The imam eating in one house after another

Question

Here the imam of the mosque eats in all the houses, one by one. If someone gives a meal for the “musalli”, that is, for the poor, may he also invite the imam? Is it permissible for the imam to eat at such a meal?

Answer

Let the villagers jointly arrange the imam’s meals in this way: they fix days — on such-and-such a day the meal is at so-and-so’s house, on such-and-such a day at so-and-so’s house; this is permissible. Then, if one wishes, one may invite the imam to one’s house and feed him like an honoured guest, or they may send the meal to the imam’s house or to his room, wherever he is —…

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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