Accepting gifts from disciples

Question

Question: Is it permissible for a spiritual guide to take money and the like from a disciple or not?

Answer

If the disciples give willingly, it is permissible; and if they give under compulsion, it is impermissible: [ar]إذ لا يجوز لأحد من المسلمين أخذ مال أحد بغير سبب شرعي[/ar] “…since it is not permissible for anyone among the Muslims to take anyone’s property without a Shari‘a ground” (“‘Alamgiri”, vol. 2, p. 778).

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.