Yūnus 10:23
The verse
Yet when He hath delivered them, behold! they rebel in the earth wrongfully. O mankind! Your rebellion is only against yourselves. (Ye have) enjoyment of the life of the world; then unto Us is your return and We shall proclaim unto you what ye used to do. — Marmaduke Pickthall
The issue
The verse in Arabic has a linguistic problem. It states, “they wrong…without just cause,” even though the verb bighayri al-ḥaqqi (“to wrong”) means to transgress by treating someone unjustly. In other words, the verb “to wrong” already has a negative connotation by itself without the need to say “without just cause.”
Muslim exegetes ignore this point. However, one of the apologists responds by stating, “[J]ustified corruption could be similar to the Muslims’ seizure of the land of the idolaters, demolishing their homes, burning their plants [fields], and cutting down their trees—as Muḥammad did to Banū Qurayẓa".
This explanation will only convince those who believe that demolishing homes, burning trees, and other similar detestable actions can be “justifiable” corruption.
Arabic text of this item
تقول الآية: <يَبْغُونَ...بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ>، مع أنّ فعل «بغى» يعني تجاوز الحق والتعدي، أيْ أنه يحمل دلالةً سلبيةً بحد ذاته، وبالتالي لا معنى لِإضافة عبارة <بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ>.
أهمل المفسرون هذه النقطة، إلاّ أن أحد المدافعين قال: «قد يكون الفساد بالحق كاستيلاء المسلمين على أرض الكفار وهدم دورهم وإحراق زروعهم وقطع أشجارهم، كما فعل [محمد] ببني قريظة». تبرير يقنع مَن يعتقد أن هدم الدور وإحراق الأشجار وغيرها من المنكرات هو فساد بالحق، ولكن هل يقبل العقل السليم مقولة وجود فساد بالحق؟
Sources cited
- M. al-Rāzī, Gharā’ib 185.
- الرازي، غرائب آي التنزيل ١٨٥.