Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (10/53)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

desires the harvest of this world, We give him thereof, but he will have no share in the Hereafter.” [al-Shura]

Thus, whatever can only be performed as an act of worship, it is not valid to take payment for it.

An example is the prayer. If a man were to say to his son, “Pray, my son,” and the son replied, “I will not pray unless I receive ten riyals for each obligatory prayer,” so that he would earn fifty riyals each day, and the man hired him on the condition that he give him ten riyals for every obligatory prayer, then this payment is not valid, because prayer can only be performed as an act of worship.

The same applies to the call to prayer. If someone were told, “Give the call to prayer,” and he replied, “I have no objection, but each call to prayer is for five riyals,” this is not valid. Likewise, if someone were told, “Recite the Quran so that its reward may be granted to the deceased,” and he replied, “That is fine, but I will not recite a juz' for less than ten riyals,” this is not valid.

Therefore, no contract of hire is valid for anything that can only be performed as an act of worship. The reason is that this is a deed by which the reward of the Hereafter is sought, and the deeds of the Hereafter should not be intended for worldly gain. For this reason, Shaykh al-Islam said concerning one who performs the pilgrimage in order to receive payment: “He will have no share in the Hereafter,” meaning that he will have no portion therein. But as for one who accepts payment in order to perform the pilgrimage, there is nothing wrong with that, because he has used wealth as a means of obeying Allah. Using wealth as a means of obeying Allah is permissible and unobjectionable.

Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked about a man who was told, “Lead us in prayer during Ramadan,” meaning, lead them in the night prayers. He replied, “I will not pray with you unless I am given such-and-such.” Imam Ahmad, may Allah have mercy on him, said, “We seek refuge in Allah! And who would pray behind such a person?!” This statement of Imam Ahmad indicates that he considered his worship invalid; and since his worship is invalid, it is not valid to pray behind him. The Imam sought refuge

يُرِيدُ حَرْثَ الدُّنْيَا نُؤْتِهِ مِنْهَا وَمَا لَهُ فِي الآخِرَةِ مِنْ نَصِيبٍ *﴾ [الشورى] فما كان لا يقع إلا قربة فإنه لا يصح أن تؤخذ الأجرة عليه. مثال ذلك: الصلاة، لو قال رجل لابنه: صلِ يا بني، فقال الابن: لا أصلي إلا كل فرض بعشرة ريالات، ليستحق كل يوم خمسين ريالاً، فاستأجره، على أن يعطيه كل فرض عشرة ريالات فالأجرة هذه لا تصح؛ لأن الصلاة لا تقع إلا قربة. وكذلك الأذان: لو أن إنساناً قيل له: أذن، فقال: ليس عندي مانع ولكن كل أذان بخمسة ريالات، فإنه لا يصح، ولو قيل لشخص: اقرأ القرآن ليكون ثوابه للميت، فقال: لا بأس، لكن لا أقرأ إلا الجزء بعشرة ريالات، فهذا لا يصح. فكل شيء لا يقع إلا قربة فإنه لا يصح أن يقع عليه عقد الإجارة؛ والتعليل لأن هذا عمل يقصد به ثواب الآخرة ولا ينبغي أن يكون عمل الآخرة يراد به عمل الدنيا، ولهذا قال شيخ الإسلام فيمن حج ليأخذ: (ليس له في الآخرة من خلاق) أي ليس له نصيب، وأما من أخذ ليحج فقال: لا بأس به؛ لأنه استعان بالمال على طاعة الله، والاستعانة بالمال على طاعة الله أمر جائز ولا بأس به. سئل الإمام أحمد ﵀ عن رجل قيل له: أقم بنا في رمضان، يعني صل بنا القيام، فقال: لا أصلي بكم إلا بكذا وكذا، فقال الإمام أحمد ﵀: نعوذ بالله ومن يصلي خلف هذا؟! وهذا من الإمام أحمد يدل على أنه أبطل عبادته وبناءً على بطلان عبادته لا تصح الصلاة خلفه، وقد استعاذ الإمام