Salary of a Mu'adhin

Q 1: I am a Mu'adhin (caller to prayer) and I receive a monthly salary from the Ministry of Awqaf (Endowment). However, I read a Hadith in the books of Fiqh and Hadith reported on the authority of `Uthman ibn Abu Al-`As who said: I said: O Messenger of Allah: Appoint me as a leader for my people. He (the Prophet) said: You are their leader, but you should follow the weakest of them and appoint a Mu'adhin who does not take a salary for it. What is the degree of authenticity of this Hadith? Should I not take the monthly salary? It is worth mentioning that I need it.

A: The Hadith is authentic. Ibn Al-Mundhir said: It is authentically reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said to `Uthman ibn Abu Al-`As: Appoint a Mu'adhin who does not take a salary for Adhan. (Part No. 15; Page No. 106) The Five Compilers of Hadith (Imams Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Al-Tirmidhy, Al-Nasa'iy and Ibn Majah) reported from `Uthman ibn Abu Al-`As that he said: The last thing which the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) advised me is to appoint a Mu'adhin who does not take a salary for Adhan (call to prayer). The Hadith indicates that the Mu'adhin does not take a salary for his Adhan. If the ruler can not find a volunteer, there is no wrong in fixing a salary for him from the Muslim Treasury House. Imam Ahmad said that it is permissible to take a salary for that. Imam Malik also permitted this because it is a kind of work which is permissible to take salary for, like all other kinds of work. May Allah grant us success. Peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and Companions!