Islam and Public Morality

These days corruption is a major news in Indian newspapers. Various government functionaries and officials are involved in major scandals involving thousands of crores of rupees. In such a situation naturally question arises whether religion can play any part in combating corruption and if so, what is the stand of Islam? First we will hint at the role of religion in general and then that of Islam in particular.
Religion can play vital role in our life depending on which way we accept it. Religion can be made to play multiple roles in our life depending what way we treat it. It can become a source of solace when we are distressed; it can provide us a sense of security when in danger (we invoke God and pray to Him when our lives are in danger); it can also be a source of superstition (though by itself religion is not a source of superstition) when we fail to succeed in our efforts and look for some miracle to happen by enchanting some verses or mantras and so on.
It all depends what situation we are facing and how we make religion to come to our rescue. Also, the priesthood, in order to make few extra bucks reduces religion to a bundle of superstitions and miracles. It is more a psychological than moral or spiritual phenomenon. Even highly educated people, when in real distress and finding no immediate solution, begin to look for such miraculous solutions and that puts off rationalists. Instead of understanding human weaknesses and fragilities, they begin to attack religion per se.
Also, religion is made to play a vital role in the form of identity. Religious identities play important role in multi-religious or multi-cultural modern democracies. It is our religious identity which is often invoked for our struggles for share in power and in government jobs and support of the entire community is sought for individual gains. We may not even believe or practice religion but we do invoke it for our struggles for our share in government jobs or share in political power....