The Etymological Meanings of “Ifsad”, Antonym of “Islam”

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

The following is adapted from a paper by Shaykh ‘Abd al-Ghafur ‘Abd ar-Rahim.  One of the factors which stand against change and reform of Islamic law is the current rigid conceptualisation of some basic terms.  The development of fiqh led to the construing of the terms “diyn”, “islam”, and “shari’ah” in concrete fiqhi terms.  The underlying ethical principles which the concrete fiqhi values embodied became insignificant or of secondary importance.  Consciously or not, this in turn led to the equation of forms and principles, thereby making change extremely difficult.  Any proposed change came to be conceived as undermining the principles themselves embodied in the fiqhi forms. 

Now we address antonyms of the term, “islam”.  What is meant by antonyms of “islam” here are terms which the Qur’an or the sunnah put in juxtaposition to the term, “islam”, and have a contrary meaning to that of islam.  Among such antonyms are kufr, jurm, fasad, qasith, and jahiliyyah. 

Ifsad is a derivative of fasad, which signifies evil, wrong, or corrupt acts.  Accordingly ifsad means spreading such acts.  Thus, ifsad and jurm share the meaning element of doing something wrong.  They differ in that ifsad refers to wrongful acts committed against others.  For instance, the Qur’an considers the Midian people as mufsidin for failing to give full measure in weight and thus depriving others of what rightfully belonged to them, and for attacking and threatening those who believed in God and followed their prophet, Shu’ayb (a.s.). 

There is one instance of ifsad in juxtaposition to islam, in the Qur’an: 

سُوۡرَةُ یُونس

۞ وَجَـٰوَزۡنَا بِبَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ ٱلۡبَحۡرَ فَأَتۡبَعَهُمۡ فِرۡعَوۡنُ وَجُنُودُهُ ۥ بَغۡيً۬ا وَعَدۡوًا‌ۖ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَدۡرَڪَهُ ٱلۡغَرَقُ قَالَ ءَامَنتُ أَنَّهُ ۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِىٓ ءَامَنَتۡ بِهِۦ بَنُوٓاْ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ وَأَنَا۟ مِنَ ٱلۡمُسۡلِمِينَ (٩٠) ءَآلۡـَٔـٰنَ وَقَدۡ عَصَيۡتَ قَبۡلُ وَكُنتَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ (٩١) 

We took the Children of Israel across the sea: Pharaoh and his hosts followed them in insolence and spite.  At length, when overwhelmed with the flood, he said, “I believe that there is no god except Him Whom the Children of Israel believe in: I am of those who submit (to Allah in Islam).”  (It was said to him), “Ah now! ― But a little while before, were you mufsidin! (Surah Yunus:91) 

The ifsad of Pharaoh, which the Qur’an Elaborated elsewhere, is his oppression of Bani Isra’il.  According to the Qur’an, he treated them cruelly and unjustly by enslaving and torturing them, and by killing their male children. 

سُوۡرَةُ الاٴعرَاف

وَإِذۡ أَنجَيۡنَـٰڪُم مِّنۡ ءَالِ فِرۡعَوۡنَ يَسُومُونَڪُمۡ سُوٓءَ ٱلۡعَذَابِ‌ۖ يُقَتِّلُونَ أَبۡنَآءَكُمۡ وَيَسۡتَحۡيُونَ نِسَآءَكُمۡ‌ۚ وَفِى ذَٲلِڪُم بَلَآءٌ۬ مِّن رَّبِّڪُمۡ عَظِيمٌ۬ (١٤١) 

And remember We Rescued you from Pharaoh’s people who afflicted you with the worst of penalties, who slew your male children and kept alive your females: in that was a momentous trial from your Lord. (Surah al-A’araf:141) 

In this instance, islam, as opposed to ifsad, denotes treating others justly and kindly.