Methods of Combating Political Corruption in the Prophet Muhammad's Hadiths

Abstract

The state is a phenomenon that has always existed in human history. It is a complex form of organization and administration which is an important part of the activity of ordering life. There is no social structure that lacks a public administration and governance. The state, in this sense, is the guarantor of social security, keeping people together, and providing social integration. It is a phenomenon that is effective in almost every sphere of life from politics to the economy, from family life to human relations. The Islamic society also needed this institutional structure to continue its existence. As a matter of fact, the Islamic State began to form with the migration of the Messenger of Allah to Medina and revealed its existence with the conquest of Mecca. The prophetic mission of the Messenger of Allah is not only to set an example for individuals in terms of faith and morality but also to provide the order of social life and political authority. The comprehensive administration of the Prophet, which spread to all areas of society, is the result of being a leader based on wisdom and tolerance. If the governmental authority is exercised with wisdom, it makes society happy. Wisdom is to use everything in its proper place and as needed. In Islamic civilization, the art of administration is considered a trust with great importance. Since politics is the art of governing society, it is a known fact that the deterioration in the political and administrative staff will spread to the rest of the society clearly and rapidly. Because administrators are in the decision-making process within the social structure, their corruption is not only limited to themselves but also has a feature that will affect the entire society. In a world where there is no administration or if there is, is not functioning properly, turmoil and conflict are inevitable. If one goes beyond power and wisdom, public unrest (fitna) and corruption will occur. Corruption is the opposite of reform and it is digressing moderation. The concept of corruption expresses an element that threatens the disruption of a certain order or balance when used for any of the social, religious, political, legal, and moral positions. Corruption has existed in every period of human history. All systems have struggled against corruption with different methods in order to ensure social order. The Qur'an also mentions some corrupt societies as examples and explains that the construction of a sound society will be possible by adhering to the stable principles of life. In the Qur'an, the opposite of corruption is reform, and the opposite of corrupting is reforming. Corruption is the attribute of sinners and hypocrites, and reformer is the attribute of believers. With these qualities, believers have exhibited attitudes and behaviors that maintain the balance and order that should be established on earth by observing Allah's orders and prohibitions. These Qur'anic explanations show that balance and moderation are necessary for all aspects of life. Therefore, the principles of an ideal society are revealed in the Qur'an and sound hadiths. Deviation from these principles in history has resulted in the deterioration of societies. Hadith is everything that is attributed to the Prophet: his words, deeds, disposition, or character. In the hadiths, the Messenger of Allah aimed at the righteousness and prosperity of society. In this study, the phenomenon of corruption has been discussed based on the hadiths of the Prophet, and the measures to prevent social corruption in the hadiths have been analyzed. Methods for both the diagnosis and solution of this problem are evaluated in the light of the Qur'an and hadiths, and the destruction that corruption can cause in society is emphasized.