Sudan: The Absence of Justice and the Spread of Corruption… Reflections Inspired by What Hiba Mahmoud Sadiq Wrote (1–2)

Ali Ahmed Daggash

At times, one feels disheartened by what some websites and online newspapers publish—to the point of contemplating abandoning them altogether. Many such platforms circulate a great deal of trivial content that hardly merits reading, let alone commenting.

That said, it must be acknowledged that certain outlets—such as the “Al-Muhaqqiq” news website, managed by Ambassador-journalist Al-Ubaid Ahmed Marouh, and the “Sudanese Echoes” online newspaper, edited by journalist Salah Omar Al-Sheikh—along with a few others, do curate articles and produce investigations and interviews worthy of respect.

Among the worthwhile pieces I read late last week was an article by Ms Hiba Mahmoud Sadiq Fareed entitled “Social Justice – The Absent Obligation”, published on the “Al-Muhaqqiq” website on Thursday, 23 April 2026 (corresponding to 6 Dhul-Qi’dah 1447 AH).

Although the article is lengthy and planned as a three-part series—with only the first part published so far—the vitality of the piece and the sensitivity of the issue it addresses prompted me to respond before the remaining parts appear.

If Ms Hiba spoke of justice as an “absent obligation,” I would add to that the rampant spread of corruption as an equally pressing issue requiring serious attention.

Introduction

1. Author credibility and clarification of terms

First: Author credibility

In the discipline of verifying Prophetic traditions (hadith), scholars developed a rigorous methodology to assess authenticity. This involves scrutinising the narrator—subjecting them to evaluation of reliability and integrity (al-jarh wa al-ta‘dil). A narration may be deemed weak or rejected if its transmitter is unreliable, accused of dishonesty, or if the chain of transmission is broken.

This method reflects an understanding of human nature: people often shift focus from the message to the character of the messenger.

In the Qur’an, Pharaoh said to his people regarding Moses:

“Will you not listen?… Your messenger who has been sent to you is surely mad” (Surah Al-Shu‘ara).

Similarly, in the well-known hadith narrated by Imam Bukhari, when Heraclius questioned Abu Sufyan about the Prophet (peace be upon him), he asked: “Did you ever accuse him of lying before he said what he said?” Abu Sufyan replied: “No.”

By analogy, it becomes essential to know the character of those who address important and sensitive societal issues—especially in an age shaped by artificial intelligence and rapid information flows.

The author of the article, Ms Hiba Mahmoud, is a distinguished and credible individual, not questioned in her honesty, ethics, or patriotism. She graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Khartoum, earned a Master’s degree in Public Policy and Strategic Planning from the University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, and is an expert in public policy, strategic planning, and project evaluation.

She also has extensive experience in social development and microfinance, having contributed to the development of Sudan’s microfinance strategy and led the Microfinance Unit at the Central Bank of Sudan. Her centre, “Pioneers of Change,” specialises in training on public policy, strategic planning, and human development, and has collaborated with academic institutions to develop training curricula for senior government leadership.

Her diverse expertise includes legal arbitration, policy design, project evaluation, and value chains, among many other fields too numerous to list here.

I mention this to emphasise that the issue she raised—achieving social justice—comes from the perspective of a practitioner deeply rooted in the country’s realities, aware of its challenges and capable of setting priorities.

When she states:

“Justice is not a by-product of stability; it is a prerequisite. Sustainable peace cannot be built on structures that perpetuate exclusion and economic, political, social, and cultural inequality.”

we understand this as a call to reorder priorities—beginning with justice. This reflects insights drawn from the experiences of nations that have successfully rebuilt themselves.

State leaders would do well to read her article carefully and engage with its arguments transparently.

Second: Clarifying and defining key terms

A. Social Justice

Justice means giving each person their due, ensuring equality in rights and obligations, and applying the law fairly and without bias. These principles are firmly rooted in Islam:

“O David, We have made you a vicegerent on earth, so judge between people with truth and do not follow desire…” (Surah Sad: 26)

And:

“O you who believe, stand firmly for justice as witnesses for Allah, even against yourselves or parents and relatives…” (Surah An-Nisa: 135)

Social justice, in turn, refers to an economic system aimed at reducing major inequalities between social classes, with the state distributing rights and responsibilities in accordance with capability and public interest—ensuring no marginalisation.

In philosophy, justice encompasses four core virtues agreed upon by philosophers:

wisdom, courage, temperance, and truthfulness.

Linguistically, justice implies fairness between disputants—listening to all sides before passing judgment:

“If a litigant comes to you with one eye gouged out, do not rule in his favour until you hear the other side—for perhaps both eyes were gouged.”

Prophet David himself sought forgiveness when he judged hastily without hearing both sides (Surah Sad: 21–24).

B. The Spread of Corruption

The Arabic term istishra’ (استشراء) means proliferation, expansion, and intensification.

Corruption (fasad) denotes deviation from integrity and uprightness. Its meaning varies by context:

Moral corruption: ethical decay, immorality, depravity

Administrative corruption: bribery, embezzlement, abuse of power, nepotism

Social corruption: injustice, discord, destruction of livelihoods

Doctrinal corruption: deviation in belief and conduct

In general, corruption is a departure from balance and righteousness.

In the second part of this article, we will engage directly with Hiba’s arguments and present a vision for combating corruption and achieving social justice.

Shortlink: https://sudanhorizon.com/?p=13234