The discussion occurred between a Professor who is my former mentor during my study years and us, his former students through FB. One issue cropped up on the exorbitant and hefty charges incurred of "a religious talk for two nights at a 5-star hotel for a price of RM 2,000.00"... The Professor raised the issue because of a brochure he received of the above said program, and posted it over FB to gauge response from others... I immediately replied and responded to him in simple sentence...Dear Prof, Islam is not for sale! I don't agree with the charges....
These are among the justification for what I have said earlier... :
The Ulama’ agreed on the prohibition of accepting payment for teaching Islam. In matters of disseminating knowledge, the Prophet (S) explicitly wanted to include everyone within. He likened a gift in return for teaching as something that would “girdle around your neck with fire on the Day of Resurrection.” The Qur’an says: “Follow those who ask you no fee, and who they themselves are rightly guided” -Surah Yasin, 21.
Admittedly, organizing an event costs money to cover travel, food, shelter, broadcasting, maintenance etc. If the costs can be distributed comfortably amongst the parties involved, it would be an agreeable ecosystem and the community can slowly grow. However, hiking up the price to make real profit is nasty. Likewise, a policy of “only those who can pay can enter” is nasty. There is no need to have our ‘conferences’ in fabulous Hilton’s or near amusement parks and turning the whole entity into an enterprise of profit. This results in the commercialization of Islam. Really, it is a call to awaken ourselves as a community to what path we have led ourselves down and a call to improve to the better.
Dear all...... Please do understand that Islam IS NOT FOR SALE! It is for commercial purpose....Islam is not for the rich only who can get access to such lavish arrangement of daawah while denying the poor or the don'ts access to it!