Prof. Quraish Shihab: The term corruptor is too subtle for the perpetrators of corruption

Jakarta, NU Online

Muslim scholar Professor Muhammad Quraish Shihab said the term of corruptors for those convicted of corruption was considered too subtle. The word thief is considered more appropriate.

 

"Why are poor people who take what they don't have their rights called thieves, while for officials or employees, we call them corruptors. They are thieves," the Founder of the Center for Al-Qur'an Studies (PSQ) on the Shihab & Shihab show, said here recently.

 

Data showed that from 2004 to July 2020 corruption cases in Indonesia were 1,032 cases, with the types of corruption cases that were often carried out, namely 683 bribes, 206 goods or services procurement, and several other cases such as misuse of budgets and permits.

 

Supposedly, he said, because corruptors had no shame, they must be humiliated. This is because many facts prove that the corruptors are still waddling and laughing during their sentence. It is not enough to just wear yellow clothes and be punished, but to be humiliated until they come to their senses.

 

"So the point is that corruptors must be humiliated, that's one thing," Prof. Quraish said.

 

The impact of what they did also applies to their descendants. In fact, according to the author of Tafsir Al-Misbah, the act of awareness must impoverish family members, not just take back what has been stolen. If this action is not taken, it is certain that the convict will still be able to benefit from some of the assets they have invested.

 

"Let's say (corruption proceeds) are invested in the bank, there will be profit," he said, adding that although the profits obtained were not corruption proceeds, they should also be taken so that they would become poor.

 

Affording family from corruption

Prof. Quraish explained, all assets taken or collected from corruption were forbidden (haram) and bad, so if given to children or families, it could have a bad impact on their character.

 

He said that there was a mother who was blessed with successful children, when asked what her secret was, the mother replied, never once gave her child unlawful food.

 

"The Prophet said, every meat that grows from haram food, then hell is the place," Prof. Quraish explained.

 

He was of view that one of the important factors to be promoted in society was the role of wives and children. Not only encouraging husbands not to be corrupt, furthermore the function of the family must prevent other family members from committing such acts. Then, what consequence if the family does not know that their wealth is the result of corruption?

 

Prof. Quraish replied, God does not burden anything that His creatures do not know. However, in the Qur'an it is stated that parents are obliged to find out any extra income that their child earns.

 

"It is strived to create comfort in the family," Prof. Quraish said.

 

Contributor: Syifa Arrahmah

Editor: Sudarto Murtaufiq