Receiving a salary for administering a mosque
6-7-2014 | IslamWeb
Question:
Our Mosque receives income from rental shops and residents which belongs to the Mosque. We have employed staffs for maintenance, cleaning, security, office administration and Secretary (as Manager) who receives salary. The Secretary cum Manager is also a Trustee of the Mosque, so that he can feed, cloth and educate the children and to take care of the family expenses. The Jamaath objected that as this person is a Trustee and he is not entitled to receive a salary. There is a Hadees and not sure how authentic it is, as Abu Baker (RA) and Umar Ibnu Khathab (RA) received money from Baitul Mal. for their expenses. Will appreciate to know the correct way of doing thing in fear of Allah's punishment.
Answer:
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and messenger.
If the person who is appointed to be in charge of the mosque is responsible for leading the people in prayer and calling the Athaan, then scholars held different opinions regarding whether it is permissible for him to receive a salary in return for his service or not. The preponderant opinion is that it is permissible for him to receive a salary if he is poor and in need of the money, and the mosque requires him to carry out the tasks entrusted to him on a full-time basis.
It should be noted that the Caliph or Muslim leader is entitled to a salary from the public treasury and there is no disagreement among scholars in this regard as such a person dedicates his time to the service of the Muslims and is thus not able to make a living to provide for his household. In fact, Abu Bakr 
was the first Caliph to receive a salary from the public treasury and ‘Umar and the following Caliphs followed his example.