Payment to a student for reciting the Qur’an in Tarawih

Question

Question: Is there any way in which it is permissible for a hafiz to take money for reciting the Qur’an in Tarawih? For example, if the hafiz is a student and does not have adequate money for his studies, and he wants money to come to him by this means so that he can buy more books — since without many books it is difficult for knowledge to become broad — and the giver too gives for the sake of Allah without fixing anything. Although it would have been sufficient to send the request for a fatwa (istifta)

Answer

In the case asked about, taking and giving the money is impermissible; both the taker and the giver are sinful. There is no way to make it permissible. Even if nothing is fixed beforehand, the wage itself is already firmly in the minds of both parties, and by custom it is given, and “what is known by custom is like what is stipulated” (المعروف كالمشروط).

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.