[Q 621] Masjid Staff Wage Ruling

QUESTION:

Is there a minimum hourly or monthly wage in Pakistan? What should a decent wage for a masjid imam in a village be? The imam lives very close to the masjid. The local community does not pay anything towards his wages. His duties would be to lead the 5 prayers and teach madrassah class for about an hour. He can reside in the masjid as there is accommodation available

ANSWER:

The ruling regarding the wages of an Imam (prayer leader), Khateeb (sermon giver), Mu’azzin (caller to prayer), and other mosque staff who are appointed to manage the affairs of the masjid is that it is necessary to fix for them a wage according to sufficiency (ba-qadr-e-kifayah — according to adequate need), such that it is enough for their basic necessities and they are able to live a moderate standard of life. This wage can vary depending on the location and the individual’s abilities.

Similarly, if the mosque committee does not arrange for the Imam’s accommodation and utility bills, then a higher salary must be مقرر (set). However, if these arrangements are already provided, then it is still necessary to set a salary according to his remaining essential needs.

Therefore, you should find out the salaries of Imams in nearby mosques within your area, and along with that, determine a wage based on adequacy (kifayah — sufficiency) in accordance with the guidelines mentioned above.

It is stated in Tanweer al-Absar and Durr al-Mukhtar:

(ويبدأ من غلته بعمارته) ثم ما هو أقرب لعمارته كإمام مسجد ومدرس مدرسة يعطون بقدر كفايتهم.
(Durr al-Mukhtar ma‘a Radd al-Muhtar, Volume 04, Page 366)

Answered by: Mubashir Attari (AskMufti Scholar)
Verified by: Mufti Sajid Attari
Translated answer
Date: 26th April 2026.