Abstention from Taking Gifts for Teaching the Qur’an

During the blessed lifetime of the Holy Prophet (sa), Hazrat Ubayy (ra) taught the Holy Quran to Hazrat Tufail bin Amr Dausi, who in return presented him with a bow as a gift. Hazrat Ubayy (ra) took hold of the bow and presented himself before the Holy Prophet (sa). The Holy Prophet (sa) enquired where he got the bow from and Hazrat Ubayy (ra) submitted that it was a gift from one of his students. The Holy Prophet (sa) instructed him to return it and to refrain from such gifts. Similarly, another student gifted him a piece of cloth and the Holy Prophet (sa) gave the same instruction. Thereafter, Hazrat Ubayy (ra) completely abstained from taking anything in return of teaching the Holy Quran.

The people of Syria would learn the Holy Quran from Hazrat Ubayy (ra) and would also get the scribes of Medina to produce copies of the Holy Quran. In return of their services for transcribing the copies of the Quran, they would invite the scribes to eat with them. However, Hazrat Ubayy (ra) would never accept their invitation. Once, Hazrat Umar (ra) enquired from Hazrat Ubayy (ra) regarding the kind of foods eaten in Syria and he replied that he never ate with them and would always eat his own food.

(Sheikh Shah Moinuddin Ahmad Nadvi, Siyar al-Sahabah, Vol. 3 [Karachi, Pakistan: Dar al-Ishaah Urdu Bazar, 2004] 151-152)