Excerpted from Mukhtasar al-Quduri, a highly revered manual of Hanafi fiqh -
In Sunan Ibn Majah and elsewhere is the account of a Sahabi who was teaching writing and Qur’an to a man of the people of the Suffah. Later on, the man gave Mu`adh a bow. Mu`adh thought that there is nothing wrong in taking it, and besides, he will use it for fighting in the path of Allah, but he was still uncertain so he thought to ask the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). The Prophet told him that “if you want it (the bow) to be girdled around your neck with fire on the Day of Resurrection, then take it.”
Based on this hadith, the authentic view of the Hanafi school is that it is prohibited to take money for teaching of Qur’an. This is the more precautionary view, and is in keeping with the apparent sense of the hadith. The Shafi`is, however, reasoned that the reason for the prohibition issued to Mu`adh here was that they had not fixed any price for the teaching, and that Mu`adh had therefore been teaching only for the sake of reward in the Hereafter, such that if he were to take a material payment, this would reduce or annul his reward. So, they said there is no harm in taking payment if the price was arranged beforehand. They also drew support from the hadith where a group of Companions took a payment of food for ruqyah (curing someone by reciting verses of the Qur’an). The Hanafis respond that this hadith is an evidence for the permissibility of taking payment for ruqyah, but not for teaching the Qur’an.
The hadith does not apply to selling of Islamic books and other materials; it is specifically about _teaching_. Even selling the Qur’an (muSHaf) is not Haram, (except according to a view of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal), but it is makrooh. Although, the salaf used to shy away from accepting money for books and the like also, and this is undoubtedly more precautionary, so as to reserve all reward for the Hereafter. Yet, if someone is making a living by selling books, then there is no harm in charging a profit, w’Allahu a`lam.
The issue of teachers and schools raises another point. As I have mentioned, the authentic view of the madhhab is that taking a fee for teaching Qur’an is Haram. However, later on when Islam became weaker, and the state no longer took the same care of the religion and its people, such that the `ulama and teachers of the Qur’an were no longer provided for by the state, these people came into dire circumstances. They had no source of income, and no education or training (other than religious sciences) which they could use to earn a living. It was quite literally a matter of life and death for them. Under these situations, fatwa was given in the madhhab on the permissibility of taking payment for teaching Qur’an, since necessity dictates exceptions and makes the prohibited temporarily permissible. Ibn `Abidin has mentioned this in sharH `uqood rasm al-muftee.
It should be note, however, that this was a specific fatwa for a specific situation, and that the authentic view of the madhhab remains one of prohibition of accepting payment. So, if a person is in such dire circumstances, with no other way out, he could take by this fatwa then and accept some payment. If no such mitigating circumstances exist, it remains prohibited. w’Allahu a`lam.
The reality is today it is possible to live a mediocre lifestyle with a job that requires very little training.
Are we in the life or death situation today that has made charging for ‘Islamic knowledge’ permissible? Or, do we really believe it is a life or death situation for our scholars to be able to afford macbook pro’s?
While the above excerpt mentions the two categories of teaching Quran and charging for the text, the reality is when teaching Islam *you are teaching Quran*. What did ‘teaching Quran’ mean in a society where everyone spoke Arabic? It meant understanding, developing of knowledge based on the Quran and its lessons. This prohibition clearly applied to the entire field of Islamic study, much less the very explicit study of tajweed and qirat.
Later jurists have extended the permission (of payment) to similar duties like leading the prayer (imamah), calling for prayers (adhan), teaching Hadith and Fiqh, etc., for they are related to the teaching of the Holy Qur’an, and survival of Islam equally depends on them.”
[Mufti Muhammad Shafi, Ma'ariful Qur'an, Vol. 1, p191]
In the above excerpt, it is interesting to note how the wording of the exception is to ‘accept some payment’ vs demand some payment. With expensive books and classes, Muslims in the pursuit of ‘Islamic knowledge’ have created a subculture that excludes the poor and the unread. Some Sheykhs of the ‘spiritual sciences’ charge even for their sohbet. Now we even have major islamic ‘conferences’ with “pay-per-view“.
Why aren’t all these books and tapes available online for free? Empire building.
The new industry of disseminating ‘Islamic knowledge’ or, in modern days called ‘Sacred knowledge’, has reached a new peak. Any and all stigma related to collecting of personal money under the name of Islam has been lost. Instead of doing it quietly, with discretion, it is now brazen and up-front. What is the wisdom in the Hanafi position above, which ruled over Muslims for centuries? A personal examination will demonstrate quite a few lessons.
It is reported by Jabir that the Prophet said: The flesh and body that is raised on unlawful sustenance shall not enter Paradise. Hell is more deserving to the flesh that grows on one’s body out of unlawful sustenance. (Ahmad).
the truth on 
m.a.kidwai,CME/IND.RLY.(retd.) on 
“With expensive books and classes, Muslims in the pursuit of ‘Islamic knowledge’ have created a subculture that excludes the poor and the unread.”
Usually they have scholarships/financial aid for people who cannot afford. The same with those who charge for sohbets, they have financial aid available for those who cannot afford.
A lot of programs where they request registration & payment usually have a statement that whoever cannot pay will not be turned away.
BismillahirRahmanirRahim
Salamu’alaykum,
That Sahabi was thinking of simply accepting a bow, a bow that he didn’t ask for, from one person (not many), and he was being shown a severe punishment. He couldn’t even get out of it by considering the bow as payment for teaching writing alone. The point of this is that knowledge should be free.
Today, which fancy newly translated books can I get for free?
Which event collecting $35 dollars at the door can I enter for free?
What evidence do I need to show that I am unable to pay?
How much does one need to demean himself or herself, by disclosing their financial status, in order to receive the knowledge that the Prophet (S) explicitly wanted to include everyone within?
Keep in mind the exclusion of those unable to pay is just one characteristic consequence of thinking about Islamic knowledge this way (as Western knowledge).
There are numerous other consequences for involving money that are immensely more subtle which affect us in ways we don’t even realize (without deep thought), and further detach ourselves from the tradition of our righteous Muslim forefathers.
Assalaamu Alaikum
Most of the scholars teaching these classes are scholars of fiqh and many of them are well versed with the text you cite as Quduri is pretty much used world-wide as one of the standard texts of the Hanafis. I think its safe to assume that these scholars aren’t engaging in actions which they know to be makruh or even haraam and that there is most likely more to the issue.
http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=1&ID=2901&CATE=94
http://guidance.wordpress.com/2007/04/20/accepting-money-to-teach-the-qur%E2%80%99an-sacred-knowledge/
BismillahiRahmaniRahim
Salamualaykum
I know the status of this text that is why I chose it. It is no surprise that todays teachers and speakers and prayer leaders wrote themselves an exception and or dispensation. They can categorize it as they like for themselves, just don’t pretend its not happening.
Of course they would find a way to justify being paid to be an Imam and pray. If they think there is nothing wrong with that anymore, then it is another distinction between the understanding of the awliya and the ulema.
The excuse of a lack of government funds is truly weak, as the point was not to accept money personally for their teaching, not that it has to come from the government. The example of the Prophet(S) and sahabi and Imam Abu Hanifa stands clear, don’t make “Islam” your day job.
Aslaamulaykum
Interesting article.
So how do the organizers pay for the rented hall’s or other places where these conventions or Suhba’s are held? The money has to come from somewhere.
Many of the these conventions and Suhba’s are held in Hotel’s and other rented places. The registration covers the cost of these expenses plus along with the 3 meals a day. Also many of the Scholars don’t live in the area so they have to be flown in which add to the expenses. There are probably more expenses which I might be unaware off.
What would you suggest to an alternative in covering the cost of these events?
Walsaam
BismillahirRahmanirRahim
Salamu’alaykum,
Well I would posit a counter question, why do we need these events as they are?
The ayat of the Quran about the Masjids being built by the believers who keep the variety of obligations should give us an insight. The reality is we don’t need to have our ‘conferences’ in fabulous Hilton’s or near amusement parks.
Expenses always exist, yet the cost of flying someone could be covered with one generous believer, rather than turning the whole entity into an enterprise of profit or a loan which is only eventually paid by attendees. This type of situation only benefits the hosts, who care not about who uses their space, and for what they use it for.
As Allah (Swt) says “Follow those who ask you no fee, and who they themselves are rightly guided” -Surah Yasin
The reality is tariqat teaches us these manners in the first place. Islam in practice.
It may be you may find a saint housed in a cold warehouse, but he won’t say that he demands more. The Prophet (S) addressed thousands, even 124,000 Sahabi’s, in even more humble locations.
-Yursil
Salaam ‘alaikum,
Two points should be made here-
1- Extending the meaning of “teaching the Quran” to include any and all Islamic knowledge is too big a leap to be supported by nothing more than speculative analogizing. If there is some scholarly basis for that conclusion, then you should probably cite to it.
More importantly:
2- Assuming, arguendo, that such an interpretation is correct, it remains that accepting (or asking for) payment for teaching (the Quran) was only proscribed among the Hanafis, and there is even some doubt as to whether it continues to be so. The opposite is true for the other three madhhabs (not just the Shafi’is mentioned above), all of which allow such payment.
This is important, as there is scholarly consensus that no condemnation is permitted in matters genuinely disagreed upon (la inkara fi masa’il al-khilaf).
As such, this entire blogpost may well be haram and at the very least is contrary to the spirit of interpreting the actions of one’s felloow Muslims in a favorable light whenever reasonably possible. (the approval of the jumhur being a more than reasonable justification).
With love and brotherhood,
Wasalaam ‘alaikum
BismillahirRahmanirRahim
Salamu’alaykum,
1) I added a citation, actually mentioned by one of the links from the commenters. Allah provides!
2) Thank you for the advice on condemnation. Even if the permission is given according to the later ulema, even if its permissible in the Hanafi and all other mazhabs, that doesn’t make it best. That is understood across the mazhabs. And it’s clear that this is being forgotten as it has spread across into an industry which does not even approach the subject with shyness, but rather with brazen demand.
Since there is no disagreement on the matter of what is best (freely giving knowledge) and what is worse (charging for it in hotels and pay per view videos, when other alternatives exist), I believe this blog post is fine. Really, it is not even a condemnation of any individual, but rather a call to awaken ourselves as a community to what path we have led ourselves down and a call to improve to the better.
There are ways now to distribute information freely that never existed before, yet we seem to be the last to take advantage because of Muslims who are used to a Western paradigm of paying to learn.
Worse, I know of Imams who have not led the prayer because they haven’t received payment. Is this really the example we want to follow?
Salam alaykum,
to Ilyas L:
I don’t see where “speculative analogizing” is made, when the Mukthasar outlines the position of the madhab, as paraphrased below:
“…The issue of teachers and schools raises another point. As I have mentioned, the authentic view of the madhhab is that taking a fee for teaching Qur’an is Haram (…etc…) It was quite literally a matter of life and death for them. Under these situations, fatwa was given in the madhhab on the permissibility of taking payment for teaching Qur’an, …(etc…)…
It should be note, however, that this was a specific fatwa for a specific situation, and that the authentic view of the madhhab remains one of prohibition of accepting payment”
If you are taking issue with the methodology of the Hanafi madhab itself, rather than the actual ruling made, that is not only an extraneous discussion to this thread – it is also something best left to the `ulemah, and not thrown around as a talking point on a blog.
If there is any “speculative leap” being made, it is in your deduction that this entire blogpost “may well be haram.”
When we have exemplars in Islam who used to shiver while praying before establishing anything as ‘haram’ (prohibited), today we have imposters who, in their pretensions of piety, are actually defending their own biases by any means necessary.
Assalamu Alaikum Yursil,
Been a long time. I pray that you and your loved ones are in the best of Iman and health.
I agree with the spirit of what you’re saying. You can make a career of ‘being a religious teacher’ and work your way up the financial ladder quite easily these days. Many of my teachers here have Suhbas and Dhikr gatherings for which they don’t charge anything (and on the contrary actually give money, food and lodging to poorer people who they know so that they can attend). Allah provides.
However, I’d think twice about making a blanket statement like “accepting remuneration for religious teachings is haram”. There are religious teachers I know who for example sleep in the mosque (or an adjoining room) where they teach although it’s not their own. That could be construed as ‘payment’ for their ‘services’ to that community. The other issue which someone else brought up of infrastructure costs is also there. Let’s face it, it costs money to do almost anything these days. Land, travel, food, shelter, broadcasting, maintenance etc. all cost money and someone has to pay. If the costs can be distributed comfortably amongst the parties involved and the institutions can survive to do good work, it’s an agreeable ecosystem and the community can slowly grow. Of course, this is a subjective thing – an “ONLY THOSE WHO CAN PAY CAN ENTER” attitude is clearly nasty and having to file papers to prove that you’re ‘below a certain income level’ to get attendance is unacceptable too. Hiking up the costs to make real profits is nasty is a clearly in the region of activities which your rather informative post criticises. I feel it’s one of those things where the human factor plays a large role.
Allah knows best.
Wassalam
BismillahirRahmanirRahim
Alaykumsalaam Noufal,
Thanks for your comment! I agree that such a blanket statement is not a good idea, and I am not making a statement like that. MashaAllah to the example you have given I really enjoyed reading about the suhba in India and their generous example. As far as a room next to the mosque, this is a blessing to the community, to have one of the awliya so close leaving the luxuries of a personal home aside. If anything, this can be viewed as a gift from him. Demand for that ‘payment’ is a different thing altogether. Even if the alim would remind people to contribute, they would do so in a completely different manner than what occurs today in the West…. The subtlety of eastern discourse on this matter has been completely lost.
as salamu’alaykum
You raise some good points although you did mention the Shafi’i ikhtilaaf within the quote you provided. I agree about holding conferences in smaller venues that aren’t as expensive. Although a Masjid sounds lovely it isn’t always easy to hold things in a masjid, within America for example. But a small venue for most of these conferences I think would save the organizers a lot of money and make it easier upon the people without having to disclose much more than “I am eligible for zakat”.
How would institutes of knowledge survive if they didn’t charge by default? I mean, realistically, how would they be able to do it? I understand everything you mention but I find myself thinking about the very expensive times we live in.
BismillahirRahmanirRahim
Salamu’alaykum,
People say similar things about how they would survive with the expenses of a new child, or this or that situation.
First, Allah provides! Second, as I mentioned, the conferences themselves, if they are unsustainable, need to go back to the Sunnah. Simple get-togethers, more often, this is the sunnah. If the Prophet (S) managed to address 124,000 Sahabis without even a microphone, the sincere can manage too.
As far as institutes of knowledge, why do there need to be ‘institutes’? I think Imam Abu Hanifa’s (R) example of learning and earning a living is quite clear, and a great example. Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (R) was continuing his work until he was forced out of it by community who provided for him, he accepted with great hesitation, and he was the Calipha!
If the community wants it, it will happen, and it can happen without fees. But for it to happen, the subculture of ‘knowledge’ is what has to change at some fundamental levels.
Aslaamulaykum
“Well I would posit a counter question, why do we need these events as they are? ”
You might be in a Tariqa and mashallah you probably have low cost gatherings and meetings but many people are not in the Tariqa and many people have been guided to the Deen including my self by listening to these scholars so having these events is imperative especially here in the West. In the West Islam is still a baby and growing there aren’t that many big maasajids so these places have to be rented. I can understand renting in these big hotels might be extravagant but it is defienently more convenient. Allah is the one that guides and if a servant is Sincere Allah (swt) facilitates for him/her guidance even thru these expensive events.
Offcourse an ideal situation would be that all these events are free but we have to look at the times we are living in. We are not living in the times of the Prophet (saaw).
“Expenses always exist, yet the cost of flying someone could be covered with one generous believer, rather than turning the whole entity into an enterprise of profit or a loan which is only eventually paid by attendees. This type of situation only benefits the hosts, who care not about who uses their space, and for what they use it for.”
I can understand your concern but brother we need have good opinion of our fellow muslims and should not generalize all Muslim host’s or organizers unless we have evidence of them profiting and benefiting themselves from these conferences.
Walsaaam
BismillahirRahmanirRahim
Salamu’alaykum,
Well there is an aspect to this that we are forgetting. If people are unwilling to get together to pay for the hosting of an ‘event’, then its not worth having an event of that size. If the people are so disparate that its impossible to get them together without active solicitation, then that event does not need to include them.
This is also how we end up with mega-masjids which are built from outside donations which end up to be unmaintainable by the community they are actually for and eventually collapse.
Certainly there is benefit in listening to speakers speak, so why not do it free of charge, as often as they can? Why not offer it free on youtube, vimeo, viddler.. why pay-per-view? Why are not electronic versions of these books available instantly? Wouldn’t people give gifts to anyone who provided them such a service?
You could still hear many of these talks which brought you to Islam… in fact, you would hear more.
Bismillah
It’s great to hear this discussion and see others have been thinking of the same thing as I have. You are right on the money with this comment sidi Yursil ! There has been very little benefit, and with these mega-events, it’s more like a concert and we lose quality because we favor quantity. It’s like the hadith where Muslims are likened to bubbles on the foam of the sea, numerous but just riding the current.
And the truth is, our speakers should not be the only ones we want to exhibit. If we had small gatherings of concentrated barakah, we would build stronger Muslims and students of knowledge that can then go out and call many more to the Straight Path. This would be more effective than, to rely solely on these scholars and their institutes, to think they are the only gate left open in Heaven.
To be honest, let’s start with the question: what price can you put on the knowledge of Allah? Uhhh, it’s beyond price! The real reason I think we need to re-consider this is, in light of the economic collapses happening, we can’t allow money to be the pillar supporting our Islam. It is soon going to be no longer an option to support our empty masjids and hold these big events through the dollar. Otherwise, when the economy goes–our Islam goes with it too. Churches are weakening with this economic collapse so, if we can bring it together without petrodollars or ilm-dollars, then we can make serious inroads in dawah, in sha Allah.
Sidi Yursil is right, Islam should be supported by the true word, by the hearts of the believers and the duas of the righteous, not by knowledge-dollars.
There are ways to get around it. The reason the Saudi proselytizers have been so successful is because not only do they give their stuff away for free, but they have no regard or respect for copy-right law. That is why if you visit Islamictorrents dot net you will find the majority of the material is salafi in nature. You could use that. I’ve found the Traditionalist crowd to be much much more commercialized than the other crowd and yes, it does put more value on the deen and make Traditionalists look more professional, but is that really the goal here?
I think the money, the professionalism, the conferences and the whole “knowledge-industry” is creating barriers between Muslims and their destiny of spreading Islam. These classes drown us out and make us feel insignificant…we just take whatever scholars we get and don’t question them. The Ummah then moves at the pace of the scholars…whose movements is limited to their tongues. So then, how much is actually accomplished in spreading Islam? Islam spread like wildfire in the old days, so why hasn’t it spread to that level in our non-Muslim societies?
I suggest Sidi Yursil you raise this issue with more ulema and be firm in addressing them. After all, the first to be dragged to hell will be the corrupt scholars and we don’t want to see our scholars in that state. And as the hadith goes, “He whom Allah wishes well, he grants him insight into his faults.”
Ma’salam
P.S. Apologies for the rant!
It in multi-money society the life is based on money as eXchange. If we go there, we might become like them. UNLESS
we are holding our intention. Good Intention – sincere – with ihlas might have good results.
Assalamu alaikum. Why don’t you try contacting a few of the institutions/imams that do like this and just ask them for their reason? You don’t have to be rude, just express sincere curiosity and see what is their reply. I’m sure there must be *some* reason for it.
BismillahirRahmanirRahim
Salamu’alaykum,
I’m not sure what there is to ask exactly. People have their reasons, and it may be that its simply personal benefit.
Salaam ‘alaikum,
Abu Dharr-
I don’t think you uderstood what i wrote. My issue, in my first point, was with analogizing the teaching of the Quran to teaching any Islamic knowledge.
I have no problem with the Hanafi ruling nor the methodology of the school and I made no statement to that effect.
BismillahirRahmanirRahim
Salamualaykum
Just to interject, its clear that that analogizing the teaching of the Quran to teaching Islamic knowledge is/was part of the Hanafi school. It only makes sense really, can one teach Islam without teaching Quran?
Salaam ‘alaikum,
However, it remains, according to the majority, permissible.
As for what’s best, that is determined according to particular circumstances by those in authority who are privy to that knowledge.
For instance, it was probably best for SunniPath to start offering their distance learning courses, even if covering the costs meant charging a small fee. (especially when the alternative was to leave most english-speaking Muslims in the hands of Saudi financed proselytizers.)
BismillahirRahmanriRahim
Alaykumsalaam,
Yes, the question is of what is best is the discussion here. Its clear from my teachers it is *NOT BEST*, see latest post. I think it is not considered best across the board, yet everyone will take the dispensation as they see fit.
As for various teaching institutions its clear that charging a fee for bandwidth and costs might even be justified, but most all of these are not non-profit entities, the fees are not small any longer. The goal is capital.
And I don’t think DL courses that charge money are better than dealing with Saudi financed proselytizers, who for a large part, give away their ‘knowledge’. In that way, I think, they are better than many espousing traditionalists ideals.
-Yursil
Salaam ‘alaikum,
I should apologize to yursil for using the word haram. It sounds harsher than I meant it to.
I was trying to say that calling something haram when it is disagreed upon by the scholars has been disallowed.
It’s not the same and I should have made that clear.
I’ll apologize in person when I see you next and give you that Turkish Quran cd.
BismillahirRahmanirRahim
Salamu’alaykum,
I didn’t call it haraam, Imam al-Quduri mentioned it in those terms.. I consider it not to be the best thing to do at minimum and thats all I expressed.. So it is all ok, unless I am being called to bury this aspect of the text until such time that people unanimously agree with it again.
As for the other note, I can’t wait!
very useful article. The Sufis still stick with this view, while a lot of the Ulema have ‘adapted.’
One of the last great Mutakallimeen tho’, Maulana Mufti Ayyub, [highly regarded in Deobandi Sufi circles] was a humble cloth merchant in Karachi, who lectured for free in his spare time.
Assalamu alaikum
Does the ruling apply if one asks for a donation to the Masjid or institution of learning rather than a mandatory fee? In other words, if the Shaykh requests that in lieu of a fee directly to him he requests an optional fee to be donated to the Masjid where he would teach or some other location?
Jazakallah khairun.
masalama
Hasan Hadith From Collection Tirmidhi and Others:
Nabi Kareem SallahuAlayhi Wa Sallam Said: “min husnil islam il mar’ tarkuhu ma laa ya’ani” – “Part of the perfection of someone’s Islam is his leaving alone that which does not concern him.”
There is amazing wisdom hidden inside this hadith. Explaining this hadith Shaykh AbdulQadir Al Gaylani(RadiAllahuAnhu) relates a story of a pious individual who passes by a person sitting on the street and begging. He whispers to the beggar something like “why don’t you work and earn your living ?” – This pious individual ended up unable to wakeup for Tahajjud for many many days from that day on. He mentioned that to beggar, without knowing the status/maqam of that awliya who was sitting there begging at the command of Allah(SubhanaHU wa Ta’la).
The above post is just fine if discussed in GENERAL and not trying to somehow directly or indirectly point towards certain group/tariqa who has different ways of doing things. Perhaps they might be doing things for some reason, many do not have insight into. As someone said, taking pride in one’s Tariqa or for that matter about the status one’s Shaykh is not a part of teachings of Tariqa, could very well be trap.
Wasalam.
The Hadith about taking bow in reward of Quranic teaching clearly indicates that to accept even a gift in reward of Quranic teaching is a source of hell fire and look towards so called Muslim , thier scholar give Fatwa against this hadith.These scholar are becoming Lords(Rab) as indicated in Surah tauba. and these blind followers are happy to give their Scholars fire of hell as gift. The present disgrace and humiliation in this world is the result of denying the some ofquranic verses and accepting the others. Allah says about such peoples as Kafir and for them there will be grevious doom hereafter.
Dear Brother’s
Assalamu-Alykum (W.R.W.B), I am living in Taiwan with my family.
I would like to know (according to Quran & Hadith) A Qurani teacher can offer his/her Quran teaching charges. your reply would be much appreciated.
Kind regards,
Nadeem Ahmed
Taiwan
Assalamu’alaikom,
To have a balanced view of this issue, please list ALL hadiths and their specific conditions, where it says it is haram to take payment. For example, your quoted hadith on Mu’adh who took a bow.
And also please list ALL hadiths and their specific conditions, where it says it is PERMISSIBLE to take money. For example, the hadith about Quranic ruqyah using Fatihah on the Arabic tribe leader
In my humble opinion, we should not charge money for transmitting what the Prophet (SAW) has taught us – the basic hadeeths, the Quranic text. But beyond that, would take away the time of the learned, as they need money to pay for rent, food, car, buy references, do Hajj etc.
Please do not worry about the AMOUNT of money collected by others; as rezqi is determined by ALLAH even when they just 120 days in the womb of their mothers. What we should worry is o whether the WAY is haram or halal
Take it easy and wassalam
Assalaamu’alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaatuh,
I’m not sure if the student pays the teacher is haraam or not?