''Fasād'' ( ar, فساد ) is an Arabic word meaning rottenness, corruption, or depravity. In an Islamic context it can refer to ''spreading corruption on Earth'' or ''spreading mischief in a
Muslim land'', moral corruption against God, or disturbance of the public peace.
The spread of ''fasad'' is a major theme in the Quran, and the notion is often contrasted with ''
islah
Islah or Al-Islah (الإصلاح ,إصلاح, ') is an Arabic word, usually translated as "reform", in the sense of "to improve, to better, to put something into a better position, fundamentalism, correction, correcting something and removing v ...
'' (setting things aright).
Classical Quranic commentators commonly interpreted "corruption in the land" as open disobedience against God or its result.
[ In certain contexts, classical jurists took it to refer to the legal category of ]Hirabah
In Islamic law, ''hirabah'' is a legal category that comprises highway robbery (traditionally understood as aggravated robbery or grand larceny, unlike theft, which has a different punishment), rape, and terrorism. Ḥirābah ( ar, حرابة) is ...
, comprising armed assault, rape and murder.[ Some contemporary Muslims view destruction of the natural environment to be among the central meanings of verses referring to ''fasad''.][
In recent decades, the term has been used in the legal codes of the Islamic Republics of Pakistan and Iran. In Iran, laws referencing it have been used to prosecute or threaten political opposition figures.
]
In Islamic scripture
Quran
The spread of ''fasad'' is a major theme in the Quran, and the notion is often contrasted with ''islah'' (setting things aright).[
Terms derived from the verbal root f-s-d appear in a number of Quranic verses. The verb ''afsad'' (to cause fasad) appears, for example, in chapter 2 (]Al-Baqara
Al-Baqara, alternatively transliterated Al-Baqarah ( ar, الْبَقَرَة, ; "The Heifer" or "The Cow"), is the second and longest chapter (''surah'') of the Quran. It consists of 286 verses ('' āyāt'') which begin with the " mysterio ...
), verse 11-12, When it is said to them: "Make not mischief on the earth," they say: "Why, we only Want to make peace!" Of a surety, they are the ones who make mischief, but they realise (it) not. –
Classical Quranic commentators commonly interpreted spreading "corruption in the land" or "mischief on the earth" as open disobedience against God or its result.[ Some contemporary Muslims view destruction of the natural environment to be among the central meanings of these verses.][
In chapter 5 (]Al-Ma'ida
Al-Ma'idah ( ar, ٱلمائدة, ; "The Table" or "The Table Spread with Food") is the fifth chapter (''sūrah'') of the Quran, with 120 verses ('' āyāt''). Regarding the timing and contextual background of the revelation (''asbāb al-nuz ...
) of Qur'an
The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , sing. ...
, verse 33 contains the expression "to strive mischievously in the land" (yas'awna fi-l-ardi fasadan):
The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Messenger, and strive to spread corruption through the land is: execution, or crucifixion, or the cutting off of hands and feet from opposite sides, or exile from the land: that is their disgrace in this world, and a heavy punishment is theirs in the Hereafter. –
The scope of this verse has been limited by most classical commentators to the armed crimes falling under the legal category of Hirabah
In Islamic law, ''hirabah'' is a legal category that comprises highway robbery (traditionally understood as aggravated robbery or grand larceny, unlike theft, which has a different punishment), rape, and terrorism. Ḥirābah ( ar, حرابة) is ...
, which comprises armed robbery, assault (including rape), and murder, particularly of innocent travelers on the road. A "small minority" viewed this verse as applying to apostates in general.[ This verse follows verses 26-31 which refer to the incident in which Qabil (]Cain
Cain ''Káïn''; ar, قابيل/قايين, Qābīl/Qāyīn is a Biblical figure in the Book of Genesis within Abrahamic religions. He is the elder brother of Abel, and the firstborn son of Adam and Eve, the first couple within the Bible. He wa ...
), son of Adam
Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as " ...
, killed his brother Habil (Abel
Abel ''Hábel''; ar, هابيل, Hābīl is a Biblical figure in the Book of Genesis within Abrahamic religions. He was the younger brother of Cain, and the younger son of Adam and Eve, the first couple in Biblical history. He was a shepherd ...
).
Those who cause mischief in the land (yufsiduna fi al-ard) are counted as "the losers" in Al-Baqara, verse 27:
Those who break the covenant of Allah after ratifying it, and sever that which Allah ordered to be joined, and (who) make mischief in the earth: Those are they who are the losers. –
The word "losers" indicates being bereft of something, and can also mean "being lost", in the sense of losing one's way or one's self.
Hadiths
Mischief has a broad meaning in Sahih Bukhari and other texts of Islam.[
Breaking ties with one's Muslim kith and kin is stated to be a form of ''fasad'' in Book 73 of Sahih Bukhari,][Fethi Ahmed (2005), The Dilemma of Corruption in Southeast Asia, University Malaya Press, , pp 25-28]
The Prophet said, "Allah created the creations, and when He finished from His creations, Ar-Rahm (womb) said, "(O Allah) at this place I seek refuge with You from all those who sever the ties of kith and kin. Allah said, 'Yes, won't you be pleased that I will keep good relations with the one who will keep good relations with you, and I will sever the relation with the one who will sever the relations with you.' Allah's Apostle added. "Read (in the Qur'an) if you wish, the Statement of Allah: 'Would you then, if you were given the authority, do mischief in the land and sever your ties of kinship?' –
Sunan Abu Dawud confirms that the required punishment for fasad is execution or crucifixion.
When the Apostle of Allah cut off (the hands and feet of) those who had stolen his camels and he had their eyes put out by fire (heated nails), Allah reprimanded him on that (action), and Allah, the Exalted, revealed: "The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and His Apostle and strive with might and main for mischief through the land is execution or crucifixion." –
Sunan Abu Dawud, in 38.4359, states that the punishment for fasad was revealed for polytheists
Polytheism is the belief in multiple deities, which are usually assembled into a pantheon of gods and goddesses, along with their own religious sects and rituals. Polytheism is a type of theism. Within theism, it contrasts with monotheism, the ...
.
In modern politics and law
Pakistan
Pakistan law includes the principle of fasad-fil-arz (corruption on earth), which allows an offender to be punished (with a sentence of up to 14 years of imprisonment) even if they are forgiven by the victim's party under Qisas and Diyat.
Iran
After the Islamic revolution in Iran, suspected royalists were purged from the civil service and the army with justifications that employed the Quranic notions of ''fasad'' and '' fitna''. The clerical leadership attempted to present this campaign as analogous to the actions of the Islamic prophet Muhammad
Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 Common Era, CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Muhammad in Islam, Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet Divine inspiration, di ...
and Ali ibn Abi Talib
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam. ...
. Acting as the prayer leader of Tehran, Ayatollah Ali Montazeri commented that Muhammad was sent by God "to salvage he inhabitants of Mecca
He or HE may refer to:
Language
* He (pronoun), an English pronoun
* He (kana), the romanization of the Japanese kana へ
* He (letter), the fifth letter of many Semitic alphabets
* He (Cyrillic), a letter of the Cyrillic script called ''He'' in ...
from corrupted moralities 'mafasid akhlaq''. He identified fasad with "plotters, spies and traitors in government offices and institutions" and warned that failure to take action against it would put an end to "the sciences, the arts and progress".[Haggay R. (1992), "Crushing the opposition: adversaries of the Islamic Republic of Iran", ''The Middle East Journal'', Vol. 46, No. 3, pp. 427–428]
In the Islamic Republic of Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
the offense is known as ''Mofsed-e-filarz
Mofsed-e-filarz ( fa, مفسد فی الارض, also Mofsed fel-Arz, Afsad-i fil Arz, or fasad-fel-arz, ar, المفسد في الأرض Al-Mufsid fi al-Arḍ, also fasad fi 'l-ard lit. ''Corrupt on Earth'') is the title of capital crimes (or the ...
'' and is a capital crime. The charge was used by Islamic Republican judicial authorities in the early days of the Iranian Revolution, resulting in many imprisonments and executions. Possibly more than 8,000 people suffered that fate, ranging from former members of the Shah's government, leaders of opposition or terrorist groups, or simply opponents of the regime. It has been used against leaders of the Baháʼí Faith
The Baháʼí Faith is a religion founded in the 19th century that teaches the Baháʼí Faith and the unity of religion, essential worth of all religions and Baháʼí Faith and the unity of humanity, the unity of all people. Established by ...
on a number of occasions,Baha’i Leaders Remain Unjustly Detained After One Year
ICHRI, 14 May 2009 and in February 2011 a large majority of members of the Iranian parliament called for the prosecution and execution of Iranian opposition leaders Mehdi Karroubi
Mehdi Karroubi ( fa, مهدی کروبی, Mehdi Karrubi, born 26 September 1937) is an Iranian Shia cleric and Iranian reform movement, reformist politician leading the National Trust Party (Iran), National Trust Party. Following 2009–2010 Iran ...
and Mir-Hossein Mousavi
Mir-Hossein Mousavi Khameneh ( fa, میرحسین موسوی خامنه, Mīr-Hoseyn Mūsavī Khāmené, ; born 2 March 1942) is an Iranian reformist politician, artist and architect who served as the forty-ninth and last Prime Minister of Ira ...
on the charge of mofsed-e-filarz.[Iran Lawmakers Want Opposition Leaders Killed](_blank)
ALAN COWELL and NEIL MacFARQUHAR, nyt.com, February 15, 2011
See also
* Apostasy in Islam
Apostasy in Islam ( ar, ردة, or , ) is commonly defined as the abandonment of Islam by a Muslims, Muslim, in thought, word, or through deed. An apostate from Islam is referred to by using the Arabic language, Arabic and Glossary of Islam ...
* Corruption
Corruption is a form of dishonesty or a criminal offense which is undertaken by a person or an organization which is entrusted in a position of authority, in order to acquire illicit benefits or abuse power for one's personal gain. Corruption m ...
* Mofsed-e-filarz
Mofsed-e-filarz ( fa, مفسد فی الارض, also Mofsed fel-Arz, Afsad-i fil Arz, or fasad-fel-arz, ar, المفسد في الأرض Al-Mufsid fi al-Arḍ, also fasad fi 'l-ard lit. ''Corrupt on Earth'') is the title of capital crimes (or the ...
* War crime
References
{{reflist, 30em
Arabic words and phrases in Sharia
Islam and capital punishment
Islamic terminology