Studying Islam to make a career/money

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#1 [Permalink] Posted on 18th July 2019 20:18

What do you all think about many islamic scholars using their islamic knowledge and titles as a means of income, therefore every class/lecture can be seen as an oppurtunity to make money. In some cases it is seen as acceptable to earn an income due to your qualifications in Islamic Studies e.g. working as an Imam or a teacher in a Madrasa. Muslim countries would also employ Islamic Scholars. But the current trends make it seem that one can choose whether he wants to study Islam as a means of earning an income and making a career just like one would decide whether one wants to study medicine or engineering etc. Is it even allowed to study Islam for that purpose?

I understand some scholars , through their agents, demand an "honorarium" for their services at conferences.
Some offer their Islamic services as packages with different costs for each package. I have attached one such advertisement. I assume travel cost only include travel within USA. I am not saying this particular Shaikh is guilty of anything, but what do you all think? Do the charges seem reasonable?

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#2 [Permalink] Posted on 18th July 2019 20:36

Celebritisation, celbrification... there's no justifying the charges and business model. It's times like this I seriously appreciate the Tabeeghi Jamaat movement holding onto our values.

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#3 [Permalink] Posted on 18th July 2019 20:39

I always say Tableeghis can never charge because they always speak about having full yaqeen in Allah and not the means, and sacrificing your wealth in the path of Allah etc. Etc. :) :) :)

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#4 [Permalink] Posted on 18th July 2019 21:14

Answered by Mufti Mohamed-Umer Esmail
www.seekersguidance.org/answers/hanafi-fiqh/accepting-wag...
Question: Assalam uAlaikum Honorable Teacher,

May Allah bless you for you hard work and grant you success in this life and in the life to come!

Dear Teacher, I would like to request you to please please take the time out and answer these questions.

1. Is it permissible to take money for teaching the Quran?

2. What if someone has another another source of Income, such as another Job, is it still permissible for him to accept payment for teaching Quran if he teaches part time?

3. I have read a hadith that I was hoping you could explain it: â€œThe thing for which you most deserve to take payment is the Book of Allaah, (narrated by al-Bukhaari) and yet there are other hadith that warn against eating and fulfilling needs through the Quran. How do we reconcile the two?

4. Shaykh I want your personal advice regarding what will be the most beneficial for helping the Muslims: Learning the religion and teaching Quran full time or practicing medicine and teaching Quran part time? Alhumdulillah Allah has placed great love my heart for His Speech. However, Iâ€™m currently in college and indecisive about what I want to do in the future. Your advice is much appreciated

Answer: Wa alaikum as salam

1. In the Hanafi School, the latter scholars allowed accepting wages for teaching Quran, imamat, giving adhan etcetera due to the urgency of those performing these duties to have a livelihood.

2. In this case, though permissible it would be better if one did not accept any wages for teaching Quran.

3. The Hanafi School of Thought originally adopted the view of impermissibility based on the second Hadith you quoted. The Shafi School of Thought allowed it based on the first Hadith you quoted. One of the reasons why the earlier Hanafi Scholar disallowed it was because the Islamic state would compensate Imams and teachers. When this began to end, the latter day Scholars among the Hanafi School of Thought allowed it due to necessity.

4. Many factors need to be looked into before you decide. A question like this would best be answered by your spiritual guide (pir/murshid/shaikh). Advice from parents should be sought as well. The first option would be more rewarding, but the second is also rewarding. Help should be sought through istikharah as well.

Allah knows best.

Shaykh Mufti Mohamed-Umer Esmail is a Canadian born scholar who started his quest for Islamic knowledge at a young age and continued formal studies of the Islamic sciences for thirteen years. He acquired Ijazas (teaching certifications) in Hanafi Fiqh, Hadith, Tafsir, Tajwid and the Ten Qurâ€™anic Qiraâ€™at from the Institute for Islamic Studies in Dewsbury, UK. He went on to Karachi, Pakistan where he specialized in Fiqh and Iftaâ€™ (legal verdicts), in addition to studying Islamic Finance under the tutelage of Justice (Rtd) Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani. He also received Ijazas in 10 major books of hadith from world renowned scholars.

After graduating, Mufti Umer Esmail worked six years as the Imam at the North Austin Muslim Community Center in Austin, Texas. In addition to leading prayers, he taught classes in Islamic Sciences, including Arabic, Tajwid, Islamic Finance, Fiqh, Aqidah, Hadith and Tafsir. He has been the spiritual Advisor for the Austin Chapter of MYNA since 2003. He also teaches Quranic recitation (tajwid) for the SeekersGuidance Online Academy.

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#5 [Permalink] Posted on 18th July 2019 21:34

Concerned wrote:

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Wow. You need to tell us who this is.

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#6 [Permalink] Posted on 18th July 2019 21:47

Rajab wrote:

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www.joebradford.net/booking/

Again i am not accusing this Shaikh of anything.

But just look at the cost for some courses offered by others and do the maths.

I like this article:

www.islam21c.com/islamic-thought/muslim-speakers-dawah-mo...

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#7 [Permalink] Posted on 18th July 2019 23:43

Concerned wrote:

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He has 10 different topics that you can choose from. pro tip to any upcoming aalim, just master your oratory skills on some chosen topics and start raking in some moolah

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#8 [Permalink] Posted on 18th July 2019 23:51

Joe Bradford advertises himself as a Finance Advisor so we can only compare his fees to other finance advisors in the city. It would be unfair to compare his fees to your imam's wage in a deobandi masjids.

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#9 [Permalink] Posted on 18th July 2019 23:54

It's all about how you advertise and present yourself. In today's world it's all about marketing. I think brother muadh has touched on the point about how deobandis are not good at presenting their works especially to the English speaking world.

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#10 [Permalink] Posted on 19th July 2019 00:57

So if I am looking for a career change or a side business, I should consider studying Islam ? It seems like a lucrative business. Except many of our Maulana's haven't tapped into it yet.

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#11 [Permalink] Posted on 19th July 2019 08:59

Concerned wrote:

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Studying Islam for Money or for Akhira!!!! That would be Scholars for Dollars for real!

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#12 [Permalink] Posted on 19th July 2019 09:40

Concerned wrote:

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It all comes down to supply v demand.

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Studying Islam to make a career/money

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