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Is it permissible to bribe to obtain a visa for Hajj?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

There are two scenarios for obtaining a Hajj visa through bribery:

The first is when the bribe is given to secure a well-established right that the official is withholding unless a bribe is given. This is permissible, and the sin falls upon the recipient, not the giver, because the giver is compelled to fulfill a religious obligation, and thus is absolved of sin. However, if the requested amount is large and oppressive, or if the giver fears betrayal from the recipient, then he is not obliged to pay the money or perform Hajj. But if the amount is small, and there is no fear of betrayal, then Hajj is obligatory. This is the view of the Maliki and Hanbali schools of thought.

The second scenario is when paying the bribe infringes upon the rights of others, such as removing names or prioritizing someone who does not have priority. This scenario is not permissible.

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

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