Bribery: The Disease Destroying Society

Dear Readers,

I recently came across certain posts online that reminded me once again that Saudi society is not what it used to be. I was tremdendously saddend to read an article on the Saudi Life blog, titled 'Beard annoys corrupt corporates".

It was the poor tale a of industrial salesman who lost his job as he grew the length of his beard to confrom to his religious beliefs. Now living in Saudi where there are quite a few bearded men about I found this strange. As I read on, it emerged that customers namely Purchasing Managers at large organisations were shy to ask him for a bribe to close the deal when they saw his long beard, and hence he would lose customers.

The man said previously when he didn't have a beard customers used to regulary approach him fora bribe, and he used to refer them to deal with company directly, and the company was only too glad to come to a suitable arrangement to satify both parties, and the salesman would lose his commision while the Purchasing Manager was satisfied with his bribe.

How appalling that bribery has become commonplace both in the public sector and private sector in the birth place of Islam.

 Sheikh Assim Alhakeem posted this as his status a few weeks ago:

 "Few weeks back, I was giving Friday sermon in my masjid. It was about corruption and bribes. After exposing the dangers of corruption and the participation of most officials in such a sin, I quoted the hadeeth of the Prophet salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam where he said: May Allah curse the person giving the bribe and the one taking it. I then supplicated saying O Allah curse those who give bribes and take it. 

There was complete silence in the masjid. 

I then commented: Subhana Allah! 

We supplicate against oppressors and the masjid shakes with A’ameen, we supplicate against the enemies of Islam and the masjid roars with A’ameen. But when I curse the corrupt and those who take and give bribes, not a single A’ameen is heard? I am afraid that we are all in this corruption up till our necks. 

May Allah help us get rid of this disease." 

Ameen!

Bribery is a major sin, because of the report narrated by Ahmad (6791) and Abu Dawood (3580) from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cursed the one who gives a bribe and the one who takes it. Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Irwa’ al-Ghaleel (2621).
Source:http://islamqa.info/en/ref/72268