Bribery

Prophet Muhammad (peace and prayers be upon him) stated that “Allah’s curse is upon the briber and the person who is bribed” [Reported by Al-Monzery with a good chain of transmission]

In the name of Allah the merciful,

From Abdel Azeez Ibn Baz to any Muslim hearing or seeing this, may Allah keep me and Muslims on the straight path and protect me and them from the hell fire may Allah’s peace, prayings and blessings be upon you

From the things that Islam has prohibited is bribery which is paying money to finish ones service although this service should be done for free by the person responsible. There is an even stronger prohibition when this bribery is to cease ones rights or to make something invalid become valid or to harm someone.

Ibn Abdeen, may he rest in peace, stated in his entourage that bribery is what one gives to a governor or to someone to force the briber to rule for him and do as he pleases. A more clear explanation is that bribery is at times broader than just money or benefit for the briber to do. Bribery is asked for from Governors, workers or business owners such as agent merchants, company owners and real estate owners. What is wanted by the briber from these people is benefits for himself whether these benefits are right or wrong.

Dear brothers, bribery is one of the major sins that Allah has prohibited to his slaves, and Prophet Muhammad (peace and prayers be upon him) has cursed whoever commits bribery. Therefore, we must avoid it and never do it and warn people about it because of the great corruption it causes. It is from the sins and aggressions that Allah has forbade us to do. [Reported by Al-Albani as Munkar (Denied)]

Allah the Almighty stated: “And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.” [Al-Ma’idah 5:2]

Transliteration: wataAAawanoo AAala albirri waalttaqwa wala taAAawanoo AAala alithmi waalAAudwani

Allah the Almighty has forbidden taking ones wealth unlawfully, therefore Allah the Almighty stated: “O you who have believed, do not consume one another's wealth unjustly but only [in lawful] business by mutual consent.” [An-Nisa’ 4:29]

Transliteration:Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo la takuloo amwalakum baynakum bialbatili illa an takoona tijaratan AAan taradin minkum

Allah the Almighty also stated: “And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly or send it [in bribery] to the rulers in order that [they might aid] you [to] consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin, while you know [it is unlawful]” [Al-Baqarah 2:188]

Transliteration:Wala takuloo amwalakum baynakum bialbatili watudloo biha ila alhukkami litakuloo fareeqan min amwali alnnasi bialithmi waantum taAAlamoona

Bribery is one of the worst ways to consume ones wealth unwillingly because you pay money to cause ones right to be ceased. The prohibition is upon the briber, the one bribed and the person who links between them.

The curse that Allah will place upon them is that he will not bestow mercy upon them, may Allah protect us from this, and Allah only curses people for major sins and bribery is one of the things that has been prohibited by the Holy Quran and the Sunnah. Allah has vilified and rebuked the Jews because of how they consumed the rights of others. Allah the Almighty has stated: [They are] avid listeners to falsehood, devourers of [what is] unlawful.” [Al-Ma’idah 5:42]

Transliteration: SammaAAoona lilkathibi akkaloona lilssuhti

Allah the Almighty has also stated that “And you see many of them hastening into sin and aggression and the devouring of [what is] unlawful. How wretched is what they have been doing. (62) Why do the rabbis and religious scholars not forbid them from saying what is sinful and devouring what is unlawful? How wretched is what they have been practicing.” [Al-Ma’idah 5:62-63]

Transliteration: Watara katheeran minhum yusariAAoona fee alithmi waalAAudwani waaklihimu alssuhta labisa ma kanoo yaAAmaloona (62) Lawla yanhahumu alrrabbaniyyoona waalahbaru AAan qawlihimu alithma waaklihimu alssuhta labisa ma kanoo yasnaAAoona

Allah the Almighty stated that “or wrongdoing on the part of the Jews, We made unlawful for them [certain] good foods which had been lawful to them, and for their averting from the way of Allah many [people], (160) And [for] their taking of usury while they had been forbidden from it, and their consuming of the people's wealth unjustly.” [An-Nisa’ 4:160-161]

Transliteration: Fabithulmin mina allatheena hadoo harramnaAAalayhim tayyibatin ohillat lahum wabisaddihim AAan sabeeli Allahi katheeran (160) Waakhthihimu alrribawaqad nuhoo AAanhu waaklihim amwala alnnasi bialbatili

There have been many speeches warning about this prohibition and the consequences of its perpetrator.

At-Tabarany stated that Ibn Masoud, may Allah bless him, stated that: “Unlawful money, is bribery in Islam”.

Abou Muhammad Mowafek Ad-Deen Ibn Kodamah, may he rest in peace, stated that “Al Hassan and Saeed Ibn Jubeer stated in their interpretation of Allah the Almighty’s phrase “devour anything forbidden” means bribery, and he also stated that “If a judge accepts bribery, than he has been driven into infidelity because he has the willingness to rule in opposition to Allahs words and whomever does not rule by Allah’s words are the Infidels.”

Muslim stated that Abou Hurairah, may Allah bless him, stated that “Prophet Muhammad (peace and prayers be upon him) stated that “Allah is good, and only accepts what is good and Allah ordered his believers the same of what he ordered his Messengers. And then he recited what Allah the Almighty stated “O messengers, eat from the good foods and work righteousness.” [Al-Mu’minun 23:51]

Transliteration:Ya ayyuha alrrusulu kuloo mina alttayyibati waiAAmaloo salihan

Allah the Almighty stated “O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you” [Al-Baqarah 2:172]

Transliteration: Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo kuloo min tayyibati ma razaqnakum

Then Prophet Muhammad (peace and prayers be upon him) stated that “The man with disheveled hair and dusty clothes due to his prolonging in travel even if he raises his hands to the sky to supplicate to Allah and the food, drinks and clothes he bought is of unlawful money, then how can Allah accept his supplications”.

Dear Muslims, fear Allah and beware of his indignation and avoid the factors which cause his anger; For Allah is jealous when one does not respect his prohibitions. And Prophet Muhammad (peace and prayers be upon him) stated that “No one is more jealous than Allah…” [Narrated by Al-Bukhari]

Therefore, you and your families should avoid unlawful money and food in order to protect yourselves from hell fire that Allah has created to make more use of anything that has grown on unlawful things. Eating food that is bought by unlawful money is the cause of Allah not accepting your supplications and what Abu Hurairah stated proves the accuracy of what we just mentioned.

Allah is calling you to protect yourselves and your families from hellfire which Allah created to make better use of anything which has been built upon unlawful money and things. Allah the Almighty stated: “O you who have believed, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. And know that Allah intervenes between a man and his heart and that to Him you will be gathered. (24) And fear a trial which will not strike those who have wronged among you exclusively, and know that Allah is severe in penalty.” [Al-Anfal 8:24-25]

Transliteration: Ya ayyuha allatheena amanoo istajeeboo lillahi walilrrasooli itha daAAakum lima yuhyeekum waiAAlamoo anna Allaha yahoolu bayna almari waqalbihi waannahu ilayhi tuhsharoona (24) Waittaqoo fitnatan la tuseebanna allatheena thalamoo minkum khassatan waiAAlamoo anna Allaha shadeedu alAAiqabi

We ask Allah for us and for you all to be from the people who hear these words for us to follow and for us to be the from the cooperators of Righteousness and piety and for us to be committed to the Holy book of Allah and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (peace and prayers be upon him) and to protect us and you all from the evils of ourselves and our bad actions and for Islam to be victorious and for Allah to accommodate our rulers so they can rule justly for our country and our own good for Allah is the one who can grant us this. May peace and Allah’s mercy and blessings be upon you.

They asked his eminence: What are the effects that bribery causes on Muslims belief?

So he answered and said: Bribery and other sins committed weaken ones piety and angers Allah the Almighty. It also causes the persons actions to be controlled by the devil, therefore causing him to commit other sins. Therefore, it is the job of all Muslims to beware of bribery and other sins. Therefore if a Muslim has been bribed, he must give back this bribe to its owner if he is able to and if he is unable to give this money back to its owner, he must spread it amongst the poor and repent to Allah.

They asked his eminence: What are the effects of bribery on the benefits of Muslims?

So he answered and said: It causes the oppression of the poor, the consumption, loss or lateness of their rights. Its other effects are the corruption of the manners of he who takes this bribe whether he is a worker or judge. It also causes the consumption of the rights of people who do not bribe and causes the weakening of the piety of whoever takes this bribe and he becomes subjected to Allah’s anger and will be punished in life and afterlife. Prophet Muhammad (peace and prayers be upon him) stated that “There is no sin committed that is worse to Allah then that which Allah punishes its perpetrator in life and also in afterlife. From these sins are those who break their family connections and he who causes oppression” [Authenticated by Ibn Al-Baz]

There is no doubt that bribery and other sins are considered from the oppressions that Allah has prohibited.

Prophet Muhammad (peace and prayers be upon him) stated that “Allah gives chances and is patient with wrongdoers, but once Allah punishes them, there will be no mercy upon them.”After Prophet Muhammad (peace and prayers be upon him) said this speech, he read this part out of the Quran “And thus is the seizure of your Lord when He seizes the cities while they are committing wrong. Indeed, His seizure is painful and severe.” [Hud 11:102]

Transliteration: Wakathalika akhthu rabbika itha akhatha alqura wahiya thalimatun inna akhthahu aleemun shadeedun

They asked his eminence: How will the society be like once bribery is widespread in it?

So he answered and said: No doubt that if these sins are found in society, it causes the society to become separated and there will be a lack of communication between the members of this society which causes hatred and hostility and lack of cooperation to do good things.The worst effects that bribery and other sins in the society cause are the emergence and spreading of vices and the disappearance of virtues. It will also cause the oppression of some of the members of society and it will cause bribery, theft, treason and fraud in the transaction, perjury and other kinds of oppression and hostility. These are all the worst crimes one can commit and reasons which anger Allah and the reason for the hostility between Muslims. The reasons why some bad things occur in life nowadays, as Prophet Muhammad (peace and prayers be upon him) stated “If people see wrongdoings and do not strive to change it Allah will punish these people for not changing these things.” [Narrated by Ahmad and authenticated by Ibn Al-Baz]

May peace and prayers be upon Prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions.



Translated by Wathakker.info website