Mofsed-e-filarz
capital crime in Iran
Mofsed-e-filarz (Persian: مفسد فی الارض, Arabic: المفسد في الأرض Al-Mufsid fi al-Arḍ, also Mofsed fel-arz, Afsad-i fil Arz, fasad-fel-arz, or fasad fi 'l-ard; lit. 'Corruption on the Earth ') is the title of capital crimes, or the person guilty of them, in Iran, which has been translated in English-language sources variously as "spreading corruption on Earth", "spreading corruption that threatens social and political well-being", "corrupt of the Earth; one who is charged with spreading corruption", "gross offenders of the moral order", and "enemies of God on Earth".
Quran, Shariah
In classical sharia law and a Quranic context fasad fi 'l-ard has been described as the "antithesis" of the "political prosperity" that is "God's order for mankind".
According to scholar John Esposito, the term is used in the Quran to refer to “corrupt conditions, caused by unbelievers and unjust people, that threaten social and political well-being". It is found in Quran, in which Allah narrates:They said, "O Zul-Qarnain, Gog and Magog are corruptors of the Earth. Can we pay you to create a barrier between us and them?"[Quran 18:94]
And also Quran 2:27 and Quran 13:25.
The crime is similar to and sometimes lumped together with "moharebeh" (civil unrest/waging war on God and people), and people have been charged with both crimes.
Iran
The NYTimes describes the charge, as enforced by Iran, "a catchall indictment of political dissent." It carries the death sentence.
According to at least one source, Mofsed-e-filarz was first introduced as a crime in Iran by Ayatollah Khomeini. It was used by Islamic Republican judicial authorities in the early days of the Iranian Revolution, resulting in many imprisonments and executions. Possibly more than 8,000 people suffered that fate, ranging from former members of the Shah's government, leaders of opposition or terrorist groups, or simply opponents of the regime.
The public source identifies “Mofsed-e-filarz” as capital crime in Iran. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Mofsed-e-filarz, capital and crime.
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