Is it permissible to receive a salary for religious services? Is it valid to pray behind salaried religious officials?

As a principle in Islam, it is not permissible to receive payment in return for acts of worship, because worship is performed for the sake of Allah. In the early period of Islam, anyone who was able could lead the prayer, so there was no need to appoint specific individuals for this task. Over time, however, due to various reasons, there arose a need for officials to be present in mosques at all times. As a result, individuals were appointed to lead the prayers at each prayer time, and salaries began to be paid to those assigned to this duty so they could support themselves. Indeed, Islamic scholars have deemed it permissible to receive payment or a salary for duties such as being an imam, muezzin, or teaching religion, on the grounds that these positions should not be left vacant. (Ibn Nujaym, al-Bahr, 8/22; Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar, 1/562)

Today, imams and muezzins receive salaries not as payment for leading prayers, but because they dedicate their time to this duty and do not engage in other work (habs-i nefs). This is because prayer is performed and led solely for the sake of Allah. Furthermore, the duties of imams and muezzins are not limited to leading prayers. Mosque officials also provide many other religious services such as preaching, guidance, and teaching the Qur’an, as well as opening the mosque for worship, keeping it ready for worship, cleaning, maintenance, and protection. Accordingly, the salaries received by today’s imams and muezzins who perform religious services are lawful, and the prayers they lead are valid.

Source: T.C. Diyanet İşleri Başkanlığı, Din İşleri Yüksek Kurulu