Advice Regarding the Phenomenon of Bribery

Question:
He asks your Eminence to please address the topic of bribery, as it is widespread in many cases, and specifically in his country—he names his country to the Shaykh—may Allah reward you with good.

Answer:
There is no harm, we hope for that, we will write about this—if Allah wills—and it has been written about, but we will write about it—if Allah wills—again and again, we ask Allah to rectify the affairs of the Muslims.
And bribery is undoubtedly one of the major sins, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) says: The briber: the one who gives, the one who accepts: the one who receives, and the intermediary: the one who is the middleman between them.
So it is obligatory to beware of it, and it is giving money to one who gives you something other than your right, or gives you precedence over one who is entitled to it before you, this is bribery, and by giving him so that he gives you precedence over others, or gives you something other than your right without right, it is betrayal, this is not permissible, and it is part of bribery, and the doer is cursed, this and that, so it is obligatory to beware of that.
Rather, it is obligatory for the Muslim to beware of bribery, do not give money to an official so that he gives you precedence over people other than you who are more deserving of precedence, or gives you the money of others, or gives you what you do not deserve, or places you in a position you do not deserve, others are more deserving of it, all of this is bribery.
And the point is: that you give money for something that is not your right, you give it so that the one who takes the money betrays [his trust] to favor you, this is what is wrong, and it is not permissible, we ask Allah for safety, yes.

The presenter: May Allah reward you with good, and may He do you good.