Therapist role.

Therapist role.

by Elena Carmona -
Number of replies: 1

Assalamu aleikum, sheikh Faraz mentions how wrong is to charge or to gain money for teaching the word of Allah, like making profit from it. This is something I have always felt very strong about. I am now studying Psychology, and going starting Islamic Counselling and I quite like it, but since it considers the counselor/therapist as a facilitators that helps the person to be back in contact with their inner guidance(fitrah), that  is connected with Allah swt, how does it make it all right to charge as much money as the counselor services do? The training is clearly expensive, and I said to myself that is the time, skills and the counselor/therapists  listening time that the client is paying for. 

Am I confusedly mixing two things that are not connected?

Many thanks.

Elena

In reply to Elena Carmona

Re: Therapist role.

by Shaykh Yusuf Weltch -
Wa alaikum salaam,

It is permissible to take compensation for any religious action that is not personally obligatory on you. Likewise it is impermissible to take compensation, in the Hanafi school, for mere recitation (not teaching) of the Qur'an.

Aside from the above, it is permissible to take compensation for any act of worship that is a communal obligation or service - as others besides yourself are able to perform. Examples of this are, calling the adhan, leading the prayer, performing weddings, washing the deceased and performing the funeral prayer, teaching religious teachings, teaching Qur'anic recitation, etc...

Counseling is a communal obligation and a great service not only to Muslims but to humanity at large. You are permitted to take compensation for your counselling.

With that being said, one should make their intention in doing such things attaining the pleasure of Allah Most High and not merely the amassing of wealth. One should see their taking of compensation as a means to free your mind to focus on your noble task. Would you be able to benefit others as much if you had to spend time earning a living by other means and only counselled when you had free time. In this case, it would be praiseworthy to take the compensation and use it as a means to benefit more people.

Hope this clears things up and proves as a road map out of confusion
Feel free to ask any follow up questions
Yusuf