LEASE SECTION · 37 – TEACHER'S INCOME
Ubad ibn Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
I was teaching some people from the tribe of Sūffa how to read and write the Qur’an.
One of them presented me with a bow. It is not [a possession belonging to] myself.
I said, “I will use it to shoot at the enemy in the path of Allah, and I will go to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and ask him about its ruling.” So I came before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and said, "O Messenger of Allah! One of those whom I taught writing and the Qur’an presented me with a bow. It is not [a possession belonging to] myself; I will use it in the path of Allah."
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “If you desire a collar of fire around your neck, then accept the bow.” [229]
EXPLANATION:
Scholars have presented different opinions regarding the meaning of this hadith.
According to Imam Abu Hanifa, Zuhri, and Ishaq; it is not permissible to take payment in return for teaching the Qur’an. According to Hasan al-Basri, Ibn Sirin, and Sha'bi; there is no objection if one conditions that payment is taken in return for teaching the Qur’an. According to Ata, Malik, and Shafi’i; there is no objection to taking payment in return for teaching the Qur’an. As evidence, they cite the narration concerning a man who desired to marry a woman but could not find the mahr to give her, whereupon the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “I have married her to you in exchange for what you recite from the Qur’an.”
Ubādah ibn Samit – may Allah be pleased with him – narrated a report similar to the one previously mentioned. The previous report is more complete. (Ubādah said): I asked the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, regarding a bow that was gifted to me in exchange for teaching Qur’ān and writing: What do you say about it? The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “It is a shield.”