What is the ruling on giving a bribe to customs officials?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : Yes, yes, yes.
The questioner : ... in trade, and when I go to the neighboring countries in our land to import goods, I encounter customs officials on the way.
The Shaykh : Is that all?
The questioner : They compel me to give money for these goods, and if I do not give them the money, they take all the goods from me. So, O Shaykh, is giving this money to customs officials considered a bribe?
The Shaykh : Of course, it is a bribe. Of course, it is a bribe.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : A bribe, a bribe.
The questioner : A bribe, a bribe. Do you consider this money that I give...?
The Shaykh : A bribe, a bribe.
The questioner : Yes, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Allahu Akbar. A bribe, a bribe.
The questioner : Yes, yes, may Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : And may He reward you.
The questioner : Do you consider this money to be a bribe, or a means of removing oppression from oneself...? And may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Have you not heard the answer yet?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Have you not heard the answer yet? I am telling you, it is a bribe.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Have you heard the answer?
The questioner: Yes, O Shaykh, yes.
The Shaykh : Then I say, peace be upon you.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : And may Allah protect you, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh: Allahu Akbar.
The questioner : ... in trade, and when I go to the neighboring countries in our land to import goods, I encounter customs officials on the way.
The Shaykh : Is that all?
The questioner : They compel me to give money for these goods, and if I do not give them the money, they take all the goods from me. So, O Shaykh, is giving this money to customs officials considered a bribe?
The Shaykh : Of course, it is a bribe. Of course, it is a bribe.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : A bribe, a bribe.
The questioner : A bribe, a bribe. Do you consider this money that I give...?
The Shaykh : A bribe, a bribe.
The questioner : Yes, Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Allahu Akbar. A bribe, a bribe.
The questioner : Yes, yes, may Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : And may He reward you.
The questioner : Do you consider this money to be a bribe, or a means of removing oppression from oneself...? And may Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : Have you not heard the answer yet?
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Have you not heard the answer yet? I am telling you, it is a bribe.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Have you heard the answer?
The questioner: Yes, O Shaykh, yes.
The Shaykh : Then I say, peace be upon you.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : And may Allah protect you, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh: Allahu Akbar.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.