Combatting Corruption in the Sunnah and the Guidance of the Rightly Guided Caliphs

Peace and blessings be upon the one who clarified to his Ummah the path of goodness so they may follow it, and forbade them from the path of evil and corruption so they may beware of it; and upon his family and companions who were guided by his guidance and followed in his footsteps, and may He grant them much peace.

To proceed: Fear Allah the Almighty:

{And cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. And invoke Him in fear and aspiration. Indeed, the mercy of Allah is near to the doers of good}

[Al-A'raf: 56].

Servants of Allah:

Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has forbidden corruption and mischief-making in His Noble Book, clarified the means of treatment, and explained the methodology of righteousness and correctness. He, the Exalted, said: {And Allah does not like corruption}

[Al-Baqarah: 205].

And He, may His mention be glorified, said:

{So why were there not among the generations before you those of enduring virtue forewarning against corruption on earth, except a few of those We saved from among them? But those who wronged pursued what luxury they were given therein, and they were criminals}

[Hud: 116].

This is in addition to other verses that draw attention to the danger of corruption and mischief-making on earth, and the dire consequences for its people if they do not desist from it and restrain the hand of the corruptor so that the ship of society may be saved from sinking.

The Prophetic Sunnah also came to explain this danger and warn against it.

Prophetic directives were issued, first to warn, and second to treat the issue.

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

"Two hungry wolves sent among a flock of sheep do not cause more corruption to them than a man’s greed for wealth and status causes to his religion" Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: "He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) clarified that a man's greed for wealth, status, and leadership corrupts the religion as much as or even more than the corruption caused by two hungry wolves if they were sent into a sheepfold" (End quote).

(Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi, who said: Hadith Hasan Sahih).

Corruption (Al-Fasad) in the Language: Al-Raghib al-Isfahani said:

"Corruption is the exit of a thing from moderation, whether that exit is small or large. Its opposite is righteousness (Salah). This term is used regarding the soul, the body, and things that deviate from rectitude" (End quote).

The Technical Meaning of Corruption: It revolves around what was mentioned in the linguistic meaning: that it is the opposite of righteousness, and that it is the exit of a thing from the state of moderation and safety it was upon.

Corruption and mischief-making are rejected by natural instinct (Fitrah) just as they are rejected by Sharia, and warning against them exists in all divine laws.

O Muslims: The Prophetic Sunnah has clarified the causes leading to financial and administrative corruption so they may be avoided, and explained its causes and methods of treatment.

There is no doubt that the Prophetic treatment for corruption and other issues is the most important means of treatment after treatment by the Book of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime. Knowing some of the means of treatment makes it easier for those who have fallen into corruption to turn back from it.

Servants of Allah: The Prophetic Sunnah and the guidance of the Rightly Guided Caliphs directed toward the prevention of administrative and financial corruption through the following instructions:

First: Considering Competence in Selection: Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said:

"I feel distressed to employ a man when I find someone stronger than him" (End quote). When he dismissed Shurahbil bin Hasana and appointed Muawiyah in his place, Shurahbil said to him: "O Commander of the Faithful, did you dismiss me out of displeasure?

" He replied: "No, I love you as I always have, but I want a man who is stronger than [another] man" (End quote).

(Narrated by Ibn Abi al-Dunya).

Second: Warning against Earning Money Illegally: He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned: "A man who travels a long distance, disheveled and dusty, extending his hands to the sky saying:

'O Lord, O Lord,' while his food is haram, his drink is haram, his clothing is haram, and he has been nourished with haram; so how can he be answered?"

(Narrated by Muslim).

When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) returned from Khaybar and they were at Wadi al-Qura, a servant of his called Mid'am was killed.

"The people said: 'Congratulations to him for Paradise.'

But the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: 'No, by the One in whose hand is my soul, the cloak he took on the day of Khaybar from the spoils before they were distributed is burning him with fire.

' When the people heard that, a man brought a shoelace or two shoelaces to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said:

'A shoelace of fire,' or 'Two shoelaces of fire'"

(Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).

He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said:

"Return even the needle and the thread, for misappropriation (Ghulul) will be a shame, a fire, and a disgrace for its people on the Day of Resurrection"

(Narrated by Imam Ahmad and authenticated by the investigators of Al-Musnad).

Protecting public funds is one of the most mandatory duties and greatest acts of obedience.

Betraying that is corruption on earth, war against Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and betrayal of the rulers.

Its perpetrator is threatened with entering the Fire, we seek refuge in Allah from that.

Third: Warning against Bribery: We spoke three years ago about bribery and the greatness of its crime.

Fourth: Preventing the Official from Engaging in Trade: Because people will show him favoritism due to his position.

When wealth appeared upon Al-Harith bin Ka'b, who was an official during the caliphate of Umar bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), Umar asked him about the source of his wealth.

He said: "I went out with expenses I had and traded with them." Umar said:

"By Allah, we did not send you to trade," and he took from him the profit he had gained.

Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) made it a habit to require them, upon taking office, to submit a declaration of their possessions; if they increased beyond their earnings, he would take half or all of the increase.

Fifth: Establishing a Department for Oversight and Inspection: Umar bin Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was the first to establish an inspection system in Islam.

He placed an "eye" (observer) over every official who did not leave him, and he would delegate a representative to collect people's complaints and handle investigations himself.

He used to meet with governors and workers every year during the Hajj season.

Before his martyrdom, he intended to travel to every province and stay with the people for two months, so that the people of every province could reach the Caliph (may Allah be pleased with him).

Our government, may Allah grant it success, has established an entity named "The Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority" to work on protecting integrity and combatting corruption.

May Allah grant me and you integrity, the fulfillment of trust, and the preservation of public funds in the manner that pleases Him with us.

The Second Khutbah

Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family, and his companions.

To proceed: One of the greatest ways to combat corruption is for the individual to train themselves on self-monitoring (internal oversight).

If the individual is righteous, the society becomes righteous. If every individual strives to rectify themselves, the society is rectified.

Self-monitoring leads to fighting corruption out of conviction without the need for deterrents and rebukes, and it shapes society upon purity, clarity, and integrity.

Highlighting the paths and means for treating the phenomenon of corruption is one of the most important things that helps those in charge of any of the Muslims' affairs to fear Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, and to be keen on distancing themselves from corruption of all kinds, so that blessings may spread in Islamic societies.

Among these paths and means are:

First: Sensing the Observation of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime: He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked: "What is Ihsan?" He said:

"That you fear Allah as if you see Him, for if you do not see Him, He indeed sees you"

(Narrated by Muslim).

This is one of the greatest guarantees for combatting corruption in any society, as it is a self-monitoring that prevents the person from committing corruption out of fear and awe of Allah, and hope for what is with Him.

Second: Developing Morals and Strengthening them with Sharia Dimensions:

He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "I was sent only to perfect good character"

(Narrated by Ahmad and authenticated by the investigators of Al-Musnad).

He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said:

"Nothing is heavier in the balance of the believer on the Day of Resurrection than good character, and Allah hates the foul-mouthed and the base"

(Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi who said: Hasan Sahih).

Thus, the Muslim must adorn themselves with the character that prevents corruption and mischief.

Third: Guidance and Direction

: This is done by raising awareness of the Sharia rulings regarding corruptive actions, by explaining Sharia's protection of public funds and highlighting the punishment in the Hereafter that Sharia has set for these actions. Among the most prominent of these is the saying of him

(peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):

"For every treacherous person, there will be a banner on the Day of Resurrection, which will be raised for him according to the extent of his treachery. Indeed, there is no treachery greater than that of a public leader"

(Narrated by Muslim).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) counted the betrayal of trust among the characteristics of hypocrites.

He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "

The signs of a hypocrite are three: when he speaks he lies, when he promises he breaks it, and when he is entrusted he betrays"

(Agreed upon).

He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said:

"Whomever we appoint to a job and he conceals from us even a needle or more, it is misappropriation (Ghulul) which he will bring on the Day of Resurrection"

(Narrated by Muslim).

Fourth: Public Accountability (Al-Hisbah) against the Corrupt: Allah the Exalted said:

{And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful}

[Aal-Imran: 104].

He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

"Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; if he cannot, then with his tongue; and if he cannot, then with his heart, and that is the weakest of faith"

(Narrated by Muslim).

Therefore, every Muslim must report corruption crimes and those who commit them.

Fifth: Referring those who fall into corruption to the Judiciary: This is part of treating corruption after it occurs, so that it may cease and others may be deterred.

Author: Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Saad Al-Shathri