The imam’s coming late and taking a salary

Question

Zayd is employed at an institution and leads the prayer at a mosque. The imam says: “I take my salary for keeping to the times, not for leading the prayer.” Most of the time he comes late to the prayer. Is it permissible for the imam to take a salary in this way or not?

Answer

If the people of the mosque have given the imam latitude for this and are not displeased with this lateness, then this salary is permissible for the imam. Otherwise this practice of his is wrong and needs to be corrected.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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