My question is a rather different one. I am working at a foreign land. I left Pakistan last year, and was then unemployed. My wife is a hepatitis B carrier, which is not contageous(able to spread) or harmful and the virus is dead(in DNA). I had to call her and my son at this place but according to this country rules she was unable to come at the permanent visa and the authorities accepted no medical assurance from any doctor. I tried all the fair means but there was no way out, and i had to call her as have my permanent job here. I bribed(rishwut) a man for bringing her to this land. I realize that it is a great sin but there was no other way out. I have prayed forgiveness from Allah from the very depth of my heart as I am a relegious minded person. I want to know about any penalty according to Islam in this regard. waiting for the fatwa.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

Bribery is prohibited, and the person who offers a bribe was cursed by the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam. For evidence that warns against bribery, please refer to Fataawa 85946 and 83777, which clearly indicate that bribers are cursed under Sharee‘ah.

However, if you mean by the word “penalty” a corporal punishment for bribers, then no relevant punishment has been prescribed by Sharee‘ah, yet bribers deserve a discretionary punishment that can be determined by the judge who complies with the Sharee‘ah law.

In general, the briber as well as the bribed and the intermediary between the two must repent sincerely to Allaah. You may refer to the conditions of repentance in Fatwa 86527. Finally, it should be noted that a Muslim should abide by the laws of the state that he is going to, which regulate this country’s affairs, especially the regulations related to granting resident visas to individuals who are carriers of certain diseases.

Allaah Knows best.