَصُدُّوْنَ عَنْ سَبِيْلِ اللّٰهِ١ ۔ ۔ ۔

[التوبة: 34]

“O you who believe! Indeed, the majority of scholars and saints devour the wealth of the people illegally and (while) hindering them from the way of Allah …

Allah Ta’ala had already told us that they eat away people’s wealth illegally, so Allah’s word came true and today it has become clear to us how these maulvis, saints and muftis earn by selling the religion in one form or the other. Some of them take wages for leading the salat, others take money for teaching the Quran, yet others are earning by writing taweez (an amulet) of the Quranic ayaat. It is very common practice to take money for fabricated rituals like Isal Thawab (transfer of reward for their good deeds to someone who is dead) by taking the whole team of madrassah students for reciting whole of Quran in one sitting and then take money and rewards for that recitation. Maulvi from nearby masjid is often invited for the ceremony of completion of the Quran by a child and then he is given money and other gifts for the session of collective ‘dua’. Sometimes there is a reward for adhan, the call to prayer and sometimes they receive gifts for teaching or reciting the Quran in taraweeh. The purpose is to make religion a source of income.

The Muftis, who are presenting these two verses, know well their real meaning but decieve the public by manipulating the meaning. They know exactly that there are many verses which prove the prohibition of wages for religious duties. When they are asked to reply by suporting Quranic verses and hadith, they simply ignore this condition and reply, “The religious scholars (ulema) of later generations (mutaakhireen) have declared it permissible” (fatwa by Bannuri Town Darul Uloom) without mentioning any ayat or hadith. Muftis do not allow those verses to come to the knowledge of the people by hiding them in this manner. Here are some other ayaat which clearly mention that such reward will be given by Allah Ta’ala:

Noah (علیہ السلام) said to his people:

وَ مَاۤ اَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ اَجْرٍ١ۚ اِنْ اَجْرِيَ اِلَّا عَلٰى رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِيْنَۚ۰۰۱۰۹

[الشعراء: 109]

“And I do not ask you for a reward for it. My reward is only with the Lord of the worlds.”

وَ يٰقَوْمِ لَاۤ اَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مَالًا١ؕ اِنْ اَجْرِيَ اِلَّا عَلَى اللّٰهِ ۔ ۔ ۔

[هود: 29]

And, O my people! I do not ask you for any wealth for it, my reward is only with Allah.

Hud ( علیہ السلام) said: My reward is from Allah Ta’ala.

وَ مَاۤ اَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ اَجْرٍ١ۚ اِنْ اَجْرِيَ اِلَّا عَلٰى رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِيْنَؕ۰۰۱۲۷

[الشعراء: 127]

And I do not ask you for a reward for it. My reward is only with the Lord of the worlds.”

يٰقَوْمِ لَاۤ اَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ اَجْرًا١ؕ اِنْ اَجْرِيَ اِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِيْ فَطَرَنِيْ١ؕ اَفَلَا تَعْقِلُوْنَ۰۰۵۱

[هود: 51]

“O my people! I do not ask of you for a reward for it. My reward is only for Him who created me. Do you not understand? “

Lot ( علیہ السلام) said: My reward is from Allah Ta’ala.

وَ مَاۤ اَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ اَجْرٍ١ۚ اِنْ اَجْرِيَ اِلَّا عَلٰى رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِيْنَؕ۰۰۱۶۴

[الشعراء: 164]

“And I do not ask you for a reward for it. My reward is only with the Lord of the worlds.”

Shoaib ( علیہ السلام) said: My reward is from Allah Ta’ala.

وَ مَاۤ اَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ اَجْرٍ١ۚ اِنْ اَجْرِيَ اِلَّا عَلٰى رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِيْنَؕ۰۰۱۸۰

[الشعراء: 180]

“And I do not ask you for a reward for it. My reward is only with the Lord of the worlds.”

In Surah Ya-seen, Allah Ta’ala states a condition for the one who is on the path of guidance that they donot charge any money for the religious duties:

اتَّبِعُوْا مَنْ لَّا يَسْـَٔلُكُمْ اَجْرًا وَّ هُمْ مُّهْتَدُوْنَ۰۰۲۱

(یٰسٓ :21)

“Follow the messengers who do not ask you for any reward and who are guided.”

The Prophet (ﷺ) was also told to announce:

قُلْ لَّاۤ اَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ اَجْرًا١ؕ اِنْ هُوَ اِلَّا ذِكْرٰى لِلْعٰلَمِيْنَؒ

(الانعام: 90)

(O Prophet!) Say: I do not ask you for a reward for it (the Qur’an), it is only a reminder for the worlds.

قُلْ مَا سَاَلْتُكُمْ مِّنْ اَجْرٍ فَهُوَ لَكُمْ١ؕ اِنْ اَجْرِيَ اِلَّا عَلَى اللّٰهِ١ۚ وَ هُوَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيْدٌ۰۰۴۷

(سبا :47)

Say (O Muhammad SAW): “If I ask you for a wage, it is yours, my reward is with Him, and He is Aware of all things.”

The Prophets (ﷺ) also used to earn by working with their own hands:

قَالَ مَا بَعَثَ اللّٰہُ نَبِیًّا اِلَّا رَعَی الْغَنَمَ فَقَالَ اَصْحَابُہٗ وَ اَنْتَ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ کُنْتُ اَرْعَاھَاعَلٰی قَرَارِْ یطَ لِاَھْلِ مَکَّۃَ

(بخاری: کتاب الاجارۃ، باب رعی الغنم علی قراریط )

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Allaah has not sent any prophet who has not grazed goats. The companions asked, and (what about) you! He said, “Yes, I also used to graze the goats of the people of Makkah for a few qiraat.”

Similarly, the Prophets used to do different things to earn money:

اِنَّ دَاوٗدَ النَّبِیَّ صَلَّی اللّٰہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ کَانَ لَا یَاْکُلُ اِلَّامِنْ عَمَلِ یَدِہٖ

(بخاری: کتاب البیوع، باب کسب الرجل عملِہ بیدہٖ)

“Indeed Dawood ( علیہ السلام) used to earn his livelihood by working with his hands.”

کَانَ زَکَرِیَّا نَجَّارًا

(مسلم:کتاب الفضائل،باب فضائل زکریا ؑ)

“Zechariah was a carpenter.”

Now look at the role of the Companions:

عَنْ أَنَسٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، أَنّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ : أَتَاهُ رِعْلٌ وَذَكْوَانُ وَعُصَيَّةُ وَبَنُو لَحْيَانَ فَزَعَمُوا أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ أَسْلَمُوا وَاسْتَمَدُّوهُ عَلَى قَوْمِهِمْ ، فَأَمَدَّهُمُ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِسَبْعِينَ مِنْ الْأَنْصَارِ ، قَالَ : أَنَسٌ كُنَّا نُسَمِّيهِمْ الْقُرَّاءَ يَحْطِبُونَ بِالنَّهَارِ وَيُصَلُّونَ بِاللَّيْلِ فَانْطَلَقُوا بِهِمْ حَتَّى بَلَغُوا بِئْرَ مَعُونَةَ غَدَرُوا بِهِمْ وَقَتَلُوهُمْ ، فَقَنَتَ شَهْرًا يَدْعُو عَلَى رِعْلٍ وَذَكْوَانَ وَبَنِي لَحْيَانَ ، قَالَ : قَتَادَةُ ، وَحَدَّثَنَا أَنَسٌ أَنَّهُمْ قَرَءُوا بِهِمْ قُرْآنًا أَلَا بَلِّغُوا عَنَّا قَوْمَنَا بِأَنَّا قَدْ لَقِيَنَا رَبَّنَا فَرَضِيَ عَنَّا وَأَرْضَانَا ، ثُمَّ رُفِعَ ذَلِكَ بَعْدُ

( بخاری،کتاب الجہاد و السیر، بَابُ العَوْنِ بِالْمَدَدِ )

On the authority of Anas ( رضی اللہ عنہ); Some people from the tribes of Ra’l, Zakwan, Asiyah and Banu Lahyan came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and assured him that they had converted to Islam and they asked him for help and education and preaching against their disbelieving nation. ۔ So the Prophet sent seventy Ansaris with them. “We used to call him Qari,” Anas said. “They used to gather firewood from the forest during the day and pray at night. They went with the people of the tribe, but when they reached Beer Ma’una, the people of the tribe betrayed the Companions and martyred them. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) recited qunoot (in Salat) for a month and kept on cursing Raal and Dhakwan and Banu Lahyan. Qatadah said that Anas told us that (about these martyrs) we used to recite this verse in the Qur’an like this: “Yes! Tell our people (Muslims) that we will go to our Lord. And He is pleased with us and He has pleased us too. “Then this verse was abrogated.”

This was the practice of the Companions that they worked hard earning money during the day and worshipped Allah Ta’ala at night. The sectarian Muftis and scholars themselves conceal such evidence so that the people do not stop giving them wealth knowing the truth. Now the following verse suit them perfectly when they did exactly what the Master of the Qur’an declares as ‘bad’ that is taking insignificant reward of wroldly wages:

اِشْتَرَوْا بِاٰيٰتِ اللّٰهِ ثَمَنًا قَلِيْلًا فَصَدُّوْا عَنْ سَبِيْلِهٖ١ؕ اِنَّهُمْ سَآءَ مَا كَانُوْا يَعْمَلُوْنَ۰۰۹

[التوبة: 9]

They sold the verses of Allah for a small price and then barred (people) from the path of Allah. Too bad the work they are doing. “

The situation today is that whereas every sect has agreed on the permissibility of “taking wages on religious duties” but they disagree with each other on other issues. However, there are some people among them who do not take wages but their number is minimal.

May Allah save the true Muslims from the influence of these moulvis and muftis who prefer the hell fire to be in their stomachs.

In order to prove their haraam action, they also present a hadith of Bukhari, so lets study it.

Earlier, we had presented a statement in the Qur’an and Hadith about wages on religious matters, according to which it is forbidden to take wages on leading the salat, teaching the Qur’an and it is like putting the fire of hell in one’s stomach. Such people will not be purified on the Day of Resurrection, because only pure people will go to heaven. On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will not even speak to them, but according to the Hadith of the Prophet (), they will not be able to smell the fragrance of Paradise. But look at their courage that they made this haraam (religiously forbidden) their profession and being happily contented with getting the Hell fire:

اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ يَكْتُمُوْنَ مَاۤ اَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ مِنَ الْكِتٰبِ وَ يَشْتَرُوْنَ بِهٖ ثَمَنًا قَلِيْلًا١ۙ اُولٰٓىِٕكَ مَا يَاْكُلُوْنَ فِيْ بُطُوْنِهِمْ اِلَّا النَّارَ وَ لَا يُكَلِّمُهُمُ اللّٰهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيٰمَةِ وَ لَا يُزَكِّيْهِمْ١ۖۚ وَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ اَلِيْمٌ۰۰۱۷۴اُولٰٓىِٕكَ الَّذِيْنَ اشْتَرَوُا الضَّلٰلَةَ بِالْهُدٰى وَ الْعَذَابَ بِالْمَغْفِرَةِ١ۚ فَمَاۤ اَصْبَرَهُمْ عَلَى النَّارِ۰۰۱۷۵

[البقرة: 174-175]

Indeed, they who conceal what Allah has sent down of the Book and exchange it for a small price – those consume not into their bellies except the Fire. And Allah will not speak to them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them. And they will have a painful punishment. Those are the ones who have exchanged guidance for error and forgiveness for punishment. Thus (see) how contented they are over the (decision of) Fire!

فَمَاۤ اَصْبَرَهُمْ عَلَى النَّارِ

Thus (see) how contented they are over the (decision of) Fire!

They, who are happy with getting in to the fire of hell, are making it their profession even after the clear injunctions of the Qur’an and Hadith and they also present one or two hadiths to deceive the people and justify the reward for religious affairs. Coming to the hadiths presented by him:

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الخُدْرِيِّ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ أَنَّ نَاسًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَتَوْا عَلَى حَيٍّ مِنْ أَحْيَاءِ العَرَبِ فَلَمْ يَقْرُوهُمْ، فَبَيْنَمَا هُمْ كَذَلِكَ، إِذْ لُدِغَ سَيِّدُ أُولَئِكَ، فَقَالُوا: هَلْ مَعَكُمْ مِنْ دَوَاءٍ أَوْ رَاقٍ؟ فَقَالُوا: إِنَّكُمْ لَمْ تَقْرُونَا، وَلاَ نَفْعَلُ حَتَّى تَجْعَلُوا لَنَا جُعْلًا، فَجَعَلُوا لَهُمْ قَطِيعًا مِنَ الشَّاءِ، فَجَعَلَ يَقْرَأُ بِأُمِّ القُرْآنِ، وَيَجْمَعُ بُزَاقَهُ وَيَتْفِلُ، فَبَرَأَ فَأَتَوْا بِالشَّاءِ، فَقَالُوا: لاَ نَأْخُذُهُ حَتَّى نَسْأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَسَأَلُوهُ فَضَحِكَ وَقَالَ: «وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ أَنَّهَا رُقْيَةٌ، خُذُوهَا وَاضْرِبُوا لِي بِسَهْمٍ»

( بخاری، کتاب الطب، بَابُ الرُّقَى بِفَاتِحَةِ الكِتَابِ )

Abu Sa’id al-Khudri says that some of the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) came to an Arab tribe, but the people of that tribe did not entertain them. They were there when the chief of that tribe was bitten by a snake. They said, “Do you have any medicine or a charm?” They said, “You have not entertained us, so we will not do anything until you have given something to us.” Then they agreed to give some goats. Then Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri started reciting Surah Al-Fatihah and collected saliva and spread on it. So the man got well. He said, “We will not take it (the reward of goats) until we ask the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about it.” So they asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about it. He said, ‘take it and put a share for me in it’.

This special case occurred when the group of the Companions passed by a tribe who refused to host the group. For such a situation, the Prophet had taught the Companions that if any tribe does not entertain them, then they should somehow receive the right to guests because in those days there were no hotels like nowadays.

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنِي يَزِيدُ، عَنْ أَبِي الخَيْرِ، عَنْ عُقْبَةَ بْنِ عَامِرٍ، قَالَ: قُلْنَا لِلنَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: إِنَّكَ تَبْعَثُنَا، فَنَنْزِلُ بِقَوْمٍ لاَ يَقْرُونَا، فَمَا تَرَى فِيهِ؟ فَقَالَ لَنَا:

( بخاری، کتاب المظالم و غضب ، بَابُ قِصَاصِ المَظْلُومِ إِذَا وَجَدَ مَالَ ظَالِمِهِ )

It is narrated on the authority of Aqaba ibn Amir that he said: We said to the Prophet, “You send us out and it happens that we have to stay with people who do not entertain us. What do you think about it? He said to us, “If you stay with some people and they entertain you as they should for a guest, accept their hospitality, but if they don’t, take the right of the guest from them.”

The tribe refused to entertain the partySo they recited Sura Al-Fatiha and made it very clear that the Companions had done this only on the ground that the tribesmen had not paid the right to the food. The tribesmen brought goats as promised. Now the Companions hesitated, this hesitation was due to the fact that Allah and His Messenger forbade to take a reward for the Qur’an. So he decided that the matter should be brought before the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) first. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to him: ‘How did you know that Al-Fatiha is a charm?” Because this was not told to them. Then said, ‘Take out my share as well from it.’

If the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had considered it as “wages” or “earnings”, he would not have in any way ordered its distribution and its share in it, because “wages” or “earnings” belong to the doer and distributed amongst others.

The tribesmen asked the Companions if they had any medicine for a bite or if there was anyone among them who was familiar with the mantra of bites and could do a charm. The companions replied, “Yes.” But you are the ones who have refused to host us, so we will not “blow” on your chief until you promise us its reward.” The clear words of this hadith have shattered in public the claims of ulemas fabricated to justify the haraam to be halal.

اِنَّ اَحَقَّ مَا اَخَذْتُمْ عَلَیْہِ اَجْراً کِتَابُ اللّٰہِ

“The Book of Allah is the most deserving of all that you are rewarded for.”

The aforementioned hadith which was narrated by Abu Saeed Al-Khudri (رضی اللہ عنہ), the Companion who was himself in that caravan. And hadith from Sunan al-Tirmidhi informs that Abu Saeed Khudri (رضی اللہ عنہ) himself was the one who performed the charm. So the narrator of the hadith is the one who is present in the caravan, he was the eyewitness and central character of the whole incident. But there is another hadith on the authority of Ibn Abbas (), which is considered more authentic than the hadith of Abu Saeed Al-Khudri, by the sectarian ulema to ignore this one from the eye witness. It is narrated that he did not witness the incident that the participants in this campaign were not traveling. The reason for this is that there is a phrase in that tradition by which these professionals have justified their “haraam” earnings. It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allaah be pleased with him):

عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ نَفَرًا مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَرُّوا بِمَائٍ فِيهِمْ لَدِيغٌ أَوْ سَلِيمٌ فَعَرَضَ لَهُمْ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَائِ فَقَالَ هَلْ فِيکُمْ مِنْ رَاقٍ إِنَّ فِي الْمَائِ رَجُلًا لَدِيغًا أَوْ سَلِيمًا فَانْطَلَقَ رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ فَقَرَأَ بِفَاتِحَةِ الْکِتَابِ عَلَی شَائٍ فَبَرَأَ فَجَائَ بِالشَّائِ إِلَی أَصْحَابِهِ فَکَرِهُوا ذَلِکَ وَقَالُوا أَخَذْتَ عَلَی کِتَابِ اللَّهِ أَجْرًا حَتَّی قَدِمُوا الْمَدِينَةَ فَقَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخَذَ عَلَی کِتَابِ اللَّهِ أَجْرًا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ أَحَقَّ مَا أَخَذْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا کِتَابُ اللَّهِ

( بخاری، کتاب الطب، باب: الشرط فی الرقیۃ ۔ ۔)

On the authority of Ibn Abbas (رضی اللہ عنہ), some of the companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) passed by some people staying at a place where there was water, and one of those people had been stung by a scorpion or bitten by sanke. A man from those staying near the water, came and said to the companions of the Prophet, “Is there anyone among you who can do Ruqya (charm) as near the water there is a person who has been stung by a scorpion or snake.” So one of the Prophet’s companions went to him and recited Surat-al-Fatiha for a sheep as his fees. The patient got cured and the man brought the sheep to his companions who disliked that and said, “You have taken wages for reciting Allah’s Book.” When they arrived at Medina, they said, ‘ O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! (This person) has taken wages for reciting Allah’s Book” On that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “You are most entitled to take wages for doing a Ruqya with Allah’s Book.”

In this narration narrated by him, first read this sentence of the Companions:

فَکَرِهُوا ذَلِکَ وَقَالُوا أَخَذْتَ عَلَی کِتَابِ اللَّهِ أَجْرًا

But they (the Companions) disliked that and said, “You have taken a reward for the Book of Allah.”

This statement of the Companions clarifies the fact that:

This was the teaching given to the Companions and they considered earning from the Book of Allah as haraam.

Now when the Companions came to the Prophet, according to this single narration, the Prophet said:

إِنَّ أَحَقَّ مَا أَخَذْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا کِتَابُ اللَّهِ

“The Book of Allah is the most deserving of all that you are rewarded for.”

No matter how many narrations have been narrated about this incident in all the books of Hadith, including Sahih Bukhari, these words are not found in any of this unique narration. This is the sentence on which the Mufti and Maulvi and their predecessors have tried to build a false building. In every case, the Qur’an and Hadith give a unanimous belief. If ever the words of a verse or a hadith seem to contradict another verse or hadith, then its interpretation is done according to the position given by the Book of Allah. The statement of the Qur’an and Hadith in this regard is that its verses should not be sold, it should not be made a source of income in any way, no gift of any kind should be taken in return and no other worldly benefit should be taken. Adhan should be given for the sake of Allah, no compensation should be paid for it, religious knowledge should be learned only for the pleasure of Allah and the fragrance of Paradise is also haraam for anyone who has learnt it to make a living.

All these things have reached us only through the Prophet. Can it be imagined that Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) would speak against it? This command of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) will be accepted in the same way that he himself has acted on it. But who can be more obedient to the command of Allah in Surah Al-An’am verse 90 than the Prophet himself?

اُولٰٓىِٕكَ الَّذِيْنَ هَدَى اللّٰهُ فَبِهُدٰىهُمُ اقْتَدِهْ١ؕ قُلْ لَّاۤ اَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ اَجْرًا١ؕ اِنْ هُوَ اِلَّا ذِكْرٰى لِلْعٰلَمِيْنَؒ۰۰۹۰

[الأنعام: 90]

“Those are the ones whom Allah has guided, so from their guidance take an example. Say, “I ask of you for this message no reward. It is not but a reminder for the worlds.”

In Surah Al-Ahzab, Allah Ta’ala says:

لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِيْ رَسُوْلِ اللّٰهِ اُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِّمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُوا اللّٰهَ وَ الْيَوْمَ الْاٰخِرَ وَ ذَكَرَ اللّٰهَ كَثِيْرًاؕ۰۰۲۱

[الأحزاب: 21]

“And for you is the best example in the life of the Messenger (Muhammad ﷺ), for everyone who hopes for the Hereafter and the Last Day, and remembers Allah frequently.”

Let these scholars of the sect now decide which people they belong to. If they believe in the meeting with Allah and the coming of the Hour, then they must follow the way of the Prophet.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said,The Book of Allaah is the most deserving of all that you are paid. !

But he did not reward any companion who was in poverty, misery and poverty for leading the salat, for calling adhan or teaching the Qur’an.

Is this pattern of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) not worthy enough to be followed?

How is it possible that even the Companions did not understand the meaning of this sentence and instead of earning the world from religion by receiving wages, they were busy buying the Hereafter!  But if someone understood the secret of this ayat and the order of the Prophet, these are the sectarian scholars with "ocean and mountain of knowledge"!

According to the Qur’an and Hadith, what is clear from this sentence is that the best thing to earn a reward is the Book of Allah. What a wonderful reward he has prepared for those who make their beliefs and practice them, which will be found in the Hereafter. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

اللَّهُمَّ لَا عَيْشَ إِلَّا عَيْشُ الْآخِرَهْ

( بخاری ، کتاب الجہاد و السیر ، بَابُ البَيْعَةِ فِي الحَرْبِ أَنْ لاَ يَفِرُّوا، وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ: عَلَى المَوْتِ )

“O Allah, there is no life but the life of the Hereafter.”

The reward that comes from this book in the world is that it makes those who follow this book “respected” like the Prophet said:

اِنَّ اﷲَ یَرْفَعُ بِھٰذَا الْکِتَابِ اَقْوَامًا وَّ یَضَعُ بِہٖ اٰ خَرِیْنَ
(مسلم: کتاب صلوٰۃ المسافرين ،باب فضل من یقوم بالقرآن۔۔۔)

“By this Book, Allah would elevates some peoples and degrade others”

The reward that is given to the Qur’an in this world is that Allah Ta’ala elevates the people who read it and follow it, and the nations who do not act according to it, are punished with humiliation and disgrace like the one faced by this kalima reciter ummah these days. Therefore, justifying wages on religious matters is merely a form of ignorance and slandering over the truth of Qur’an and Sunnah. The behavior of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and his Companions negates the prevalent understanding and fabrication by the sectarian ulema.

If the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) meant by this sentence to take a worldly reward from the Qur’an نعوذُ باللہ, then all of them together should present the authentic hadiths in which it is proven that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) gave a companion a salary, wage, scholarship or gift.

Praise be to Allah, Until the Day of Resurrection, these people will not be able to present a single hadeeth which proves that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave a reward or a gift to anyone on the Book of Allah. May Allah guide them to consider what Allah has forbidden as haraam.

After presenting the arguments of the Book of Allah in the previous parts, let us now talk about the following hadith:

Solemnizing Marriage on the Memorized Quran:

Another hadith is used as a shield to justify one’s haraam earnings. See:

عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ، أَنَّ امْرَأَةً جَاءَتْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَتْ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ جِئْتُ لِأَهَبَ لَكَ نَفْسِي، فَنَظَرَ إِلَيْهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَصَعَّدَ النَّظَرَ إِلَيْهَا وَصَوَّبَهُ، ثُمَّ طَأْطَأَ رَأْسَهُ، فَلَمَّا رَأَتِ المَرْأَةُ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يَقْضِ فِيهَا شَيْئًا جَلَسَتْ، فَقَامَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ، فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَكَ بِهَا حَاجَةٌ فَزَوِّجْنِيهَا، فَقَالَ: هَلْ عِنْدَكَ مِنْ شَيْءٍ؟ فَقَالَ: لاَ وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ، قَالَ: اذْهَبْ إِلَى أَهْلِكَ فَانْظُرْ هَلْ تَجِدُ شَيْئًا؟ فَذَهَبَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ فَقَالَ: لاَ وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا وَجَدْتُ شَيْئًا، قَالَ:انْظُرْ وَلَوْ خَاتَمًا مِنْ حَدِيدٍ» فَذَهَبَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ، فَقَالَ: لاَ وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَلاَ خَاتَمًا مِنْ حَدِيدٍ، وَلَكِنْ هَذَا إِزَارِي – قَالَ سَهْلٌ: مَا لَهُ رِدَاءٌ – فَلَهَا نِصْفُهُ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: مَا تَصْنَعُ بِإِزَارِكَ، إِنْ لَبِسْتَهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ عَلَيْهَا مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ، وَإِنْ لَبِسَتْهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ عَلَيْكَ شَيْءٌ» فَجَلَسَ الرَّجُلُ حَتَّى طَالَ مَجْلِسُهُ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَرَآهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مُوَلِّيًا، فَأَمَرَ بِهِ فَدُعِيَ، فَلَمَّا جَاءَ قَالَ: مَاذَا مَعَكَ مِنَ القُرْآنِ؟ قَالَ: مَعِي سُورَةُ كَذَا، وَسُورَةُ كَذَا، وَسُورَةُ كَذَا – [ص:193] عَدَّهَا – قَالَ: أَتَقْرَؤُهُنَّ عَنْ ظَهْرِ قَلْبِكَ؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ، قَالَ: اذْهَبْ فَقَدْ مَلَّكْتُكَهَا بِمَا مَعَكَ مِنَ القُرْآنِ

( بخاری، کتاب فضائل القرآن ، بَابُ القِرَاءَةِ عَنْ ظَهْرِ القَلْبِ )

Sahl ibn Sa’d narrates a lady came to Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) and said, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! I have come to you to offer myself to you.” He raised his eyes and looked at her and then lowered his head. When the lady saw that he did not make any decision, she sat down. On that, a man from his companions got up and said. “O Allah’s Apostle! If you are not in need of this woman, then marry her to me.” Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “Do you have anything to offer her?” He replied. “No, by Allah, O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)!” The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, “Go to your family and see if you can find something.’ The man went and returned, saying, “No, by Allah, O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! I have not found anything.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Try to find something, even if it is an iron ring.” He went again and returned, saying, “No, by Allah, O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), not even an iron ring, but I have this waist sheet of mine.” Sahl () said, Not even (upper) sheet to give half of it to her. So Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, ”What would she do with your waist sheet? If you wear it, she will have nothing of it over her body, and if she wears it, you will have nothing over your body.” So that man sat for a long period and then got up, and Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saw him going away, so he ordered somebody to call him. When he came, the Prophet (ﷺ) asked him, ” How much of the Qur’an do you know?” He replied, “I know such Surat and such Surat and such Surat,” and went on counting it, The Prophet (ﷺ) asked him, “Can you recite it by heart?” he replied, “Yes.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Go, I have married this lady to you for the amount of the Qur’an you know by heart.”

Read this hadeeth carefully again and again. Does it give any justification for taking money on religious matters?

It was a special occasion that this Companion had nothing to offer as mehr to this woman. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said to him:

هَلْ عِنْدَکَ مِنْ شَيْئٍ

Do you have anything

He replied :

لَا وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ

Nothing By Allah, O Allah’s Messenger

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

اذْهَبْ إِلَى أَهْلِكَ فَانْظُرْ هَلْ تَجِدُ شَيْئًا؟

Go home and see if you can find something

He went home and came back and said:

لاَ وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا وَجَدْتُ شَيْئًا

O the Messenger of Allah By Allah, I did not find anything

قَالَ: انْظُرْ وَلَوْ خَاتَمًا مِنْ حَدِيدٍ» فَذَهَبَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ، فَقَالَ: لاَ وَاللَّهِ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَلاَ خَاتَمًا مِنْ حَدِيدٍ، وَلَكِنْ هَذَا إِزَارِي – قَالَ سَهْلٌ: مَا لَهُ رِدَاءٌ – فَلَهَا نِصْفُهُ، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: مَا تَصْنَعُ بِإِزَارِكَ، إِنْ لَبِسْتَهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ عَلَيْهَا مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ، وَإِنْ لَبِسَتْهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ عَلَيْكَ شَيْءٌ

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Try to find something, even if it is an iron ring.” He went again and returned, saying, “No, by Allah, O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), not even an iron ring, but I have this waist sheet of mine.” Sahl said, Not even (upper) sheet to give half of it to her. So Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, ”What would she do with your waist sheet? If you wear it, she will have nothing of it over her body, and if she wears it, you will have nothing over your body.”

These were the circumstances in which the Companion could not find even an iron ring to give to the woman as mehr. Now the Companion became sad and sat quietly and then got up and started to leave. In such a state the Prophet stopped him and asked:

مَاذَا مَعَكَ مِنَ القُرْآنِ؟

What do you have from Qur’an

قَالَ: مَعِي سُورَةُ كَذَا، وَسُورَةُ كَذَا، وَسُورَةُ كَذَا – عَدَّهَا –

He replied, “I have so-and-so sura, so and so sura, so and so sura…” He counted them.

قَالَ: أَتَقْرَؤُهُنَّ عَنْ ظَهْرِ قَلْبِكَ؟

He said, “Do you remember them by heart?”

قَالَ: نَعَمْ

He replied yes!

قَالَ: اذْهَبْ فَقَدْ مَلَّكْتُكَهَا بِمَا مَعَكَ مِنَ القُرْآنِ

He said, “Go, I have made you her owner with what you have from the Holy Qur’an.”

(In another narration wordings are ‘I have done her nikah with you)

Allegation on Umar ( رضی اللہ عنہ) for paying wages for religious matters:

Umar ( رضی اللہ عنہ) is accused of paying wages in the form of scholarships for religious affairs. It is as if they are accusing him of doing what the Book of Allah called the fire of Hell, which the Prophet forbade, and what Abu Bakr Siddiq did not do, that is, what was not in Islam at all. Didn’t

the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say about Umar that the Shaytaan leaves the path on which Umar walks and goes to the other side. But look at the fact that this was said without any evidence about such a person. There is no such thing in any book of hadith but there is mention of the scholarships that Umar gave to every Muslim.

The fact is that in the time of Umar, there were large number of conquests, innumerable areas of the infidels were conquered and brought under the Islamic state and the booty and other periods of income were piled up in the Prophet’s Mosque. And Umar was so determined to distribute all this wealth throughout the kingdom that he used to say:

لَوْلَا آخِرُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ مَا فَتَحْتُ قَرْيَةً إِلَّا قَسَمْتُهَا بَيْنَ أَهْلِهَا کَمَا قَسَمَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّی اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ خَيْبَرَ

( بخاري كتاب فرض الخمس باب الْغَنِيمَةُ لِمَنْ شَهِدَ الْوَقْعَةَ)

Umar said, “Were it not for those Muslims who have not come to existence yet, I would have distributed (the land of) every town I conquer among the fighters as the Prophet (ﷺ) distributed the land of Khaibar.”

The Prophet (ﷺ) had set different criteria for the distribution of this booty among the people, as can be seen from the following traditions.

كَانَ عَطَاءُ الْبَدْرِيِّينَ خَمْسَةَ آلَافٍ , خَمْسَةَ آلَافٍ ، وَقَالَ عُمَرُ : لَأُفَضِّلَنَّهُمْ عَلَى مَنْ بَعْدَهُمْ .

( بخاری، کتاب المغازی )

The (annual) stipend of the Companions who fought the Battle of Badr was five thousand each. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I will give them superiority over those who came later than them.

عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ، عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ ، قَالَ : كَانَ فَرَضَ لِلْمُهَاجِرِينَ الْأَوَّلِينَ أَرْبَعَةَ آلَافٍ فِي أَرْبَعَةٍ , وَفَرَضَ لِابْنِ عُمَرَ ثَلَاثَةَ آلَافٍ وَخَمْسَ مِائَةٍ ، فَقِيلَ لَهُ : هُوَ مِنْ الْمُهَاجِرِينَ فَلِمَ نَقَصْتَهُ مِنْ أَرْبَعَةِ آلَافٍ ، فَقَالَ : إِنَّمَا هَاجَرَ بِهِ أَبَوَاهُ ، يَقُولُ : لَيْسَ هُوَ كَمَنْ هَاجَرَ بِنَفْسِهِ .

( بخاری، کتاب المناقب الانصار ، بَابُ هِجْرَةِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَأَصْحَابِهِ إِلَى المَدِينَةِ )

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: He (‘Umar) fixed the scholarship of all the foremost Muhajireen (during his caliphate) in four thousand each in four installments, but the scholarship of ‘Abdullah ibn’ Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was three and a half in four installments. He was asked that Abdullah bin Umar was one of the foremost Muhajireen, then why do you give them less than four thousand? So Umar said that he was brought here by his parents. Therefore, they cannot be equal to the refugees who migrated themselves.”

On one occasion, Umar said:

لَئِنْ سَلَّمَنِي اللَّهُ، لَأَدَعَنَّ أَرَامِلَ أَهْلِ العِرَاقِ لاَ يَحْتَجْنَ إِلَى رَجُلٍ بَعْدِي أَبَدًا

( بخاری، کتاب اصحاب النبی ﷺ، بَابُ قِصَّةِ البَيْعَةِ، وَالِاتِّفَاقِ عَلَى عُثْمَانَ بْنِ عَفَّانَ وَفِيهِ مَقْتَلُ عُمَرَ بْنِ الخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا )

“If Allah Almighty keeps me safe, I will make the widows of the Iraqis so happy that they will never be in need of any man after me.”

عن ابن عمر قال: قدمت رفقة من التجار، فنزلوا المصلى، فقال عمر لعبد الرحمن بن عوف: هل لك أن نحرسهم الليلة من السرق فباتا يحرسانهم، ويصليان ما كتب الله لهما فسمع عمر بكاء صبى فتوجه نحوه، فقال لأمه: اتقى الله وأحسنى إلى صبيك، ثم عاد إلى مكانه فسمع بكاءه، فعاد إلى أمه، فقال لها: مثل ذلك، ثم عاد إلى مكانه، فلما كان فى آخر الليل سمع بكاءه، فأتى أمه، فقال: ويحك إنى لأراك أم سوء، مالى أرى ابنك لا يقر منذ الليلة قالت: يا عبد الله قد أبرمتنى منذ الليلة إنى أريغه عن الفطام فيأبى، قال: ولم قالت: لأن عمر لا يفرض إلا للفطيم، قال: وكم له قالت: كذا وكذا شهرا، قال: ويحك لا تعجليه، فصلى الفجر وما يستبين الناس قراءته من غلبة البكاء فلما سلم قال: يا بؤسا لعمر كم قتل من أولاد المسلمين، ثم أمر مناديا فنادى ألا لا تعجلوا صبيانكم عن الفطام، فإنا نفرض لكل مولود فى الإسلام وكتب بذلك إلى الآفاق: إنا

( جامع الاحادیث ، مسند العشرہ ، مسند عمر بن الخطاب ؓ )

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Some friends from trade came and stayed in the prayer ground. ‘Umar said to ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn’ Awf: What do you think? Should we watch over them tonight to protect them from theft? So the two of them spent the night guarding him and praying as Allah had ordained for them. At that time Umar heard the crying of a child and turned to him and said to his mother: ‘That you should fear Allah and deal kindly with your child’ and returned, then heard the crying of the child again, he returned to her and say the same to her, and return to his place. At the end of the night, when he heard the baby crying again, he came back to his mother and said, “You are doomed. I don’t think you are a good mother. What’s the matter that your baby has been restless all night?” She said: O servant of Allah! I am worried about the night because I want to wean him and he refuses. Umar asked why? She said that because Umar sets a stipend for the child whose milk has been weaned, then he asked how much it will be? The woman said that this much monthly. He said, “Do not be hasty.” Then he led the Fajr prayer but at that time (children) were crying that people could not hear his voice clearly. So when he said the salutation (at the end of the salat), he said: Woe to you, Umar, that you killed the children of the Muslims! And then he asked the announcer to announce that do not hurry up in weaning your children. We now institute scholarship for every new born Muslim child. This order was conveyed in all the Islamic states that the stipend of every child born to the Muslims will be fixed. (Ibn Sa’d and Abu Ubaid fi Al-Amwaal)

The abovementioned narration proves that the stipend for every new born child was also established.

عن أبي قبيل قال: كان الناس في زمن عمر بن الخطاب إذا ولد المولد فرض له في عشرة، فإذا بلغ أن يفرض ألحق به. أبو عبيد

( کنز العمال، حرف جیم ، باب احکام الجھاد، الأرزاق والعطايا )

Abu Qabeel says that in the time of Umar, when a child was born, he was given a stipend of up to ten and when he became an adult, he was given an adult stipend. (Abu Obaid)

It is clear from the above narrations that the basis of the scholarships given by Umar was not for leading the salat, teaching of the Qur’an or for the muazzin, but even for the new born baby. Those who falsely accuse Umar, should have narrated a single hadith in which any imam, muazzin or teacher was paid on the basis of his work. Moreover, this Imam who used to lead the salat that is Umar, said to his son when he was fatally injured:

يَا عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ، انْظُرْ مَا عَلَيَّ مِنَ الدَّيْنِ، فَحَسَبُوهُ فَوَجَدُوهُ سِتَّةً وَثَمَانِينَ أَلْفًا أَوْ نَحْوَهُ، قَالَ: إِنْ وَفَى لَهُ، مَالُ آلِ عُمَرَ فَأَدِّهِ مِنْ أَمْوَالِهِمْ، وَإِلَّا فَسَلْ فِي بَنِي عَدِيِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، فَإِنْ لَمْ تَفِ أَمْوَالُهُمْ فَسَلْ فِي قُرَيْشٍ، وَلاَ تَعْدُهُمْ إِلَى غَيْرِهِمْ

“O `Abdullah bin `Umar! See how much I am in debt to others.” When the debt was checked, it amounted to approximately eighty-six thousand. `Umar said, “If the property of `Umar’s family covers the debt, then pay the debt thereof; otherwise request it from Bani `Adi bin Ka`b, and if that too is not sufficient, ask for it from Quraish tribe, and do not ask for it from anyone else,…”

Allahu Akbar! This was the case with the caliph of such a large empire.

They also say:

انی انزلت مال اﷲ منی بمنزلہ مال الیتیم فان استغینت عففت عنہ وان افتقرت اکلت بالمعروف

(طبقات لابن سعد: جز ۱۰،صفحہ ۲۷۶)

‘I have kept my right in the property of Allah (the state treasury) as the guardian of the orphan has in the property of the orphan. If I am rich, I will not take any of it and, in case of need, I will take it in a pious way.’

Those who make the worst accusations against Umar, should learn how to live by his exemplary life. May Allah guide such ulema to do this religious work not for worldly gain but for the pleasure of Allah.