Managing the governance is not a child’s play as it needs all sorts of skills, talents, abilities, knowledge and sacrifices. From leadership to management, from economic to political, from emotional to social, from legal to administrative skills, we need them all. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) and the Rightly Guided Caliphs who came after him, have set great examples of managing the governance.
To start something is very difficult and to continue it is pretty easy. And Prophet Muhammad was very much successful in establishing and running a successful government on the principles of peace and justice. Under his governance the first Islamic State was established and he led it in the best possible way and set a practical example for people of all times and climes.
He conducted the affairs of state with a great amount of diplomacy and wisdom. He sent diplomatic representatives to Roman and Persian monarchs, and other governments near and far. He received ambassadors and delegations from other countries. They were very much impressed by him and in many instances they embraced his teachings. He fought wars, planned strategies, and actively participated in armed conflicts to defend Islam, Islamic territory and the followers of Islam.
The Blessed Messenger judged impartially, with due consideration to all the parties involved. His decisions were based upon justice, compassion, and strictly upon divine laws. He did not permit nepotism, favouritism or bias to interfere with justice. The rich, the poor, the lowly, the mighty, the privileged, and the downtrodden felt safe and secure under his administration. Under his administration, criminal and civil laws were established on the basis of Qur’ānic injunctions. These laws were comprehensive, addressing all situations. The laws which were given by Prophet Muhammad were so widely accepted and appreciated that he was honoured by the US Supreme Court in 1935 as one of the greatest law givers of the world.
From an orphan to the head of the State, he still continued to be humble and unpretentious and was readily accessible to the common people. This is what made Prophet Muhammad the best administrator the world had ever witnessed and manage the State in the most effective manner. This accomplishment is unparalleled in the history of mankind.
After the death of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) it sparked dissension and apostasy throughout the Arab peninsula. Most of the Arab tribes refused to pay Zakat and some people claimed prophethood. Apostasy was the major challenge facing Abu Bakr as the first caliph. In these circumstances, Abu Bakr had to decide whether or not to send the army under the command of the eighteen years old Usama ibn Zayd to fight the Romans as planned by the Prophet. Many companions suggested that the operation be cancelled. Abu Bakr insisted on sending the army in spite of the risk associated with the decision. He said, “By Allah I will not open a knot knit by the Messenger of Allah. If the birds snatch us up and wild animals surround Madina, and if dogs run with the feet of the mothers of the believers, I will definitely equip the army of Usama.”
Caliph Abu Bakr was known for his strong will and faith in the help of Allah as well as for his political acumen and tactics. He was described as being too faithful to leave any room for faith. This is just one of the many events that show the skill and tactfulness of Abu Bakr. As Abu Bakr ruled only for two years and as he was mostly preoccupied with the wars of apostasy, his leadership did not witness many administrative innovations. He however created the treasury, appointed the supreme judge, and divided the Muslim State into different administrative regions. He also delegated authority to his commanders. These administrative achievements were very critical because they paved the way for the post-revelation developments undertaken by the next Caliph Umar.
After the death of Abu Bakr, Umar assumed the office of Caliph the same day. During the period of his leadership, Caliph Umar was a pioneer in some affairs. He was the first to introduce the public ministry system, where records of officials and soldiers were kept. He also kept a record system that had the messages he sent to Governors and heads of states. He was the first to appoint police forces to keep civil order. He was the first to discipline the people when they became disordered.
Caliph Umar was the first to establish a special department for the investigation of complaints against the officers of the State. This department acted as Administrative Court, where legal proceedings were personally led by Umar. Caliph Umar was a gifted orator, and he would use his ability to get a soft corner in the hearts of people. He was known for this intelligence service through which he made his officials accountable. This service was also said to have inspired fear in his subjects.
Caliph Umar is regarded as one of the greatest political geniuses in history. While under his leadership, the empire was expanding at an unprecedented rate, he also began to build the political structure that would hold together the vast empire that was being built. He undertook many administrative reforms and closely oversaw public policy. He established an advanced administration for the newly conquered lands, ordered a census of all the Muslim territories and what not.
After Umar, Uthman went on to become the third caliph of Islam. The era of Caliph Uthman witnessed an economic reform, public work, administrative development, etc. Caliph Uthman was a great businessman and successful trader right from his youth, which contributed greatly to the Rashidun Empire. Umar had fixed the allowance of the people and on assuming office, he increased it by about 25%. He withdrew these restrictions on the purchase of agricultural land in conquered territories, in view of the fact that the trade could not flourish. He also permitted people to draw loans from the public treasury.
Under Caliph Uthman the people became economically more prosperous, and they invested their money in the construction of buildings. Many new and larger buildings were constructed throughout the empire. During the leadership of Uthman as many as five thousand new mosques were constructed. Uthman enlarged, extended, and embellished the Al-Masjid al-Nabawi at Medina and the well near Kaaba. With the expansion of the army, the cantonments were extended and enlarged, more barracks were constructed for the soldiers and stables for the cavalry were extended. He provided separate pastures for state camels.
During the time of Caliph Uthman, Islam had spread far and wide, in various Muslim centres like Kufa and Damascus. People had begun to develop their own ways of reciting the Qur’ān and writing it down with stylistic differences. Thus after realising its importance and necessity, he formed a committee which produced multiple copies of the text of the Qur’ān as it exists today.
When Ali was appointed caliph, it was one of the hardest periods in the Muslim history that coincided with the first Muslim civil war. He ruled over the Rashidun Empire, which covered from Central Asia in the east to North Africa in the west. He succeeded in forming a broad coalition especially after the Battle of Camel. His policy of equal distribution of taxes and booty gained the support of the companions of Prophet Muhammad, especially the Ansars who were subordinated by the Quraish leadership. The successful formation of this diverse coalition seems to be due to Ali’s charismatic character.
He opposed the centralisation of capital control over provincial revenues, favouring an equal distribution of taxes and booty among Muslim citizens, and distributed the entire revenue of the treasury among them. Ali refrained from nepotism, including with his brother Aqeel ibn Abu Talib. This was an indication to Muslims of his policy of offering equality to Muslims who served Islam in its early years and to the Muslims who played a role in the later conquests. Many Muslims consider his government as the Islamic style of justice and tolerance on one side and tough following of Islamic law on the other.
After these four Rightly Guided Caliphs, the world witnessed much turbulence in Islamic territories under Umayyad caliphs. Then Umar ibn Abdul Aziz was named caliph who restored Islamic values. He also played a very important role in the development of the nation. He offered stipends to teachers and encouraged education. Through his personal example, he inculcated piety, steadfastness, business ethics and moral rectitude in the general population. His reforms included strict abolition of drinking, forbidding public nudity, elimination of mixed bathrooms for men and women and fair dispensation of Zakat. He undertook extensive public works in Persia, Khorasan and North Africa, including the construction of canals, roads, rest houses for travellers and medical dispensaries. He continued welfare programmes of the last few Umayyad caliphs, expanding them and including special programmes for orphans and the destitute. He also abolished Jizya tax for converts to Islam, who were former dhimmis, who used to be taxed even after they had converted to Islam under other Umayyad rulers.
All these leaders have set great examples not only with their personal lives but also with their good governance. Imitating and replicating the style of management of these leaders will take countries to great heights. With this we can learn that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) and the caliphs were not only spiritually and physically strong but they were also mentally strong. Thus they were in a position to design effective plans and strategies and had the capacity to organise, direct and manage them, in order to achieve the set target.