people’s intentions in jihad might become corrupted, not because he considered it unlawful. Further evidence is the report from Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī—may Allah Most High be pleased with him—who said:

“A group of the Companions of Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) set out on a journey and stopped among an Arab tribe. They asked its people for hospitality, but they refused to host them. Then the chief of that tribe was stung. They tried every remedy for him, but nothing helped. Some of them said, ‘Why not approach that group who have stopped among us? Perhaps one of them has something that will help.’

“They went to them and said, ‘O company, our chief has been stung. We have tried every remedy for him, but nothing helps. Does any of you have anything that might help?’ One of them replied, ‘Yes, by Allah, I can recite for healing. But, by Allah, we asked you for hospitality and you refused to host us, so I will not recite unless you promise us a reward.’ They agreed to give them a flock of sheep. He then went and began spitting lightly over him and reciting, ‘All praise is for Allah, Lord of all worlds’ [al-Fātiha: 2]. It was as though he had been released from bonds: he got up and walked, with no ailment remaining.

“He continued: They paid them in full the reward they had agreed upon. Some of the Companions said, ‘Divide it among us.’ But the one who had recited said, ‘Do not do so until we come to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), tell him what happened, and see what he instructs us to do.’ They came to Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and told him about it. He said, ‘How did you know that it is a healing recitation?’ Then he said, ‘You have done rightly. Divide it, and set aside a share for me along with you.’ Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) laughed.”

Furthermore, reward arrangements existed in people’s dealings both before Islam and under Islam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) approved the practice and did not invalidate it, although he knew of it. There is no difference between his newly granting legal permission for something and his confirming an existing practice as permissible. Moreover, the need for reward arrangements is even more pressing than the need for profit-sharing partnerships and crop-sharing irrigation arrangements. Necessity warrants exceptions to general principles, and Muslims have consistently practised this throughout the lands, across the ages.

Section

A reward arrangement is a distinct contractual category in its own right, like profit-sharing partnerships and crop-sharing irrigation arrangements. It is not governed by analogy with hiring, nor is hiring governed by analogy with it, even though it shares some features with hiring.