Leadership has been described as a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support others in the accomplishment of a common task. It is the process of encouraging and helping others to work enthusiastically towards objectives. It is the behaviour of an individual when he is directing the activities of a group towards a shared goal.
IMPORTANCE OF LEADERSHIP IN ISLAM
The smallest institution in a society is a family and Islam also appoints a leader in this institution as well. Therefore, Islam declares man as the leader of the family. Even the smallest institution cannot run without a leader. Allah says in the Qur’ān, “Men are in charge of women by (right of) what Allah has given one over the other and what they spend (for maintenance) from their wealth….” (Al-Qur’ān 4:34). The ayat not only gives the responsibility of leadership to men but it also gives two reasons for entrusting this responsibility: one, because men have more bodily and intellectual strength, and more capabilities in other aspects than women, and two, that men support women financially from their means and earnings.
As the leader of the family, Islam not only entrusts men with authority but also gives them responsibilities. Allah says in the Qur’ān, “O you who have believed, protect yourself and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones….” (Qur’ān 66:6) Thus, it is the responsibility of the man to ensure that his family indulges in good acts and abstains from wrong acts so that his family can be protected from hellfire. In Islam, leadership is more than an assignment or a job; it is a trust.
In this regard Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) has also said, “Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock. The ruler who governs the people is a shepherd and is responsible for his flock. A man is the shepherd of the members of his household and is responsible for them.…” (Bukhari and Muslim)
QUALITIES OF LEADERSHIP FROM THE QUR’ĀN
i. Spiritual Strength
Allah says in the Qur’ān, “O you who wraps himself (in clothing), Arise (to pray) the night, except for a little, Half of it or subtract from it little, Or add to it, and recite the Qur’ān with measured recitation. Indeed, We will cast upon you a heavy word. Indeed, the hours of the night are more effective for concurrence (of heart and tongue) and more suitable for words.” (Qur’ān 73:1-6)
When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) was granted Prophethood, the first command which was given to him was to perform the night prayer, as through the night prayer he could get closer to Allah and his level of spirituality could increase, which could ultimately help him in his mission and his role as a leader.
ii. Tolerant
Allah says in the Qur’ān, “So by mercy from Allah, (O Muhammad), you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude (in speech) and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely (upon Him).” (Qur’ān 3:159)
This verse was revealed after the Battle of Uhad. It is a communication by Allah to Prophet Muhammad. It was a situation where the Muslims had to face a massive loss in the battle which they had won. It was the battle in which Hamza, the uncle of the Prophet was martyred. It was the battle in which 70 companions were martyred. It was the battle in which the Prophet lost his tooth and his mouth started bleeding. It was a battle which looked like the struggle of Islam had come to an end. After all this, the Prophet had every right to get angry on his companions for their disobedience. Allah could have also revealed a verse asking the companions to ask forgiveness from the Prophet, but Allah did not do that, but rather He told the Prophet to be lenient towards them, forgive them and also pray for them. Being an effective leader in a normal situation is easy, but being a leader in a crisis situation is what is actually very difficult. Thus, Allah guides the Prophet by giving him certain instructions to respond to the situation.
iii. Knowledge
Allah says in the Qur’ān: “(Joseph) said, ‘Appoint me over the storehouses of the land. Indeed, I am a guardian with full knowledge’.” (Qur’ān 12:55) The verse states that Joseph said that he wanted to become a leader. He wanted to become a leader as he was confident that he would do justice to the position as he had necessary knowledge. Joseph also knew that there was no other man besides him who could undertake this responsibility. Therefore, he demanded power only to please Allah and serve the people, and not the love of office or the love of the world.
iv. Wisdom and Judgement
Allah says in the Qur’ān, “And We strengthened his kingdom and endowed him with wisdom and decisive judgement.” (Qur’ān 38:20) The verse speaks about the leadership of Dawood. From the first verse we learn that when a person becomes a leader he needs to possess the qualities like wisdom and decisive judgement.
v. Justice
Allah says in the Qur’ān, “(We said to him), ‘O David, We have appointed you vicegerent on earth. Therefore, rule among people with justice and do not follow (your) desire lest it should lead you astray from Allah’s Path….” (Qur’ān 38:26) Allah also says in the Qur’ān, “Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice. Excellent is that which Allah instructs you. Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing.” (Qur’ān 4:58) Thus, from the two verses we learn that the leader should do justice and not only follow his desires.
vi. Treating People Equally
Allah says in the Qur’ān, “And keep yourself patient (by being) with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever (in) neglect.” (Qur’ān 18:28) The standards of the leadership are so high that Allah is giving guidelines to the Prophet. Allah is saying in the verse that the Prophet should not neglect the poor and the small people. If the Prophet starts giving importance to the rich and famous people then the other companions would feel that they are neglected.
In another instance, when the Prophet frowned at the blind man, Allah disliked it. Thus, Allah is instructing the Prophet to value all the people and to treat people equally.
vii. Not to Desire Enjoyment
Allah says in the Qur’ān, “And We have certainly given you, (O Muhammad), seven of the often repeated (verses) and the great Qur’ān. Do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given enjoyment to (certain) categories of them (i.e., the disbelievers)….” (Qur’ān 15:87-88) In this verse, Allah is communicating with the Prophet and instructing him not to look towards the people who are rich and who are having the enjoyment of the world, but he is told that Allah has given him the Qur’ān, which is much more important.
viii. Kindness
Allah says in the Qur’ān, “… And do not grieve over them. And lower your wing (i.e., show kindness) to the believers.” (Qur’ān 15:88)
Allah also says in the Qur’ān, “And lower your wing (i.e., show kindness) to those who follow you of the believers” (Qur’ān 26:215). The verse is a communication between Allah and the Prophet, where Allah is asking the Prophet to show kindness to his followers. Generally the followers need to show kindness to their leader but Allah is asking the leader to do it the other way round.
ix. Honesty
Leaders are considered honest to the extent that there is consistency between their word and their deed; they do what they say they are going to do. All the Prophets who were sent by God were leaders of their time. In the Qur’ān, Prophet Moses is himself termed as “strong and trustworthy” in Qur’ān 28:26. Prophet Joseph is described as one who is truthful in Qur’ān 12:46. Similarly, Prophet Muhammad used to be called Truthful and Trustworthy. This shows that the basic characteristic of many Prophets was that they were honest and it was a title given by their own people.
x. Patience
In the Qur’ān, Allah explicitly identifies patience as one of the defining characteristics of leadership. Allah says in the Qur’ān, “And We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and (when) they were certain of Our Signs.” (Qur’ān 32:24) Indeed, like other people, the leader will also be tested and he will need to tolerate the same.
LEADERSHIP QUALITIES FROM PROPHET MUHAMMAD
Allah wanted to make the Prophet a great leader. Thus, Allah took Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) through various situations which could help him in becoming a great leader. For example, from being a shepherd, the Prophet learnt the art of leadership. During this period, he acquired many superior human characteristics such as generosity, good temper, good behaviour towards neighbours, tolerance, truthfulness, trustworthiness, patience and avoidance of wicked behaviour. The following are the various leadership qualities which we can derive from the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him):
i. Vision
From the beginning, Prophet Muhammad was very clear with his vision. Many instances from the life of Prophet help us know the clarity he had in his vision. When Prophet Muhammad gave a talk to the people at the initial stage of his Prophethood, he said, “I will present to you a message, that if you accept it, you will become the rulers of Arab and the entire Ajam (non-Arabs and Persians) will obey you.”
In another instance, when the Prophet migrated to Madinah with Abu Bakr, the Quraish announced a reward of 100 camels for anyone who tracked the Prophet and Abu Bakr. Suraqa bin Malik was able to track them and get closer to them. On meeting him, the Prophet told him, “One day wear the bracelets of Chosroes (The Persian King)”. This statement clearly shows that the vision of the Prophet was to capture and take a large part of the world under the purview of Islam.
In another instance, while digging the trench in Madinah, a large rock was causing great difficulty in digging the trench. When the Prophet was informed about it, he went down into the trench and struck the rock, breaking one-third of the rock, thereupon the Prophet said, “Glory be to Allah, the keys of Syria have been given to me.” With the second blow on the rock, the Prophet broke another one-third of the rock and said, “Glory be to Allah, the keys of Persia have been given to me, by Allah, I see white castle of Madinah (Ctesiphon)”. In the third attempt, the remaining portion of the rock was broken into pieces. The Prophet then said, “Glory be to Allah, I have been given the keys of Yemen, by Allah, I can now see the gate of Sana.” These statements clearly show that the Prophet had a very clear vision of spreading Islam across the world and taking it under the purview of Islamic rule.
ii. Strong Faith
Prophet Muhammad had very strong faith in Allah that He would help them in every endeavour. For example, when the Prophet and Abu Bakr left to Madinah, people were searching for them, as a reward of 100 camels was set upon the head of each one (Bukhari). While searching for them, some people reached near the cave where they were hiding. Seeing them, Abu Bakr said, “O Prophet of Allah, if some of them lower their sight, they will see us.” To this the Prophet replied saying, “Do not fear, for Allah is with us.” (Qur’ān 9:40) This clearly shows that the Prophet had very strong faith in Allah, which gave him the spiritual strength to lead.
iii. Focus
Just having a vision is not enough, but being dedicated towards the vision is also very important. We can learn the focus of Prophet Muhammad from one incident of his life. Once the Quraish came to Abu Talib and insisted that he put an end to his nephew’s activities. Then Abu Talib went to the Prophet and told him not to burden him beyond that he cannot bear. For this the Prophet replied, saying, “Oh my uncle, by Allah, if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left on condition that I abandon this mission, I would not abandon it until Allah has made me victorious or I perish therein.” This shows how focused the Prophet was in achieving his vision.
When the Prophet went to Taif to invite people to Islam, they greeted him with mockery and ridicule and set upon him the idlers and the louts of the city. They pelted him with clods and rocks and he was wounded and covered with blood. In this condition, the Prophet took rest in an orchard. A slave by name Addas came to him to offer grapes, and the Prophet even in this condition was focused and dedicated towards his mission. He conveyed the message to Islam to him in such a painful situation and later Addas accepted Islam.
The migration to Madinah was the most dangerous act performed by the Prophet, as many people were looking for him as there was a great reward on his head. In spite of all this, the Prophet continued his mission to invite people to the way of Allah, and during his migration seventy people accepted Islam. Among them the most popular is Suraqa bin Malik.
iv. Interpersonal Relationship
One way to build a strong bond with people is through interpersonal relationship and Prophet Muhammad executed it perfectly. He spoke to people according to their level. He took time to speak to children. He gave them much importance because he recognised the need for building leaders from childhood and infancy. This incident not only helped the Prophet to get people into the fold of Islam but it also helped him to create people who could take the mission of Islam forward after his death.
iv. Emotional Intelligence
Once a bedouin came and stood urinating in the Mosque. The Companions said, “Stop it! Stop it!” and were about to attack him. But the Prophet said, “Do not interrupt him; leave him alone.” So they left him until he had finished urinating. Then the Prophet called him and said to him, “In these Mosques it is not right to do anything like urinating or defecating; they are only for remembering Allah, praying and reading the Qur’ān.” Then he commanded a man who was there to bring a bucket of water and throw it over the (urine), and he did so. (Muslim) This shows how the Prophet handled the situation very effectively, without showing any negative emotions on the person. Rather than cursing him or scolding him, he educated him on the purpose of the Mosque.
v. Human Resource Development
A great leader is one, who always creates leaders and the Prophet did the same. Identifying the talent of the people and appointing them as leaders is a quality of a great leader. Prophet Muhammad had a great vision to establish Islam on earth. Thus he wanted to create competent leaders who could carry the mission forward to different parts of the world after he departs. He created a whole generation of leaders who had the knowledge and a high degree of sacrifice. The Prophet asked Abu Bakr to lead the Salah. He appointed Amr ibn al-Aas to lead the Muslims, including the great companions of the Prophet, in the Battle of ‘Thatu Salasil’, just four months after al-Aas had embraced Islam. He sent Musab bin Umair to Madinah to do Dawah as he was very polite and had good communication skills.
vi. Working with Followers
Great leaders just don’t give orders but they work along with the group. They don’t say, “Do it” but they say, “Let’s do it.” They don’t take advantage of their superiority but they use it effectively and responsibly. Once Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) and his companions went on a journey and on the way they stopped to have a rest. They decided to set up a small camp and cook their food. The companions decided to divide the work among them. One companion said, “I will go and slaughter the lamb for meat.” Another companion said, “I will clean the ground around the camp.” The third companion said, “I will do the cooking.” Prophet Muhammad said, “I will bring wood for the fire.” All the companions said with one voice, “No, we will do that for you.” But Prophet Muhammad replied, “I very well know that you all will do that for me. But it is not good for me to sit idle while you work. I am your companion; I must work as much as you do. Allah does not like anyone to enjoy any superiority over his companions.” So saying, he went to gather firewood. Even during the Battle of Trench, when a big ditch had to be dug, he also worked along with the companions to accomplish the task.
vii. Serving Followers
Once, the Prophet defined the role of a leader. He said, “On a journey, the leader of the group is their servant.” (Ibn Majah and Al-Bayhaqi) He meant that a leader serves those whom he or she leads, both as a group, meeting their needs to complete their journey safely and their needs to be maintained as a cohesive whole, and also as a set of individuals, for each individual on a journey may have small needs or problems as the journey proceeds. This is the responsibility of the leader not only during the journey but also in every aspect of life.
viii. Motivator
Prophet Muhammad was a very good motivator and possessed praiseworthy virtues. When he saw Zubair with a turban, he said, “What Zubair, today angels have come with red turbans to fight.” He said Ali, “I am from Ali and Ali is from Me.” He said Abu Bakr, “Had I made anyone a friend other than Allah, it would have been Abu Bakr.” He also said about him in his last sermon, “No one has been a better companion for me than Abu Bakr.” Statements like this encourage an individual to work and excel in what they do.
ix. Consultation
Prophet Muhammad’s wisdom was demonstrated when he consulted his companions. This practice is so important in Islam that he never reached a decision, especially in public affairs, without it. Sometimes he even held consultation about his personal affairs. He once said, “Whoever takes counsel does not regret it in the end.” He consulted his companions before the Battle of Badr, the first major post-Emigration military encounter, about whether the Muslims should fight the approaching army.
He consulted his companions before the Battle of Trench and it was during this session Salman al-Farisi gave the idea of digging a defensive trench around Madinah. He also consulted his companions when the hypocrites raised questions on the modesty of Aisha. After the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, when the companions refused to sacrifice their camels, he went to his wife Umm-e-Salama and consulted her on the situation. This consultation helped him to take a sound and effective decision which contributed to his good leadership.
x. Effective Decision Making
In every critical situation, the Prophet ended up taking some good decisions. He took decisions, where their weaknesses were converted into strengths. When the people of Makkah wanted him to leave Makkah, he used this opportunity to make Madinah a strong foundation for Muslims. He was stopped from Umrah, which led to the Treaty of Hudaibiyah, which later on went in favour of the Muslims. When the people in Makkah started persecuting the Muslims in Makkah, he ordered them to migrate to Ethiopia and seek the help of the Christian king there. Later, Muslims found peace and they reciprocated the king’s hospitality with prayers and support for the king and his party. Muslims’ relations were so good with the monarch that he grew to love Islam and before his death he became a Muslim.
In another instance, when the Black Stone was displaced, each family of Quraish felt the honour of placing it back. They decided to leave the decision to the person who enters Masjid-ul-Haram first the next day. The next day they found Prophet Muhammad was the first to reach. After seeing the members of all the four families, Prophet Muhammad took a quick decision. He put his robe on the floor, took the sacred Black Stone and put it in the centre of the robe and said, “The chief of each family will take one corner of the robe and lift it together.” When the robe with the Black Stone was lifted to a reasonable height, Prophet Muhammad took the Black Stone and placed it in its proper place with his own hands. None felt insulted and each had his share of the privilege and honour. This is how Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) succeeded in uniting the ever fighting and ignorant Arabs with his honesty, justice and noble character.
xi. Setting Example
Abu Talha said, “We complained to Allah’s Messenger of hunger and raised our clothes to show we were each carrying a stone over the belly, Allah’s Messenger raised his clothes and showed that he had two stones on his belly.” (Tirmidhi) This incident teaches us that the Prophet did not only give orders but was also part of the struggle. He was actually suffering more than his companions.
xii. Informative about Every Inch
The Prophet was very much vigilant and knowledgeable about the affairs and activities which were happening around him, no matter how close or far away. When the Muslims encountered with a series of persecutions by the Quraish, the Prophet decided to migrate a few Muslims to some other place which would be safe for the Muslims. The Prophet knew that Ashamah, who held the title of Negus, king of Abyssinia, which was located in the eastern coast of Africa, miles away from Arabia, was a fair ruler who would not wrong any of his subordinates, so he permitted some of his companions to seek asylum there. What makes this situation even more special is that, it was a time when communication was not easy, in spite of that the Prophet was well informed about the king who was miles away.
LEADERSHIP QUALITIES FROM PROPHET ABRAHAM
i. Obedience to Allah
Allah says in the Qur’ān, “Indeed, Abraham was a (comprehensive) leader, devoutly obedient to Allah, inclining toward truth, and he was not of those who associate others with Allah” (Qur’ān 16:120).
The verse presented the leadership of Abraham. It states that Ibrahim was embodied with all the excellent qualities which make one an example to be followed. The verse does not only tell that Ibrahim was a comprehensive leader but also adds other three characteristics of him along with leadership, which are, obedience to Allah, inclination towards truth and not associating others with Allah. From this we can learn that these are the other three qualities required for one to become a comprehensive leader.
ii. Fulfilling Test from Allah
Allah says in the Qur’ān, “And (mention, O Muhammad), when Abraham was tried by his Lord with commands and he fulfilled them. (Allah) said, “Indeed, I will make you a leader for the people”. (Abraham) said, “And of my descendants?” (Allah) said, “My covenant does not include the wrongdoers.” (Qur’ān 2:124). The verse states that Allah declares that he is going to make Ibrahim the leader of people, only after he was tested and he fulfilled them.
The life of Ibrahim is filled with tests and tribulations. He was tested when he had to go against his father and the society in which he lived; he was tested as he had to forgo all his comfort and position for the sake of Allah; he was being put into the fire; he was tested when he was asked to sacrifice his son; he was tested when he was asked to leave his wife and son in the desert, and what not. With this we can learn that if one has to become a great leader, he will have to go through a lot of tests and tribulations and he will have to be steadfast in those situations.
OTHER ASPECTS OF LEADERSHIP
Knowledge, seniority, age and gender are important criteria to be taken into consideration while appointing leaders, but it is not necessary to consider them all the time. We can learn this from various instances from the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him). Just four months after Khalid bin Walid reversion to Islam, the Prophet appointed him commander of the army. It was a time during which he did not possess much knowledge about Islam. This shows that knowledge was not always the criterion to appoint someone as the leader.
After five months of reversion to Islam, Amr ibn al Aas was appointed to lead the campaign of Dhat As-Salasil. People like Abu Bakr, Umar and Abu Ubaidah ibn al Jarrah served under him and they offered their prayers behind him for many weeks. During this time, Amr ibn al Aas was not only the army chief but also the leader in religious services. This shows that seniority was not always the criterion to appoint someone as the leader.
Usama bin Zayd was appointed commander when he was just 17 years old (some versions say 20). He was the youngest person ever to be appointed commander of the army. This shows that age was not always the criterion to appoint someone as the leader. Al-Shifa bint Abdullah and Samra bint Nahik were appointed market controllers. This shows that not only men but women were also made leaders.
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) was a universal leader. He accomplished his mission within a short span of 23 years. He possessed human, conceptual and technical skills, and all these skills are required and very much necessary for a great leader. He was a leader who changed the entire society by moving them from darkness to light. He possessed many qualities like having a great vision, taking good care of people, emotional intelligence, working along with the group, assigning the task to the right person, consultation, intelligence, solving problems with ease, dedication towards the mission, absolute belief in the message, personal courage, strong willpower, personal knowledge of each follower, strong character, praiseworthy virtues and no worldly ambitions, which went on to make him a great leader.
He was a leader whom people followed and obeyed, whom people loved, whom people wanted to imitate. He was such a great leader that many other great personalities of the world appreciate his leadership even today. Even after 1430 years, people are researching and writing books on his leadership. Truly, the Qur’ān has rightly said, “In the Prophet is the best example.”
Considering all these aspects, we can understand that Islam has given high significance to the concept of leadership, as everyone should strive to become a leader in his capacity. Everyone, irrespective of their qualification, skill and ability, get an opportunity to become a leader, either in their family, organisation or his society and when one gets the opportunity, he must do justice to his role by seeking guidance from the Qur’ān and the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him).