Ramzan Spotlight: Community Leaders Call For Better Salaries And Support For Mosque Imams In Mumbai

Mumbai: As Muslims observe Ramzan — a month associated with charity, good deeds, fasting from dawn to dusk and increased prayers — voices within the community are growing louder about the need to provide better financial and material support to Imams who lead congregational prayers in mosques.

Former MLA Highlights Hardship

Former MLA and advocate Yusuf Abrahani has appealed to the community to pay greater attention to the welfare of Imams, describing them as holders of the highest religious position within the community. In a statement, Abrahani said that the modest salaries many Imams receive make it difficult for them to support their families and fulfil their responsibilities.

“An Imam occupies the highest religious post in the community. However, if his salary is only around Rs 14,000 to Rs 15,000, he will not be able to fulfil his familial responsibilities. In such a situation, he will not be able to perform his religious duties effectively. If the Imams are happy, the community will be happy. Unfortunately, it seems that we are ignoring their needs,” Abrahani said.

Disparity Between Big and Small Mosques

According to data from the Maharashtra State Wakf Board, there are around 3,500 mosques across Mumbai. While well-funded mosque trusts, such as the Jama Masjid, offer Imams monthly salaries ranging between Rs 30,000 and Rs 40,000 along with residential accommodation, the situation is far more difficult in smaller neighbourhood mosques. In many of these mosques, salaries reportedly range between Rs 7,000 and Rs 12,000 per month, leaving Imams struggling to make ends meet.

Members of the community say that greater awareness and support are needed. Irfan Machchiwala, a resident of Mahim, said the issue had long been overlooked. “Abrahani is right. Smaller mosques pay between Rs 10,000 and Rs 12,000. The community spends generously on food and gatherings, but the man who leads the prayers sometimes struggles to feed his family. People are not doing enough for the Imams,” Machchiwala said.

Training and Zakat Support as a Solution

Some community leaders believe that alongside financial assistance, Imams should also be encouraged to develop additional sources of income. Aamir Edresy, president of the Association of Muslim Professionals, said the organisation’s annual initiative to channelise zakat — the mandatory charitable contribution in Islam — also supports members of the clergy.

“We help them by training them in skills that can lead to self-employment. We want to expand this effort, particularly in villages and smaller towns, so that they can lead dignified lives,” Edresy said.

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