With the Hadith
"CHAPTER ON WHAT WAS REPORTED ABOUT THE BRIBER AND THE BRIBED IN JUDGMENT"
We greet you all, dear listeners everywhere, in a new episode of your program "With the Hadith," and we begin with the best greeting: peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.
It is stated in Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi, in the explanation of Jami` al-Tirmidhi "with modification" in "CHAPTER ON WHAT WAS REPORTED ABOUT THE BRIBER AND THE BRIBED IN JUDGMENT"
Qutaiba narrated to us that Abu Awana narrated to us from Umar bin Abi Salama, from his father, from Abu Hurairah, who said: The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, cursed the briber and the bribed in judgment.
His saying: (The Messenger of God, may God bless him and grant him peace, cursed the briber and the bribed in judgment) was added in Thawban's hadith, and the go-between, meaning: the one who walks between them. Ahmad narrated it. Ibn al-Athir said in al-Nihaya: Bribery is the connection to need through flattery, and its origin is from the rope that is used to reach water. The briber is the one who gives to the one who helps him with falsehood, the bribed is the taker, and the go-between is the one who strives between them, increasing for this one or decreasing for this one. As for what is given to reach the taking of a right or the repelling of injustice, it is not included in it.
Dear listeners:
Indeed, the curse is expulsion from the mercy of God, so how can a Muslim be pleased to be expelled from this mercy? Bribery has spread among the sons of Muslims and has become a phenomenon. How could it not, when it has become walking with them in their lives? You can hardly find a government institution that is free of bribery, but it has even reached matters of their religion. This is only through the patronage of their rulers for it. How many Muslims know - O brothers in God - that bribery is one of the major sins that God has forbidden to His servants, and His Messenger, may God bless him and grant him peace, cursed those who do it. Therefore, it is obligatory to avoid it, beware of it, and warn people against engaging in it. But is this warning enough? Of course, it is not enough, as the matter is out of control because it is in the hands of the ruler. It is necessary to remove the disease, not the symptom, i.e., the ruler who ordered it.
Dear listeners, until we meet you with another prophetic hadith, we leave you in God's care, and peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you.