Tariq Ramadan – Ramadan Chronicles #22 Corruption

In our way

to

this peace and this faithfulness to the principles

of our religion,

there is one thing that we have which

is essential from the very beginning,

which is to resist

corruption.

And what we know from the very beginning,

what we know as the essence of who

we are as human beings is that it's

in us, and there is 2 ways. 1

is to promote

reform for the good, which is to be

min al muslihin,

the reformers

for the good, or to be min al

musidin, people who are transforming the reality and

corrupting

everything

within,

their work, in the world, and within the

creation.

What we have to do as Muslims

is to take a decision, to take and

to choose our way.

What we have in the Quran,

which is from the very beginning part of

our essence when Allah said to the angels

that

I'm going to put on earth a vice

Are you going to put on Earth

people, human beings that are going to corrupt

the the earth, all the earth, and to

spread bloodshed,

knowing that from the beginning it's part of

who we are as human beings. We can

go towards the the the most corrupt behavior

and at the same times

be in part of reforming the world for

the better. And this is what we have

in the verse saying,

by the time people and human beings are

going towards corruption

destruction. Accept those who believe and go and

do good deeds. This is the choice that

to to resist the natural,

trend, to the natural

historical evolution towards corruption.

We have to take a stand. We have

to take a decision. And this is where

in our life, we have to work and

we have to behave and we have to

act against all types of corruption,

intellectual corruption, with people distorting

ideas and lying on

ideas

and and,

intellectual discussion and debates.

Social corruption, people taking money, people corrupting,

social justice on taking advantage

of all what could be their own interest.

Exactly the same in politics. Exactly the same

in economy. At every level,

we are surrounded

by people who are indulging in corruption and

even ourselves so that we have to resist

this, and knowing that some of the people

around us are saying, no. No. No. We

are reformers. We are trying to do our

best to change the world for the better,

while at the same time, they might be

corrupting

our intelligence,

even corrupting our religion

by promoting a new way of reading, distorting

the very or this trying the very foundation

of our religion. That's very important to know.

And for these people who sometimes are presenting

themselves

as,

reformers, they are saying,

no. No. We are reformers.

Exactly what you have in the Quran. When

they they are told, don't spread corruption on

earth, what do they say?

No. No. No. We are reformers,

and this is where we have to be

vigilant, we have to be aware, and we

have to be resistant.

And promoting resistance in all these fields

as Muslims, as believers, as human beings.

This is the way

the world could be corrupt,

and there should be people on earth

deciding at their level within their society

that they will be resistant to any type

of corruption. We should be one of those,

Inshallah.

Remember, tell the people you love that you

love them. Life is fragile.