The fee for officiating a nikah

Question

Question: In our region it is the bride’s family who conclude the contract of hire (ijara), while the fee for reading the nikah is given to the respected Qadi by the groom’s family; the respected Qadi either gives this fee to a madrasa or spends it on himself. Is the fee for reading the nikah permissible, or does it fall under bribery? Kindly explain in detail in which case it is bribery and in which it is permissible, and grant us the opportunity to express our gratitude.

Answer

The fee for reading the nikah is proper; it is not a bribe. However, in some places qadis are appointed, and an arrangement is fixed between them: for example, if one rupee and four annas (a coin worth 1/16 of a rupee)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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