Corruption

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.

And when he goes away, he strives throughout the land to cause corruption therein and destroy crops and animals. And Allāh does not like corruption.

Who break the covenant of Allāh after contracting it and sever that which Allāh has ordered to be joined and cause corruption on earth. It is those who are the losers.

And [mention, O Muḥammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority."¹ They said, "Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we exalt You with praise and declare Your perfection?"² He [Allāh] said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know."

And [recall] when Moses prayed for water for his people, so We said, "Strike with your staff the stone." And there gushed forth from it twelve springs, and every people [i.e., tribe] knew its watering place. "Eat and drink from the provision of Allāh, and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption."

Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul¹ or for corruption [done] in the land² - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one³ - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And Our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, [even] after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.⁴

Indeed, the penalty¹ for those who wage war² against Allāh and His Messenger and strive upon earth [to cause] corruption is none but that they be killed or crucified or that their hands and feet be cut off from opposite sides or that they be exiled from the land. That is for them a disgrace in this world; and for them in the Hereafter is a great punishment,

And the Jews say, "The hand of Allāh is chained."¹ Chained are their hands, and cursed are they for what they say. Rather, both His hands are extended; He spends however He wills. And that which has been revealed to you from your Lord will surely increase many of them in transgression and disbelief. And We have cast among them animosity and hatred until the Day of Resurrection. Every time they kindled the fire of war [against you], Allāh extinguished it. And they strive throughout the land [causing] corruption, and Allāh does not like corrupters.

Then We sent after them Moses with Our signs to Pharaoh and his establishment, but they were unjust toward them.¹ So see how was the end of the corrupters.

And the eminent among the people of Pharaoh said, "Will you leave Moses and his people to cause corruption in the land and abandon you and your gods?" [Pharaoh] said, "We will kill their sons and keep their women alive; and indeed, we are subjugators over them."

And We made an appointment with Moses for thirty nights and perfected them by [the addition of] ten; so the term of his Lord was completed as forty nights. And Moses said to his brother Aaron, "Take my place among my people, do right [by them],¹ and do not follow the way of the corrupters."

And cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. And invoke Him in fear and aspiration. Indeed, the mercy of Allāh is near to the doers of good.

And remember when He made you successors after the ʿAad and settled you in the land, [and] you take for yourselves palaces from its plains and carve from the mountains, homes. Then remember the favors of Allāh and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption."

And to [the people of] Madyan [We sent] their brother Shuʿayb. He said, "O my people, worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord. So fulfill the measure and weight and do not deprive people of their due and cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. That is better for you, if you should be believers.

And do not sit on every path, threatening and averting from the way of Allāh those who believe in Him, seeking to make it [seem] deviant. And remember when you were few and He increased you. And see how was the end of the corrupters.

And those who disbelieved are allies of one another. If you do not do so [i.e., ally yourselves with other believers], there will be fitnah [i.e., disbelief and oppression] on earth and great corruption.

And of them are those who believe in it, and of them are those who do not believe in it. And your Lord is most knowing of the corrupters.

And when they had thrown, Moses said, "What you have brought is [only] magic. Indeed, Allāh will expose its worthlessness. Indeed, Allāh does not amend the work of corrupters.

So why were there not¹ among the generations before you those of enduring discrimination forbidding corruption on earth - except a few of those We saved from among them? But those who wronged pursued what luxury they were given therein, and they were criminals.

And O my people, give full measure and weight in justice and do not deprive the people of their due and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption.

They said, "By Allāh, you have certainly known that we did not come to cause corruption in the land, and we have not been thieves."

But those who break the covenant of Allāh after contracting it and sever that which Allāh has ordered to be joined and spread corruption on earth - for them is the curse, and they will have the worst home.¹

Those who disbelieved and averted [others] from the way of Allāh - We will increase them in punishment over [their] punishment for what corruption they were causing.

And We conveyed¹ to the Children of Israel in the Scripture that, "You will surely cause corruption on the earth twice, and you will surely reach [a degree of] great haughtiness."

They said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, indeed Gog and Magog¹ are [great] corrupters in the land. So may we assign for you an expenditure that you might make between us and them a barrier?"

And do not obey the order of the transgressors,

Who cause corruption in the land and do not amend."

And do not deprive people of their due and do not commit abuse on earth, spreading corruption.

But seek, through that which Allāh has given you, the home of the Hereafter; and [yet], do not forget your share of the world. And do good as Allāh has done good to you. And desire not corruption in the land. Indeed, Allāh does not like corrupters."

That home of the Hereafter We assign to those who do not desire exaltedness upon the earth or corruption. And the [best] outcome is for the righteous.

He said, "My Lord, support me against the corrupting people."

And to Madyan [We sent] their brother Shuʿayb, and he said, "O my people, worship Allāh and expect the Last Day and do not commit abuse on the earth, spreading corruption."

Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He [i.e., Allāh] may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].

Or should We treat those who believe and do righteous deeds like corrupters in the land? Or should We treat those who fear Allāh like the wicked?

And Pharaoh said, "Let me kill Moses and let him call upon his Lord. Indeed, I fear that he will change your religion or that he will cause corruption¹ in the land."

So would you perhaps, if you turned away,¹ cause corruption on earth and sever your [ties of] relationship?

And [with] Pharaoh, owner of the stakes?¹

[All of] whom oppressed within the lands

And increased therein the corruption.

Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with ʿAad -

[With] Iram¹ - who had lofty pillars,²

The likes of whom had never been created in the land?

And [with] Thamūd, who carved out the rocks in the valley?