Hadees On Rishwat
Rishwat (bribery) is strictly forbidden in Islam with clear warnings from the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ across authentic hadiths for both the giver and the taker. Read hadiths on rishwat from the six authentic books in Arabic text with Urdu and English translations below including Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Jami at-Tirmidhi, Sunan Abu Dawood, Sunan An-Nasai and Sunan Ibn Majah.
Hadees On Rishwat
Abdullah bin Amr (RA) narrated that:
- Allah's Messenger ﷺ cursed the one who bribes and the one who takes bribes.
(Sunan Abu Dawood 3580, Jami at-Tirmidhi 1336, Sunan Ibn Majah 2313)
This hadith is widely cited by scholars as establishing that both parties involved in a bribe the one offering it and the one accepting it share in the sin, since both actions work together to corrupt a fair outcome.
Why Is Rishwat Forbidden in Islam?
- It corrupts justice allowing wrong decisions to be made in exchange for money.
- It gives an unfair advantage to those who can afford to pay. Harming those who follow proper process.
- It was strongly and specifically condemned by the Prophet ﷺ unlike many matters left to general guidance.
Is there a difference between a bribe and a gift?
Yes - a gift given without any request or expectation in return is different from a bribe which is given specifically to influence an unfair outcome.