Corruption in Islam

Corruption has a devastating impact on the economy and the society and that is why Islam strictly prohibits corruptions such bribery.

This is what the Hadith and the Qur’an have to say about it:

“And when it is said to them, “Do not cause corruption on the earth,” they say, “We are but reformers!” (Qur’an 2:11)

“If one of you sees something wrong, let him change it with his hand; if he cannot, then with his tongue; if he cannot, then with his heart and that is the minimum required by faith”. “Hadith

“God cursed the one who pays a bribe, the one who takes it and the mediator between the two”. Hadith

Ranking of the most corrupt countries in the world, including both Arab and non-Arab countries with a Muslim majority.

Although Islam strictly prohibits bribery, it is commonplace in most of these countries.

According to the respected site Transparency.org, which assesses corruption in 183 countries annually, here are the results and rankings for both Arab and non-Arab Muslim countries:

Palestine is not on the list because it is still not recognized as a state, but its leaders (former and actual) have diverted millions of dollars in donation money intended for their own people.

Congratulations to Qatar and United Arab Emirates for ranking the least Muslim countries in the world. Unfortunately the last 3 most corrupt countries in the world are Muslim countries Syria (#181), South Sudan (#182) and Somalia occupying the last place (#183). Shame on them!!!

The corruption often begins at the highest levels of government in these countries, particularly those ranked 50th and above:
Foreign companies seeking to invest in those countries which could help reduce unemployment have frequently reported being required to pay significant bribes to secure contracts. These payments are often made directly to the country’s highest authorities, whether the presidency, the monarchy, or military leaders such as generals and colonels, especially in nations with authoritarian regimes where those in power are entrenched for life.

The corruption extends down to government officials:
In many of these countries, bribery is a widespread practice among state employees, ranging from customs officials at the borders and police officers to those responsible for issuing administrative documents and when corruption infiltrates the justice system, the likelihood of a fair trial diminishes.

The hypocrisy:

Given that these individuals are fully aware of the hadith stating that God has cursed the one who pays a bribe, the one who accepts it, and the mediator between the two, they often justify their actions by saying, “Consider this a gift.”

Here is the English translation of your text:

“Do they truly believe that God is unaware of what is hidden in their hearts or their intentions when they offer a bribe by passing it off as a gift? As the Qur’an clearly states: ‘Indeed, God knows the innermost secrets.’ (Qur’an 5:7) and “God knows the secrets of the heavens and the earth. And God is Fully Aware of what is in the breasts.’ (Qur’an 3:119)”

Remedy:

Muslims must not, in any way, shape, or form, contribute to corruption, whether through active participation, passive involvement, or silent complicity. Corruption is a serious injustice that must be confronted by both rejecting bribes and reporting any instances when they occur.

Imams in these countries have a responsibility to address this issue more frequently and speak out against it.

Note: As Muslims, it is our duty to condemn evil, but we must also be careful not to generalize the misconduct of a few individuals to the entire community. We should never associate such behaviour with Islam.