Corruption, according to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (online version), is a dishonest or illegal behavior, especially of people in authority; or the act or effect of making someone change from moral to immoral standards of behaviour. It is one of the worst epidemics that have afflicted many countries of the world. Act of bribery among public servants, abuse of offices by political appointees and mismanagement of public resources by those in authority have rendered two twin havocs on nations. It has primarily hindered the growth and development. Corruption has also latently destroyed the existing peace. Killings, kidnapping and civil unrest stem from reactionary responses of frustrated populace.
Corruption as a vanguard of Insecurity: The Cycle
When greed and selfishness define the character
of the privileged few in the society, the fire of insecurity has been
inevitably lit. The media, online and offline, is saturated with sad news of
violence and criminal acts on daily basis, no thanks to the corruption cycle. It
begins with abuse of trusts by insidious public office holders. The dishonest
trustees have cornered almost the ninety-five (95) percent of the emoluments belonging
to the entire populace while the rest scramble in survival-for-the-fittest for
the almost-none remaining.
Despite huge hospital billings, there are no
proper medical care or facilities. The citizens are frustrated with the bad
state of the roads despite decades of budgeting for reconstruction; epileptic electric
power supply despite huge estimated billings, and overbearing pressure of living,
schooling and housing while unemployment rate is dangerously high. Meanwhile, the corruption cycle has made requisite
qualification or experience irrelevant in accessing jobs. Available jobs are
reserved for referrers who have strong connection with the same corrupt
trustees or those who can offer to pay the multiple of the expected salaries in
advance as bribe.
In such a socio-economically skewed society,
the corrupt circle where the wealth is concentrated becomes the focal point of
attention and influence. Consequently, the hopeless and frustrated masses become
victims of manipulations. These schemes create bad bloods among tribes. It sows
apple of discord among religious groups. Neighbours who have lived together
over the years are at dagger drawn against one another. Farmers and herders who
have always locally settled their mutual occupational infringements for decades
begin to engage in unending acrimonies. Individual’s psychology is tuned into
self-interest before and above love for fellow countrymen. Alas! They all become
servants and worshippers in the courtyard of the corrupt manipulators. Integrity
soon become the last thing in the face of desperation to survive. Many of the
youths find their honour in being hired as area boys and bodyguards of the
corrupt paymasters. They are vulnerably goaded into killings and causing mayhem
in the society through their illicit career.
In such circumstances,
the last hope of the abused is the judiciary. Unfortunately, with prodigious
cash offers as baits, laws are turned in favours of the highest bidders and the
court is no less a home of legal oppression. As it eventually becomes apparent
that the legal system has equally been enmeshed within the same nexus of
corruption networks, the oppressed innocent minds resolve into self-help. Then,
jungle justice prevails as a dangerous response to the corruption of the civil
rights and justice. Consequently, there is a cycle of reprisals and vengeance.
Men and women are
kidnapped for ransom or assassinated if their lives have been paid for! Young
and old were raped or gruesomely murdered in cold blood. Human society become a
biological food web where one life threats another in a long chain till none
may hardly survive at the end. The military and security operatives brought to
the scene to put out the fires can only put fuels. At the forefront of the
command are men bearing the biggest badges of corruption. Their promotion has been
done without due process in order to serve the interest of the corrupt regime.
As they make fortune from the huge security budget and proceeds of wars, they
compromise the sacred covenant of their profession to defend and protect the
society from internal and external aggression.
From all these analogies, it is clear that corruption and the threats of insecurity it has posed are symptomatic of a damaged character and sick psychology. The solution is not in the militarization but in character and ideological reformation imbued in the ideals of Islam. This is a subject whose threats to human existence far more outweigh the global warming. It is apt if it is in contrast referred to as the global burning. It has consumed lives, valuables and turned several densely populated cities to deserts across the world, Nigeria as the closest typical case study.
Integrity
Human character defines the progress or
retrogression of a society. A military without discipline cannot rescue a
nation. A judiciary with no integrity cannot defend a country and leaders
without rectitude would condone graft or institute stealing-is-not-corruption
mentality. Islam therefore places premium in building ennoble human character. It
recognises that every other sector of the society rests on the moral integrity
of its human elements. Its emphasis is on the fear of God as an index of pride
and honour above wealth, social class or physical outlook.
The Qur’an says: ‘indeed, the most noble
of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you’ {Q49:13}. On
the authority of Abu Hurairah, the Messenger of Allah (peace and
blessings be upon him) said: “Allah does not look at your
appearances or your financial status, but He looks at your hearts and your
actions.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari)
In contrast to
desperation to accumulate wealth and live flamboyant lifestyles, Islam
trivializes this worldly life making it appear worth less than a dead rotten
skinning lamb. It makes materialism less attractive while extolling
contentment. Abu Hurairah reported: The messenger
of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Wealth is
not in having many possessions. Rather, true wealth is the richness of the
soul.”{Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 6081}. It closes the door of temptation that may
lead to corruption when it recognises the integrity of a poor man above the
affluence and influence of the corrupt one.
Love
and Mercy
Islam
preaches love and mercy for neighbours and fellow humans. The messenger of
Allah was reported to have said: “He does not enter Paradise whose neighbour
is not secure from his evil.” (Sahih Muslim, 46}
Islam
legislates compulsory and voluntary charities to enable the orphans, the needy and
the less privileged share from wealth, food and other valuables of the rich
class. It attaches divine rewards for humanitarian support and kindness towards
the kinsmen, wayfarers and the homeless. It encourages tolerance to debtors and
strangers. The Qur’an says: ‘Worship Allah and associate nothing with
Him, and to parents do good, and to relatives, orphans, the needy, the near
neighbor, the neighbor farther away, the companion at your side…} {Q4:36}
This
genuine show of love in the society is a solution to most, if not all insecurity
problems. Is it not natural that anyone to whom love and care is shown will not
ordinarily be driven to envy let alone think of harming his benefactors?
Justice
Justice
is the soul of peace. Islam enjoins fair-dealing and objectivity. The oppressed
should be helped against the oppressors. The laws of the land should ensure
that rights are duly returned to the owners. Cheating and habitual violations
of rights of the people are recipes for anarchy.
‘Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and
when you judge between people to judge with justice’ {Q4:58}
Admonitions
and corrections
The
upright and the corrupt in the society are like travellers in a boat in a parable
given by the messenger of Allah. They either sink or survive together. Regular
warning against deviations and corruption of morality is enjoined by Islam. Loss
of voice of condemnation makes evil thrive in a garb of standard code of
conduct over time. Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri narrated that the messenger of Allah
said: ‘whichever amongst you see an evil, let him change it with his
hands; and if he is not able then with his tongue; and if he is not able, then
let him hate it in his heart and that is the weakest of faith’ {Sahih Muslim}
Conclusion
We
used to be safe and secure when corruption was a deviant behaviour to both the
families and religious institutions. The hell of insecurity we currently battle
with is a warning that it is time to reverse. The Holy Qur’an says: ‘Corruption
has appeared throughout the land and sea by what the hands of people have
earned so He may let them taste part of the what they have done that perhaps
they will return’ {Q30:21}
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