Blessing Of Tarawih: Leading Tarawih Salah with Sincerity

Lead Tarāwīh Ṣalāh without salary

Sincerity is necessary not only for the Imams leading the Tarāwīh Salah's, and the committees that appoint them but also for the people who offer Tarāwīh. If a Hafiz recites the Holy Quran for praise, applause, fame or for showing off his speed of recitation, he won't be rewarded at all, instead, he will fall into the abyss of ostentation and desire for fame. Salaries for reciting the Holy Quran should be avoided. A fixed amount of money is not the only form of salary; it can be some other forms such as cloth or grain etc. as well. If a Hafiz recites the Quran in a particular Masjid because he knows that the people will give him something for it, then whatever they give him will be considered salary (even though a formal agreement was not made).

However, if a Hafiz makes it clear in advance with a good intention that he will not receive any thing in exchange for the recitation of the Quran or the committee members of Masjid clearly state that they will not give him anything, but if they give him something later, so it does no harm because it is stated in a Hadis اِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَال بِالنِّيَّاتِ (Acts are dependent upon intentions). (Ṣaḥīḥ Bukhārī, pp. 6, vol. 1, Hadis 1)

It is Haram to take wage for Tilāwah, Zikr and Na'at

Once, A'lā Ḥaḍrat Imām-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat Maulānā Shāh Aḥmad Razā K͟hān رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْه was asked a question about paying money for reciting the Holy Quran and Zikr for the Iṣāl-e-Ṡawāb of a deceased person. Answering the question, he رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْه said, 'Both the paying and receiving money for reciting the Holy Quran and Zikr are Ḥarām. Both the giver and the taker are sinners, and how can they be able to send any reward (to the deceased) for committing a Ḥarām act? In fact, expecting a reward for committing a sin is a much more severe sin.

If somebody wants to send reward in a permissible way, he should hire the reciter (of Quran) for an hour or two in exchange for a fixed payment, e.g. he should say 'I hire you from such and such time to such and such time, I will make you do whatever I want during this period, (the other should) say 'I accept.' In this way, he will become an employee and (the employer) can make him do whatever he wants. The employer should then say to his employee 'Recite the Holy Quran or the Kalimah or Ṣalāt-'Alan-Nabī for so-and-so deceased person.' This is a permissible way.' (Fatāwā Razawiyyah (Jadīd), pp. 193-194, vol. 10)

A permissible way of salary for Tarāwīh

In the light of the blessed Fatwā issued by A'lā Ḥaḍrat رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْه, a permissible way of paying money to the Ḥāfiẓ for leading the Tarāwīh Ṣalāh can also be obtained. Masjid committees can hire a Ḥāfiẓ with a fixed amount of salary to lead the 'Ishā Ṣalāh during Ramadan and then he can lead the Tarāwīh Ṣalāh as well because the Tarāwīh Ṣalāh is considered a part of 'Ishā in Ramadan. Another way is to appoint the Ḥāfiẓ for three hours every day (e.g. 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.) on the condition that he must carry out whatever he is asked. The amount to be paid to him must also be fixed in advance. If the Ḥāfiẓ agrees, he will become an employee. Now the employer (i.e. Masjid committee) can make him lead the Tarāwīh Ṣalāh during those three hours.

Remember! Whether it is Imāmat (leading Ṣalāhs), K͟hiṭābat (delivering speeches), uttering the Aẓān or any other type of job that entails a salary, it is Wājib to fix the amount in advance, otherwise both the (employer and employee) will be sinners. However, if the amount or price of something is already clear and definite, for example a bus fare or fixed amount for loading and unloading each sack (of grain etc.) in markets; it is not necessary to fix amount or price in such cases.

Remember! When a Ḥāfiẓ (or anyone else) is going to be employed for any job is not permissible to say 'We'll give you whatever is appropriate' or 'We'll please you.' Instead, it is mandatory to fix the salary. The employer should say, for example, 'We will give you 12000 rupees.' Further, the approval of the Ḥāfiẓ is also necessary for the appointment. If the appointment is made, the employer will have to give the Ḥāfiẓ 12000 rupees whether the weekly donations (of the Masjid) add up to that amount or not. The employer (committee) can also give the Ḥāfiẓ more than the agreed amount without the demand of Ḥāfiẓ Ṣahib.

The Ḥāfiẓ who cannot lead Tarāwīh or cannot recite the Quran without money or the Na'at reciter who cannot recite Na'at due to the same reason should not commit unlawful acts because of hesitation. Acting upon the method formulated by A'lā Ḥaḍrat رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْه they should earn lawful earnings. If they don't need the money, they should avoid earning it even through the Ḥīlah (the method prescribed by A'lā Ḥaḍrat رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ عَلَيْه) because the actions performed selflessly have their own unique reward. A great trial is when someone doesn't accept the money offered to him, people praise him (for his selflessness) a lot and it becomes extremely difficult for him to avoid ostentation. How good it would be, if such a person (Ḥāfiẓ, Na'at reciter etc.) takes the money according to the previously mentioned method and then secretly gives it as a donation without letting even his closest friend or even his family know about it, otherwise it will become very difficult for him to avoid showing off. The pleasure of worship lies in the fact that only the worshipper and his Rab عَزَّوَجَلَّ are aware of the worships.

Mayrā har 'amal bas Tayray wāsiṭay ho

Kar ikhlāṣ aysā 'aṭā Yā Ilāhī

My every deed be solely for You, Almighty

Bless me with such a treasure of sincerity