There is a Warning Concerning That

 The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam used to send some of his companions to collect zakat from the desert tribes. He sent a man from the Al-Azdi clan known as Ibn Al-Lutbiyyah to collect Zakat. He approached the owner of camels or him his obligatory charity for delivery to the Messenger of allah salla alayhi wa sallam to be distrubuted to the poor. Ibn Al-Lutbiyyah was also given a gift specifically for him. So he gathered all of the camels and sheeps including the ones meant for Zakat and the ones ermarked as a gift for him. He approached herding these animals till he reached Madinah and he approached Allah´s Messenger salla alayhi wa sallam with them and said, These are for you and these are what I have been given.

The Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa sallam became angry. How could be receive a gift while he is in an employment for which he is paid from the Muslim treasury? If the door is opened to employees to receive gifts in their offical responsibilities, that may lead either to dereliction of duty or acceptance of bribes and similar misdemeanors. So, the Messenger of Allah salla alayhi wa salam sought to close the door completely. He stood on the Mimbar and said,

Wha is wrong with the employee whom we send (to collect Zakat from the public) that he returns to say, This is for you and that is for me? Why didn´t he stay at his father´s and mother´s house to see whether he will be given gifts or not? By Him in whose Hand my life is in, whoever takes anything illegally will bring it on the Day og Resurrection by carrying it over his neck. If it a camel, it will be grunting, if it is a cow, it will be mooing and if it is a sheep it will be bleating! 140

This is a great hadith and it criticizes the employees´ indulgence in accepting gifts from people, such as a teacher accepting presents from his students and similar acts from a university lecturer. Another example of culprits are officials employed to manage public interests in municipallities, general hospitals or security agecies such as police and other agents.

Indulging in this will generate love for the gift giver to the exclusion of ohthers by honouring of the rich and powerful and disregard for the poor and weak. Hence, it is not permissible to accept gifts whil you are discharging your official responsibities, otherwise, you will carry the gift on your neck og the Day of Resurrection. Whoever misappropriates will come with whatever he has misappropriated on the Day of Resurrection