Using Zakah for Reconciling the Hearts, is This Not Bribery?
Question:
Salaam bro,
One of the uses of Sadaqaat as per this verse is for talif al Qalb (reconcilling the hearts) . As I understand these are people who may be Muslims or non Muslims who can be given money " to win their hearts" for political reasons so that a war or hostility can be avoided. Does that not amount to bribery?
Answer:
Salam,
Use of the Zakah for reconciling hearts is simply a political measure by the state (not an individual) to keep those who may become enemies, in peace with the country and its people. If you think about it, modern forms of the same thing is happening regularly between many countries in the world.
The concept of bribery normally applies in a personal level and for personal gains. The above use of Zakah is in the state level and for the political gains.
Further, when I look at the google online dictionary I find this definition for the word 'bribe':
"Persuade (someone) to act in one's favor, typically illegally or dishonestly, by a gift of money or other inducement."
Looking at the above definition, I can say with certainty that the use of Zakah for reconciling hearts is not bribery. This is because the money given for reconciling hearts is not to make the receivers doing something illegal or dishonest.
Now if you remove that part from the above definition and define bribery to mean "any sort of persuading to act in favour by a gift of money" then I will have no problems calling this particular use of Zakah a bribery. However in this case I will also say that bribery (with your definition) cannot be called immoral per se, and as an example I will mention 'the use of Zakah by the state for reconciling hearts to the benefit of the country and its people'.
-----------
April 2013
Salaam bro,
One of the uses of Sadaqaat as per this verse is for talif al Qalb (reconcilling the hearts) . As I understand these are people who may be Muslims or non Muslims who can be given money " to win their hearts" for political reasons so that a war or hostility can be avoided. Does that not amount to bribery?
Answer:
Salam,
Use of the Zakah for reconciling hearts is simply a political measure by the state (not an individual) to keep those who may become enemies, in peace with the country and its people. If you think about it, modern forms of the same thing is happening regularly between many countries in the world.
The concept of bribery normally applies in a personal level and for personal gains. The above use of Zakah is in the state level and for the political gains.
Further, when I look at the google online dictionary I find this definition for the word 'bribe':
"Persuade (someone) to act in one's favor, typically illegally or dishonestly, by a gift of money or other inducement."
Looking at the above definition, I can say with certainty that the use of Zakah for reconciling hearts is not bribery. This is because the money given for reconciling hearts is not to make the receivers doing something illegal or dishonest.
Now if you remove that part from the above definition and define bribery to mean "any sort of persuading to act in favour by a gift of money" then I will have no problems calling this particular use of Zakah a bribery. However in this case I will also say that bribery (with your definition) cannot be called immoral per se, and as an example I will mention 'the use of Zakah by the state for reconciling hearts to the benefit of the country and its people'.
-----------
April 2013
