The Duties of the Imam

Question

(1) A person is the regular imam of a mosque; he also brings flatbreads from the neighbourhood, heats the water of the mosque, and if someone dies he carries out the preparation and shrouding (tajhiz and takfin), the washing and so on. Is it correct to appoint such a person as imam and to pray behind him? (2)

Answer

If he is employed for the imamate and for heating the water, and as his wage for this he also brings flatbreads from the neighbourhood, then no harm to his imamate follows from this. But if bringing flatbreads from the neighbourhood is not part of his wage, and he simply begs for them of his own accord, and despite being able to earn by some lawful means he has made this…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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