Centuries-old admonitions through a nutmeg story — Hafiz Hassan

OCTOBER 4 — Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s nutmeg story of his grandmother’s admonition of theft is a story of an admonition that is centuries old.

Like the story of a noble woman from Banu (Clan of) Makhzum who stole (something), and she was brought to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him – pbuh). She sought the protection of Umm Salamah, a daughter of another noble of Banu Makhzum, but the Prophet said: “If Fatimah binti Muhammad were to steal, I would cut off her hand.”

It’s the same with the admonition of corruption.

Prophet Muhammad’s admonition of rasywah – the Arabic word for bribery or corruption – is narrated by Abdullah bin Amr, that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “May the Curse of Allah be upon the bribe giver (al-rasyi) and the bribe taker (al-murtasyi)”. (Sunan Ibn Majah 2313, Book 13, Hadith 6)

In another narration, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “[The place for] the giver (al-rasyi) and the taker (al-murtasyi) is in Hell.” (Al-Tabarani in Al-Kabir No: 4415)

Thus, both giver and taker of bribes invoke the curse of Allah and will be sin-binned in Hell for a heinous act.

The admonition against corruption is strengthened by yet another narration where it was reported that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had sent a person by the name of Ibn Allatbiah to collect zakah (tax). The person came back with the zakah and some gifts and he said to the Prophet (pbuh):

“[This] is the zakah and these gifts were given to me and, thus, they are mine.”

The Prophet (pbuh) replied:

Nutmegs on a tree. A centuries-old lesson about theft, retold through a nutmeg story by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, offers a reminder of the enduring admonitions against theft and corruption. — Unsplash pic

“[W]hy does an employee who we send to collect zakah come back to say this is zakah and these are gifts given to me; would anybody have given him these gifts had he stayed in his mother’s home? By God, anyone who takes these gifts when he is on a public mission will carry its burden on the Day of Judgment.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

So, both admonitions – of theft and corruption – are centuries old.

It’s about time the youths are reminded of the admonitions – albeit through a nutmeg story.

** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.