The Ruling on Giving a Gift to One’s Employer
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Q: What is the ruling on one who gives valuable items under the claim that they are a gift to the person who supervises him at work?
A: This is a mistake and a means to much evil. It is obligatory for the supervisor not to accept gifts, as they may be a bribe and a means to flattery and betrayal, unless he takes them for the hospital and for the benefit of the hospital, not for himself, and he informs the giver of this, saying to him, “This is for the benefit of the hospital; I am not taking it for myself.” The safest course is to return them and not accept them for himself or for the hospital; that may lead him to taking them for himself, he may be suspected of wrongdoing, and the giver may, because of it, become bold with him and expect to be treated better than others. For when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent some people to collect the zakah, one of them said, “This is for you, and this is a gift to me.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) disapproved of that and addressed the people, saying: It was narrated by Muslim in his Sahih.
This hadith indicates that it is obligatory for an employee in any of the state’s jobs to perform what he has been entrusted with, and he has no right to accept gifts related to his work. If he receives them, let him place them in the public treasury, and it is not permissible for him to take them for himself because of this authentic hadith, and because they are a means to evil and a breach of trust. There is no power and no strength except with Allah.
A: This is a mistake and a means to much evil. It is obligatory for the supervisor not to accept gifts, as they may be a bribe and a means to flattery and betrayal, unless he takes them for the hospital and for the benefit of the hospital, not for himself, and he informs the giver of this, saying to him, “This is for the benefit of the hospital; I am not taking it for myself.” The safest course is to return them and not accept them for himself or for the hospital; that may lead him to taking them for himself, he may be suspected of wrongdoing, and the giver may, because of it, become bold with him and expect to be treated better than others. For when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent some people to collect the zakah, one of them said, “This is for you, and this is a gift to me.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) disapproved of that and addressed the people, saying:
What is the matter with a man among you whom we appoint to a matter of Allah’s affairs, and he says, “This is for you, and this is a gift to me”? Should he not sit in his father’s house or his mother’s house and see if he is given a gift?
ما بال الرجل منكم نستعمله على أمر من أمر الله فيقول: هذا لكم وهذا أهدي إلي، ألا جلس في بيت أبيه أو بيت أمه فينظر هل يهدى إليهThis hadith indicates that it is obligatory for an employee in any of the state’s jobs to perform what he has been entrusted with, and he has no right to accept gifts related to his work. If he receives them, let him place them in the public treasury, and it is not permissible for him to take them for himself because of this authentic hadith, and because they are a means to evil and a breach of trust. There is no power and no strength except with Allah.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.