Corruption, Functions of Officials, Nana Asmau, Insanity
Issue 309 » January 14, 2005 - Zul-Hijja 3, 1425
General
| Living the Quran |
Al-Fajr (The
Dawn)
Corruption is an inevitable result of tyranny, and it affects the tyrant and his subjects alike. Indeed, tyranny ruins all human relations. It forces human life out of its healthy, constructive and straight path and diverts it into a line which does not lead to the fulfillment of man's role as God's vicegerent on earth. Tyranny makes the tyrant captive of his own desires because he is uncommitted to any principle or standard and unrestrained within any reasonable limit. Thus the tyrant is always the first to be corrupted by his own tyranny. He assumes for himself a role other than that of a servant of God, entrusted with a specific mission. This is evident in Pharaoh's boastful claim: "I am our supreme Lord." (79:24) Tyranny also corrupts the masses as it humiliates them and compels them to suppress their discontent and hatred. It kills all human dignity and wastes all creative talents, which cannot flourish except in an atmosphere of freedom. A humiliated soul inevitably rots away and becomes a breeding ground for sickly desires. Hence, digression from the right path becomes the order of the day as clear vision becomes an impossibility. In such conditions no aspiration to a higher standard can be entertained. The net result of all this is the spread of corruption. Tyranny also destroys all healthy standards and concepts because they constitute a threat to its existence. Hence, values are falsified and standards are distorted so that the repulsive idea of despotism becomes acceptable as natural. This, in itself, is great corruption. When these aforementioned peoples caused such corruption, the remedy was, inevitably, a complete purge. God is certainly aware of their deeds and He records them all. So, when corruption is increased, He severely punished the corrupt. The text connotes that the punishment was very painful as it uses the term 'scourge', or 'whip' as the Arabic term literally means, and that it was in large supply as indicated by use of the phrase 'let loose'. Thus the tyrants were made to suffer a plentiful and painful retribution. Source: |
| Understanding the Prophet's Life |
| Defining the Function of the Officials In the Islamic perspective, competent administrative machinery requires two things to function properly: knowledge of rules and regulations, and a strong moral discipline and sense of responsibility. While the teaching of Islamic principles attained great significance in the Arab society, the moral training of the Muslims with a view to entrusting them administrative jobs was also not neglected. A Hadith generalizes this situation in the following words:
The following hadiths directly touch upon this question:
The Prophet has enjoined upon rulers to be just and honest:
Source: |
| Muslim Women in History |
Nana Asmau She was the Daughter of Uthman dan Fodio, the founder of the Sokoto Khalifate (in what is now Northern Nigeria). She used to advice him. She developed a method bringing the women to her for learning, which has continued to exist until the present. This is called the Yan Taru movement. She chose mature women for learning, intelligence, and reliable character to head women’s village groups and gave each leader a Malfa (a type of hat) as a symbol of authority. They would go on their own, to the capital, Sokoto, where Asmau received them in groups and sorted out their problems. They were taught poems containing the teachings of Islam, which they memorized and then returned home to teach. She left a large body of writing in Arabic, Fulfulde and Hawsa. She was 72 when she died. She was married to Uthaman Gidado. Source: |
| A Father's Advice |
Knowledge without action is insanity My dear son, Knowledge without action is insanity, and action without knowledge is vanity. Know that knowledge today will not distance you from sins, nor bring you into obedience, nor distance you from the fire of Hell tomorrow. If you do not act today and do not derive lessons from your past days, you will say on the Last Day: “Return us to our previous life and we will do good deeds,” and it will be said to you: “O feel, it is from there that you have come.” Source: |
