Is It Permissible to Charge the Same Fee for Group and Individual Tutoring?
Hanafi Fiqh
Answered by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Question
Dear Shaykh, I am a private tutor. Some sessions are one-on-one; others are small groups. May I charge the same per-session fee regardless of group size?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate
Yes, charging the same per-session fee for group and individual tutoring is permissible, provided the pricing is disclosed up front and freely agreed to.
How Tutoring Agreements Are Understood
In the Hanafi school, a tutoring engagement is an ijara (service contract).
A service (ijara) contract binds the parties to a known service for a known price.
Imam Marghinani states the conditions of validity in al-Hidaya:
(a) clear knowledge of the service rendered,
(b) the time involved, and
(c) The agreed compensation [Marghinani, al-Hidaya].
Imam Ibn Abidin treats the same in his great commentary, including the boundaries that protect the contract from ghabn fahish. (gross unfairness) [Ibn Abidin, Radd al-Muhtar]
Allah Most High says: “O you who believe, fulfill your binding obligations…” [Quran, 5:1; Keller, The Quran Beheld]
The Messenger of Allah (peace & blessings be upon him)said, “Whoever hires another, let him inform him of his wage.” [Abu Dawud]
In Mirqat al-Mafatih Sharh Mishkat al-Masabih, Mulla Ali al-Qari explains that the core legal rationale behind this command is the complete elimination of any non-definition (jahala) that could lead to dispure.
What You’re Offering
What you are offering is your time, expertise, and preparation.
The number of students attending one of your sessions does not change those underlying inputs.
Where the payment is defined, agreed, and reasonable for the service rendered, the contract is sound, even when the same price applies to sessions with different attendee counts.
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said: “Muslims are bound by their conditions, except a condition that makes a lawful thing unlawful or an unlawful thing lawful.” [Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud]
Imam Badr al-Din al-Ayni notes in Umdat al-Qari Sharh Sahih al-Bukhari that standard service agreements are governed directly by the custom and voluntary parameters established by the contracting parties.
If a condition is set out transparently and does not violate the clear text of the Sacred Law, it becomes legally binding and represents the binding terms of that specific contract.
Two Practical Considerations
Two practical caveats. First, disclose the policy in advance. A parent who learns mid-engagement that their child’s session costs the same as a group session may feel cheated; honest pricing earns trust.
Second, if the group format makes the tutoring substantially different in quality or attention, consider whether the price difference reflects the actual value being offered.
The question is not simply legal but a reflection: would a reasonable client agree to what you are charging once they know what they are receiving?
Allah Most High says: “…replete the full measure and scales exactingly fair; And cheat not people of aught they are due…” [Quran, 11:85; Keller, The Quran Beheld]
Trust as the Currency of the Trade
The Sacred Law’s concern in transactions is mutual benefit without exploitation. Where pricing is transparent and agreed to, the trade is lawful. Trade with Allah-consciousness, and your work itself becomes worship.
May Allah bless your livelihood and your students.
And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Faraz Rabbani
Related Answers
Is It Permissible to Set a Fixed Price for Teaching Quran? — Covers the permissibility of setting prices for Islamic instruction, including the principle that pricing must be mutually agreed upon and clearly disclosed.
Accepting Wages for Teaching the Quran — Addresses the broader framework for charging for religious instruction, relevant to the question of fee structures for teaching sessions.
Is It Allowed to Share the Cost of an Online Course for Collective Use? — Directly addresses group vs. individual pricing dynamics in Islamic education, providing context for charging the same or different fees.
Run a Business Islamically: Key Principles 2 — Covers Islamic business ethics including transparency and fairness in pricing, providing the overarching framework for this question.
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani is a recognized specialist scholar in the Islamic sciences, having studied under leading scholars from around the world. He is the Founder and Executive Director of SeekersGuidance.
Shaykh Faraz stands as a distinguished figure in Islamic scholarship. His journey in seeking knowledge is marked by dedication and depth. He spent ten years studying under some of the most revered scholars of our times. His initial studies took place in Damascus. He then continued in Amman, Jordan.
In Damascus, he was privileged to learn from the late Shaykh Adib al-Kallas. Shaykh Adib al-Kallas was renowned as the foremost theologian of his time. Shaykh Faraz also studied under Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi in Damascus. Shaykh Hassan is recognized as one of the leading Hanafi jurists of our era.
Upon completing his studies, Shaykh Faraz returned to Canada in 2007. His return marked a new chapter in his service to the community. He founded SeekersGuidance. The organization reflects his commitment to spreading Islamic knowledge. It aims to be reliable, relevant, inspiring, and accessible. This mission addresses both online and on-the-ground needs.
Shaykh Faraz is also an accomplished author. His notable work includes “Absolute Essentials of Islam: Faith, Prayer, and the Path of Salvation According to the Hanafi School,” published by White Thread Press in 2004, which is a significant contribution to Islamic literature.
His influence extends beyond his immediate community. Since 2011, Shaykh Faraz has been recognized as one of the 500 most influential Muslims. This recognition comes from the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center. It underscores his impact on the global Islamic discourse.
Shaykh Faraz Rabbani’s life and work embody a profound commitment to Islamic scholarship. His teachings continue to enlighten and guide seekers of knowledge worldwide.
