Sharh Riyad as-Saliheen by Ibn Uthaymeen — Volume 1 (شرح رياض الصالحين) — Page 855

Line-by-line translation · المعاني

شَرْحُ رِيَاضِ الصَّالِحِينَ مِنْ كَلَامِ سَيِّدِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ

A commentary on Riyadh as-Salihin, drawn from the words of the Master of Messengers, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

وَمِنْ هَذَا الْحَدِيثِ نَعْرِفُ أَنَّ الرِّشْوَةَ مِنْ عَظَائِمِ الْأُمُورِ وَالَّتِي أَدَّتْ إِلَى أَنْ يَقُومَ النَّبِيُّ عَلَيْهِ الصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ خَطِيبًا فِي النَّاسِ، وَيُحَذِّرَهُمْ مِنْ هَذَا الْعَمَلِ؛ لِأَنَّهُ إِذَا فَشَا فِي قَوْمٍ الرِّشْوَةُ هَلَكُوا، وَصَارَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ لَا يَقُولُ الْحَقَّ، وَلَا يَحْكُمُ بِالْحَقِّ، وَلَا يَقُومُ بِالْعَدْلِ إِلَّا إِذَا رُشِيَ وَالْعِيَاذُ بِاللَّهِ.

This hadith shows that bribery is a grave matter. It was serious enough for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to address the people and warn them against it. When bribery becomes widespread in a society, that society is doomed. No one speaks the truth, judges fairly, or upholds justice unless they are bribed—we seek refuge in Allah from this.

وَالرِّشْوَةُ مَلْعُونٌ آخِذُهَا، وَمَلْعُونٌ مُعْطِيهَا"، إِلَّا إِذَا كَانَ الْآخِذُ يَمْنَعُ حَقَّ النَّاسِ إِلَّا بِرِشْوَةٍ، فَحِينَئِذٍ تَكُونُ اللَّعْنَةُ عَلَى هَذَا الْآخِذِ لَا عَلَى الْمُعْطِي؛ لِأَنَّ الْمُعْطِيَ إِنَّمَا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُعْطِيَ لِأَخْذِ حَقِّهِ، وَلَا سَبِيلَ إِلَى ذَلِكَ إِلَّا بِدَفْعِ الرِّشْوَةِ، فَهُوَ مَعْذُورٌ، كَمَا يُوجَدُ - وَالْعِيَاذُ بِاللَّهِ الْآنَ فِي بَعْضِ الْمَسْئُولِينَ فِي الدُّوَلِ الْإِسْلَامِيَّةِ؛ مَنْ لَا يُمْكِنُ أَنْ يَقْضِيَ مَصَالِحَ النَّاسِ إِلَّا بِهَذِهِ الرِّشْوَةِ وَالْعِيَاذُ بِاللَّهِ، فَيَكُونُ آكِلًا لِلْمَالِ بِالْبَاطِلِ، مُعَرِّضًا نَفْسَهُ لِلَّعْنَةِ.

The one who takes a bribe and the one who gives it are both cursed. However, if someone can only secure their rights by paying a bribe, the curse falls on the taker, not the giver. The giver is merely trying to reclaim what is rightfully theirs and has no other way to do so, which makes them blameless. Sadly, we see this today among some officials in Islamic countries who refuse to handle people's affairs without a bribe. Such officials are consuming wealth unlawfully and exposing themselves to the curse—we seek refuge in Allah.

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Vocabulary · المفردات (35 verbs · 37 nouns)

• عَرَفَ — to know
• أَدَّى — to lead
• قَامَ — to undertake
• حَدِيث — hadith
• رِشْوَة — bribe
• عَظِيمَة — great matter