Taking Money for Teaching Qur'an

[Beardo]

I had a conversation with a friend the other day and we were talking about whether teachers should take money for their Qur'an lessons or not.

I teach for free, Alhamdulillah, because I have the ability to do so. Some people teach for a living, which is great too. I remember one of my students - his father was so happy because he said most institutes charge a ridiculous amount and he is unable to send his child. He said Qur'an should be publicly accessible to learn.

However, another one of my friends said that you should take money so people don't devalue it and when people pay, they tend to be more motivated etc.

What do you guys think?

 

[~ Sabr ~]

:salamext:

Your Question: My family go to a lady in the neighbourhood, who teaches the quran. The thing is that she asks for £20 for each child and only teaches 4 days a week. Is it Islamic for her to take money? Will she get rewarded for passing on the message of Islam through money.

There is no harm if the sister in the neighborhood charges a nominal fee for teaching the children how to recite the Quran; although of course, if she taught it for free, she would earn a bigger reward from her Lord Most Gracious. But if someone makes a living by teaching others the art of how to recite the Quran, there is absolutely no harm in such earnings and if Allah Wills and Pleases, they will also have their due reward in His Majestic Presence in the Hereafter.

Source: http://www.islamhelpline.com/node/3164

-------------------------------------------------

I agree with above - it is better if a person does not charge money, however if they need it to live then I don't feel there should be any harm in that.

Wa Allaahu Aalim.

 

[Hulk]

When I was a kiddo, the neighbourhood lady that taught the young ones (including me) didn't ask for money but there were still some parents who still gave her some money on a monthly basis.

Now that I am a young adult I wouldn't mind if I have to pay to learn because it is very important to me. Of course if it was free it would be awesome, but I know some people wouldn't really take it seriously if they didn't pay for it. They'll come one week and be absent in the next, stuff like that. But even thennnnnn, it is still better than for them to not go at all. Perhaps they are new to it.

 

[dqsunday]

One part of me feels all learning/education should be free.. the wiser part of me realizes we live in a world where if you don't get paid you are not likely to eat or even have a place to live. For the majority of us the lifestyle of the hunter/gatherer consists of going to the grocery store and 'gathering' what we need and paying for it with funds we earn through work.

Charging a fee to teach a child (or even an adult) how to learn/memorize and recite the Holy Qur'an I don't consider wrong. I expect the lady in question needs the funds for her own livelihood. As long as the among is reasonable and she is a good teacher.

Brother Beardo, you are doing a great thing by teaching for free, especially if you focus on children from families who may otherwise not be able to afford to hire a teacher to do the service you are providing.

 

[syed1]

actions are judged by intentions

 

[Muhaba]

charging money tends to discourage people from learning. if you know the law of demand , you'll know this. the higher the price the lower the demand. the law of demand isn't: the higher the price the higher the value.

Quran as well as other islamic teaching should be free so as to encourage people to learn. if a person is poor and has only teaching as a source of income, he/she can combine Quran teaching with another course that he/she teaches and charges money for. for example, he can teach an arabic writing course, teaching small children to write arabic. even if the person doesn't know the arabic language, he/she can still make students practice writing arabic words and simple sentences out of book.

the is a lot of evidence that taking money for teaching Quran is prohibted. Early islamic scholars prohibited it and since the first three generations after the Prophet S: were the best, we should be taking our religion from them.

there is also the verse in Surah Al-Baqarah telling mankind not to take a small price in return for God's verses. small price means any worldly price as anything in this world is small compared to the Next world.

then there is the hadith where a Companion of the Prophet S: taught someone the Quran and received a bow as a gift. the Prophet S: warned him that if he wanted to keep a bow of Fire, then he should keep the bow. that means that if a person gets payment in return for teaching the Quran, the person risks getting the Hellfire.

there is also the hadith about some Companions of the Prophet S: who read Surah Al-Fatiha as Ruqya (to cure a leader of another tribe stung by a scorpion). The Companions had asked the tribe to give them a herd of cattle in return for the Ruqya if their leader was cured. however, when the leader was cured, the Companions refused to take the reward until they had gotten permission from the Prophet S: (which the Prophet S: permitted). if taking money in return for the Quran weren't discouraged, the Companions wouldn't have been so cautious.

so taking money in return for teaching Quran / Islamic knowledge is forbidden. compensation can be received if the Quranic verses are used as Ruqya to cure someone. a person teaching Quran can teach something else on the side and charge for that.

By the way, in syria it was the tradition that Quran was taught in the masjid by authorized teachers (who had gotten the ijaza from a scholar). many foreigners from Russia, Malaysia, etc would learn from them. in this way, many people who had no prior knowledge of Quran were able to learn the Quran with tajweed. some of these even gave a test infront of a scholar and got the ijaza and then went back to their own countries to teach the Quran to others. the teachers in syria not only didn't charge for teaching Quran but also were strict not to accept any gifts. The reward they will get in the Next world will be multi-fold insha-Allah, since they even get a part of reward for everyone who is taught by their students. also, because the teaching of Quran there was free, many people in many different countries will be able to get knowledge they otherwise wouldn't have been able to.

 

[M.I.A.]

lol you confused the hell outta me.

people need to make money or they need charity.


i guess you could live on donations on an individual basis..

so you can get to know the people and community better.


..id love to say that if it were free then allah swt would know, but people need money or charity.

 

[Muhaba]

^brother there are many ways to earn money. one doesn't really need to depend on earnings from teaching the Quran. like i said, the teacher can teach something on th e side. like tell the parents, i will teahc your children Quran and also math. or i will teach them Quran and then make them study for an hour. and i'll charge $20 for the study hour but the Quran is free.

and yeah, he/she can take donations, if he/she needs to. just place a donation box near the door and write "please donate" on top.

 

[Abz2000]

when we don't pay we usually won't get the best quality,
we see actors and footballers getting billion, and teachers and other useful people getting peanuts,
it reflects the situation of the society.
we need to invest in our faith and it seems bad that we don't see it as just as important to pay the quran teacher the same if not more than the evolution teacher.
if they want to give in charity that's their choice, but the prophet pbuh and his companions would always pay well the people who formally worked for the deen.

it's probably one of the reasons we see the dropouts taking up shariah courses and then getting the bulk of their money from charms and amulets and all sorts of other funny stuff and even serious stuff such as corruption, they act inadequate in front of the rich and the influential and often grovel and don't speak out confidently due to inferiority complex.

i'll source the hadith in a bit inshaAllah unless someone else finds it, the Prophet pbuh is reported to have said that anyone who works for us is entitled to a riding beast, a roof, and (i forget that one so will fill when sure).

these people need to be independent and not reliant on others.

edit:

here it is:
AlMustawrid ibn Shaddad relates that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said:
“If someone performed a job for us and has no house, let him have a house;
if he has no wife, let him have a wife;
if he has no servant, let him have a servant;
or if he has no mount to ride, let him have one.
He who clamors for anything other than these is being excessive.”
This is related by Ahmad and Abu Dawud and its chain is sound. Commenting on the subject, al-Khattabi says: “This may be interpreted in two different ways. The first means that the individual is permitted to have a servant or a house deducted from his wages, which are similar to any other wages. He is not permitted to take anything else. The second means that the zakah worker has the right to have lodging and a servant. Thus, if he does not have a house or a servant, one may be hired to serve him and a house may be rented for him during the tenure of his job.”

my cousin was once mentioning a renowned scholar in bd who had a car and a driver and traveled all over the country and the world.
and how it was not zuhd etc,
i told him the man needed to get around fast, and anyway it was nothing compared to what the MPs and ministers utilized and that we don't see it as out of place to pay a lawyer megabucks due to his degree, and the scholar had probably studied more.
if he gives in charity, good for him, but it is not our job to constrain him.

obviously this doesn't mention food and clothing etc, since it is refering to larger things.

 

[Muhaba]

when we don't pay we usually won't get the best quality,
we see actors and footballers getting billion, and teachers and other useful people getting peanuts,
it reflects the situation of the society.
we need to invest in our faith and it seems bad that we don't see it as just as important to pay the quran teacher the same if not more than the evolution teacher.
if they want to give in charity that's their choice, but the prophet pbuh and his companions would always pay well the people who formally worked for the deen.

it's probably one of the reasons we see the dropouts taking up shariah courses and then getting the bulk of their money from charms and amulets and all sorts of other funny stuff and even serious stuff such as corruption, they act inadequate in front of the rich and the influential and often grovel and don't speak out confidently due to inferiority complex.

i'll source the hadith in a bit inshaAllah unless someone else finds it, the Prophet pbuh is reported to have said that anyone who works for us is entitled to a riding beast, a roof, and (i forget that one so will fill when sure).

these people need to be independent and not reliant on others.

edit:

here it is:
AlMustawrid ibn Shaddad relates that the Prophet, upon whom be peace, said:
“If someone performed a job for us and has no house, let him have a house;
if he has no wife, let him have a wife;
if he has no servant, let him have a servant;
or if he has no mount to ride, let him have one.
He who clamors for anything other than these is being excessive.”

such a beautiful hadith. if bosses and company owners applied it, everyone would be well-taken care of. so many times, the employer keeps getting richer and richer while the worker only gets enough for his / her basic needs or even not that.
it would be good if all employers looked into their employees circumstances and helped out with the things they need according to the employer's ability.

note, that the hadith doesn't say that those things are wages, so if someone is teaching your children the Quran, then you should look into his/her needs and try to fulfil them and that would be charity and not wages in return for teaching the Quran.

 

[zaman1988]

:salamext:

Your Question: My family go to a lady in the neighbourhood, who teaches the quran. The thing is that she asks for £20 for each child and only teaches 4 days a week. Is it Islamic for her to take money? Will she get rewarded for passing on the message of Islam through money.

There is no harm if the sister in the neighborhood charges a nominal fee for teaching the children how to recite the Quran; although of course, if she taught it for free, she would earn a bigger reward from her Lord Most Gracious. But if someone makes a living by teaching others the art of how to recite the Quran, there is absolutely no harm in such earnings and if Allah Wills and Pleases, they will also have their due reward in His Majestic Presence in the Hereafter.

Source: http://www.islamhelpline.com/node/3164

-------------------------------------------------

I agree with above - it is better if a person does not charge money, however if they need it to live then I don't feel there should be any harm in that.

Wa Allaahu Aalim.

Assalamualikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu!

The answer can be found from below two links in sha Allah:

1) http://fatwa.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&Id=85953
2) https://islamqa.info/en/20100

Zazakallahu Khairan

- - - Updated - - -

Assalamualikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu!

The answer can be found from below two links in sha Allah:

1) http://fatwa.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&Id=85953
2) https://islamqa.info/en/20100

Zazakallahu Khairan

 

[azc]

Assalamualikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu!The answer can be found from below two links in sha Allah:1) http://fatwa.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&Id=859532) https://islamqa.info/en/20100Zazakallahu Khairan- - - Updated - - -Assalamualikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuhu!The answer can be found from below two links in sha Allah:1) http://fatwa.islamweb.net/emainpage/index.php?page=showfatwa&Option=FatwaId&Id=859532) https://islamqa.info/en/20100Zazakallahu Khairan

A man among them gave me a bow as a gift. I told myself, 'this is not money and I can use it to shoot in the way of Allah. I will certainly go the Messenger of Allah and ask him'. I went to him and I said, 'O! Messenger of Allah! A man among those whom I used to teach the Qur'an and how to write presented me a bow, which is not money and which I can shoot in the way of Allah'. The Prophet )Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam( answered, "If you want to be adorned with a neckband from Hell-Fire, take it".

This hadith mentioned in given link clearly prohibits taking money or gift for teaching Quran.

 

[M.I.A.]

I had a conversation with a friend the other day and we were talking about whether teachers should take money for their Qur'an lessons or not.

I teach for free, Alhamdulillah, because I have the ability to do so. Some people teach for a living, which is great too. I remember one of my students - his father was so happy because he said most institutes charge a ridiculous amount and he is unable to send his child. He said Qur'an should be publicly accessible to learn.

However, another one of my friends said that you should take money so people don't devalue it and when people pay, they tend to be more motivated etc.

What do you guys think?

I suppose it very much depends on the individual teaching.

Not all people will be able to not ask for money..

So you are probably in a minority.. which is something to be greatful for.

Its an indefinable form of charity on your part, its recognition is only in its absence.
..
..
..
..

Because thats when we have to pay!!!

Lol. But seriously good on you, although everybody does need to earn a living..

Id really like to send my kids to private school.. but i know kids that have made it from the bottom to the top...

Alhamdulillah. Live and learn i suppose.

All praise is due to allah swt.



..not my pic but i have nice friends..just got that like 5min ago.

* closes door on paranoia.. :| but not really "/ *
..
..
..should have been a pharmacist though, strange days.

Cant judge you either way.