[TXmjLW9b]

Why not make a pledge to help the author by hadiya (gift) and not remuneration?

that is down to the discretion of the individual and does not need to be limited to ulama who write books. there are many ulama and others who serve the deen in many different ways. people can donate to them as well.

[RerRibreLok]

i have nothing against ulama who have been employed in a deeni position by a community to receive a fair salary for their time, experience and knowledge that the community benefits from.

How many do you know who receive a "fair salary". I dont know of even ONE!

[RerRibreLok]

that is down to the discretion of the individual and does not need to be limited to ulama who write books. there are many ulama and others who serve the deen in many different ways. people can donate to them as well.

Absolutely.. Good deeds are not bounds by restrictions. Whichever way one does it benefits him. The aim is to take the steps to do those good deeds. Supporting ulama and imams and authors is definitely a good deed. I can tell you from the other side of the desk. Sometimes the authors are in complete poverty, yet they do not beg out hands and those who ask for some %age of their sales from corporate retailers of books, get measily little crumbs..

My proposition was to keep some of our money to help ulama, unconditionally. Even those who we do not get along with.

[FalHaitle]

How many do you know who receive a "fair salary". I dont know of even ONE!

Most of the Masajids in US pay less than $2000/mo to its Imam, and most of the masjid board treat them like a servant. Its pity and sad, and these Imams do depend on Hadiya to raise a family.

[TXmjLW9b]

How many do you know who receive a "fair salary". I dont know of even ONE!

why is this? what have the ulama done to address this? what can laymen do to address this?

[2CNWXAqN]

lets just say we should all try to support each other

in all fields

be it verbally
financially
physically



btw,shaikh hakeem akhtars website has many free books to download
as does the majlis


http://themajlis.net/Article22.html
of course one can donate also

everyone is struggling financially nowadays

it seems in some places its the ulema who are not struggling..alhamdulillah

obviously individual towns countries and people differ

AND ALLAH KNOWS BEST

[nAKMzyBN]

This is a great idea to set up something to help the ulema kind of people. People can send the money to their service and serve the deen inshaaAllah. inshaaAllah I will keep them in mind. I too kind of feel very sorry for the imams of masjid who are not given enough salary so they cannot run a family, paying rent and other things. They always have to seek some other way to earn more so they can take care of their families. It is kind of shame on us muslims who have pushed them to that state. Muslims spend a lot for one day wedding and other things and they invite the imam too for the feast but thats it. If some money is alloted to give them every month or whatever they can, how beneficial it would be for them! Let Allah SWT give us tawfeeq to remember them and help them. Ameen

[TXmjLW9b]

Most of the Masajids in US pay less than $2000/mo to its Imam, and most of the masjid board treat them like a servant. Its pity and sad, and these Imams do depend on Hadiya to raise a family.

the situation is similar in the UK.

i support ulama who have their own masjids and not under control of jahil committee members. i have stood up against committee members many times in support of the imam of my (ex) local masjid.

[RerRibreLok]

why is this? what have the ulama done to address this? what can laymen do to address this?

from my previous post.

If any alim dared to open his mouth and ask for equitable money for his overworked 60-80 hours per week job, which is bound to get negative feedback anyway, that alim is a duniyadar (materialistic person).

This is what awaits any alim who might address it. I have witnessed it as well.

[TXmjLW9b]

This is a great idea to set up something to help the ulema kind of people. People can send the money to their service and serve the deen inshaaAllah.

it would be a great idea to do this for ulama who spend their time and effort to serve the deen and have no time to earn a livelihood, provided that that service is required.

but at the same time, i would not want my money to go to such ulama that would waste this money by spending it on such things as home entertainment systems and designer clothing etc.

[nAKMzyBN]

it would be a great idea to do this for ulama who spend their time and effort to serve the deen and have no time to earn a livelihood, provided that that service is required.

but at the same time, i would not want my money to go to such ulama that would waste this money by spending it on such things as home entertainment systems and designer clothing etc.

I am yet to find such ulema with home entertainment systems and designer clothing. Anyways my point is about those who are in need of it. We should have some reliable trustworthy organization who will take care to whom the money should go, for sure there are many who are in proper need of money.
I have seen some 'trust' websites like ummah welfare trust where they have different categories like orphans, widows, sponsoring a hafiz and so on. It would be nice if we can help ulema too.

[WeestDype]

I hope that I am not making a comment out of turn here. I also feel that due to the proliferation of Darul Ulooms and the sheer number of 'aalims' that graduate every year the quality of Aalim has been considerably diluted.

Due to the above do we simply contribute to those Ulama who we feel are sincerely sacrificing for the Sake of Allah or do we include the whole spectrum?

In the UK I feel instead of so many Aalims graduating we need an Islamic Techincal college, higher education institutions that enable the majority who do not want to pursue a solely Deeni Ilm trajectory to obtain their 'Dunyawi' education in an Islamic environment with a heavy Islamic ethos. Those who are then committed sincerely to becoming Aalims will then pursue Deeni Ilm with dedication. The quality will then be apparent and when this can be seen I feel people will be more forthcoming with assistance.

The idea of giving a hadiyah to the author is a simple but brilliant idea. I had never thought of this and insha'Allah from now on will consider this.

If I have said anything wrong please forgive me.

[TXmjLW9b]

I am yet to find such ulema with home entertainment systems and designer clothing.

i dont know where in the world you live, but i can assure you there are many such ulama. i personally know ulama like this, and i am even friends with some.

Anyways my point is about those who are in need of it. We should have some reliable trustworthy organization who will take care to whom the money should go, for sure there are many who are in proper need of money.

what kind of ulama are you talking about? why are they in dire need of money? do they spend a considerable amount of time serving the deen, and because of that they cant work?

I have seen some 'trust' websites like ummah welfare trust where they have different categories like orphans, widows, sponsoring a hafiz and so on. It would be nice if we can help ulema too.

why have a special category? if they are in poverty then they fall into the category of the poor and would receive charity just the same as everyone else.

[dalnecymync]

i dont know where in the world you live, but i can assure you there are many such ulama. i personally know ulama like this, and i am even friends with some.

In my place Ulema are paid around Rs.5000-10,000 (50-100 pounds) per month. (I think)
Hardly enough for their family.

P.s. U wont find any ulema wearin designer wear here. lolz.

[nAKMzyBN]

Everyone are in need of money so why they are not in need of money for they are humans afterall and have families.
In the local masjid here, the salary they give to imaam is around Rs. 5k-6k and in some places just Rs.3000. A normal family rent itself is about Rs.3000-5000. So we can see how difficult it will be for them. Sometimes these imams dont bring their family here and leave them in Bihar or their native place as they cannot afford to live with family here. I am sure there are many like this. It would be nice to bring their issues in picture so we help them. Even many normal people dont ask money from others out of dignity and Allah SWT describes about such people and we are asked to find such people and help them. I am sure many uleme will fall in this category.

Charity shall go to the poor who are suffering in the cause of GOD, and cannot emigrate. The unaware may think that they are rich, due to their dignity. But you can recognize them by certain signs; they never beg from the people persistently. Whatever charity you give, GOD is fully aware thereof. [2:273]

Allahu alam

[gWhya5ct]

I would say that whoever wants to read any deeni books they should just go ahead and download the free ebooks and read them without any guilt. We need to educate the Ummah, the Ulemas can get the reward from Allah (swt) for all their sacrifices.

Br xs11ax raises some very valid points.

lets just say we should all try to support each other

in all fields

be it verbally
financially
physically



btw,shaikh hakeem akhtars website has many free books to download
as does the majlis


http://themajlis.net/Article22.html
of course one can donate also

Just saying won't do, nor has it done anything, the problems exist because we have only been talking, the ground realities are way too different.

When we can spend millions in educating ourselves even buying books on the [false and refuted] theory of evolution just to pass the exams - why can't we BUY Islamic books when we clearly have spent money for other things?

Frankly, big bro Ahmed, you are excessively sweet all the time.

Tell me, whats the desired [matloob] thing to do when our Ulamah's go abegging ? The least we can do is to buy books.

People who would download and read ebooks for FREE when they clearly have the capability to spend should only and rightly have a lot of GUILT within their hearts. They are - performing wudhu with the blood of the Ulamah.

[RerRibreLok]

I think is much on this topic that need to be discussed. Amazingly enough we the community are part of the problem. Now obviously when I say that, there would be hands raised saying, "Not All are part of the problem Mr. Abu. Generalization is not good". I know, that problem is not bred from all the community members, just like not ALL Ulama are working to fill their pockets. When I ask on and all to help the ulama in vicinity, then ofcourse I am not asking you to go through your money in a dumbster.

You want to spend money for goodness, so choose the goodness among you. Choose the Alim, Da'ee or Sheikh you are content in giving to. This I say becasue it is your money.

At the same time, do not start to judge the others without knowing everything about them. Allah knows whose sincerity is making him stand in nightly ibaadah, work on poor and orphans hidden away from people. There are bad apples everywhere, but With a positive outlook we can make positive achievements.

A question though.. how many of you actually see an Imam of a community to be its leader? (to answer this question, remove the perception of having 100 imams in london for 100 masajid.. and look at the majority cases i.e 1 imam for 1 masjid in 1 city... most of western cities are like that and not like bigger cities)

If you were to match an Imam position to a secular post.. what would it be?

[nAKMzyBN]

Well I never felt guilty in reading free islamic books online but if I find a book useful I try to buy but never thought about the uleme behind. inshaaAllah they would get ajr from Allah SWT but I am not denying that we should not help them financially. We should definitely help them inshaaAllah. We look forward to the guidance from them but thats sad we don't think of their dunyawi needs for they are humans afterall. I know people give them money during ramdhan like in local masajid but I think it would be good if things are more organized so the help reaches many ulema who are in financial need inshaaAllah.
Allahu alam

[gWhya5ct]

Ideally, we wish the ulama to dispose themselves to the work of deen and ummah. Exactly.

One simply has to look at the Imamat , Muazzins contracts etc. to realize that when it comes to monetary wealth, we do not "value" our ulama. It is a simple fact. If any alim dared to open his mouth and ask for equitable money for his overworked 60-80 hours per week job, which is bound to get negative feedback anyway, that alim is a duniyadar (materialistic person). Exactly.

[gWhya5ct]

Ajeeb. my heat at this moment is warmed by br. ----- sentiments. Download a free pdf and read it. You benefited from it now show that appreciation and arrange and send some money to the author if you can. If you cannot, then help your local Alim. Start with the one you are at odds with. You will never realize the darajah of those who are working selflessly for sake of Allah, being content with whatever Allah puts of their plate. Maulana, believe me there is no one on SF who can claim he / she does not have the means to buy books, there can be absolutely no excuse.

When the census are conducted, to ascertain someone's wealth, they ask certain questions, stuff like:

a) Age
b) Marital status
c) Self employed or job
d) Salary per annum
e) Number of electronic accessories like T. V, P. C, Washing machine at home?
f) Educated?
f1)If yes, till what level?
g) Vehicle?
h) Own house or rented?...the stuff.

Anyone posting on SF will definitely have almost all of these things, so even if you do not / cannot contribute towards the welfare / Hadiyah of the Ulamah, the LEAST we can do is buy those books we take for granted. There's no escaping from this. There are NO EXCUSES.

Why not get together and make a brother's club to gather such money and fund students of deen, form a contingent fund for local Imam, make a pledge for da'wah courses and get ulama in. There is so much that can be done.

May Allah increase your zeal and ave lots of fruitful outcomes. Definitely.