but only knowledge; whoever acquires it has acquired an abundant share. The prophets—may Allah Most High be pleased with them all—taught knowledge without payment. As Noah, peace be upon him, said:

“I ask you no payment for it. My reward rests only with the Lord of all worlds.”

Hūd, Sālih, Shuʿayb, Lot, and others said the same. Likewise, the Seal of the Messengers said:

“Say, ‘I ask you no payment for it, nor am I one of the pretentious.’”

And he said:

“Say, ‘I ask you no payment for it—only that whoever wills should take a path to his Lord.’”

The scholars have never disputed that teaching the Quran, hadith, jurisprudence, and other such subjects without payment is a righteous deed, let alone that it is permissible. Indeed, it is a collective obligation. For teaching the knowledge he expounded is a collective obligation, as the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said in an authentic hadith:

“Convey from me, even if only a single verse.”

And he said:

“Let those present convey it to those absent.”

The scholars differed only over whether it is permissible to hire someone to teach the Quran, hadith, and jurisprudence. There are two well-known positions, both reported from Ahmad. The first—which is the position of Abū Hanīfah and others—is that hiring someone for this is not permissible. The second—which is the position of al-Shāfiʿī—is that it is permissible. There is also a third position within Ahmad’s school: that it is permissible when there is need, but not when one is financially self-sufficient, as Allah Most High said concerning an orphan’s guardian:

“Whoever is wealthy should refrain from taking anything, and whoever