Organising is the process of bringing together physical, financial and human resources and developing productive relationship among them for achievement of organisational goals. Organising includes identification of activities, classification of grouping of activities, assignment of duties, delegation of authority, creation of responsibility, coordinating authority and responsibility relationships.
Organising can be thought of as assigning the tasks developed in the planning stages, to various individuals or groups within the organisation. Organising creates a mechanism to put plans into action. Tasks are organised in a way that the output of each individual contributes to the success of departments, which, in turn, contributes to the success of divisions, which ultimately contributes to the success of the group.
The Qur’ān is a book which was revealed by Allah the Exalted. When we observe the book, it is in the most organised manner man can ever imagine. The Qur’ān is composed of 114 chapters, which are again sub-divided in verses. How wonderfully the Qur’ān narrates the charge-sheet of Bani Israil and explains the replacement of the Ummah in Surah Al-Baqarah. How brilliantly the Qur’ān narrates four stories in Surah Al-Kahaf, which talk of materialism. These are just a few examples to understand how the Qur’ān is a well organised book. The Qur’ān was revealed during a span of 23 years, but the way it has been organised and placed is something to ponder over.
The universe was created by Allah the Exalted. When we ponder over the universe, we would realise that Allah has created it in the most organised manner without any error. He created the universe in such a way that no one could find any fault, weakness or flaw in the way it has been organised. The planets, the stars, the sun, the moon, the trees, the air, the mountains, the water, the animals, birds, insects, etc., have been assigned with specific tasks and they are performing them precisely.
The universe has a perfectly organised system and harmony among these myriad objects right from the sky down to the earth and that all these objects are geared to innumerable and varied purposes. The organised system and harmony obtaining among these numerous objects have been there all along for millions of years. Thus, to maintain balance in the universe, the functioning of all these elements are equally important. Observing the universe helps us to understand how wonderfully Allah the Exalted has organised the universe.
On the other hand, when we observe the human body, it is created in the most organised manner. The muscular system, circulatory system, digestive system, endocrine system, integumentary system, urinary system, lymphatic system, immune system, respiratory system, nervous system, reproductive system and skeletal system, they all are created and are functioning in the most organised manner, which sets a practical example of organising. Allah the Exalted has rightly said, “We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth” (Qur’ān 41:53).
In order to organise things effectively, certain prerequisites are required, which Allah the Exalted has narrated in the Qur’ān. First, Allah says in the Qur’ān, “O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you.” (Qur’ān 4:59) The verse clearly states that, people need to obey the leaders who are in authority at that time, only then will the affairs be organised properly and will we achieve our desired result.
Secondly, Allah says in the Qur’ān, “…and consult them in the matter…” (Qur’ān 3:159). Allah also says in the Qur’ān, “…and whose affair is (determined by) consultation among themselves….” (Qur’ān 42:38) The verses states that, people should run their affairs through consulting one another and a decision making body. When people discuss, they tend to get many alternatives and it helps them select the best alternative available. Thus, it will ultimately help them organise their affairs effectively.
Thirdly, Allah says in the Qur’ān, “And let there be (arising) from you a nation inviting to (all that is) good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong and those will be successful.” (Qur’ān 3:104) The verse commands people to live in a group in order to call people towards good and forbid them from evil, as any work can only be organised and accomplished effectively when it is done in a group. Just as a human body comes under continuous attacks from various injurious germs, viruses, etc., and must continuously fight them to stay alive and healthy, so people are also threatened continuously by wrong ideas, attitudes, etc., and if the people are well organised in a group, they will be able to counter these destructive and disintegrating tendencies from all evils.
Fourthly, Allah says in the Qur’ān, “On no soul does Allah place a burden greater than it can bear….” (Qur’ān 2:286) Assigning of duties is one important task of organising. If Allah, our creator and the One who knows us better than anyone does not place on us burdens that we may not be able to carry, it follows that it would be wise for people who aspire for success not to authorise something that is beyond its people.
Thus these are the four basic principles which the Qur’ān gives with respect to organising. When we analyse the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him), he implemented all these four principles effectively; thus it helped him in his task of organising.
The act of Salah also teaches us to organise ourselves. Salah teaches us to pray on time; it teaches us to prioritise things; it teaches us to stand in one straight line, shoulder to shoulder; it teaches us to follow the leader; it teaches us to pray together, etc. Thus, Salah is a tool that teaches the Muslims to organise every aspect of their lives, the way they do it in Salah.
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) worked as a shepherd at the age of eight because he wanted to help his uncle Abu Talib since he wasn’t rich and had a big family with many children. As a young boy, he earned his living as a shepherd, a role he was later to speak about with fondness. He would take the sheep and cattle of his relatives and those of the people of Makkah to the surrounding deserts to graze. He gave his uncle the wages he received in return. Doing this work for years, the Prophet subconsciously learnt the art of organising. This skill helped him in his future assignments.
After migrating to Madinah, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) used his organising skills to establish the city. He established a brotherhood between the emigrants and the people of Madinah, constructed Masjid al-Nabawi, introduced Azan (call to prayer), established a marketplace in the city, fought many battles and organised various activities. Thus his organising skills helped the Prophet stage by stage to make Madinah an Islamic State.
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) was a very good organiser. He displayed good organising skills, when the battles were fought. During the Battle of Uhd, he lined the people up at the foot of the Mount Uhd so that the mountain was behind them and the Qurayshi army in front of them. The enemy could launch a surprise attack from only one mountain pass. The Prophet posted 50 archers there under the command of Abd Allah ibn Jubayr. He told him not to let anyone approach or move from that spot, adding, “Even if you see birds fly off with your flesh, don’t move from this place”.
During the Battle of Trench, when the trench had to be dug, it was organised in the best possible way. It took six days of feverish labour to dig the trench. The Prophet divided the Muslims in groups of ten each and told them to compete with each other. It was a hard task; there was not much time and hunger was rampant. Yet all the companions worked enthusiastically. In order not to feel the hunger, each fastened a rock around his stomach. The Prophet worked alongside them with two rocks fastened around his stomach. The way the work was organised, made it possible for them to complete the task before the enemies could arrive.
When it comes to organising one’s personal life, the Prophet was also very successful. In spite of being involved in so many social activities, the Prophet used to give time to his family and involve himself in household work. The Prophet used to fix his shoes, and be helpful to his wives.
Allah the Exalted sent Prophets to different parts of the world from time to time and all the Prophets had the same mission, to call man to his true religion and subsequently to organise all who accepted this message into a community which would be bounded by the Law of Allah, which would strive to establish its observance and would seek to prevent its violation. All the Prophets discharged their missions credibly in their own time. Thus, it is a Sunnah of all the Prophets to organise their community and the people around them to tackle the burning issue of their time.
The Qur’ān, the creation of Allah, the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be to him) and the lives of other Prophets teach us to organise our affairs effectively. The way of Islam wants us to organise ourselves and take care of our religious, social and other affairs. We need to organise our individual and collective life. If the Muslim Ummah adopts these principles and skills of organising in their individual and collective lives, it will take them to greater heights.