WAGE LAW FOR MUADZINS

WAGE LAW FOR MUADZINS

Afwan kiyai, what is the true opinion of madhhab scholars about taking wages for a muezzin, is that permissible in Islam? Because I don't feel comfortable worshiping is paid. 

Answer

By: Ahmad Syahrin Thoriq

In principle, worship is only permissible to hope for rewards and gifts from Allah ta'ala alone, may not be used as a means to get from creatures in the form of praise, flattery, assistance and including payment. Of course this is already very ma'fum existence. Allah ta'ala says:

Amen

"Even though they were only ordered to worship Allah sincerely obeying Him solely because of (carrying out) religion..." (QS. Al Bayinah: 5)

Mentioned in al Mausu'ah Fiqhiyyah:

Amen

"Basically, any obedience that specifically must be performed by a Muslim should not be used as a means of earning wages."[1]

However, what is also taken into consideration is that there are aspects of worship, especially those carried out jointly by Muslims, which must be carried out routinely and professionally. He needs someone who can focus on providing arrangements and services. 

Which, it will be very difficult to materialize if you only rely on "sincere people" to want to do it well and have accountability. What else in an era and life where religious values ​​are set aside like today. 

In urban areas in particular, it will be very difficult to find those who are willing to voluntarily take care of religion without any compensation. Included among them are those who are willing to call to prayer at every prayer time. 

The next consideration is: It is true that worship is a means to gain the pleasure of Allah, but in worship itself there are other sides that overlap with worldly affairs. There is almost no worship, especially those related to pure people, without any worldly side. And it turns out that in sharia there are those who are allowed to take their wages or payments. 

There are many examples, such as in the sacrifice of the sacrifice, it is clear that it is an act of worship that cannot have elements other than seeking the pleasure of Allah, but in the case of the sacrifice it is permissible for the butcher to take wages from his work slaughtering animals. 

Likewise with teaching religion, this is clearly a form of worship that should also be used to gain the pleasure of Allah ta'ala alone, but in it it turns out that there is also the ability for teachers to take wages for their tiredness teaching religious knowledge to their students. 

So this is also the case with the muezzins. It turns out that they are not only tasked with reciting the call to prayer, there is another side that the muezzin also performs in his duties. Like his readiness to keep prayer times, for example, which some scholars say is like a guard duty that is permissible to be rewarded. 

It is the considerations above that later give rise to differences of opinion among scholars about whether or not it is permissible for the muezzin to get a wage. Some allow it, but some don't allow it. Here's an explanation. 

1. Those who do not allow it

Some scholars are of the opinion that wages for muezzins are prohibited in Islam. In fact, this group of scholars also forbade other worship activities to be rewarded, such as priests, teaching the Koran and jihad. This opinion is held by the Hanafiyah school of thought and a strong opinion from the Hanabilah.[2]

Said Abul Husain al Qaduri al Hanafi Rahimahullah:

قال أصحابنا: لا يجوز أخذ ‌الأجرة ‌على ‌الأذان

"It has been said that our friends (Hanafiyah) are not allowed to take wages from the call to prayer."[3]

Said al Imam Ibn Qudamah al Hanbali Rahimahullah:

أنه يكره أخذ ‌الأجرة ‌على ‌الأذان

"That it is hated to take wages from the call to prayer."[4]

Al Imam Buhuti al Hanbali Rahimahullah said:

‌يحرم ‌أخذ ‌الأجرة ‌على ‌الأذان ‌والإقامة؛ لأنهما قربة لفاعلهما

"And it is forbidden to take wages from the call to prayer and iqamat. Because both of them are a form of taqarrub to Allah when doing it.”[5]

The arguments for this opinion include the following hadiths:

From Uthman bin Abi 'As he said:

إِنَّ مِنْ آخِرِ مَا عَهِدَ إِلَيَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ أَنِ اتَّخِذْ

"The last mandate that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave me was so that I would appoint a mu'adzin who does not take the wages of his call to prayer." (HR. Tirmidhi)

From Abdurrahman bin Syibl al Ansari said:

اقرءوا القرآن ولا تغلوا فيه ولا تجفوا عنه ولا تأكلوا به ولا تستكثروا به

"Read the Qur'an, practice it, don't neglect it, and don't overdo it, don't eat the fruit of it, don't multiply wealth from it." (Narrated by Ahmad)

The prohibition of taking wages for maudzin is makruh according to generally the scholars who forbid it, while some scholars from the Hanbali school of thought forbid it. 

2. The circle that allows

As for other scholars from the Malikiyah, Syafi'iyyah and some of the later Hanafiyah, it is permissible to take wages from teaching the Qur'an and calling the call to prayer.[6] Al Imam Ibn 'Abidin al Hanafi Rahimahullah said:

أن عدم حل أخذ ‌الأجرة ‌على ‌الأذان والإمامة رأي المتقدمين، والمتأخرون يجوزون ذلك على ما سيأتي في الإجارات

"It is not permissible to take wages from the call to prayer and the priest according to the opinion of the former (Hanafiyah), while the latter allow such things as I will explain in the chapter on wages."[7]

God bless you

"And it is dimakruhkan to take wages from the call to prayer. However, our later scholars (from Hanafiyah) allowed it absolutely because there were not many people who wanted to do it and to protect the teachings of Islam.”[8]

Said Qadhi Abu Muhammad bin Abdul Wahab al Maliki Rahimahullah:

يجوز أخذ ‌الأجرة ‌على ‌الأذان والإقامة... لأنه إجماع الصحابة، لأن عمر أرزق المؤذنين

"And it is permissible to take wages for the call to prayer and iqamat because it becomes the ijma' of friends when Umar gives allowances to the muezzins."

Al Imam Haramain asy Syafi'i Rahimahullah said:

أنَّ المؤذن على ماذا يأخذ ‌الأجرة؟ God bless you

"On what right can the muezzin get a wage? For one of three reasons: First, because of his maintenance of prayer times. Second, because he had raised his voice. Third, because of both.”[9]

The argument for the opinion that allows is the first that there was Ijma' sukuti (agreement) of the Companions of the Prophet when Amirul Mu'minin Umar bin Khattab radhiyallahu'anhu paid the muezzins.[10]

The second argument is the history that during the time of Caliph Uthman the same thing was done. Al Imam Baihaqi Rahimahullah said:

قال الشافعي قد ‌أرزق ‌المؤذنين إمام هدي عثمان بن عفان

"And said Asy Syafi'i: Has given rewards to the muezzin leaders who received instructions from Uthman bin 'Affan radhiyallahu'anhu."[11]

And the third argument is that they understand the hadith prohibiting giving wages to muezzins and readers of the Qur'an in a general context. Whereas in special cases where professional staff are needed to deal with da'wah, this is permissible. 

Al Imam Ibn Qudamah when explaining the opinion of those who allow citing the reasons:

God bless you

“Because Muslims need people like this. While it could be that no one wants to voluntarily do it. And if (someone is focused on taking care of the mosque) and he is not paid a salary, his life could be abandoned.”[12]

Imam ash Shan'ani Rahimahullah said:

ولا يخفى أنه – يعني حديث عثمان بن أبي العاص – لا يدل على التحريم وقيل: يجوز أخذها على التأذين في محل مخصوص إذ ليست على الأذان حينئذ بل على ملازمة المكان كأجرة الرصد

“There is no doubt that what is mentioned, namely the hadith of Uthman bin Ash, does not indicate that it is forbidden to receive wages for the muezzin. Some say: It is permissible to take wages for the call to prayer under certain conditions. Because the muezzin's wages are not limited to his call to prayer but for the struggle of him who is always alert (watching prayer times), like wages for people who are on guard."[13]

Funds from Baitul Mal

But the scholars agreed that it was permissible if what was given to the muezzin came from baitul mal. Mentioned in al Mausu'ah Fiqhiyyah:

وأما الرزق من بيت المال فيجوز على ما يتعدى نفعه من هذه الأمور بلا خلاف، لأنه من باب الإحسان والمسامحة، بخلاف الإجارة فإنها من باب المعاوضة، ولأن بيت المال لمصالح المسلمين

"As for the gift (to the muezzin), if it is given from Baitul Mal Muslimin, the law is permissible according to the agreement of the scholars, because it is a form of ihsan and as a cheerleader. It is different from wages which are a form of reciprocity. While the funds from the baitul mal are used for the benefit of the Muslims. [14]

Wallahu a'lam. 

________

[1] Al Mausu'ah al Fiqhiyah al Kuwaitiyah (1/91)

[2] Al Storm' ash Shanai' (4/192), al Hidayah (3/240), al Mughni (3/231)

[3] At Tajrid al Qaduri (1/433)

[4] al Mughni (1/415)

[5] Raudh al Murbi' p. 63

[6] Al Mausu'ah al Fiqhiyyah al Kuwaitiyyah (6/251), Fiqh 'ala Madzhab al

Arba'ah (1/295)

[7] Hasyiah Ibn Abidin (1/392)

[8] Fiqh of Worship 'ala Madzhab al Hanafi p. 74

[9] Nihayah al Mathlab (13/13)

[10] Mushannaf Abdur Razzaq (1/481)

[11] Sunan al Kubra (1/429)

[12] Al Mughni (1/460)

[13] Subulussalam (1/191)

[14] Al Mausu'ah al Fiqhiyyah al Kuwaitiyyah (6/251)