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2:188 BRIBERY / CORRUPTION & EMBEZZLEMENT OF PUBLIC MONEY
2:188 “ Don’t eat away your money (or the public money) between yourselves by false methods, nor approach the rulers / officials with it (i.e. through bribery), so as to eat away deliberately a part of the wealth of the people by sinful (illegal) methods.”
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1. In the previous Verses 2:172,173, the believers were commanded to eat the pious things. Here in 2:188 above, earning through unlawful means has been forbidden.
2. The Holy Prophet
snubbed an official, who tried to accept a gift from the people in his official capacity, as is evident from the following:
Abu Hameed Sa’idi narrated that the Holy Prophet appointed an official for collecting ‘Sadaqa’t (i.e. Zakat/Ushr). When he returned after making collections, he said: ‘ This is for you, and that one has been given to me as a gift.’ The Holy Prophet was so much annoyed that he (immediately) rose up to the rostrum (Mimber) and said: “ How strange is the thinking of the official? We send him ( to collect Sadaqa’t) and he on his return says: ‘ This is for you, and that is for me.’ The Holy Prophet (burst upon the official and) then said: “ Why did not he stay in his parents’ home, and then let him see whether any gift comes to him or not? By Allah (Almighty) in whose possession my life is! Any thing which an official eats (from the collection and gift) that will appear by riding his neck …on the Day of Judgement.” The Holy Prophet then raised his hands (upwards) and warned: “ Beware! I have conveyed. I have conveyed.” (Bukhari:6753)
3. The Holy Prophet
a) “ We will provide salary/livelihood to an official whom we appoint.
Any thing that he gets beyond it, is misappropriation/embezzle-
ment (Ghalul).” (Abu daud-Mishkat:3575)
b) “ O’ people! When we appoint an official from you, and he then takes
away even a needle or more, he is a betrayer (Kha’l).”
(Muslim, Abu Daud- Mishkat:3579)
c) “ Whosoever forwards his illegal recommendation (Safarish) to an
official along with a gift, and if he accepts, he has appeared from
a great gate of interest/usury (Riba) (i.e he has taken an exorbitant
amount of money unlawfully.” (Abu Daud-Mishkat:3582)
The Holy Quran warns:
“ O’ you who believe! Don’t eat away your money amongst yourselves
except through business with consent (i.e. not through fraud), and do
not kill yourselves (through fraud)…” (4:29,30)
