Is bribery haram, even if everyone does it?

The short answer

Yes. The Prophet ﷺ cursed both the one who gives a bribe and the one who takes it, and the Quran forbids using wealth to sway those in authority to take others' rights. Gifts given to officials because of their position are treated the same way. That bribery is common does not make it lawful.

Evidence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Explanation

The Quran addresses bribery directly: "do not consume one another's wealth unjustly or send it [in bribery] to the rulers in order that [they might aid] you [to] consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin, while you know [it is unlawful]" 1. The commentary al-Mukhtasar lists bribery among the unjust ways of taking others' money, in contrast to fair trade by mutual consent 2. The Prophet ﷺ "cursed the one who bribes and the one who takes bribe" 3.

"Gifts" to officials. The Prophet ﷺ appointed a man to collect zakat, who came back saying, "This is your money, and this has been given to me as a gift." The Prophet ﷺ replied, "Why didn't you stay in your father's and mother's house to see whether you will be given gifts or not?" and warned that anyone who takes something unlawfully in office will carry it on the Day of Resurrection 4. A present you receive only because of your job is not really a present.

Winning a case unfairly doesn't make it yours. The Prophet ﷺ said that if someone argued more eloquently and he ruled in their favour by mistake, what they took would be "a portion of (Hell) Fire" 5. Buying a verdict, a contract or an exam result is far worse.

Allah commands us to "render trusts to whom they are due" and to "judge with justice" 6. Jobs, contracts and public services are trusts. When the queen of Sheba sent Sulayman (AS) a gift of wealth, he refused it: "what Allah has given me is better than what He has given you" 7.

Refuse bribes, report corruption where you safely can, and trust that halal provision will come.

The evidence

  1. 1
    Quran Al-Baqara · 2:188

    Do not send wealth to rulers as bribes to consume others' wealth unjustly.

    وَلَا تَأۡكُلُوٓاْ أَمۡوَٰلَكُم بَيۡنَكُم بِٱلۡبَٰطِلِ وَتُدۡلُواْ بِهَآ إِلَى ٱلۡحُكَّامِ لِتَأۡكُلُواْ فَرِيقࣰ ا مِّنۡ أَمۡوَٰلِ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَأَنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ ۝١٨٨

    And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly or send it [in bribery] to the rulers in order that [they might aid] you [to] consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin, while you know [it is unlawful]

  2. 2
    Tafsir Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir al-Quran · 4:29

    Bribery is among the unjust ways of taking people's money, unlike trade by mutual consent.

    O you who have faith in Allah and follow His Messenger, do not take the money of others unjustly, by force, stealing, bribery or by any other unjust means. Instead, money should come from trade through mutual agreement and goodwill between the seller and buyer. In this way, it is lawful for you to enjoy and use such money. Do not kill one another, and do not kill yourselves, and do not throw yourselves to ruin. Allah is Compassionate with you, and from His mercy He makes these laws.

  3. 3
    Hadith Sunan Abi Dawud 3580
    Sahih graded by Al-Albani

    The Prophet ﷺ cursed the one who bribes and the one who takes a bribe.

    Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) cursed the one who bribes and the one who takes bribe

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا أَحْمَدُ بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ أَبِي ذِئْبٍ، عَنِ الْحَارِثِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو، قَالَ لَعَنَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم الرَّاشِيَ وَالْمُرْتَشِيَ ‏.‏

  4. 4
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 6979
    Sahih Bukhari

    A zakat collector's "gifts" were condemned; what is taken unlawfully in office will be carried on Judgment Day.

    Narrated Abu Humaid As-Sa`idi:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) appointed a man called Ibn Al-Lutabiyya to collect the Zakat from Bani Sulaim's tribe. When he returned, the Prophet (ﷺ) called him to account. He said (to the Prophet, 'This is your money, and this has been given to me as a gift." On that, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Why didn't you stay in your father's and mother's house to see whether you will be given gifts or not if you are telling the truth?" Then the Prophet (ﷺ) addressed us, and after praising and glorifying Allah, he said: "Amma Ba'du", I employ a man from among you to manage some affair of what Allah has put under my custody, and then he comes to me and says, 'This is your money and this has been given to me as a gift. Why didn't he stay in his father's and mother's home to see whether he will be given gifts or not? By Allah, not anyone of you takes a thing unlawfully but he will meet Allah on the Day of Resurrection, carrying that thing. I do not want to see any of you carrying a grunting camel or a mooing cow or a bleating sheep on meeting Allah." Then the Prophet (ﷺ) raised both his hands till the whiteness of his armpits became visible, and he said, "O Allah! Haven't I have conveyed (Your Message)?" The narrator added: My eyes witnessed and my ears heard (that Hadith)

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي حُمَيْدٍ السَّاعِدِيِّ، قَالَ اسْتَعْمَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَجُلاً عَلَى صَدَقَاتِ بَنِي سُلَيْمٍ يُدْعَى ابْنَ اللُّتَبِيَّةِ، فَلَمَّا جَاءَ حَاسَبَهُ قَالَ هَذَا مَالُكُمْ وَهَذَا هَدِيَّةٌ‏.‏ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ فَهَلاَّ جَلَسْتَ فِي بَيْتِ أَبِيكَ وَأُمِّكَ، حَتَّى تَأْتِيَكَ هَدِيَّتُكَ إِنْ كُنْتَ صَادِقًا ‏"‏‏.‏ ثُمَّ خَطَبَنَا فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏"‏ أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فَإِنِّي أَسْتَعْمِلُ الرَّجُلَ مِنْكُمْ عَلَى الْعَمَلِ مِمَّا وَلاَّنِي اللَّهُ، فَيَأْتِي فَيَقُولُ هَذَا مَالُكُمْ وَهَذَا هَدِيَّةٌ أُهْدِيَتْ لِي‏.‏ أَفَلاَ جَلَسَ فِي بَيْتِ أَبِيهِ وَأُمِّهِ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَهُ هَدِيَّتُهُ، وَاللَّهِ لاَ يَأْخُذُ أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ شَيْئًا بِغَيْرِ حَقِّهِ، إِلاَّ لَقِيَ اللَّهَ يَحْمِلُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، فَلأَعْرِفَنَّ أَحَدًا مِنْكُمْ لَقِيَ اللَّهَ يَحْمِلُ بَعِيرًا لَهُ رُغَاءٌ، أَوْ بَقَرَةً لَهَا خُوَارٌ، أَوْ شَاةً تَيْعَرُ ‏"‏‏.‏ ثُمَّ رَفَعَ يَدَهُ حَتَّى رُئِيَ بَيَاضُ إِبْطِهِ يَقُولُ ‏"‏ اللَّهُمَّ هَلْ بَلَّغْتُ ‏"‏‏.‏ بَصْرَ عَيْنِي وَسَمْعَ أُذُنِي‏.‏

  5. 5
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2458
    Sahih Bukhari

    What one wins by a mistaken verdict in one's favour is a portion of the Fire.

    Narrated Um Salama:(the wife of the Prophet) Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) heard some people quarreling at the door of his dwelling. He came out and said, "I am only a human being, and opponents come to me (to settle their problems); maybe someone amongst you can present his case more eloquently than the other, whereby I may consider him true and give a verdict in his favor. So, If I give the right of a Muslim to another by mistake, then it is really a portion of (Hell) Fire, he has the option to take or give up (before the Day of Resurrection)

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ صَالِحٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّ زَيْنَبَ بِنْتَ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّ أُمَّهَا أُمَّ سَلَمَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ زَوْجَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَخْبَرَتْهَا عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ خُصُومَةً بِبَابِ حُجْرَتِهِ، فَخَرَجَ إِلَيْهِمْ، فَقَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ وَإِنَّهُ يَأْتِينِي الْخَصْمُ، فَلَعَلَّ بَعْضَكُمْ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَبْلَغَ مِنْ بَعْضٍ، فَأَحْسِبُ أَنَّهُ صَدَقَ، فَأَقْضِيَ لَهُ بِذَلِكَ، فَمَنْ قَضَيْتُ لَهُ بِحَقِّ مُسْلِمٍ فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ قِطْعَةٌ مِنَ النَّارِ، فَلْيَأْخُذْهَا أَوْ فَلْيَتْرُكْهَا ‏"‏‏.‏

  6. 6
    Quran An-Nisaa · 4:58

    Render trusts to whom they are due and judge with justice.

    ۞إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأۡمُرُكُمۡ أَن تُؤَدُّواْ ٱلۡأَمَٰنَٰتِ إِلَىٰٓ أَهۡلِهَا وَإِذَا حَكَمۡتُم بَيۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ أَن تَحۡكُمُواْ بِٱلۡعَدۡلِۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ نِعِمَّا يَعِظُكُم بِهِۦٓۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ سَمِيعَۢا بَصِيرࣰ ا ۝٥٨

    Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice. Excellent is that which Allah instructs you. Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing

  7. 7
    Quran An-Naml · 27:36

    Sulayman rejected the queen's gift, saying what Allah gave him was better.

    فَلَمَّا جَآءَ سُلَيۡمَٰنَ قَالَ أَتُمِدُّونَنِ بِمَالࣲ فَمَآ ءَاتَىٰنِۦَ ٱللَّهُ خَيۡرࣱ مِّمَّآ ءَاتَىٰكُمۚ بَلۡ أَنتُم بِهَدِيَّتِكُمۡ تَفۡرَحُونَ ۝٣٦

    So when they came to Solomon, he said, "Do you provide me with wealth? But what Allah has given me is better than what He has given you. Rather, it is you who rejoice in your gift

This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24

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