THE ENLIGHTENED THINKER
The reward money saga has
been dominating news this past week. Research states that nearly Rs. 198
million was paid off to informants within the command of Dip, but proper paper
work and Standing Orders were not adhered to. Huge amounts were diverted or
abused via special police departments. The senior officers and sergeants are
also mentioned, and the millions of rupees tracked down to their accounts.
Dip is being charged both
by the Prevention of Corruption Act and the FCC Act. The Democratic system is
supposed to be free, transparent and open to the rule of law. However, in
reality, this use is discriminatory. The requirements of strict compliance are
set among ordinary citizens, and the elites can bend or avoid control.
The meaning of freedom in
this context is conditional - most people with power or wealth enjoy freedom.
Capitalism is conducive to accumulation in its scope, but it usually does not
prevent systemic abuse. This compels the government to step in with severe
regulation and arrest. The cycle demonstrates that so-called liberty of capitalism
is not stable; it fails to withstand corruption and political pressures.
This is capitalism's
separation of religion from governance and its prioritization of profit over
justice. Islam gives a contrasting picture of the situation. Allah swt says: "Do
not consume one another's wealth unjustly, nor use it to bribe the rulers in order
to consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin, while you know it is unlawful"
(TMQ 2:188).
Rulers are custodians and
not proprietors of the commonwealth and the Prophet s.a.w stressed that all
officials are answerable to Allah swt with regard to the way in which they take
care of their subjects. The management of the wealth in Islamic rule should be
as transparent and capable of record keeping and with a sense of responsibility
belonging to the community.
When abused, reward money
schemes are a betrayal of trust (amanah) which are an injustice that weakens
the society. In addition, Islam also focuses on the idea that it is better to
prevent evil than cure it. Capitalism tends to have excesses accumulating until
they burst out, yet Shariah has moral and legal provisions, which forbid
bribery, require all financial transactions to be documented clearly, and income
redistribution through Zakat.
Justice is not a mere
political slogan, but a religious requirement. There is more toit than just a
single alleged corruption of a single man in the arrest of former CP Dip. It
shows the false hope of capitalist freedom, whereby the rulers do as they please
until attention is drawn and they are then compelled to cease.
Islam, however, considers
governance a holy trust, and requires fealty, openness and responsibility to
the community, and to Allah swt.
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