Every time I talk about corruption, the first question that comes to my mind is: what is wrong with this nation so that corruption is happening everywhere, it is almost unstoppable? Haven't all politicians and bureaucrats vowed not to do corruption? Haven't a number of laws and regulations been made to ensnare the corrupt? Isn't the pledge and signing of the integrity zone almost a ritual in various state institutions?
We hear news about the arrests of corruptors, whether by the KPK or the police, almost every day from media reports. Community movements, both NGOs and mass organizations that voice the spirit of anti-corruption and declarations of war against corruption continue to resonate everywhere. Religious fatwas related to the fight against corruption have often been issued by religious organizations. In short, all efforts have been made, but why has this nation not been able to get out of the “curse” as a country with a high level of corruption?
My anxiety is sometimes cured when I see young leaders who have emerged in various regions and have succeeded in suppressing acts of corruption in their regions. I am also happy to see young people who are involved in various movements to fight and continue to investigate new modes of corruption. I am also happy to hear that religious figures are actively involved in the fight against corruption. However, this joy sometimes disappears when they hear the news that a governor, regent/mayor, DPR member, businessman, judge, and other law enforcement officers have been arrested by the KPK. This wobble between worry and hope (khawf wa raja') is what keeps wrestling in my mind. Of course, what we have to do is suppress and eliminate the things that raise anxiety on the one hand, and continue to revive and foster hope, on the other.
In Islamic jurisprudence, there are several terms that are commonly associated with the issue of corruption, although these terms are not exactly the same as the meaning of corruption. Some of the terms known in fiqh, for example, sariqah (theft), ghulul (embezzlement), risywah (bribes), ghashab (taking someone else's property without the owner's permission), ikhtilas (pickpocketing / shoplifting), qath'uth tariq (robbery). These terms are almost all elements of corruption. Therefore, the crime of corruption deserves a severe punishment. If the corruptors do not receive severe punishment, or the corruptors can determine the truth, then destruction will occur. This is indicated by Allah SWT in QS. al-Mu'minun (23), verse 71: "And if the truth were to comply with their wishes, the heavens and the earth and all that is in them would perish."