Surah Baqarah ayat 188 Tafsir Quran 2:188

﴿وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوَالَكُم بَيْنَكُم بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتُدْلُوا بِهَا إِلَى الْحُكَّامِ لِتَأْكُلُوا فَرِيقًا مِّنْ أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ بِالْإِثْمِ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ﴾
[ البقرة: 188]

2:188 And do not consume one another's wealth unjustly or send it [in bribery] to the rulers in order that [they might aid] you [to] consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin, while you know [it is unlawful].

Consume not your goods between you that is to say do not let one consume the goods of the other in deception that which is illicit according to the Law such as theft and extortion; and do not proffer them the regulation of these goods or any bribes to the judges that you may consume as a result of any arbitration a portion of other people’s goods embroiled in sin while you are aware that you are in error.

And do not usurp others’ possessions unlawfully and present bribes to their judges to sway their discernment so that you sinfully devour a part of peoples’ possessions being aware of your evil doings

Bribery is prohibited and is a Sin `Ali bin Abu Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "This ( Ayah 2:188 ) is about the indebted person when there is no evidence of the loan.
So he denies taking the loan and the case goes to the authorities, even though he knows that it is not his money and that he is a sinner, consuming what is not allowed for him." This opinion was also reported from Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi, Muqatil bin Hayan and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam.
They all stated, "Do not dispute when you know that you are being unjust." The Judge's Ruling does not allow the Prohibited or prohibit the Lawful It is reported in the Two Sahihs that Umm Salamah narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said:
«أَلَا إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ، وَإِنَّمَا يَأْتِينِي الْخَصْمُ، فَلَعَلَّ بَعْضَكُمْ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَلْحَنَ بِحُجَّتِهِ مِنْ بَعْضٍ فَأَقْضِيَ لَهُ، فَمَنْ قَضَيْتُ لَهُ بِحَقِّ مُسْلِمٍ فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ قِطْعَةٌ مِنْ نَارٍ، فَلْيَحْمِلْهَا أَوْ لِيَذَرْهَا»
( I am only human! You people present your cases to me, and as some of you may be more eloquent and persuasive in presenting his argument, I might issue a judgment in his benefit.
So, if I give a Muslim's right to another, I am really giving him a piece of fire; so he should not take it. ) The Ayah and the Hadith prove that the judgment of the authorities in any case does not change the reality of the truth.
Hence, the ruling does not allow what is in fact prohibited or prohibit what is in fact allowed.
It is only applicable in that case.
So if the ruling agrees with the truth, then there is no harm in this case.
Otherwise, the judge will acquire his reward, while the cheater will acquire the evil burden. This is why Allah said: وَلاَ تَأْكُلُواْ أَمْوَلَكُمْ بَيْنَكُم بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتُدْلُواْ بِهَآ إِلَى الْحُكَّامِ لِتَأْكُلُواْ فَرِيقًا مِّنْ أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ بِالإِثْمِ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ( And eat up not one another's property unjustly, nor give bribery to the rulers (judges before presenting your cases ) that you may knowingly eat up a part of the property of others sinfully.) meaning, `While you know the falsehood of what you claim.
' Qatadah said, "O son of Adam! Know that the judge's ruling does not allow you what is prohibited or prohibit you from what is allowed.
The judge only rules according to his best judgment and according to the testimony of the witnesses.
The judge is only human and is bound to make mistakes.
Know that if the judge erroneously rules in some one's favor, then that person will still encounter the dispute when the disputing parties meet Allah on the Day of Resurrection.
Then, the unjust person will be judged swiftly and precisely with that which will surpass whatever he acquired by the erroneous judgment he received in the life of this world."

(2:188) Do not usurp one another's property by unjust means nor offer it to the judges so that you may devour knowingly and unjustly a portion of the goods of others. *197

And do not consume one another's wealth meaning

*197).
One meaning of this verse is that people should not try to seek illegitimate benefits by bribing magistrates.
Another meaning is that when a person is aware that the property, he claims rightfully belongs to someone else, he should not file a judicial petition either because the other party lacks the evidence to support their case or because by trickery and cunning the petitioner can usurp that property.
It is possible that the judicial authority would decide the case in favour of the false claimant on the basis of the formal strength of the claim, but as this judicial verdict would merely be the result of the chicanery to which the claimant had resorted he would not become its rightful owner.
In spite of the judgement of the court the property would remain unlawful for him in the sight of God.
It has been reported in a Tradition that the Prophet said: 'I am merely a human being and you bring to me your disputes.
It is possible that some of you will be more impressive in argument than others, so that 1 may give judgement in favour of one on the basis of what 1 hear.
Beware that if 1 award to someone what belongs to his brother, I will have assigned to him a lump of Fire.' ( Bukhari, 'Shahadat', 27; Muslim, 'Aqdiayah', 4; Abu Da'ud , 'Aqdiayah', 7; Tirmidhi, 'Ahkam', 11, 18; Nasai 'Qudat', 12, 33; 1bn Majah, 'AhkAm', 5, etc.
- Ed. )
 

Bribery is prohibited and is a Sin `Ali bin Abu Talhah reported that Ibn `Abbas said, "This ( Ayah 2:188 ) is about the indebted person when there is no evidence of the loan.
So he denies taking the loan and the case goes to the authorities, even though he knows that it is not his money and that he is a sinner, consuming what is not allowed for him." This opinion was also reported from Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, `Ikrimah, Al-Hasan, Qatadah, As-Suddi, Muqatil bin Hayan and `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam.
They all stated, "Do not dispute when you know that you are being unjust." The Judge's Ruling does not allow the Prohibited or prohibit the Lawful It is reported in the Two Sahihs that Umm Salamah narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: «أَلَا إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ، وَإِنَّمَا يَأْتِينِي الْخَصْمُ، فَلَعَلَّ بَعْضَكُمْ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَلْحَنَ بِحُجَّتِهِ مِنْ بَعْضٍ فَأَقْضِيَ لَهُ، فَمَنْ قَضَيْتُ لَهُ بِحَقِّ مُسْلِمٍ فَإِنَّمَا هِيَ قِطْعَةٌ مِنْ نَارٍ، فَلْيَحْمِلْهَا أَوْ لِيَذَرْهَا» ( I am only human! You people present your cases to me, and as some of you may be more eloquent and persuasive in presenting his argument, I might issue a judgment in his benefit.
So, if I give a Muslim's right to another, I am really giving him a piece of fire; so he should not take it. ) The Ayah and the Hadith prove that the judgment of the authorities in any case does not change the reality of the truth.
Hence, the ruling does not allow what is in fact prohibited or prohibit what is in fact allowed.
It is only applicable in that case.
So if the ruling agrees with the truth, then there is no harm in this case.
Otherwise, the judge will acquire his reward, while the cheater will acquire the evil burden. This is why Allah said: وَلاَ تَأْكُلُواْ أَمْوَلَكُمْ بَيْنَكُم بِالْبَاطِلِ وَتُدْلُواْ بِهَآ إِلَى الْحُكَّامِ لِتَأْكُلُواْ فَرِيقًا مِّنْ أَمْوَالِ النَّاسِ بِالإِثْمِ وَأَنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ ( And eat up not one another's property unjustly, nor give bribery to the rulers (judges before presenting your cases ) that you may knowingly eat up a part of the property of others sinfully.) meaning, `While you know the falsehood of what you claim.
' Qatadah said, "O son of Adam! Know that the judge's ruling does not allow you what is prohibited or prohibit you from what is allowed.
The judge only rules according to his best judgment and according to the testimony of the witnesses.
The judge is only human and is bound to make mistakes.
Know that if the judge erroneously rules in some one's favor, then that person will still encounter the dispute when the disputing parties meet Allah on the Day of Resurrection.
Then, the unjust person will be judged swiftly and precisely with that which will surpass whatever he acquired by the erroneous judgment he received in the life of this world."

The following was revealed about ’Abdan Ibn Ashwa’ [ al-Hadrami ] and Imra’ al-Qays [ Ibn ’Abis ]: ( And eat not up your property among yourselves in vanity ) through oppression, theft, usurpation, perjury, and other forbidden means, ( nor seek by it to gain the hearing of the judges that you may knowingly devour a portion of the property of others wrongfully ) through perjury; Imra’ al-Qays admitted taking the money when this verse was revealed.

And eat up not one another's property unjustly (in any illegal way e.g. stealing, robbing, deceiving, etc.), nor give bribery to the rulers (judges before presenting your cases) that you may knowingly eat up a part of the property of others sinfully.

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