Is paying money to a police officer or soldier to avoid a traffic violation, or to obtain a driver's license through "wasta" (connections/nepotism), considered bribery for which the perpetrator is held accountable, and what should be done if most transactions cannot be completed without payment?
Source: FtawySummary from Ftawy's records · added here Sep 2, 2026
Bribes by which one can obtain a right that cannot be obtained otherwise, or by which one can repel an oppressor's injustice, are permissible, and the sin falls upon the recipient of the bribe. However, bribery to obtain something false, or something to which one is not entitled, or a right that could have been obtained without bribery (such as obtaining a driver's license without being qualified), is forbidden.
Summary from Ftawy's records · added here
Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/54729
Where this answer came from
- Source platform
- Ftawy
- Original fatwa ID
- 54729
- Added here
- . This is when the answer was added to El Fatwa, not the fatwa's date.
- Text
- Summary from Ftawy's records, reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
- Read the full ruling
- Read the full answer on Ftawy