Q88 :There is a tradition in our part of the world
to organize meetings with the aim of instructing the Muslim netmunity
about Islam. Such a meeting may last several days with speeches,
lectures and seminars about the Qur’an, the Hadith and other Islamic
subjects. It used to be the case that money was collected from the
public to meet the expenses of organizing such a meeting. Whatever is
left is donated to the local mosque. Nowadays, however, some speakers
and teachers only agree to participate in such a meeting after
stipulating certain conditions with regard to their acnetmodation, food
and a percentage of the money collected. Is this permissible?
A88 : There is no doubt that a scholar who is able
to teach people about their faith will earn great reward from Allah if
he does not charge any money for his lectures or seminars. To do so, a
scholar has to have some sort of innete to meet his needs. He will
either have some sort of business, or he may be employed either in the
government or in a netpany. In the latter case, he would do the
teaching or deliver his lecture in his free time. If a scholar lacks
these means but is an effective speaker and lecturer, he may be in
demand in such meetings. If they involve travel, he will have to take
time off from his work and family. In such a situation, he does no
wrong if he asks to be paid for his effort. Indeed, he will be a better
lecturer and instructor if he devoted more time for his research and
the preparations of his talks and lessons. Sometimes we tend to think
that everything connected with Islam, and the explanation of its
message and teachings, should be done voluntarily, and without
remuneration. Now this is a little idealistic. Why is it that a person
who is well read in any branch of science or indeed in literature or
philosophy should be paid for his lectures while a scholar who has
spent many years in learning about Islam is looked upon with
disapproval if he charges a fee for his lectures? Moreover, if the same
scholar receives royalties on books he publishes, we accept that as
appropriate, but we disapprove of his remuneration for talks and
seminars. Is it not true that this discrepancy is rather arbitrary?
May I go back and say that when such talks and lectures are given free
of charge, they stand to bring the lecturer a generous reward from
Allah. But when a scholar charges a fee for his talks and lectures, he
is entitled to do so, even if he is well-off, provided that he does not
give a false impression of his position.
Our Dialogue ( Source : Arab News – Jeddah )