A troubling trend has emerged, particularly within the Muslim American community, where the intentions, sincerity, and motives of the community imam, scholars and speakers involved in daʿwah —especially those who are compensated for their time and efforts— are being questioned.

I’ve heard accusations that these individuals are merely businessmen, selling the religion, or in it for the money, along with other unfounded, damaging, and reckless statements. One of my teachers once said that scholars and imams are often caught between a rock and a hard place; they’re criticized no matter what they do. If an imam is struggling financially, living in poverty, and struggling to make ends meet, people criticize him, saying, “He should have gotten a secular education, pursued a career, or started a business —he must not be intelligent.” On the other hand, if an imam or scholar is well-off, and living comfortably, people accuse him of “selling the religion” and profiting from his knowledge.

My teacher was speaking about this dynamic in Pakistan (but it applies to many post-colonial Muslim countries), and unfortunately, these sentiments have found their way into our communities as well. This kind of discourse needs to stop. We do not have the right to question the intentions or sincerity of anyone, let alone someone who has dedicated their life to studying and serving the Muslim community. Do we really believe that someone would sacrifice their career, spend years abroad separated from family and comfort, living a life of hardship, just to earn a minimal wage as a resident scholar or imam? Let’s be honest—if they were after wealth, they would have pursued careers in medicine, law, IT, or business.

Scholars who spend their days and nights studying, teaching, researching, and imparting knowledge are often seen as having “nothing better to do.” But the truth is, they could be out building a luxurious lifestyle for themselves or starting their own businesses, but they choose not to. They’ve devoted their lives to the service of Islam, and the least we can do is provide for their basic needs. These individuals aren’t chasing after the dunya (worldly life) —they’re pursuing the hereafter. We, as a community, need to understand that there is absolutely nothing wrong with a scholar or imam being compensated for their time and effort. In fact, they should be compensated appropriately.

When we look at the ahādīth of the Prophet ﷺ, we find a narration that states,

“The thing you most deserve to take payment for is the Book of Allah.” [Al-Bukhari]

Based on this, scholars like al-Imām al-Shāfiʿī argued that it is entirely permissible to receive payment for teaching the Quran. However, other narrations warn against accepting money for teaching the Quran, leading some scholars to initially hold the view that it was impermissible. The Ḥanafī school of thought, in particular, adopted this position, especially because, historically, the state would provide imams, scholars, and teachers with stipends that allowed them to live comfortably.

But as time went on, the stipends and financial support diminished, and eventually disappeared. As a result, the position shifted, and it is now universally accepted that it is permissible for imams, scholars, and teachers to be compensated for their time. If we do not compensate them for their work, who will be responsible for teaching, researching, serving the community, and preserving the religion for future generations?

Some argue that scholars should work in other fields and teach for free. While that sounds ideal, most scholars would love to be in that position. But how much time can they devote to teaching while working a full-time job? How can they find time for research, building relationships with the community, self-learning, or spending quality time with their families? How can they handle the duties of counselling, mediating disputes, performing marriages, managing divorces, attending funerals, consoling the grieving, supporting parents and children in need, visiting the sick, and so much more? How can they build and nurture institutions, train and mentor future religious leaders, and ensure the continuity of Islamic knowledge?

Scholars and imams should be compensated well enough to live comfortably and provide for their families. They should not be struggling to make ends meet or living from paycheck to paycheck. They should not be dependent on welfare or subsidized housing, and they should have access to medical insurance and retirement plans.

We must recognize the immense value that local imams and scholars bring to the community. They provide essential services that are impossible to quantify: spiritual guidance, marriage and youth counselling, dispute resolution, conducting funerals, and providing bereavement support, among others. They also have civic responsibilities such as responding to crises, engaging with the public, attending local schools and colleges, and managing community events. Religious duties include delivering sermons, leading prayers, teaching classes, writing, researching, and organising Ramadan activities. They also handle civil duties like conducting marriages, interfaith work, and divorce cases. Pastoral care, such as visiting the sick and prisoners, mediating conflicts, and providing pre-marital and marriage counselling, is also part of their role. We must support and compensate them for the invaluable work they do.

Next time you wonder what your imam or local scholar does in his “free time”, he’s most likely doing one of the things mentioned above. May Allah ﷻ bless our imams, scholars, and teachers, and keep them sincere and steadfast!

Related:

– What Is An Imam Worth? A Living Wage At Least.

– Can American Imams Issue Binding Rulings?