Benefits of the Hadith: (The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the one who gives a bribe and the one who takes a bribe . . . ).
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The Shaykh : The benefits:
It is permissible to curse the one who gives a bribe and the one who takes a bribe, but only in a general sense, not by specifying a particular individual.Sahih al-Bukhari 5943. However, it is not permissible to do so by specifying a particular individual, even if he did it, even if he took a bribe, because it is possible that Allah the Exalted and Majestic will guide him and he will be saved from being driven away and kept distant from the mercy of Allah. And if it is not permissible to curse a disbeliever by name, and he is more severe than the one who takes a bribe, then how much more so is it not permissible for the one who takes a bribe? It is not permissible, a fortiori. For this reason, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) began to invoke against a group of Arabs: Sahih al-Bukhari 4069, Allah forbade him and said to him, the Exalted and Majestic: [Ali 'Imran 3:128].
So likewise, these open sinners who were cursed on the tongue of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), it is not permissible for us to curse a specific person among them by name, but only in a general sense. And by this, we understand the jurisprudence in this issue, which is the difference between specifying by category and specifying by individual, correct?!
The student: It is permissible.
The Shaykh : Specifying by category is broader. Specifying by category is when I say: "O Allah, curse the bribe-givers and bribe-takers in general." But specifying by individual, specifying by individual, "O Allah, curse so-and-so because he takes bribes," is not permissible. "O Allah, curse so-and-so because he is a disbeliever," is not permissible.
But if I said: "May the curse of Allah be upon the disbelievers"?
The student: It is permissible.
The Shaykh : It is permissible in a general sense. And just as this is the case in punishments, it is also the case in rewards. So we do not testify for a specific person that he is in Paradise, even if he is a believer, and we do not testify for one who was killed in jihad that he is a martyr, even if he was killed in it. But we say, as 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) guided us to:Sunan an-Nasa'i 3349Hasan (Darussalam), in a general sense. Because if we said that testifying by specifying an individual is permissible, we would be testifying for every one of the believers that he is in Paradise, and that is not the case. Yes.
And among the benefits of the hadith: the magnification of the matter of bribery and that it is from the major sins. The reason for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the one who gives a bribe and the one who takes a bribe.
And among the benefits of the hadith: the obligation of establishing justice among people. Because bribery usually involves injustice, in that the one who gives the bribe is preferred over others, and perhaps a ruling is made in his favor with falsehood, even though the right is with another. If someone were to ask: What is the reason for including this hadith in the chapter on riba? The student: Consuming wealth by falsehood.
The Shaykh : Yes, we say: The reason for this is that the commonality between it and riba is that this taking without right is consuming wealth by falsehood, so it is like riba.
It is permissible to curse the one who gives a bribe and the one who takes a bribe, but only in a general sense, not by specifying a particular individual.
Why then shall I not curse those whom Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has cursed
ما لي لا ألعن من لعنه رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم"O Allah! Curse so-and-so and so-and-so"
اللهم العن فلانا وفلانا وفلاناNot for you, [O Muhammad, but for Allah], is the decision whether He should [cut them down] or forgive them or punish them, for indeed, they are wrongdoers.
ليس لك من الأمر شيء أو يتوب عليهم أو يعذبهم فإنهم ظلمونSo likewise, these open sinners who were cursed on the tongue of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), it is not permissible for us to curse a specific person among them by name, but only in a general sense. And by this, we understand the jurisprudence in this issue, which is the difference between specifying by category and specifying by individual, correct?!
The student: It is permissible.
The Shaykh : Specifying by category is broader. Specifying by category is when I say: "O Allah, curse the bribe-givers and bribe-takers in general." But specifying by individual, specifying by individual, "O Allah, curse so-and-so because he takes bribes," is not permissible. "O Allah, curse so-and-so because he is a disbeliever," is not permissible.
But if I said: "May the curse of Allah be upon the disbelievers"?
The student: It is permissible.
The Shaykh : It is permissible in a general sense. And just as this is the case in punishments, it is also the case in rewards. So we do not testify for a specific person that he is in Paradise, even if he is a believer, and we do not testify for one who was killed in jihad that he is a martyr, even if he was killed in it. But we say, as 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) guided us to:
It was narrated that Abu Al-'Ajfa' said: "Umar bin Al-Khattab said: 'Do not go to extremes with regard to the dowries of women, for if that were a sign of honor and dignity in this world, or a sign of piety before Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, then Muhammad would have done that before you. But he did not give any of his wives, and none of his daughters were given, more than twelve Uqiyyah. A man may increase the dowry until he feels resentment against her and says: You cost me everything I own ('Alaqul-Qirbah)'" "And I was a man born among the 'Arabs, but I did not know the meaning of 'Alaqul-Qirbah' and others of you are saying -about those killed in this or that battle of yours, or who died: 'So-and-so was martyred' or 'so and so died as a martyr.' While perhaps he merely overloaded the backside of his beast, or lined his saddle with gold or silver seeking trade. So do not say that, rather say as the Prophet said: 'Whoever is killed in the cause of Allah, or dies, then he is in Paradise.'"
من قُتل في سبيل الله أو مات فهو شهيدAnd among the benefits of the hadith: the magnification of the matter of bribery and that it is from the major sins. The reason for this is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) cursed the one who gives a bribe and the one who takes a bribe.
And among the benefits of the hadith: the obligation of establishing justice among people. Because bribery usually involves injustice, in that the one who gives the bribe is preferred over others, and perhaps a ruling is made in his favor with falsehood, even though the right is with another. If someone were to ask: What is the reason for including this hadith in the chapter on riba? The student: Consuming wealth by falsehood.
The Shaykh : Yes, we say: The reason for this is that the commonality between it and riba is that this taking without right is consuming wealth by falsehood, so it is like riba.