NO TO ‘CORRUPTION
IN THE LAND’

The Quran describes a certain form of behavior in the following words: When they are told, ‘Do not cause corruption in the land,’ they say, ‘We are only promoters of peace.’ (2:11)

This Quranic verse refers to people who, on the face of it, are engaged in some reformist effort but whose method is not proper. Their method is such that, in actual practice, it causes fasad, or strife. Here, ‘corruption in the land’ means that as a result of their methods, people start clashing with each other. Their methods lead to stirring up hatred between people, weakening their moral sensibilities and engendering negative thinking. All these are forms of ‘corruption in the land’ to which this Quranic verse refers, because they destroy social peace, leading to violence and confrontation.

From this Quranic teaching we learn that for an action to be considered proper, it is not enough that it appears to be started for a good cause. In addition to this, it is necessary to keep in mind what sorts of results are produced by activities undertaken in the name of reform. If these activities give rise to hatred, tension and violence among people, then, despite claiming to be reformist activities they are definitely not so. Rather, they are destructive activities, leading to strife. Those who engage in such activities should be considered criminals and enemies of humanity, and certainly not reformers or servants of humanity.

An action can be considered a genuine reformist effort only if it is carried out within the limits of peace and humaneness. All activities undertaken in the name of reform that disturb social peace and cause loss of life and property are wrong. Essentially, efforts in the name of reform must also truly bring about reform in terms of their results. If, instead, they result in what the Quran refers to as fasad or strife corruption, then they are actually themselves a form of fasad, no matter what seemingly beautiful words may be used to describe them.