Human history witnessed a quantum leap with the advent of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him). This fact is acknowledged with greater stress and more clarity that the venerable Prophet was not only the most successful religious figure but also a great political leader, illustrious visionary, trendsetter in several fields and above all the most successful administrator the world has ever seen. He is credited with changing the current of history and introducing new dimensions in human development, management of human affairs and good governance. In this regard Bernard Shaw has rightly said that the Prophet was the True Saviour of humanity and if a man like him assumes the control of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring it the much needed peace and happiness.
Before him there was oppression, tyranny, corruption and despotism. The Prophet set an all time high standard of accountability of rulers and administrators before God and before the people who are governed. Good governance was made into an act of highest piety and religiosity. That is why the Prophet has highly praised the ruler and administrator who is conscious of his duty to the ruled and declared that such a person would be given special place on the Day of Judgement.
Following into the footsteps of the Prophet, the four Rightly Guided Caliphs, Abu Bakr, Umar, Usman and Ali set the brilliant examples of good governance and responsible leadership. They were devout, sincere and the most caring administrators and the embodiments of the Prophetic dictum that the leader should be the servant of people. Within a few decades this good governance was extended to distant lands and humanity enjoyed the fruits of peace, justice, prosperity, social and economic progress and political stability which was unknown before.
Unfortunately, in later periods the Muslim Ummah lost its touch with the Divine principles which had formed the basis for good and responsible governance. Now the modern world, in spite of immense achievements in science and material progress, is badly fragmented into oppressors and the oppressed. The need of hour is the return to those Divine principles of piety, generosity, justice, sense of brotherhood and equal treatment to all.
The Muslim world and especially its ruling elites are pursuing the worst anti-people and anti-democratic policies. It is high time the Muslim Ummah rediscovered the Divine principles of good governance and implemented them in Muslim countries. There is much the rest of the world can learn from the golden period of Islamic governance.