Explanation of the author's statement: And His saying: ((And when it is said to them, "Do not cause corruption on the earth," they say, "We are only reformers")) and His saying
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The Shaykh : He says: And the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Baqarah 2:11].
Corruption on the earth is of two types. The first is physical, material corruption, such as demolishing houses, ruining roads, and the like, which some of the rabble among people do while claiming that they are reformers. In reality, they are corrupters without a doubt. They are corrupters. Otherwise, what is the sin of the houses, what is the sin of the roads, and what is the sin of the innocent people until their honor is trampled? These people who claim to be reformers are, in truth, corrupters.
The second type of corruption is moral corruption, meaning doing what results in corruption, and that is through sins. Indeed, sins are among the greatest causes of corruption on the earth. Allah the Exalted said:[Ar-Rum 30:41], and He said: [Ash-Shuraa 42:30] This includes the statement "when it is said to them, 'Do not cause corruption on the earth,'" encompassing both meanings.
Corruption on the earth in the first sense has increased in recent times, through the throwing of bombs and other things that destroy innocent people. When asked why, they say, "We are only reformers," but in reality, they are corrupters, as Allah Mighty and Majestic said.
Likewise, corruption on the earth through sins is prevalent, for sins are a cause of affliction, evil, and corruption. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-A'raf 7:96], and He said regarding the People of the Book: [Al-Ma'idah 5:65-66].
The important point is that corruption on the earth, this second type, is doing what becomes a cause of corruption, and that is through sins, and sins...
This false claim is one of the most false of claims. They did not merely say, "We are reformers," meaning we have some reform. Rather, they said, "We are not [anything else]," meaning our state and our affair is nothing but reform. So the Lord, Mighty and Majestic, said:[Al-Baqarah 2:12] He countered their claim with something greater than it. The particle "ala" is an introductory particle that serves to draw attention and emphasize. "Innamahum" — the "inna" is for emphasis, and "hum" is for emphasis. The sentence is a nominal sentence, which serves to emphasize. So it was emphasized with four emphatic elements: "ala," "inna," the separating pronoun "hum," and the nominal sentence. "Innamahum al-mufsidun" — all these types, four of the emphatic elements, by which Allah the Exalted emphasized that these people who cause corruption on the earth and claim reform are the corrupters and no one else. Now, the relevance of this verse to the chapter: the chapter is about the claim of one who claims to be a believer in the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and wants to be judged by the taghut, ruling by other than what Allah has revealed. The relevance of this verse to the chapter is that ruling by other than what Allah has revealed is among the greatest causes of corruption on the earth, and nations did not become corrupt except by adopting judgment other than the Shari'ah of Allah. So its relevance and correspondence to the chapter are apparent. Yes.
And he says: And His saying:[Al-A'raf 7:56] The meaning is: do not corrupt it through sins, nor through physical, material destruction. So it includes the prohibition of both types of corruption, as mentioned before.
And His saying: That is, after it has been reformed. By whom? By the reformers through whom Allah reformed the earth. Among this is rising against the call of the scholars, rising against the call of the Salaf and the people of the Sunnah and the community, rising against those who call for the judgment to be by the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). All of this is corruption on the earth after it has been reformed.
Now, as for corruption on the earth after it has been corrupted, by adding corruption to corruption, is that permissible?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : How?[Al-A'raf 7:56], huh?
The student: This is stronger.
The Shaykh : This is in the category of increasing the rebuke and blame for them. For reform is reform; no one goes to resist this reform except one who is evil by nature and corrupt in heart. Who resists reform and wants to turn it into corruption? No, except one who is vile in disposition and evil in soul. This is possible. Therefore, the mention of His saying: is in the category of emphasizing the blame and rebuke for them, because this is something that should not be. How do you corrupt what is good? This is the height of impudence and the height of vileness and evil. But a thing that is already corrupt, and a person continues in its corruption, is lesser, even though it is required of everyone to reform after corruption. But corruption after reform is greater and more severe.
Does this verse have a relevance to the chapter? Yes, because ruling on the earth by what Allah has revealed is reform without a doubt, and desiring to be judged by other than what Allah has revealed is corruption. Yes.
And when it is said to them, "Do not cause corruption on the earth," they say, "We are but reformers."
وإذا قيل لهم لا تفسدوا في الأرض قالوا إنما نحن مصلحونCorruption on the earth is of two types. The first is physical, material corruption, such as demolishing houses, ruining roads, and the like, which some of the rabble among people do while claiming that they are reformers. In reality, they are corrupters without a doubt. They are corrupters. Otherwise, what is the sin of the houses, what is the sin of the roads, and what is the sin of the innocent people until their honor is trampled? These people who claim to be reformers are, in truth, corrupters.
The second type of corruption is moral corruption, meaning doing what results in corruption, and that is through sins. Indeed, sins are among the greatest causes of corruption on the earth. Allah the Exalted said:
Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].
ظهر الفساد في البر والبحر بما كسبت أيدي الناس ليذيقهم بعض الذي عملوا لعلهم يرجعونAnd whatever strikes you of disaster - it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much.
وما أصابكم من مصيبة فبما كسبت أيديكم ويعفو عن كثيرCorruption on the earth in the first sense has increased in recent times, through the throwing of bombs and other things that destroy innocent people. When asked why, they say, "We are only reformers," but in reality, they are corrupters, as Allah Mighty and Majestic said.
Likewise, corruption on the earth through sins is prevalent, for sins are a cause of affliction, evil, and corruption. Allah the Exalted said:
And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth; but they denied [the messengers], so We seized them for what they were earning."
ولو أن أهل القرى آمنوا واتقوا لفتحنا عليهم بركات من السماء والأرض ولكن كذبوا فأخذناهم بما كانوا يكسبون(65) And if only the People of the Scripture had believed and feared Allah, We would have removed from them their misdeeds and admitted them to Gardens of Pleasure. (66) And if only they upheld [the law of] the Torah, the Gospel, and what has been revealed to them from their Lord, they would have consumed [provision] from above them and from beneath their feet.
ولو أن أهل الكتاب آمنوا واتقوا لكفرنا عنهم سيئاتهم ولأدخلناهم جنات النعيم ولو أنهم أقاموا التوراة والإنجيل وما أنزل إليهم من ربهم لأكلوا من فوقهم ومن تحت أرجلهمThe important point is that corruption on the earth, this second type, is doing what becomes a cause of corruption, and that is through sins, and sins...
This false claim is one of the most false of claims. They did not merely say, "We are reformers," meaning we have some reform. Rather, they said, "We are not [anything else]," meaning our state and our affair is nothing but reform. So the Lord, Mighty and Majestic, said:
Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters
ألا إنهم هم المفسدونAnd he says: And His saying:
And cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation
ولا تفسدوا في الأرض بعد إصلاحهاAnd His saying:
after it has been reformed
بعد إصلاحهاNow, as for corruption on the earth after it has been corrupted, by adding corruption to corruption, is that permissible?
The student: No.
The Shaykh : How?
And cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation
ولا تفسدوا في الأرض بعد إصلاحهاThe student: This is stronger.
The Shaykh : This is in the category of increasing the rebuke and blame for them. For reform is reform; no one goes to resist this reform except one who is evil by nature and corrupt in heart. Who resists reform and wants to turn it into corruption? No, except one who is vile in disposition and evil in soul. This is possible. Therefore, the mention of His saying:
after it has been reformed
بعد إصلاحهاDoes this verse have a relevance to the chapter? Yes, because ruling on the earth by what Allah has revealed is reform without a doubt, and desiring to be judged by other than what Allah has revealed is corruption. Yes.