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What is the ruling on lawful money, part of which was used to pay a bribe; does it become unlawful and must one dispose of it?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The forbidden bribe is that which is given to avert justice or to attain something unlawful. However, that which is given to repel injustice or to attain a right is not forbidden for the giver, but it is forbidden for the receiver. If the earning of money is permissible in itself, but a bribe was paid to obtain it, then the money is lawful, and the ruling on the bribe reverts to the detailed explanation of its ruling. Avoiding suspicion is achieved by refraining from paying bribes. Lawful money earned through permissible means, if its acquisition involved a bribe, should not be disposed of through charity, except for those for whom that is generally appropriate, as scrutinizing ambiguities is suitable for those whose affairs are entirely upright.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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