Leadership – Too Many Chiefs, No Indians. Everyone naturally desires to lead because it’s a position of power, fame and glory. This article explores Islamic guidelines on leadership.
With the name of Allah, most Beneficient, ever Merciful
If anyone has knowledge, wealth, strength or piety, then they would most likely use these resources to get into a position of leadership.
Study history and you would come across bloody struggles for the position of leadership. A mother would even kill her child in the struggle for leadership. Even in religious circles there has always been a struggle for its leadership. “Thus have we made for every prophet an enemy amongst the sinners…” Al Quran Sura Al Furqan 25:31.
During the time of the Holy Prophet ﷺ there were many men who deviously tried to compete with him to be leaders. A few claimed to be prophets as well and they built their own followership by misleading people, but among them all, the most deadliest was Abu Amir Rahib who did not start off a new movement but tried to infiltrate and mislead the Muslims.
He influenced his followers to build another mosque in Quba on the pretext of advancing Islam.. He was a learned man that gained his knowledge from Christian monks and when he saw the success of the Prophet ﷺ, he wanted a “slice of the pie”.
Allah Subhanatallah revealed in the Holy Quraan concerning people like him: “And (there are) those who have built a mosque to cause harm (to Islam) and to promote disbelief and to cause discord among the believers…. And they will certainly swear (saying), ‘We meant nothing but good (in building the mosque).” But Allah bears witness that they are certainly liars.” Al Quran Sura At Tauba 9:107.
Even today we have these power struggles for religious leadership in our countries, towns, communities, religious organisations and families which has resulted in the many divisions that we have.
In aspiring to get to the top, a “wannabe leader” would use many different physiological techniques to influence people or in other words, to market himself.
At the end of the day, whatever he does is ultimately aimed at making himself look good in the eyes of the people. Sometimes they would find fault with what other religious leaders teach so as to create the impression that they know better, sometimes they would make themselves out to be pious by making a show of formal ritual acts of worship – sometimes they would dress, talk and behave in such a manner so as to make themselves out to be pious – sometimes they would start off an organisation which would duplicate some sort of religious activity which someone else has already made a success of so that they could show that they doing something, etc.
The position of true leadership in Islam, is not something that a Muslim must aspire towards. Its wrong to want such a position. On the contrary it’s important to learn to listen and follow others which is one of the most important traits of a good leader. In being like this we become the masters of our desires and it must not be the other way around.
Once Abu Moosa (RA) reports that he and his two cousins asked the Prophet ﷺ to appoint them as governors. The Prophet ﷺ replied: “By Allah we appoint none in these posts who seek it, nor anyone who is greedy for it.” Al Hadis
The position of true leadership in Islam is not something that one can strive towards and achieve because Islamic leaders are chosen by Allah SWT through His Messengers or His Aulia Allah. Here is one such example from the Holy Quraan: “Their prophet said to them “Allah has appointed Talut as king over you…..Allah grants His power to whom He pleases…” Al Quran Sura Al baqarah 2:247.
Before the Prophet ﷺ began to preach, he spent many years in the cave of Hira meditating and perfecting himself. Even after perfecting himself and seeing the Truth he did not go out to preach on his own accord until Allah instructed him to do so. “O you wrapped up (in a mantle)! Arise and deliver thy warning!” AL Qur’an Sura Al Muddaththir 74:1
The position of leadership is not given to just anyone. It is given to someone that can control their baser desires or their “nafs” which makes them a true believer. How can one control others when he cannot control himself?
If our nafs is living we could never make a selfless decision, which is what this position demands at times. The mere fact of someone wanting such a position shows that their nafs” is in charge.
Any leader would sooner or later come across someone that opposes him and if he is not a true leader then he would go against this person even if the person is right and what he says makes sense. “When leadership has become a bosom friend to your brain, anyone who opposes you becomes as an ancient adversary (enemy). Mathnawi vol. 2 verse 3466,
Good work and progress matters no longer to the person because all he cares about is being on the top. Seeking leadership can thus lead to great injustices and blind people. Look at the level that yazid stooped to because of his desire for leadership. He did not respect the Noble family of the Prophet ﷺ.
When a person has learnt to control his passions then he does not react badly when someone opposes him. He is a true leader because he is a humble person willing to listen to everyone and this aids him in his ruling. It is not about having his own way, but it is about doing what is best.
When Hazrath Dawood (AS) made a judgment on a certain case that came to him, his eleven year old son, Hazrath Sulaimaan (AS) suggested a better judgment. “To Sulaimaan (AS) We inspired the (right) understanding of the matter…” Al Quran Sura Al Anbiyaa 21:79.
Hazrath Dawood (AS) did not get upset but accepted that the decision that an eleven year old child gave was better than his. The Prophet ﷺ, even as a leader, allowed a simple shepherd to pull him roughly by his collar and question him amidst a gathering.
He took council from his companions at all times and there are many hadith and Quranic verses that show this. When Hazrath Umar (RA), the caliph of the time, was questioned in public by a lady he humbly remarked: “the lady is right and Umar is wrong”. The first four Caliphs had a council which helped them in decision making.
Learning about our carnal desires and using techniques to master it is a great part of tasawuff. It is therefore not supervising that true Islamic leaders always stem from those that practice and follow tasawuff.
The first four Caliphs were the close companions of the Holy Prophet ﷺ and they were personally trained by him. From their actions it is plain to see that they practiced tasawuff.
It was at the battle of Karbala that the spiritual leadership was separated from the political leadership and it became more obscure. The mere fact that the Caliph, Haroon Al Rashid, used to consult Sufi masters shows that although he had political powers he was not a spiritual monarch and his powers were not as great as those that held spiritual power.
Our Pir O Murshid, Hazrath Poona Wale Shah Saib (RA) always quoted the following verse of Allama Iqbal to describe the way in which to become a leader: “mitathe apne hastie ko, agar kooch martaba chaie-ye. Daana kaak mhe mil kar goolle gulzaar ho jaie ge.” (Destroy your pride and glory if you seek a status. The seed will mix with the ashes and turn into roses and gardens.)
And Sadi says: “If you desire greatness be humble: no other ladder is there by which to climb.”
When we kill our desires then we do not act on our own accord. It is Allah Subhanatallah that will inspire us and direct us. It is only under the guidance of a spiritual guide that one can learn to master his baser desires.
Who we learn from is also important because, of a certainty, there are many people in positions of leadership who are not fit to be there. Seek guidance from Allah SWT (SuraAlFathia), look beyond or beneath the big hats, long beards, lengthy prayers, glossy paper, sweet talks and fancy mosques because there are most certainly amongst us wolves in sheep’s skins.
So instead of wanting to be a leader and doing Islamic work and propagation we first have to correct ourselves and this can only be achieved by becoming a disciple. We must only do any Islamic missionary work if and when we are instructed to do so.
By doing Islamic work otherwise, we do more damage. If we strongly feel that we can do better, then we must join existing organizations and try to develop them instead of starting up new ones because by starting up new organizations we cause disunity. In becoming a disciple or joining existing organisations we learn to listen, follow and serve first.
Peace and Salutations be upon Muhammad Salallahu Alayhe Wasallam.
Published by Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi in 2012
Anjuman e Waris e Mohammedi was founded by Dr/Hakim Hazrath Khwaja Sayed Shareef Ahmed Ali Shah RA, (lovingly known as Hazrath Poona Wale Shah Saib RA).
Author: Mohammed Hassan Gaffoor (WhatsApp +27 84 910 1486)