Anger for the Pleasure of Allaah Ta’ala

Hadhrat Yahya bin Baqqaar (rahmatullah alayh) relates that a person once said to Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhum), “I love you for the pleasure of Allaah.” However Hadhrat Ibn Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) replied to him, “But I hate you for the pleasure of Allaah.” The person was shocked and enquired why he hated him. Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) replied, “Because you call out the Adhaan as if singing a song and you take recompense for it.”1

One might understand from this incident and the statement of Hadhrat Abdullaah bin Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhum) that it is impermissible to take any recompense for calling out the Adhaan. In a similar manner some people have gathered other narrations similar to this and begun to object on the present system in which remuneration is given to the Imaam and Muadhin. It should be borne in mind that the Ulama have stated that these narrations (which suggest the impermissibility of such remuneration) apply to that instance where the Imaam and Muadhin receive an allowance from the public treasury (Baitul Maal). If they receive an allowance form the public treasury then they will not have any financial difficulty and it would then be impermissible for them to collect a separate remuneration for leading the Salaah or calling out the Adhaan.

In the current situation, the Ulama have only permitted such remuneration so that they will be able to devote themselves more copiously to their Islaamic duties and have no need to resort to other means of income