The Holy Prophet (S) says...

The Holy Prophet (S) says: “May Allah curse one who gives a bribe, one who accepts it and one who acts as an agent between them.” ^4 Elsewhere, the Holy Prophet (S) says: “Beware of bribe! It is nothing but disbelief. The one who is involved in bribe will not even smell the fragrance of Paradise.” ^5 Bribe is not only a sin for the guilty but it constitutes assisting in sin, the one who accepts.

However if one is compelled to bribe and without it he cannot obtain his rights, it is another matter, but it is still Harām for one who accepts it. Similarly it is also Harām to reach someone by bribing. The one who acts as an arbitrator or agent and takes an active part in negotiating bribe is also a sinner. This type of bribe is absolutely Harām whether paid in cash or kind.

Bribe may also comprise of offering some services to the judge like stitching his clothes free of cost or constructing his house etc. Bribe can even be paid in words. One may praise a judge unduly to please him and thus influence him to give a favourable ruling. Bribe in the name of khums and gift Even if a bribe is paid in the name of khums and gift, it is Harām. For example to give someone a gift or a present with the intention of bribing him i.e.

with the intention that by giving a gift the beneficiary will act to benefit the giver in some way. Similarly khums and zakat given with the intention of bribing is also Harām. It will not be considered as Khums or Zakat and it will be obligatory for one who has paid Khums or Zakat with such intentions, to pay it once more. Khums and Zakat are to be given with the purest of intentions, that of achieving nearness to Allah (S.w.T.) . There can be no other motive.

One of the signs of Qiyāma is mentioned in traditions in the following words: “Bribes will be accepted as gifts.” The second kind of bribe is the bribe paid to someone, a tyrant or an oppressor for inflicting harm on a third person.

The Holy Qur’an says: “And do not swallow up your property among yourselves by false means, neither seek to gain access thereby to the judges, so that you may swallow up a part of the property of men wrongfully while you know.” (Surah al-Baqarah 2:188) In this ayat believers are warned not to use anything obtained illegally and not to use their wealth to bribe those in power in order to obtain anything unlawfully.

Paying a bribe for obtaining ones rights The third type of bribe is one that is paid for something lawful.