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Urdu Section

31 Dec 2010, NewAgeIslam.Com

Islamic Shariah on Ills of Corruption

Money is, of course, needed for a living but what kind of wealth it should be or how should it be earned only Quran-e-Kareem can guide. Its first lesson, in this regard, is that one should use the wealth earned rightfully only and should never use in any way illegitimate wealth. This teaching is there in the Quran on repeated occasions. For example “O mankind! Eat of that which is lawful and good on the earth, and follow not the footsteps of Shaitan (Satan). Verily, he is to you an open enemy.”(Al Baqura—168) This Surah is not only for the Muslims but it has been addressed to every single person to use only what is lawful and legitimate. After twenty other Ayats of this very Sura this order has been described in another way “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”. This Ayat was revealed when two Sahabis quarrelled over a piece of land. -- Maulana Nadeemul Wajidi (Translated from Urdu by Arman Neyazi, NewAgeIslam.com)

Islamic Shariah on Ills of Corruption

By Maulana Nadeemul Wajidi (Translated from Urdu by Arman Neyazi, NewAgeIslam.com) Corruption in high places is making the news in India today. How do we tackle corruption is the big question facing us. Only way of getting rid of this disease is to make the cultural and religious education a must for every citizen. People should be told that life is not limited till we are alive in this world. Rather the real life will be life after death. We will have to go through the rigours of the Day of Judgment answering all the questions being asked about our misdeeds. I think, Islam is the only religion which has made the universe aware of the harsh punishments being meted out on them for the sins they commit here. As per a Riwayat of Abu Huraira (RA), One day Prophet Muhammad (SAW) described corruption ( Amanat mein Kheyanat) and told , Let me not find anyone of us , on the Day of Judgement that a goat is riding your neck and crying and on someone’s neck a horse is riding and neighing. And you will call me and ask me to pray to God for your forgiveness and I will say, I cannot do anything for your relief and that I had given you what God had ordered. ( Sahih ul Bukhari, Raquam ul Hadith 3073). It has become every day routine now. Right from top to bottom practically everyone is engaged in looting government treasury. Let us remember, on the Day of Judgment this corruption will become a noose and will pull the corrupt towards hell, telling the person that it is his wealth, it is his wealth. ( Bukhari Kitb ul Zakat, Raquam ul Hadith 1403) Prophet Muhammad (SAW) had prophesized some 1400 years ago that an age will come when people will not care if the wealth they have is legitimate or illegitimate. (Bukhari Raquam ul Hadith 2083). In Islam the right and wrong way of earning has been defined. This rule is devised by a person rather it has come as a Wahi (revelation) hence it has every detail of an individual and a community’s description of earning. This is the only way of salvation. Money is, of course, needed for a living but what kind of wealth it should be or how should it be earned only Quran-e-Kareem can guide. Its first lesson, in this regard, is that one should use the wealth earned rightfully only and should never use in any way illegitimate wealth. This teaching is there in the Quran on repeated occasions. For example “O mankind! Eat of that which is lawful and good on the earth, and follow not the footsteps of Shaitan (Satan). Verily, he is to you an open enemy.”(Al Baqura—168) This Surah is not only for the Muslims but it has been addressed to every single person to use only what is lawful and legitimate. After twenty other Ayats of this very Sura this order has been described in another way “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”. This Ayat was revealed when two Sahabis quarrelled over a piece of land. When no solution was found, it was decided to go to the Prophet (SAW) for the rightful judgment and then the above mentioned Ayat was revealed. When there used to be no proof or witness it was in the rules that the claimant had to take an oath taking God and its Prophet as a witness and when the claimant decided to take oath, Prophet (SAW) told them this Aayat, “Verily, those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's Covenant and their oaths, they shall have no portion in the Hereafter (Paradise). Neither will Allah speak to them, nor look at them on” the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, and they shall have a painful torment.” URL: http://www.newageislam.com/NewAgeIslamUrduSection_1.aspx?ArticleID=3857