about the matter, so they said, “We will not eat until we ask the Prophet ﷺ.” When they arrived in Madinah and informed the Messenger ﷺ of what had happened, he said, “Yes, eat, and allot me a share with you.” He gave them a ruling both in word and deed, so that their hearts would be reassured; otherwise, a verbal ruling would have sufficed. He ﷺ did not ask anyone for anything, but he requested this for their benefit, not his own. He had no need or necessity for their meat; rather, he did so for their benefit, so that their hearts might be put at ease. He said, “Take it, and allot me a share with you, for the most deserving thing for which you receive payment is the Book of Allah.” (1)

This indicates that there is nothing wrong with accepting payment when an act of worship benefits others, and one intends that outward-reaching benefit, even if it belongs to the category of acts that can only be performed as a means of drawing near to Allah. For this reciter did not intend, by his recitation, to worship Allah; rather, he intended to benefit another person—whether through teaching, seeking a cure, or something else. There is nothing wrong with this.

Some upright brothers have found problematic what certain people receive for giving the call to prayer, making the iqamah, teaching, and calling to Allah. They say: This is a deficiency and a flaw in tawhid (affirming Allah’s oneness), because the one who receives a stipend undoubtedly inclines toward it; that is, receiving it and not receiving it are not the same to him. Most people are like this. Indeed, some may openly say, “I want to be an imam because I want to marry,” or, “Because I have married and need financial support.”

Some people then say: “This is shirk, because he intended worldly gain through this righteous deed.” Such people are told: What you receive is not a wage,