MEDAN | INDATANEWS.COM ~ Founder of Ethics of Care, Dr. Farid Wajdi, S.H., M.Hum., emphasizes that corruption remains a deep wound in Indonesia's political and bureaucratic life. Every year, people observe religious rituals with solemn devotion; mosques, homes, and public spaces are filled with symbols of piety.
Read Also: Fasting as Islamic Communication: Taqwa as the Core Principle Yet practices of abuse of power continue to surface, ranging from budget embezzlement to manipulation of government projects. This phenomenon reveals a widening gap between symbolic religiosity and ethical awareness.
"Fasting offers more than a spiritual obligation: as an ethical exercise, it shapes anti-corruption behavior, guiding individuals away from actions that harm the public throughout the following eleven months," said Dr. Farid.
Corruption as a Moral Crisis and the Illusion of Ritual PietyHe noted that corruption often stems from weak self-control. Lord Acton (1887) famously stated that power tends to corrupt, especially when not restrained by moral discipline. Power without integrity becomes a tool for personal ambition, damaging social structures and eroding public trust.
"Fasting restrains hunger, thirst, and ego-driven impulses, while sharpening the ability to resist moral and social temptations. This practice instills the principle of delaying personal gratification for the common good, making corrupt behavior lose its appeal," he added.
A former member of the Judicial Commission (2015–2020), Dr. Farid also cited Al-Ghazali (11th century), who emphasized fasting as a means of subduing desire. Uncontrolled desire can lead to harmful actions, including corruption. Fasting trains self-restraint, breaks the chain of self-serving rationalization, and instills the awareness that public interest must prevail over personal gain.
"This value does not end in the holy month but shapes year-round behavior away from corruption. Corruption is not merely about opportunity, but about moral choice;
fasting lays the foundation for that choice," he explained.
He added that modern moral psychology highlights the concept of moral disengagement by Albert Bandura (1999), where corruption occurs when individuals justify unethical actions as acceptable or normalized. Fasting reconnects actions with moral awareness and weakens self-serving justifications.
"A
fasting public official, through reflection, rejects project gratuities because they are accustomed to delaying gratification and prioritizing public interest over personal gain," Farid said.
Corruption, he continued, is also institutional culture. James Q. Wilson (1989) stressed personal integrity as the foundation of bureaucratic ethics. Formal legal systems without internal integrity produce only mechanical compliance, easily violated when oversight weakens. Fasting builds character from within, fostering honesty and self-restraint even when opportunities for misconduct exist.
A concrete example can be seen in the misuse of social assistance funds. Some officials divert budgets for personal use, yet those who internalize the values of
fasting tend to refuse such actions. Fasting cultivates empathy toward beneficiaries, upholds fairness, and guides decision-making toward public welfare.
Dr. Farid Wajdi, S.H., M.Hum., member of the Judicial Commission for the 2015–2020 period.
Fasting as Ethical Training and a Tool for Self-Discipline
The lecturer at Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU) also stated that the spirit of
fasting aligns with taubat nasuha—a sincere transformation of life orientation and behavior. Fazlur Rahman (1982) emphasized Islamic ethics as a tool for social transformation. Fasting enables leaders to reflect on the impact of their decisions, improve systems, and distance themselves from networks that foster corruption.
"A department head who fasts consciously tends to be more careful in structuring government tenders, avoiding collusion and misuse of public funds," he noted.
From a sociological perspective, Dr. Farid cited Thorstein Veblen (1899) and the concept of conspicuous consumption, describing excessive consumption to display status. Fasting teaches simplicity and awareness of limits—values crucial in public financial management.
He also referenced Amartya Sen (2009), who defines justice as the capability to live with dignity. Corruption undermines this ability, particularly for vulnerable groups. Fasting fosters empathy through lived experience of deprivation, strengthening ethical public policy decisions.
"Officials who understand hunger and hardship through
fasting are more likely to distribute social aid properly, prevent misuse, and prioritize public welfare," he said.
Theoretical Foundations: From Al-Ghazali to Bandura on Morality and Corruption
Dr. Farid further noted that values-based anti-corruption education is increasingly recognized as essential. Dani Fadillah (2013) described
fasting as an ethical laboratory that trains honesty, responsibility, and social awareness. Formal education often fails to reach the affective moral dimension;
fasting fills this gap through repeated lived experience.
Officials or future leaders who internalize fasting values from a young age develop stronger resistance to corruption, he added, because integrity becomes embedded in personal experience rather than merely legal norms.
He also cited Hannah Arendt (1970), who distinguished power from violence: legitimacy creates power, while corruption destroys it. Fasting strengthens self-control and reinforces public service orientation. Aristotle (4th century BCE) emphasized courage and temperance as key virtues;
fasting develops the discipline to resist ethical deviation.
"On a social level, Robert Putnam (2000) showed the link between social capital and democratic quality. Collective fasting strengthens solidarity. When solidarity increases, tolerance for corruption decreases," he said.
Dr. Farid also highlighted the importance of ethical communication in the modern era, referencing Jürgen Habermas (1992) and communicative rationality. Fasting encourages self-restraint in speech, careful reasoning, and resistance to emotional manipulation in public discourse.
He added that fasting also reduces symbolic corruption through misinformation and polarization, while reinforcing disciplined work ethics as noted by Max Weber (1922).
Political elites, he said, can use
fasting as an ethical mirror to assess the gap between their lifestyles and public realities. Seyyed Hossein Nasr (1968) warned that modernity often disconnects humanity from spiritual and social limits. Fasting restores awareness of responsibility and constraint.
Robert Kegan (1982) described moral development as a gradual process; repeated annual fasting provides reflective learning that strengthens self-correction among leaders.
Sincere repentance (taubat nasuha) requires concrete actions: returning state assets, ensuring transparency, and breaking patronage networks. Paulo Freire (1970) emphasized critical consciousness as a prerequisite for liberation. Fasting becomes a medium where spiritual awareness meets structural critique.
Dr. Farid Wajdi, S.H., M.Hum., lecturer at the University of Muhammadiyah Sumatera Utara (UMSU).
Toward an Integrity Culture: Fasting, Empathy, and Public Ethics Reform
For society, Dr. Farid stressed,
fasting teaches patience without weakening critical awareness. Political patience is not passivity, but a moral commitment rooted in values. When citizens fast reflectively, public oversight strengthens and corruption loses social legitimacy.
"Fasting from corruption means restraining oneself from instant gain, abuse of power, and moral compromise. It requires courage, consistency, and willingness to change," he said.
He added that reflection after
fasting is essential. The discipline of abstaining from food, drink, and desire must be connected to the ability to resist moral temptation in public life. Integrity, he concluded, is built through discipline and awareness of the impact of every decision on others.
Successful self-restraint during fasting becomes a symbol of restraint in public service. Officials who reject gratuities and citizens who critically monitor power both practice fasting values in daily life. This self-control creates an environment that rejects corruption and promotes social justice.
"Fasting teaches that small acts of restraint have large societal consequences. Leaders who refuse collusion set moral examples. Conversely, failure of self-restraint causes systemic damage," he said.
He concluded that fasting is not merely a ritual limited to Ramadan. It is an ethical foundation that guides behavior throughout the year, shaping a culture of integrity that consistently resists corruption and prioritizes justice, dignity, and collective welfare. (IDNC)
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