What does the imam do in his office all day?

Contents

Imam Care. 1

What the imam means to the community. 2

From whom should you learn? The local imam? Or the celebrity YouTube daa’iyah? 4

Time management 5

The Imam’s family. 6

Personal health, diet, and exercise. 7

Continued Education. 8

Sharpening the saw.. 10

[How much] Should Imams be compensated? 11

Job Security. 15

The Ideal Imam.. 17

In closing. 19

 

 

Imam Care

One of the most difficult aspects of imaamah is not in the job description. It is psychological. And that is the guilt that you feel, and sometimes shame that you are made to feel, whenever you are not there. You can never fully enjoy a moment with yourself or your family. You feel bad that you are not leading prayer, or attending someone’s event, or responding to a seemingly urgent e-mail.

Just as masajid in the West have evolved into Islamic centers, American imams have evolved into religious directors. But while a building can serve multiple functions at once, a human cannot be two places at the same time. You cannot lead isha prayer in the masjid and conduct an off site wedding at the same time. Extend that to all the duties of imams, and of course the imam’s duty to his family.

We imams remind other worshipers, as the Prophet said, “your Lord has a right over you, your body has a right over you, and your family has a right over you.” But for imams, “your masjid and community has a right over you” and sometimes that masjid and community want you to neglect your body’s rights and your family’s rights. One may say the same about other occupations, but there are distinct differences.

The only way to overcome this guilt is when there are multiple imams, each covering for the other. When there is an imam who leads prayers, teaches Quran and Arabic; and a religious director, resident scholar, youth director, etc. Even an enthusiastic volunteer who leads many prayers or teaches some classes may be a reminder that “this one does his work for free, while the religious director takes a huge salary.” The larger the community, the greater the need for all these functions. But no community, no matter how small, can rely entirely on one person.

What the imam means to the community

I received a series of urgent text messages from an Indian Muslim acquaintance who just graduated from college. He and an Arab woman wanted to marry without falling into haraam. Her father refused. Remaining relatives on both sides supported the marriage. My friend said, “the father will only acquiesce if Shaykh Nur tells him to”. Shaykh Nur was Sudanese, and a former student of Shaykh Abdul Azeez ibn Baz (rh). He had not been an imam in St Louis for nearly two decades, having moved. But that was the relationship many Arab community members had with him, even long after he left. Two imams since.

Some of the Indo-Pak community members had that relationship with Mufti Minhaj, the next former imam of the IFGSTL (not my masjid, but one I taught at). And I’m not offended at all, but I respect and admire Shaykh Nur, Mufti Minhaj, and their position as an imam for that, but it renders other imams, such as myself, quite helpless in those situations.

After leaving St Louis for Pittsburgh, I still get occasional messages from individuals there asking about halal and haram, and advice for this or that. I experienced similar when I left Peoria for Medinah. And as I’m in Pittsburgh, I expect many of my community members reach out to Shaykh Atef from time to time, and that does not offend me.

It takes a long period of observation before you can trust a person enough to be open with them about sensitive matters. Many individuals have reached out to me and said, “I’ve been watching you for a while, and I feel I can trust you enough to speak to you about something I’m going through…”

When we see youth falling off the deen, there’s no denying that one of the reasons is lack of a rooted and invested spiritual guide. An imam they saw throughout their childhood, even if only in passing and the imam had a thick accent. But they can confide in him while they’re choosing their career, or spouse, or want to repent from bad habits and seek guidance leaving unhealthy relationships.

Some masajid stay in a mode of “imam search” for years. They may be unable to find the perfect puppet imam while blaming Muslim scholars abroad for being puppets of their government! In cases like that, no one suffers more than the youth. I have no fear that these middle-aged aunts and uncles will keep calling themselves Muslims all their lives. Yet they debate over whether to hire an imam who ticks all the boxes except that he disagrees with their moon sighting policy (I hope that sounds as silly to you as it does to me and us imams). But it is the developing youth who are cheated and held back the most by these charades. May they realize the damage they’ve caused to an entire generation, as they shuffled imams in and out based on insufficient understanding of fiqh or wanting to mold the community in their image.

On the other hand, who is least pleased with imams? You may think the board. But if the imam is still there, then that’s usually a good sign. The answer may surprise you. From community to community, imam to imam, the answer I hear is universal. And it is not the feminist liberal perennialist “Quranites” – as they almost never attend the masjid anyway.

Rather, those most displeased with the imam are those I refer to as “the hardliners”, and every community has some.

They hold everyone around them to a very high standard — usually strictly in outer aspects of worship and Islamic display. They are, unsurprisingly, often divorced. I find their presence to be essential in keeping the masjid balanced. They remind the imam and others around them to give proper attention to the formalities of the masjid, proper form of worship, and the virtues of every act. However, because they often lack general fiqh, understanding of priorities and empathy, they can be difficult, and come off as harsh and judgmental, uncompassionate and inconsiderate.

They remind the imam, “you need to tell people to do such-and-such while going into rukoo`” for example. And sometimes they’re right. Sometimes however, a worshiper will come to me and say, “someone told me earlier I was making wudhoo wrong. Am I?” And when I go over it with them, I realize that the critic was imposing one opinion upon another, or that said worshiper was simply following the practice back home that comes from their madhab or they were taught through a specific madhab. But these people keep imams busy. 

An Egyptian professor in Malaysia, for the subject of ta`aarud, told us a saying [“أنحى الناس لا يخطئ الناس”] or “the most grammatically knowledgeable does not correct the people’s speech.” I am definitely not afqah or the most knowledgeable in fiqh, but if I know where people are coming from, and that they have a precedent, then they are following a precedent which is a hujjahproof  between them and Allah. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

When I think of some of the criticisms I hear most often from hardliners, I am reminded of one of the salaf who was asked why he does not attend prayer in the masjid more often. He said that he was helping someone at home with their needs and that was more beloved to him. I think any parent of young children getting ready for school can empathize with that, and hopefully breathe a sigh of relief. Likewise, when ibn Masood was once asked why he does not fast voluntarily much, he said because it makes Quran recitation difficult, and the latter is more beloved to him. Imam Malik once responded to a critic who reminded him of his shortcomings in worship, Allah may open up a door to one good deed but close another, as Allah has given each of us varied capacities, both physical and circumstantial.

I often consider the man who killed 99. He first went to a monk, and only later sought a scholar. There is an assumption that a “true scholar” would also be the most worshipful. However, the most worshipful, by definition, has less time to become a well-rounded scholar in the religion, and so their ignorance is damaging to those around them, the scholar and the worshiper alike. This is why the hardliners can be harmful, deceiving themselves and others.

From whom should you learn? The local imam? Or the celebrity YouTube daa’iyah?

Believe it or not, I am not upset if you learn about Islam from Omar Suleiman or Yasir Qadhi. I see a lot of criticism, among lay Muslims and scholars alike, against the “celebrity shaykh culture”.

A lot of people forget that this culture has been around since the people of Medinah gathered to welcome the Prophet Muhammad enter after the hijrah. And it continued when Imam al-Bukhari entered towns and people lined up a mile just to see him — provoking jealousy among some of his teachers. It continued in the Middle Ages with some scholars walking around Andalus followed by an entourage of young men with their booklets and quills in hand waiting to take down any word he uttered. No one prohibited it then, nor should they now. But everyone should remember that everyone is fallible, and to connect to the message, not the message giver, except for our general love for the believers and conveyors of the deen.

A teacher who teaches and researches full time – or if they have a full-time researcher while they simply do the teaching part – will always be more effective at teaching than someone who is torn between dozens of other responsibilities. Especially if that teacher has a dedicated crew of experts in video blogging to make sure the message is given in the most palatable form. Sitting in a masjid without chairs is uncomfortable for most people. Sometimes you cannot even hear the shaykh properly. That’s even if the presentation content and style are stimulating.

But believe it or not, I benefit from them too. I know some of the individuals who do their research for them, and so I trust their sources. And that is perhaps the greatest surprise I’ve had since I became an imam — how much I would refer to English speakers. I originally learned Arabic to avoid that. But when I realized how hard translating was, and wanted to know how to present certain topics in a ready manner, I found myself watching YouTube shaykhs. Given, many that I listen to are also in Arabic like Umar AbdulKafi, Muhammad Rateb al-Nabulsi, or Saeed al-Kamali.

When I was in my last year at Medinah, I asked a brother, “How do I prepare a khutbah?” And he suggested I watch Nouman Ali Khan, who, at the time, I had never heard of. But that’s where it started.

Time management

{إِنَّ لَكَ فِي النَّهَارِ سَبْحًا طَوِيلًا}

Indeed, for you by day is prolonged occupation. [73:7]

For most Muslims with regular jobs, they leave their work and are eager to worship and learn. The imam’s job is leading worship, teaching and helping. So when the imam comes home, will he take his work with him and be just as eager? He may for some capacities at some times. Not as much for others. It’s a guy thing in general to unwind when they come home, and “not bring their work home with them”. I once saw a short about why a man stays in his truck a few minutes after coming home before entering the home. It reminds me of my father, a judge, who disliked watching courtroom dramas. I imagine physicians and nurses also turn the channel past medical themed shows. And it must be especially frustrating when seeing the script contain things you would never see in real life. Thus, my wife often learns about my job from other community members. I come home to be with my wife and kids.

Between counseling and random requests, many worshipers enjoy hanging out with the imam. However, this may be annoying for the imam, given his workload, or his personal time, depending on when it happens. And this may sound stingy. But this imam wouldn’t be the first…

{يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَدْخُلُوا بُيُوتَ النَّبِيِّ إِلَّا أَنْ يُؤْذَنَ لَكُمْ إِلَى طَعَامٍ غَيْرَ نَاظِرِينَ إِنَاهُ وَلَكِنْ إِذَا دُعِيتُمْ فَادْخُلُوا فَإِذَا طَعِمْتُمْ فَانْتَشِرُوا وَلَا مُسْتَأْنِسِينَ لِحَدِيثٍ إِنَّ ذَلِكُمْ كَانَ يُؤْذِي النَّبِيَّ فَيَسْتَحْيِي مِنْكُمْ وَاللَّهُ لَا يَسْتَحْيِي مِنَ الْحَقِّ …} سورة الأحزاب

“O you who have believed, do not enter the houses of the Prophet except when you are permitted for a meal, without awaiting its readiness. But when you are invited, then enter; and when you have eaten, disperse without seeking to remain for conversation. Indeed, that [behavior] was troubling the Prophet, and he is shy of [dismissing] you. But Allah is not shy of the truth.” [33:53]

You might be surprised that Allah put this in the Quran. Don’t go to the Prophet’s house unless you are invited. And even then, don’t come early, and don’t stay late. Allah defended His Messenger’s time.

However, the imam’s time is paid for with the wealth of the Muslim community. This is an amānah for the benefit of all the Muslims. Not just those who frequent the masjid and are in lesser need of the guidance. Hanging out, if not during relaxing community events, should be limited to getting to know someone in need of that time to open up and progress in their relationship with Allah.

The Imam’s family

In between graduating from Medinah in 2013 and going to Malaysia, my home town had two full time imams. By the time I finished in Malaysia, just two years later, there were none. And from what I heard, both were divorced. That was disconcerting, to say the least.

Most American families, whether working or schooling, come home in the afternoon and have every weekday evening together, and a full weekend together.

For the imam, if he leads fajr, he may not see his family in the morning. And if he leads asr, maghrib and isha, especially when the prayer is later or he gives a dars after isha, he may not even see them at night. And because of weekend activities, he may hardly see them on weekends!

Some imams may see their families less than divorced fathers see theirs.

This is why requiring the imam to lead five prayers a day, seven days a week, is inconsiderate at best. It is also why imams absolutely must have at least one full day a week where contacting them is off limits. To recharge and spend time with families. Other religious leaders I talk to refer to their days off as “sacred time”. I do too.

Community members might say “why doesn’t the family come to the masjid more then?” To be technical, the contract is with the imam, not the family. Such a question is insensitive to the family’s situation and encroaches upon their privacy. I remember Imam Malik (rh) seemingly frustrated when asked why he would not attend the Prophet’s masjid in his latter years. Muslims always critique each other for not being absolutely perfect public examples. And they will drag someone through the mud if they make any slip-up. Living in public is not for everyone. And one wonders if it is even for anyone. I’ve seen many converts leave Islam for the same reason. You overburden your imams, so how will the converts fair?

Time at the masjid is not family time. Not for the imam’s wife and the imam’s children. It is not time to relax, ask the kids how their day was, help them with their homework, help the mother cook, or have an intimate family dinner together, joke and play, etc. Rather, the imam at the masjid must be available first and foremost for the people, since that time is a trust. He must maintain the demeanor and decorum of imams, in his masjid, and in all places where he is known to be an imam. Otherwise, the community loses their reverential haibah for scholars. And that is a difficult pressure upon imams that affects all their relationships.

True friendships are hard to cultivate in new communities, and difficult to carry over from old.

Personal health, diet, and exercise

Some Bosnian brothers once told me they have a saying that if you hang out with an imam you will either hear something good or eat something good. Some Imams I visit, you will always see a gifted box or tray of food in their office.

I can control my diet beautifully if living the bachelor’s life all alone. I can control my diet fairly well, as a husband and father. I STRUGGLE controlling my diet as an Imam: where I may leave my desk for prayer and return to find a mysterious plate of biryani, pizza, or baklava. Or where I am invited often to attend dinners, whether at the masjid or during meetings and appointments or events and am guilt-tripped into eating the worst offenders of foods. Being an imam is like being at your mother’s home and she wants to cook several big meals for you each day and she accuses you of being ungrateful or unhealthy if you don’t clean each plate and have seconds and thirds. “Food pushers” are what they are called by diet coaches.

I am amazed at Imams who manage to stay in good shape throughout their tenure—they usually have health conscious or indigenous communities of converts, or as science suggests: good gut bacteria they received from their mothers that help with digestion and keep them thin for life! Or their communities are just small and “active” enough that it’s an infrequent occurrence. Or there are enough imams allowing them to skip out of half the events and invitations. And I get Imams who are technically obese, especially in immigrant communities where gifting food is a customary show of support.

Many of the very same individuals who I speak to about this culture of unhealthy food will be the same to bring bad food time and time again, seemingly to tempt you. For me personally, it is like offering liquor to an alcoholic. I grew up a few pounds overweight and have yoyo dieted throughout my adult life. I feel the masjid food culture also deprives my wife the ability to cook for me, and my own ability to cook for myself.

Intercity masajid are less likely to have a usable basketball court, weight room, or any means of being active while on the job—not that the imam would have time for that anyway. Larger masjid facilities may only be available at certain hours or if there is no attached school. But who wants their imam leading prayers while sweaty and smelly? It is up to the imam when he is at home, but again, that is if he is not preparing a khutbah or changing his children’s diapers.

Continued Education

The imam is literally expected to know everything and have wise miracle answers for a variety of maladies. Those closer to the imam know the reality. I recall the story of the Moroccan traveler who came to Imam Malik with a list of some forty questions or so, and the Imam responded to three, while saying “I don’t know” to the rest. The traveler said, “what should I tell my people?” The Imam said, “tell them Imam Malik doesn’t know”.

Community members ask – and assume I’ll provide the right answer from the top of my head – about Sunday School, youth programs, outreach, youth and family counseling, and general questions of halal and haram and what job they should take, who they should marry, etc. Whether it is a matter of strategy, or even issues of fiqh, let me research or review and get back to you.

In some cases, I may want to create a research and development committee that turns the knowledge into a program. I am often just too inundated and continuously responding to immediate requests to be able to do anything that requires research. The imam is like the general practitioner in this sense. There are academics and duaat and judges in the Muslim world along with activists and full-time counselors, youth directors, etc. The imam is expected to be all of those and is often belittled or considered deficient if he is less than par on one of them.

The toolbox an imam requires in his work is immense. Traditional seminaries, universities, knowledge circles and mashayakh only give a couple tools—although they probably give the best brands of those tools than any western university or online English Islamic program could provide – although the latter may give more supports in the imam’s other needs. There are some classes at local colleges and Christian seminaries that could provide other tools. But I have yet to see any curriculum that gives an aspiring imam everything he needs.

I wish masajid understood this. Some masajid mis-understand it. They say the imam should have a degree in social work as well, and psychology. Hey, a lot of members are old and have heart problems, why not be a cardiologist too? Or get a law degree, specialize in immigration and estate law and divorce law and, and and… When will it end? Muslim communities willing to help themselves will employ separate people in separate positions, even if one of them only visits the masjid one day a month. Sometimes that is all that is needed, without demanding that the imam get another $50,000 2-year masters degree.

People imagine the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ won the Battle of Badr himself, while forgetting the other 309 sahabah that were present. What helped the Muslims win was the attitude of “we will not sit by and say to you like the Children of Israel said to Musa go you and your Lord and fight while we sit here.” I believe very strongly that not just physicians with their occasional pro bono clinics, but also counselors, lawyers, social workers, etc, should all lend even just one day a month at the masjid, or just a few hours, to offer their services to the greater community, for free or subsidized.

But what Imams could definitely benefit from are occasional courses, intensives, seminars and workshops that make them better at what is in their traditional roles. Seminars designed for imams regarding Islamic finance, family counseling, media training, weekend school programming, convert issues, etc. It is extremely important that imams get to see and visit other imams from around the country to stay on top of the latest fiqh, youth programs, and discussions so that their community may benefit as well. Some seminaries, even online and colleges, offer single classes or small certificates in pastoral counseling. Imams should request reimbursement for all related continued education expenses from their masjid, or report it in their taxes if they itemize their deductions.

Sharpening the saw

The continuous inundation of requests and needs from the community – even just leading prayers one after the other – prevent the imam from a lot of deep thought and the time it takes to research or mentally “get in the zone” or even network to discover creative solutions to a lot of the community’s greater underlying problems. It may also prevent him from simply enjoying the Quran as it is meant to be enjoyed, and relaxing as he may need.

Everyone needs a break. Hours in the day, days in the week, and weeks in the year. And depending on the profession, some people also need months or a year in the decade. Ministers, like academics, are often offered a yearlong or summer sabbatical to refresh, renew, and keep up qualifications. The time allows them to empower their toolbox with continued education. I think of the forty days Musa (AS) spent on Mt Toor of Sinai, despite what the Children of Israel were doing. And when Musa was sent to learn from al-Khidr. A similar report is given of Isa (AS) in the wilderness. And of course, when Luke Skywalker visited Yoda in Return of the Jedi to finish his training, despite his formidability and the need the rebels had for him.

There is so much that imams could do with a sabbatical that would make them more effective overall. Review Quran, study a subject they are weak in with a specialized scholar or school, write a book, take a course, and self-tazkiyah, even if it includes withdrawing from people and shepherding in the wilderness. Unfortunately, sabbaticals are almost unheard of in our profession. I want to see that change. A local minister told me he receives two weeks for every year he works that are added to his sabbatical that he takes every 5 years. That’s two months off, an entire summer, every five years. A masjid that has such a policy is just about guaranteed to keep their imam loyal to them for such increments.

Of course, not every imam position is the same. The Islamic Center of Pittsburgh is the busiest masjid in Western Pennsylvania. From the moment I enter until the moment I leave every day, I’m busy. But in my previous masjid in east St Louis, between jumuah and ishaa, sometimes only one woman would pray behind me for asr. And just a handful for maghrib. There was plenty of time between prayers to read and prepare duroos at least. And some imams are part-time, or their wives are wealthy professionals and providing, so they have a different dynamic.

[How much] Should Imams be compensated?

“Our previous imam didn’t take a salary. We loved him. This one wants to have his cake and eat it too! The role of the imam should be for the sake of Allah: not taking a penny.”

“I think our imams deserve the highest paid positions in the community. Even if the imam is driving a Lamborghini, that will attract more people to Islam to see what Allah blesses the Muslims with and how we love and respect our spiritual guides.”

This disparity of thinking is also reflected by surveys of how much religious leaders make in America. Where’s the truth?

This topic is astonishingly contentious – but becoming less so, alhamdulillah. In the Muslim blogosphere, Ibn Abee Omar penned quite an appeal justifying a more handsome compensation for imams, starting at 200k! Shaykh Joe Bradford also gathered some scholarship to demonstrate that it is not religiously frowned upon for an imam to receive compensation. And this precedent was set early, back when imam duties were far less than they were today. Umar ibn al-Khattaab gave stipends specific for teachers and “government” employees, be they imam, teacher, muadhin, qadi, etc.

Note that those two articles begin the same way, “A controversial/contentious issue….” The main and only argument I’ve ever heard from those who assert that imams should not be paid, is that they are, or should be, doing their work for Allah, fi sabilillah, for the sake of Allah. But remember, our scripture also emphasizes that jihad should be strictly for Allah – to the point that whenever the Quran says “in the way of Allah” it is assumed that jihad is intended, and nothing else. This, yet Muslim fighters were allowed to strip the belongings off of the soldiers they killed, and they were even given land from the towns they conquered. True, the Hereafter reward may be decreased by hastened dunya reward, but the point is that there is no contradiction between doing an action for Allah while simultaneously being compensated for it.

There are a lot of things we should do for Allah. If there is any other vocation I can think of deserving to be for Allah, it is law, as justice should never have a financial barrier. But tell lawyers and judges they should work for free. Some lawyers take cases for free, pro bono, but no one lives without a salary. If you argue that lawyers could or should be compensated by the government to such an extent that they are immune to bribery, then why not imams to such an extent that they are immune to begging or bowing to the whims of a few wealthy donors or misinformed board members? You do want them to preach the rule of the Lord of the Worlds sincerely and without fear, right?

You could also say that healing people should be done for Allah, as well. And if you want more blessings in what you do, to donate your time, skills, etc.

Is there anything that should not be done for Allah? I cannot think of anything. After all, our lives should be for Allah. You own a restaurant? Why not feed people for Allah. Most restaurants and grocers would rather throw food away to keep the prices high rather than give anything for free. Oh but you do? But how do you provide for yourself? Oh, so it’s only the leftovers that you give? Gotcha. Please continue preaching to us about how imams should work for free.

Should being an imam be a volunteer position, filled by someone with other sufficient income streams? The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was a merchant, but it seems clear from his seerah that from the time he went into seclusion at Hira’, his merchant days were over. And from the day after Abu Bakr receive bai`ah as khaleefah of the Messenger ﷺ, the companions forbade him from going to the market, but forced him to receive a stipend to support himself and family. The message in these cases is clear: “We need you available for us. This is a full-time responsibility.” Follow the imam around for the day. You’ll learn.

But for the sake of those on the fence, I’m going to ask a few questions.

Should imams be allowed to have families? Or should we follow the Catholic tradition that makes priests and monks and nuns take a vow of poverty and celibacy? Or did Allah in fact criticize that tradition and call it an innovation and we know that every innovation is misguidance and every misguidance leads to the Fire? And then we would definitely witness a surge of scandals.

But if yes, imams should be allowed to have families just like the Prophet ﷺ did, then who should provide for those families?

If imams should not be earning and should not be prevented from having families, which female earner wants to support her imam husband and children? Should then the imam be raising his children while his wife is working side by side with men? How will he lead fajr and isha if he is preparing his children for school and getting them ready for bed while his wife is burnt out from work? Or could this be a possible reason why the Sharia allowed and preferred women to stay and pray at home?

Ask those men who have both qualifications in secular fields, whether education, medicine, engineering, etc along with Islamic studies and have worked both in their fields and as imams, which one do they feel requires more education or requires more commitment and has greater demands. I’m not saying that imams and Islamic studies requires more. I’m saying ask them. I’m genuinely curious. But I can guarantee, no one will say that work in the secular field and its qualifications are so much more demanding that they require and deserve compensation that imams should never receive.

There is an Islamic principle which states: if there is a needed benefit that requires someone’s time to procure and maintain, then that person must be financially supported.

Real Islam is practical and makes sense, despite the emotional mantras of ignoramuses. That’s in addition to the simple fact that every human being must be supported. To say otherwise is to say that some people should be allowed to starve to death, because if they can’t survive, then tough luck, survival of the fittest, social Darwinism.

The only question is who supports them. In most cases, people support themselves and support relatives who are unable to work, whether due to age or disability, their dependents. And in nearly all Muslim countries, the imam position is a paid government position. Many of our community members forget this, and perhaps think the imams abroad work for free and have day jobs over there too.

So if imams are healthy, should they be supported or supporting?

Is an imam’s work full time? That depends on the needs of the community, which depends on the community’s own level of knowledge and volunteerism.

Despite Biblical shunning of wealth and materialism, pastors and rabbis are ironically compensated far better than imams, with greater benefits.

So what about imams? And what about the shortage of imams in America? Could there be a link to how imams are treated and the lack of imams in America? Until masajid treat the imam position with 1) financial respect and incentive and 2) realistic job expectations, they will be unable to keep imams settled in place, and they will be unable to motivate a new generation of home-grown youth to follow in their footsteps. Until community members donate handsomely to create big and awesome communities with multiple leaders, a male imam for prayers, male and female resident scholars, outreach coordinators and youth directors, male and female Quran teachers, etc., then we will always be looking at our one single imam thinking of all the things that he is not. Until donors realize that funding people is more valuable than funding more steel structures.

To answer the question, how much should imams really be paid, the answer is simple:

Imams should be paid enough to support themselves and to attract and keep those qualified within this career and loyal to the community, but not so much that it attracts those with bad intentions and have no business on the minbar.

At current, imam salaries across the US have not reached this point. There are even students of knowledge, and current imams who decide to go into IT, business, or teach English abroad. If masajid cannot compete with median tech jobs or fried chicken storefronts, then we are a lost community. But on the bright side, masajid are catching up, and people are starting to realize the need. I’ve seen many posts recently where the position offers 75 – 100k at medium-sized suburban masajid or even as much as 150k at intercity centers. However, the job descriptions still are not realistic. No one will care how much you offer if you don’t let them have a couple dinners with their family every week, or give their children a hug every morning before school.

The main gripe I used to hear from students of knowledge was they did not want to “live at the mercy of the people’s sadaqah”. That issue, is improving. But moreso, the latest excuse I hear is, “being micromanaged by an ignorant board”.

Let me say, because I did not say in my previous article about masjid boards: a masjid board is no different that a regular boss at a 9-5. Except there are more, but you’ll probably see them a lot less than the boss at the 9 – 5. And many may just give you a thumbs up and not have anything more to say. Some bosses are great and empowering, whereas others are stifling. This is one aspect of the job that can be detrimental, but it comes with any job. Even if you are self-employed, then you’re answering to customers and their demands – whether it is the paint color they choose, the website they want designed, or meal they want delivered. So pick your poison. The money doesn’t come out of thin air. 

Sure, masjid boards need to stop treating the masjid as a business with business mentality, “revenue is down, if we drop our imam, we can save money for a year or two and hire a fresh one for a lot less. So-and-so has been itching to give khutbah lately, so we can cover for a while.” With that mentality, the community will suffer, and no long-term relationships will be fostered with an active imam.

A local minister once gave me a document that his church denomination uses to determine minister salaries. It is based on church size (five tiers) and years served. It was impressive. And I realized his salary was more than twice mine. 

But we are far away from this model, as I am still occasionally asked, “so what’s your day job?”

Job Security

Rarely is an imam fired. If they overstepped a moral boundary, then yes, whether financial or regarding women or children. Sometimes a frustrated khutbah may lead to their downfall – although I believe paid leave may in fact be the better discipline.^[1]The frustrated khutbah is an outward manifestation of likely months or years of unsuccessful discussion. The imam may also be fired for “nonfulfillment” of contract, like extended unexcused absence.

More often, a board will not fire an imam, but just wait for the imam’s contract to expire, and simply not renew it. Sometimes the board will not even give any warning about this to the imam. He will just be told during a one-on-one with a board member. Other times, he may be asked “what will you do after your contract expires?”

In the corporate world, people are usually laid off when their function is no longer needed. For imams, we’ve seen that even if leading prayers or giving duroos can be done by lay leaders, it is not the same as having a spiritual lighthouse for the community.

The board is where many people go to complain about the imam—that is, if they don’t bide their time and become board members themselves and work to release the imam. People generally avoid confrontation and do not like to “open up a can of worms” and so they prefer to orchestrate things behind the scenes. They enjoy their echo chambers and do not want their thoughts challenged. At any given time, an imam can assume this is going on.

I remember one imam, who was invited to the National Prayer Breakfast being let go, “I was blindsided, never saw it coming.” There was no opportunity given to change his course or opportunity to justify any words or habits. No opportunity to apologize for an offense to a long-time donor or group offended by his remark, much less receive mediation. No opportunity to renegotiate the terms of contract, for example, or to even share his role with another. It is just that the board, or maybe just one single outspoken board member or donor wants a change, to remake the masjid in their image.

Any potential imam must learn a lot about the “firing process” of that community, its bylaws, and perhaps even dictate certain terms in his contract to either avoid this or lessen its damage should it happen. I’ve observed enough to know to never take anything for granted. The board that first fell in love with the imam and hired him will soon be switched out.

When a beloved invested imam is suddenly let go, it capsizes their world, may send them into depression, divorce, and a completely different career. This is tragic when there already exists an imam shortage in America. It is more than tragic, but suspicious when it is simply over different personalities between imam and the wrong board member, donor or community activist who thinks they know Islam. I sometimes ask communities, “why did you let go of your imam?” I am often given reasons that make little sense and seem to boil down to the board being bored or just ignorant of Islam or simply not understanding the imam’s perspective or his strengths and weaknesses. Oh, he gave bad advice to a married couple? Dude, you know, even some lawyers give bad advice to their clients. Even some doctors give bad advice to their patients. Medical error is the third leading cause of death in the United States. If the hospitals let go of their physicians and nurses every time that happened, no one would want to become one. And you wonder why no one wants to become an imam. 

Everyone hates corruption. Yet sometimes an imam may be let go because a big donor threatened to withdraw funding because the imam treated them and their causes equal to everyone else. “I give so much to this masjid!“

I remind donors, “did you give that money for Allah or for yourself?” If they say for Allah, then that means they have to put trust in these institutions and remove your ego afterwards. If you give zakat to a man and later see him smoking cigarettes, that does not mean your zakaat was in vain nor does it mean he is disqualified from ever receiving zakat again. فتأمّل. So ponder.

And when I say that imam-critics are ignorant of Islam, what I mean is that so many community members will learn about Islam from the internet (if they learn at all). From YouTube scholars especially. One YouTube shaykh may say that a certain practice is a bid`ah. The community member or board member loves that YouTube shaykh and takes their word to be “gospel” and starts telling others that the local imam is ignorant and preaching bid`ah. They do not bother researching whether or not this is a matter of difference of opinion among scholars, or even if great scholars or even some of the Four Imams considered it to be bid`ah.

Occasionally there are genuine clashes. If it is personality, then the board revolves but the imam is not only an individual but an idea. And dismissing the idea is traumatizing to the community in ways no one may truly understand. But removing and replacing a board member or two who want to make radical changes to the community dynamic should be considered a hundred times before removing an imam is considered once. 

If there is one lesson we learn from the opening ayahs of Surah 80 `Abasa wa tawalla, it is that there is no imam, no scholar, who will be at their best every moment, if Allah’s Messenger ﷺ wasn’t at his. There were times when some people asked questions, and other companions recognized and described the visible frustration of the Prophet ﷺ. If that is the case for the chief of the children of Adam, then how about the rest of us? Or have we also forgotten when Musa (AS) threw down the tablets containing the Word of Allah?

There is a forgotten sunnah of Islam in marriage and in general conflict, and that is arbitration and mediation. Allah commands this in the Quran between couples.

Many imam job descriptions will say “skilled in conflict resolution”. In my 4 plus years as an imam, I am rarely called to do this. Although when I do, it is usually for family matters.

I was happy to take a course on arbitration and conflict resolution during the pandemic. But when people are actually in conflict, like when a board could be in conflict with their imam, it is rare that outside arbitration is sought. And just like when Allah tells arbiters to come together regarding a clashing couple, “one from his family and one from her family”, such arbitration could involve a similar imam and a former masjid administrator from the same or different community.

Moral of the story, if you like your imam, or you like imams period, tell the board and put a check in their hand. If you disagree strongly with something he said or did, ask the imam about it at a good time and then consult other mature and knowledgeable imams. It may not be as bad as you think it is.

The Ideal Imam

You mean, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ?

What many forget, is that the Medina of the Prophet ﷺ was a small city, and even in that, there were many smaller masjids, and the Prophet ﷺ delegated a lot of tasks. He said to take the Quran from four, for example, naming some of the Sahabah. He did not even mention himself! And even in the small community of Makkah, before the hijrah, when the Muslims may not have even been a hundred individuals, teaching was often delegated.

Anyone who remembers how Umar accepted Islam may have forgotten that when he went to his sister’s home, he found his sister and brother-in-law learning Quran from one of the Prophet’s students: Khabbaab ibn al-Aratt. Those with greater understanding of the lives of the companions know how much they actually did, and how much they led and assisted, even during the Prophet’s time. Although they were inspired and first taught by Allah’s Messenger ﷺ. For every ghazwah the Prophet ﷺ led, there were, according to some estimates, four saraya led by his companions.

The Prophet ﷺ also had a couple advantages that no human after him will ever have. Allah turned his shaytaan Muslim, so he only incites him to good. And Allah sent Jibreel to remove the shaytaan’s portion from the Prophet’s heart. The Prophet’s heart was pure, and so were his motives. Yet even he needed a break, and Allah gave him some privileges of what he was made to love of this world that no other Muslim is allowed. And he even told his companions, “an hour at a time”.

Further, the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ had some advantages many imams do not have. The Prophet ﷺ did not have to study and review the way that we do. Consider the ayahs 16 – 19 of Surat al-Qiyaamah. Except for his nightly qiyam and annual Ramadan review with Jibreel. Reviewing knowledge is one thing imams have to do that the Prophet did not. Translating(!) is a skill by itself. Recently, Sh Nuh Keller published a Quran translation he spent seventeen years on. If you think an imam is a problem because he mistranslates verses or hadeeth, who is free from error?

There is no ideal imam that ticks all of the boxes. Even imams who I feel tick most of the boxes, inevitably, they have an ethnic background. And so Muslims of other nationalities may not feel the same closeness.

But that’s okay! Trying to chase after “the perfect imam” who is Pakistani, yet knows Persian, and is married to a half-Palestinien half-Black American, who got a bachelors from Medinah, and then learned in Mauritania, and then got their double major of psychology and bio-chem from Harvard after graduating from the school of hard knocks, while being 50 years old and looking 20; memorized the Quran, etc etc. Dream on!

Is the ideal imam younger or older? Maybe he’s older but looks younger! But how long will that last? Ideally, perhaps someone who can act young around kids, yet organize them, and be composed, mature and articulate around elders. But I even hesitate to mention this, because we should not be like the woman visiting the husband store!

Is the ideal imam homegrown or is he found from a national search? The homegrown is less likely to be tempted by outside job offerings. But the one from far may be seen as an impartial arbiter, since his family isn’t caught up in any of the local gossip groups. For an imam himself, the homegrown community may be ideal, if they don’t treat him like a child, because they may be shy to let go of one of their own.

Are the ideal imam’s kids young or grown up? If they’re grown, the imam will have more time for the community, likely. But if they’re young and in the community’s programs, the imam will be a more diligent director of those programs, but also more protective of his “sacred family time”. Allah knows best.

Is the imam given too much power? Or not enough? There are a couple paradigms here. One is that “we need to give the imam more power, the boards are dictating too much and not giving the imam the freedom to do what he needs to do.” The other is, “the imam has too much power, the board needs to reign him in.” People may make these general statements to apply to all communities of America. The reality is it depends on the dynamic of any one masjid community. However, we must avoid thinking or believing that imams should be supermen.

For a tiny community with limited needs, probably the more power the imam has would be better. But for a larger community, too much would be too much responsibility. Consider the back-and-forth that goes on in this interview, albeit the clickbait title.

In closing

I’m not writing this article to say “stop knocking on my door”. Alhamdulillah I am happy that I am here to help you. But I feel I have to mention that because many of the e-mails and phone calls I receive begin with “Salaam, I know you’re busy, but…”. And so I have to remind people, “this is my job, this is what I’m busy with, so it’s okay.” My purpose as an imam is to be bothered — during my hours. That is why I’m here. That’s the job description and it’s what I enjoy about being an imam. The variety and spontaneity, even if it is sometimes mentally draining and I do not know how to respond.

But I’m happy to be making a difference, alhamdulillah. That is why I left other career pathways for this one.

I’m writing this article to say two things: help your imam out whoever he is wherever you can, by volunteering, or financially supporting the masjid more. And second, raise one of your children to be an Islamic scholar. That is the only way the burden on imams will ever be dissipated. 

Support human resources. The building won’t talk to your kids or coax you through a divorce or lead prayers itself.

And if the imam is slow at responding to your request, or you think he’s not doing his duties, then ask him, as a community member, as a board member, what resources he needs to be more productive. And if you find he is lacking in a certain department, whether it is leading prayer itself, or speaking the native language, or speaking the old language, consider hiring help before firing help. If there are ten checkboxes for an imam, most will tick off about 6 of them. If you think your imam checks off all ten checkboxes, then you don’t know the community’s needs well enough.

Too many communities let go of an imam who ticks 7 or 8 out of 10 boxes. So they want to hire a young, inexperienced imam who ticks 5 out of 10. Give the senior imam an assistant or a youth director or a Quran hifz teacher or outreach coordinator if that is what is missing. Putting too much on one person leads to burnout and ultimately unfulfilled expectations. Communities think they can rely on lay people for those unticked boxes – and sometimes that is possible. But often, it is relying too much on volunteers that forces a community to search for an imam in the first place. When one volunteer’s ignorance or biases show or that dynamic volunteer departs from the community.

For communities that rely too much on one person, even if that person does tick all the boxes – what a great guy he must be – they often go through tremendous shock, and then decay, when that individual passes away or moves. The more people involved or at least trained to fill in, the less detrimental it is when even that perfect specimen bids farewell. And that may be why the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was so perfect, because many were trained to fill in for him in all appropriate areas, even if they did not know it yet. Had he been otherwise, Islam would not be the same.

 قُلْ سُبْحَانَ رَبِّي هَلْ كُنْتُ إِلَّا بَشَرًا رَسُولًا [17:93]

Say: “Glorified be my Lord! Am I anything but a human, sent as a Messenger?” [17:93]

This concludes my series answering the question: “what does the imam do in his office all day?” I hope you enjoyed or at least learned something about my profession.

I turn to Allah the Almighty and I ask Him by His Beautiful Names and Lofty Attributes to make this work a source of benefit for its readers. O Allah grant me ikhlaas to YOU in all my words and deeds. O Allah forgive me my shortcomings and excesses. O Allah turn the hearts of Your worshipers to love and support those who lead them in prayers, those who teach their children, those who admonish them on Fridays, and those who marry and bury them. Ameen