Ismaili.NET - Heritage F.I.E.L.D.

The Koranic word suht means illicit gain: "And do not eat up your property among yourselves for vanities, nor use it as bait for the judges, with intent that you may eat up wrongfully and knowingly a little of (other) people's property" (2:188) and "(They are) listeners to lie, devourers of the illicit gain" (5:45). Imam Jafar Sadik has said that, "Suht includes bribe paid to a person in authority and it also means income from immoral acts." Bribery is a canker, which destroys faith in the administration of justice and Muslims are therefore prohibited from indulging in it. It is an ancient curse of human society in public and private dealings. It not ingrained in human nature, but an attitude of defeatism. Abdullah bin Amr related that the Prophet cursed the bribe-giver and bribe-taker. There is also his oft-quoted saying that he who gives bribe and he who takes it, both will go to hell (Tirmizi, 2:36). The Koran also says, "Do not cooperate in sin and hostility" (5:2).