Corruption is the main reason of individual and social deterioration. Religions and human manners abhor it. Linguistically, corruption is the name of the verb corrupt. The Arabic verb “Afsad” or “To Corrupt” means to harm or ruin. Corruption may have other meanings in Arabic like bad or mean manners, causing damage or harm, taking money in unfair ways, drought, dryness or organic decomposition due to germs. Former is the opposite word of corrupter. In English, corruption may also mean alternation of the origin of things from good into bad, dishonesty, bribery or decomposition of corpus.
Definition of Corruption: Some consider corruption as committing illegal actions or breaching the system for a personal economical, social or moral interest. However the international definition of the word according to Transparency International Organization is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. It can be classified as grand, petty and political, depending on the amounts of money lost and the sector where it occurs. This is an action against the “public service” derived from the public trust. Some researchers sort it in degrees: Petty corruption represented in bribery or getting commissions that a person is not entitled to get or favoritism. Grand corruption may include illegal arms trade. However, I think that corruption is the same whether petty or grand as both will lead to running individuals and societies.
Religions condemns corruption: All religions refuse corruption in all its sorts and degrees. David the prophet said about the people who forgot God that “They are corrupt, They have done abominable works, There is none who does good.” The Holy Bible says that man should avoid corruption or he will be nothing. “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” In the Qur’an , ” And when it is said to them, “Do not cause corruption on the earth,” they say, “We are but reformers. Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they perceive [it] not. “. Many questioned the reasons of forsaking goodness and resorting to corruption. The answers may include many points of view, for example, to gain control, authority or to attain treasures.
All these reasons reflect a sense of emptiness that reflects lack of trust of self or others, sense of insecurity driving man to search for authority, positions, money or possessions and a crying need for great goals to live for.
Corruption are of many sorts whether on the level of individual or the society: 1- Bribery: Doing a specific activity for money or an interest and refraining from doing it if there is no interest will be gained. This is considered a blatant violation of laws. 2- Favoritism: the practice of giving unfair preferential treatment to a person or group at the expense of another person or group. 3- Partiality: unfair bias in favor of one person or thing; favoritism. 4- Cronyism: using an authority or power to give someone a special interest they are unworthy of. It may be used to cause demotion to someone.
