If a Hafiz or religious teacher wants to teach Qur'an, can he charge fees for it? I read a Hadith that a Muslim who teach Qur'an is not allowed to take any fees for it whether Ikhlas or not. For some of them teaching Qur'an is their work and what happens if they are not paid anything for their Halal job. Please explain regarding this with support from Qur'an and Ahadith.

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The scholars of Islam are not agreed over the lawfulness of taking fees for teaching the Quran or for doing any similar good deeds which are considered acts that bring the person closer to Allah, like calling the Athaan.

Some of them believe that it is unlawful to charge fees for such acts or take wages for them.

Other scholars gave some details about the issue. They say: “If the financial compensation is given from the Muslim treasury or the Waqf (endowment), then there is no objection to take such compensation as this job's benefit goes beyond the person himself and it is one of the benefits of Muslims in general from which other people can benefit. They add that this does not have any bad impact on the intention or the sincerity. If that is not the case, then the Mujaahid, or the person who performs public jobs would not deserve to be given a share of the booty or a wage or compensation.”

Some scholars believe that it is lawful to take the financial compensation without reservation, as it is a specified compensation for a specified job.

This last opinion is the most preponderant and the soundest. Al-Bukhari and Muslim reported that the Prophet said: “The wage that you deserve most is the one you take for (teaching) the Quran.”

For more benefit on taking a fee for teaching the Quran, please refer to Fatwa 85953.

Allah knows best.