Bribery >is illegal and prohibited in countries across the Arab world. Islam, in particular, deems the corrupt act a sin with several Quranic verses warning against it.
However, according to Saudi cleric Khaled bin Abdullah Al Musleh, bribing someone can be religiously permissible if a person has no other means to get their rights.
The Islamic scholar issued the controversial edict during an appearance he made on Resala Channel's Yastaftonek (They ask for your edicts) program this week.
"If a person is seeking an indisputable right and has no other means of getting it back, then it's permissible for them to use a bribe. In this situation, the person who accepted and received their bribe is the one who is considered sinful," he said.
Al Musleh then added that bribes are prohibited when someone's trying to get anything that isn't considered their right, including a job or raise.
Al Musleh's edict didn't gather much support, with many Saudis criticizing it for contradicting the teachings of Islam.
Barely a few supported the cleric's edict
"This is true and it's what we've learned from our respected scholars. It isn't new and doesn't contradict Islamic teachings."
While plenty went against it
"A bizarre edict... it encourages corruption."
"What's happening to the world?"
"We have a Quran and everything in it is clear, 1 + 1 = 2. Until when are we going to see people come out and defame our teachings? They're creating things from their imagination. Respect people's intellect."
"It looks like everything we've learned is wrong"
Many raised this important point
"If someone's right is indisputable, why would they pay a bribe? They can get it back through sharia and law."
Bribery is illegal in Saudi Arabia and several Arab countries
Under the kingdom's recently amended anti-bribery law, anyone accused of offering or receiving a bribe will land themselves in serious legal trouble.
According to Global Compliance News, "penalties under the Bribery Regulations include fines not exceeding SAR 1 million ($266,609) or imprisonment for a period not exceeding 10 years, or both."
Bribery is also illegal >in the UAE, where it's punishable under Articles 237 and 238 of the UAE's Federal Penal Code.