Quran teacher charging different people different fees

15-4-2017 | IslamWeb

Question:

Assalaamu alaykum. Is it permissible for a person who teaches Quran to lower the normal monthly price for someone (or some people), or must it be fixed and the same for everyone? And if this is not valid, then is it valid to make the price “whatever is easy”, bearing in mind that if this is the price, then there is the possibility of people paying different amounts, or must it still be fixed and the same for everyone? If it is valid (to lower the price), then how low can the teacher lower the price, and does he need a valid reason to lower the price? May Allaah reward you with good.

Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

Scholars held different views regarding receiving a payment in return for teaching the Quran. A group of scholars held that the most likely correct view in this regard is that it is permissible to receive a payment in return for teaching the Quran.

Ibn ‘Uthaymeen  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said:

"As for receiving wages to teach Quranic recitation, then this is subject to a difference of opinion, and the most likely correct view is that it is permissible because the person is receiving wages in return for his effort and work, not for reciting the Quran. It was authentically reported that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said, 'The payment that you most deserve to take is that given for the Book of Allah.' Moreover, it was authentically narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said to the poor man who could not pay his wife a dower, 'I marry her off to you for what you memorize of the Quran,' meaning that he teaches her what he memorizes of the Quran." For more benefit, please refer to fatwa 134017.

Based on the view that it is permissible, the Quran teacher is allowed to determine the fees he wishes, be it little or much. It is also permissible for him to charge students different fees for a reason or for no reason. However, the fees should be specified, not 'whatever is easy', and fixed in order to avoid potential disputes.

Ibn Qudaamah  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him wrote, "The fees must be specified in the Ijaarah (hiring) contract, and we know of no scholarly dispute in this regard because the payment is a compensation in a compensatory contract; so it must be specified, just like the price in the sale contract."

Allah knows best.

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