BRIBERY

Soorah al-Maa'idah (5) :2 

عَنْ عَبْدِاللهِ بِنْ عَمـرو --رَضي اللهً عَنه-- قـال: ((لَعَنَ رَسولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ سَلَمَ الرَّشِي وَ الْمُرْتَشي

Abdullaah ibn 'Amr said, "The Messenger of Allaah ( صلى الله عليه و سلم) cursed the one who bribes and

the one who receives bribes."

Collected by at- Tirmithee 58 and Ibn Maajah.

General Meaning           
The Prophet ( صلى الله عليه و سلم) gives us a severe warning about bribery in this Hadeeth. He informed us that whoever gives some of his wealth to an authority like a judge, president or other government official, seeking to gain for himself a right which was not due to him, is cursed by right which was not due to him, is cursed by Allaah because of the corruption that it will cause in society. The right he gain which was not due to him will cause someone else to be deprived of their right. The Prophet's curse is also on the person in authority who accepts the bribe in order to give someone else's right to the briber because of the corruption which is bound to result. The judge who accepts bribes cannot and will not judge justly. He will always judge in favor of those who offer him wealth, and the poor will be deprived of their legitimate rights.  

The one who arranges the bribe is also included in the sin because of his taking part in oppression and corruption. He is helping the people to take the rights of others when he should be stopping them from doing so. To arrange the sale of drugs or to supply the plans for a bank robbery is to share in the sins of
taking drugs and theft. Allaah commands us in the Qur'aan :       
"...وَ لَا تَعَـاوَنُواْ عَلَى الإِثْـمِ وَ الْعُـدْوَانِ..."               
"....do not cooperate in sin and hostility."