What is the ruling on bribery?
Short answer
Bribery is prohibited and is among the major sins. It is not permissible to pay or accept money in order to obtain what one is not entitled to or to give someone preference over a person who has a stronger right.
Evidence and explanation
The source cites the severe warning concerning the bribe-giver and bribe-taker and explains that bribery leads to injustice, unlawful gain, and betrayal of trust.
Scholar referenced
This editorial summary is based on the original source linked below and is not presented as a verbatim quotation from the scholar.
From the text of the answer (Arabic, with an English translation)
Original answer — Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Baz
حكم الرشوة — فتوى ١٨٣٣٨- Question
«يسأل سؤال يقول: هل الرشوة حرام؟»
English translation (unreviewed): He asks a question, saying: Is bribery forbidden?
- From the text of the answer
«نعم، الرشوة كبيرة من الكبائر، والرسول ﷺ لعن الراشي والمرتشي؛ ولأنها تجر إلى الباطل، والظلم، وأكل الحرام، وخيانة المرشي؛ فلا يجوز تعاطيها بالكلية، وهي دفع مال لمن يخون لك، ويعطيك غير حقك، أو يقدمك على غيرك من المستحقين من أجل رشوة، هذه الرشوة تعطيها الموظف حتى يعطيك غير حقك، وحتى يعمل لك ما لا يجوز، أو ما لا يقره النظام الذي لديه والعمل الذي لديه، والتعليمات التي لديه، وإنما حمله على ذلك ما دفعته له من المال، هذه يقال لها: الرشوة، فهي حرام عليك، وعليه جميعًا، وفي الحديث اللعن للراشي والمرتشي جميعًا، وهكذا إذا أعطيته إياها ليقدمك على ناس هم أحق منك بهذا»
English translation (unreviewed): Yes, bribery is one of the major sins, and the Messenger ﷺ cursed the briber and the one who accepts the bribe; because it leads to falsehood, injustice, consuming what is forbidden and betrayal by the one bribed, it is not permissible to engage in it at all. It is paying money to one who betrays on your behalf and gives you what is not your right, or puts you ahead of others who deserve it because of a bribe. You give this bribe to the employee so that he gives you what is not your right, or does for you what is not permitted or what the regulations, work and instructions he has do not allow, and what moved him to do it is the money you paid him. This is called bribery, and it is forbidden for both of you; in the hadith the curse is on the briber and the recipient together. Likewise if you give it to him to put you ahead of people who are more deserving than you of this ...
The Arabic excerpts matched the original page word for word by an automated check and have not had human scholarly review. The English translations are unreviewed translations made for this site; they are not an approved Shari‘ah translation. Rely on the Arabic original.
Source
Ruling on bribery
Shaykh ‘Abd al-‘Aziz ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him