JUSTICE AND COMPASSION KEY INGREDIENT FOR GOOD LEADERSHIP
Dr. Adalat Khan
August 30, 2007
“O YOU who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses To God, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor; For God can best protect both.” Holy Quran 4:135
The above and numerous other verses in the Holy Quran strongly promotes justice and justice must be part and parcel of good leadership. In fact this verse sets such a high standard of justice and equity which can not be matched by any other idealogy or dogma. Here God asks Muslims specifically leaders to practice justice and equity even if it may be against their selves, their relatives, or even against powerful or rich or poor people. Justice must be served and equity must be provided without discrimination to all. The Administration of justice has always been regarded as one of the great ends of every civilized government. But the importance given to it by Islam may well be gathered from the fact that “justice” is considered to be an attribute of God and the administration of justice as the performance of a religious duty.1 Related to justice is the quality of compassion or “rahmah”. Incidentally compassion is also one of the attribute of God and He instructs human being to be compassionate to one another. In the Holy Quran God clearly states “To be one of those who believe and urge each other to steadfastness and urge each other to compassion. Those are the Companions of the Right. " (90: 17-18) The message of Islam is universal and so are its leadership principles justice and compassion being cardinal of all. The Holy Prophet was thus given the title of “Rahmatul Lilaalamin” or blessing for humanity. An Islamic leader must act as the torch bearer of Prophet Muhammad teachings and practice the principles of justice and compassion. The following are some of the ways through which the principle of justice and compassion can be practiced by a leader in his day to day life and interaction with others:
JUSICE FOR ALL:
A leader must excel in justice and display high degree of justice. Race, creed, belief, sex, nationality, tribal affiliation and other considerations should be set aside when the leader is administering justice. On the other hand hatred or ill feelings towards others must not influence the decision of the leader to do injustice. Towards this end the Holy Quran specifically warns that “…and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Well Acquainted with what you do.” (Quran 5:8). It was these ideals which were followed by Prophet Muhammad and his wise caliphs which resulted in the rapid growth of Islam. A leader must provide justice for the poor and weak, minorities and the disadvantaged groups, women as well as other segments of society who are under-priviliged. When judging among people Justice must be the order of the day and all decisions must be made through natural justice. Today the world is plagued by injustices and discrimination and its after effects is manifesting itself in terrrorism, conflicts and wars. There will be no end if injustices prevail in the world. As active member of the global village a Muslim leader can not remain indifferent but must seek justice for all. There are International Laws but they have lost its relevance because Might is Right has become order of the day. Oppressed people in the oppressed world will tell you that international laws, were formulated to provide the mighty with the right to suppress the weak. It is in these pressing and hard times that leaders are needed at every organization and country who will work for providing justice for all. Whether it is a family, a company, a country, or the world at large justice for all must become the “Mantra” actively promoted and practiced by able leaders. It would seem that the world today is confronted by enormous dangers and destructions. Some believe that Armageddon is coming. This is not the Armageddon of God but some evil people who are bent upon the destruction of humanity. Greedy rulers who want to take away others resources and lands, cunning politician who wants to impose an in-just order on the world and disillusioned fanatics who want to revenge and destroy innocent people are all working towards destroying humanity and innocent people. One and only one policy will stop this senselessness i.e. justice for all. Justice for all is the only panacea which can solve today’s problems and Muslim leaders must take the lead. Whether they are managing small groups or bigger crowds, running companies or countries, good leaders are just to everyone. So if you wish to be a great leader practice justice for all and you will find many followers.
UNIVERSAL LOVE:
Universal love and respect for everyone without discrimination is another quality shared by great leaders. Great people win the hearts of people not through fear and manipulation but with true love and respect for everyone. Love is contagious and if you love someone others will respond and reciprocate your love. Love and care for fellow human beings, our relatives, employees and customers will get us their love and those who love us will be willing to give us whatever we want from them. Universal love can be practised by developing high performance teams, sharing knowledge and experience with others and the true desire to develop others till they reach their potential. One of the greatest deeds will be to train, educate and inspire ordinary people to achieve extra ordinary results. There is no doubt that Islam strongly encourages Muslims to love one another as brothers and sisters but it also encourages to show identical love to other human beings. Caliph Ali was quoted as saying that people are either brothers in Islam or brothers in humanity. Muslims leaders and people are on the record to have shown great compassion and love to even non-Muslims. History is replete with examples of Islamic compassion. When the Romans conquered Palestine, the Jews were expelled, reducing them to exiles across the world, in what is known as the Jewish diaspora. But when Umar Ibn Khattab, the Caliph, conquered Palestine, the Christians and the Jews were allowed to stay. The same thing happened when Salahuddin al-Ayubi the Caliph conquered Palestine, the non-Muslims were protected. But today, when the Jews, with Western help, annexed Palestine, Muslims including children are suppressed, evicted and killed everyday. The same thing was seen in Spain where Muslims rule for 800 years. During that time, the Jews and the Christians stayed within their faiths and lived together with Muslims. But when Ferdinand and Isabella regained control of Spain, Muslims and the Jews, who failed to escape to Africa, were killed or tortured to accept Christianity. This was why under 800 years of Muslim rule, there were still Jews and Christians in Spain; but when the Christians ruled, not a single Muslim could be found. 2 A true leader is compassionate to everyone and believes in the power of universal love. Love which is pure and sincere transcending relations, race, religion, nationality, and colour of people. It was the love of humanity and their true upliftment that Prophet Muhammad and his message is alive and expanding day by day. The key to leadership success is therefore true respect and love and compassion for the whole of mankind.
STANDING UP AGAINST INJUSTICES:
For a leader to be effective he or she not only practices justice but should not tolerate and stand up against injustices. In the Holy Quran the wise Luqman advises his son “O my son, you shall observe the Contact Prayers (Salat). You shall advocate righteousness and forbid evil, and remain steadfast in the face of adversity. These are the most honorable traits.” Quran 31:17. In the world we live today myriad injustices are taking place on various levels. These could have been eliminated if able leaders had stood against them. Unfair distribution of wealth, forceful take over of countries and properties of others, the killings of innocent people and identical scourges are rampant, however the vast majority of people are indifferent and silent. Abu-Jahl the most powerful chieftains of Quraysh had owed some money to a stranger which he had refused to pay. As a mischief to get the Prophet Muhammad insulted the Quraysh told this man to go and ask the help of Prophet Muhammad. Their intention was to ruin things more between the Prophet (SAWS) and Abu-Jahl. The man went to the Prophet (SAWS), and asked him to help him to get his debt from Abu-Jahl. The Prophet (SAWS) accompanied the man to Abu-Jahl’s house and he knocked the door. Abu-Jahl asked “who is it?” The Prophet answered: “Muhammad.” Abu-Jahl opened the door frightened, his face getting pale. The Prophet then said: “Give this man his right.” Abu-Jahl said: “You will not leave until you get it.” And at once he gave the money back to him. The people from Quraysh were surprised from the outcome of the incident, which was not what they intended. The Quraysh witnessed their friend being defeated and asked him why he paid the money. Abu-Jahl told them: “I swear, when they knocked my door, I heard a voice that made me so frightened, then I also saw two wild camels standing on each side, ready to attack."”. The moral of the story is that a true leader stands up against injustices and support the right cause of other people. In the case of this story it may be remembered that at that time Abu Jahl was an extremely strong man and to confront such strong people to give the rights of others require the leadership courage to stand up against injustices. Prophet Muhammd being a true leader stood against injustice and helped a person who was not even known to him but a stranger. How many leaders are there today who can stand up against injustices? The answers is disappointing and rarely any?
FORGIVENESS AND TOLERANCE:
Forgiveness and tolerance associated with compassion is also a great leadership quality as it is through forgiveness and tolerance that we not only befriend others but also detoxify ourselves and get rid of anger, revenge, and ill feelings which are destructive emotions. We must be forgiving and tolerant and think how God the Almighty is forgiving and tolerant towards us. Quran has repeatedly highlighted the wisdom of forgiveness and tolerance. In verse 42:40 the Holy Quran mentions that although the just requital for an injustice is an equivalent retribution, but those who pardon and maintain righteousness are rewarded by GOD. He does not love the unjust. In verse 7:199 “Hold to forgiveness; Command that is right; But turn away from the ignorant” God commands about forgiveness. A shining example of forgiving nature is Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet (may peace be upon him) was the most forgiving person. He was ever ready to forgive his enemies. When he went to Ta’if to preach the message of Allah, its people mistreated him, abused him and hit him with stones. He left the city humiliated and wounded. When he took shelter under a tree, the angel of Allah visited him and told him that Allah sent him to destroy the people of Ta’if because of their sin of maltreating their Prophet. Muhammad (may peace be upon him) prayed to Allah to save the people of Ta'if, because what they did was out of their ignorance. 3 A very striking example of forgiveness we find in the Qur’an in reference to the most unfortunate event of “Slander of Sayyidah A’isha’” the daughter of Abu Bakar and the wife of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) . Some hypocrites of Madinah accused her. They tried to put dirt on her noble character. One of the slanderers turned out to be Mistah, the cousin of ‘Aisha’s father Abu Bakr’s. Abu Bakr -may Allah be pleased with him- used to give financial help to this young man. After he slandered his daughter, Abu Bakr vowed not to help him any more. But Allah reminded Abu Bakr and through him all the Believers, “Let not those among you who are endued with grace and amplitude of means resolve by oath against helping their kinsmen, those in want and those who migrated in the path of Allah. Let them forgive and overlook. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? Indeed Allah is oft-Forgiving, most Merciful.” (Al-Nur 24:22) Abu Bakr -may Allah be pleased with him- came out of his home and said, “Yes, indeed, I want Allah’s forgiveness. He not only continued to help him but he gave him more. Islam emphasizes justice and punishment of the wrong doers, but it equally strongly emphasizes mercy, kindness and love. Justice, law and order are necessary for the maintenance of a social order, but there is also a need for forgiveness to heal the wounds and to restore good relations between the people. We must keep in mind that as much as we need Allah’s forgiveness for our own sins and mistakes, we must also practice forgiveness towards those who do wrong to us. 4
WORK FOR PEACE:
Remaining peaceful and working towards group, regional, national, and global peace is yet another quality deeply associated with Islamic leadership. Islam is the religion of peace. Its very name is derived from the word ‘salam’. Salam is not only the absence of violence and aggression but it also means total well being and happiness. It means literally ‘to be safe, secure, sound, wholesome, unharmed, unimpaired and intact’. Historically Islamic rule and leadership had brought great peace to the diverse communities it ruled. Under Muslim rule, Muslims, Christians, Jews lived together in Jerusalem in contentment, tolerance, and peace. The key quality of a good Muslim is to work towards peace and prosperity. While members of all three religions were living peacefully together in Palestine, the Christians in Europe decided to organize a crusade. Following a call by Pope Urban II on 27 November 1095 at the Council of Clermont, more than 100000 people from all over Europe set out for Palestine to free the Holy Land from the Muslims and find the fabled wealth of the East. After a long and wearing journey, and much plundering and slaughter along the way, they reached Jerusalem in 1099. The city fell after the a siege of nearly five weeks, and the Crusaders moved in. They carried out a savagery the like of which the world has seldom seen All Muslims and Jews in the city were put to the sword. The peace and harmony in Palestine, which had lasted since Caliph Umar , ended in terrible slaughter. The barbaric Crusader army made Jerusalem their capital, and established a Latin Kingdom whose borders stretched from Palestin to Antioch. However this did not last long, as Saladin gathered all the Muslims kingdoms under his banner in a holy war, and defeated the Crusaders at the battle of Hattin in 1187. Unlike the slaughter of the crusaders when Saladin re-captured the Jerusalem he did not even touch one Christian in the city. Instead he forgave the king Guy as well as all Christians and Jews and provided peace and security to Jews and Christians. Peace is at the heart of Islam and a Muslim leader as well as follower must practice, promote and work for peace. Today more than ever before peace is needed as illegal wars, terrorism, conflicts, and distrust among people is a great source of fear and pain for everyone. Islamic is clearly against war and terror and forbids killing one self. “Nor kill (or destroy) yourselves: for verily God hath been to you Most Merciful!” Quran 4:29 A true leader works for peace and avoids self destruction or that of others.
MODERATION AND CHOOSING THE MIDDLE PATH OR MEAN:
Moderation and the middle path is the heart and soul of great leadership. Human beings are only called human beings if their thoughts, feelings, and actions are balanced and not extreme. A true leader is moderate, and chooses the mean or the middle path. Islam and Quran have always promoted moderation and preaches that human beings should not cross the limits. In verse 2:143 the Almighty says: "And thus have we willed you to be a community of the middle way." Quran 2:143. In yet another verse God praises moderation “ Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly, but hold a just (balance) between those (extremes)” Quran 25:6 Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said that “The best in all things is their mean.” Hence moderation, balanced behaviour, and the mean is the most preferred among options. A true leader must be moderate do not leaning on any extremes, rather balanced, and enlightened.
COURTESY AND POLITENESS:
The effectiveness of a leader depends on the his or her relations with the people and courtesy and politeness is the key towards cultivating good relations with others. It is through courtesy and politeness that people are attracted to us and they feel respected. Prophet Muhammad was the prime example of courtesy and politeness. By nature he was courteous and polite and always overlooked the short comings of people. In various sayings such as “He who does not thank people, does not thank Allah” and “Your smile in the face of your brother is an act of sadaqah (charity)” the Holy Prophet taught us to be courteous and polite. He was always the first to greet another and would not withdraw his hand from a handshake till the other man withdrew his. If one wanted to say something in his ears, he would not turn away till one had finished as reported in the books of Abu Daawood and At-Tirmithi. Islam asks human beings to interact with one another and enhance relationship as Quran clearly states in the verse “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).” Quran 49:13 Caliph Ali advised his son Hassan “O’ my son learn four things from me. Nothing will har you if you practice them. That the richest riches is intelligence; the biggest destitution is foolishness, the most wild wilderness is vanity and the best achievement is courtesy” 5
Leadership and justice go hand in hand and a leader who is just as well as compassionate will earn the respect of people as well as their obedience. The world we live today is mired by myriad injustices and there is a need for strong leadership from every leader to correct them. The way injustices exist today and if it continues to rise as it is there is going to be total turmoil and chaos in the world. People will continue fighting one another and more blood baths will take place. I am convinced that the correction of injustices on social, economic, political, and legal fronts will do a great justice to our planet. Leaders must stand up against any injustices taking place and rid the world from this menace. There is also a need for compassion towards our fellow human beings. Piecemeal show of compassion will not be enough rather leaders must display universal love for humanity. At micro level and individual interactions the leader must display courtesy and politeness. In essence justice and compassion combined together equals great leadership and happiness for all.
Bibliography:
1. Muhammed Ullah, The Administration of Justice in Islam, Kitab Bhavan.
2. Islam and Justice, Speeches by Dr Tun Mahathir.
3. Wikipedia the online encyclopedia, August 15, 2007 entry.
4. Forgiveness: Islamic perspective by Dr Muzzamil Siddiqi.
5. Nahjul Balagha by Imam Ali (Ansarian Pulication) Iran.
6. Al-Atas Syed Muhammad Naquib, THE ICLIF LEADERSHIP COMEPETENCY MODEL by ICLIF.
7. Dubring, Leadership, Research findings, practice, and skills byHoughton Mifflin.
8. Holy Quran, English Translation and the meanings and commentary by King Fahd Holy Quran Printing Complex.
The above and numerous other verses in the Holy Quran strongly promotes justice and justice must be part and parcel of good leadership. In fact this verse sets such a high standard of justice and equity which can not be matched by any other idealogy or dogma. Here God asks Muslims specifically leaders to practice justice and equity even if it may be against their selves, their relatives, or even against powerful or rich or poor people. Justice must be served and equity must be provided without discrimination to all. The Administration of justice has always been regarded as one of the great ends of every civilized government. But the importance given to it by Islam may well be gathered from the fact that “justice” is considered to be an attribute of God and the administration of justice as the performance of a religious duty.1 Related to justice is the quality of compassion or “rahmah”. Incidentally compassion is also one of the attribute of God and He instructs human being to be compassionate to one another. In the Holy Quran God clearly states “To be one of those who believe and urge each other to steadfastness and urge each other to compassion. Those are the Companions of the Right. " (90: 17-18) The message of Islam is universal and so are its leadership principles justice and compassion being cardinal of all. The Holy Prophet was thus given the title of “Rahmatul Lilaalamin” or blessing for humanity. An Islamic leader must act as the torch bearer of Prophet Muhammad teachings and practice the principles of justice and compassion. The following are some of the ways through which the principle of justice and compassion can be practiced by a leader in his day to day life and interaction with others:
JUSICE FOR ALL:
A leader must excel in justice and display high degree of justice. Race, creed, belief, sex, nationality, tribal affiliation and other considerations should be set aside when the leader is administering justice. On the other hand hatred or ill feelings towards others must not influence the decision of the leader to do injustice. Towards this end the Holy Quran specifically warns that “…and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety, and fear Allah. Verily, Allah is Well Acquainted with what you do.” (Quran 5:8). It was these ideals which were followed by Prophet Muhammad and his wise caliphs which resulted in the rapid growth of Islam. A leader must provide justice for the poor and weak, minorities and the disadvantaged groups, women as well as other segments of society who are under-priviliged. When judging among people Justice must be the order of the day and all decisions must be made through natural justice. Today the world is plagued by injustices and discrimination and its after effects is manifesting itself in terrrorism, conflicts and wars. There will be no end if injustices prevail in the world. As active member of the global village a Muslim leader can not remain indifferent but must seek justice for all. There are International Laws but they have lost its relevance because Might is Right has become order of the day. Oppressed people in the oppressed world will tell you that international laws, were formulated to provide the mighty with the right to suppress the weak. It is in these pressing and hard times that leaders are needed at every organization and country who will work for providing justice for all. Whether it is a family, a company, a country, or the world at large justice for all must become the “Mantra” actively promoted and practiced by able leaders. It would seem that the world today is confronted by enormous dangers and destructions. Some believe that Armageddon is coming. This is not the Armageddon of God but some evil people who are bent upon the destruction of humanity. Greedy rulers who want to take away others resources and lands, cunning politician who wants to impose an in-just order on the world and disillusioned fanatics who want to revenge and destroy innocent people are all working towards destroying humanity and innocent people. One and only one policy will stop this senselessness i.e. justice for all. Justice for all is the only panacea which can solve today’s problems and Muslim leaders must take the lead. Whether they are managing small groups or bigger crowds, running companies or countries, good leaders are just to everyone. So if you wish to be a great leader practice justice for all and you will find many followers.
UNIVERSAL LOVE:
Universal love and respect for everyone without discrimination is another quality shared by great leaders. Great people win the hearts of people not through fear and manipulation but with true love and respect for everyone. Love is contagious and if you love someone others will respond and reciprocate your love. Love and care for fellow human beings, our relatives, employees and customers will get us their love and those who love us will be willing to give us whatever we want from them. Universal love can be practised by developing high performance teams, sharing knowledge and experience with others and the true desire to develop others till they reach their potential. One of the greatest deeds will be to train, educate and inspire ordinary people to achieve extra ordinary results. There is no doubt that Islam strongly encourages Muslims to love one another as brothers and sisters but it also encourages to show identical love to other human beings. Caliph Ali was quoted as saying that people are either brothers in Islam or brothers in humanity. Muslims leaders and people are on the record to have shown great compassion and love to even non-Muslims. History is replete with examples of Islamic compassion. When the Romans conquered Palestine, the Jews were expelled, reducing them to exiles across the world, in what is known as the Jewish diaspora. But when Umar Ibn Khattab, the Caliph, conquered Palestine, the Christians and the Jews were allowed to stay. The same thing happened when Salahuddin al-Ayubi the Caliph conquered Palestine, the non-Muslims were protected. But today, when the Jews, with Western help, annexed Palestine, Muslims including children are suppressed, evicted and killed everyday. The same thing was seen in Spain where Muslims rule for 800 years. During that time, the Jews and the Christians stayed within their faiths and lived together with Muslims. But when Ferdinand and Isabella regained control of Spain, Muslims and the Jews, who failed to escape to Africa, were killed or tortured to accept Christianity. This was why under 800 years of Muslim rule, there were still Jews and Christians in Spain; but when the Christians ruled, not a single Muslim could be found. 2 A true leader is compassionate to everyone and believes in the power of universal love. Love which is pure and sincere transcending relations, race, religion, nationality, and colour of people. It was the love of humanity and their true upliftment that Prophet Muhammad and his message is alive and expanding day by day. The key to leadership success is therefore true respect and love and compassion for the whole of mankind.
STANDING UP AGAINST INJUSTICES:
For a leader to be effective he or she not only practices justice but should not tolerate and stand up against injustices. In the Holy Quran the wise Luqman advises his son “O my son, you shall observe the Contact Prayers (Salat). You shall advocate righteousness and forbid evil, and remain steadfast in the face of adversity. These are the most honorable traits.” Quran 31:17. In the world we live today myriad injustices are taking place on various levels. These could have been eliminated if able leaders had stood against them. Unfair distribution of wealth, forceful take over of countries and properties of others, the killings of innocent people and identical scourges are rampant, however the vast majority of people are indifferent and silent. Abu-Jahl the most powerful chieftains of Quraysh had owed some money to a stranger which he had refused to pay. As a mischief to get the Prophet Muhammad insulted the Quraysh told this man to go and ask the help of Prophet Muhammad. Their intention was to ruin things more between the Prophet (SAWS) and Abu-Jahl. The man went to the Prophet (SAWS), and asked him to help him to get his debt from Abu-Jahl. The Prophet (SAWS) accompanied the man to Abu-Jahl’s house and he knocked the door. Abu-Jahl asked “who is it?” The Prophet answered: “Muhammad.” Abu-Jahl opened the door frightened, his face getting pale. The Prophet then said: “Give this man his right.” Abu-Jahl said: “You will not leave until you get it.” And at once he gave the money back to him. The people from Quraysh were surprised from the outcome of the incident, which was not what they intended. The Quraysh witnessed their friend being defeated and asked him why he paid the money. Abu-Jahl told them: “I swear, when they knocked my door, I heard a voice that made me so frightened, then I also saw two wild camels standing on each side, ready to attack."”. The moral of the story is that a true leader stands up against injustices and support the right cause of other people. In the case of this story it may be remembered that at that time Abu Jahl was an extremely strong man and to confront such strong people to give the rights of others require the leadership courage to stand up against injustices. Prophet Muhammd being a true leader stood against injustice and helped a person who was not even known to him but a stranger. How many leaders are there today who can stand up against injustices? The answers is disappointing and rarely any?
FORGIVENESS AND TOLERANCE:
Forgiveness and tolerance associated with compassion is also a great leadership quality as it is through forgiveness and tolerance that we not only befriend others but also detoxify ourselves and get rid of anger, revenge, and ill feelings which are destructive emotions. We must be forgiving and tolerant and think how God the Almighty is forgiving and tolerant towards us. Quran has repeatedly highlighted the wisdom of forgiveness and tolerance. In verse 42:40 the Holy Quran mentions that although the just requital for an injustice is an equivalent retribution, but those who pardon and maintain righteousness are rewarded by GOD. He does not love the unjust. In verse 7:199 “Hold to forgiveness; Command that is right; But turn away from the ignorant” God commands about forgiveness. A shining example of forgiving nature is Prophet Muhammad. The Prophet (may peace be upon him) was the most forgiving person. He was ever ready to forgive his enemies. When he went to Ta’if to preach the message of Allah, its people mistreated him, abused him and hit him with stones. He left the city humiliated and wounded. When he took shelter under a tree, the angel of Allah visited him and told him that Allah sent him to destroy the people of Ta’if because of their sin of maltreating their Prophet. Muhammad (may peace be upon him) prayed to Allah to save the people of Ta'if, because what they did was out of their ignorance. 3 A very striking example of forgiveness we find in the Qur’an in reference to the most unfortunate event of “Slander of Sayyidah A’isha’” the daughter of Abu Bakar and the wife of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) . Some hypocrites of Madinah accused her. They tried to put dirt on her noble character. One of the slanderers turned out to be Mistah, the cousin of ‘Aisha’s father Abu Bakr’s. Abu Bakr -may Allah be pleased with him- used to give financial help to this young man. After he slandered his daughter, Abu Bakr vowed not to help him any more. But Allah reminded Abu Bakr and through him all the Believers, “Let not those among you who are endued with grace and amplitude of means resolve by oath against helping their kinsmen, those in want and those who migrated in the path of Allah. Let them forgive and overlook. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? Indeed Allah is oft-Forgiving, most Merciful.” (Al-Nur 24:22) Abu Bakr -may Allah be pleased with him- came out of his home and said, “Yes, indeed, I want Allah’s forgiveness. He not only continued to help him but he gave him more. Islam emphasizes justice and punishment of the wrong doers, but it equally strongly emphasizes mercy, kindness and love. Justice, law and order are necessary for the maintenance of a social order, but there is also a need for forgiveness to heal the wounds and to restore good relations between the people. We must keep in mind that as much as we need Allah’s forgiveness for our own sins and mistakes, we must also practice forgiveness towards those who do wrong to us. 4
WORK FOR PEACE:
Remaining peaceful and working towards group, regional, national, and global peace is yet another quality deeply associated with Islamic leadership. Islam is the religion of peace. Its very name is derived from the word ‘salam’. Salam is not only the absence of violence and aggression but it also means total well being and happiness. It means literally ‘to be safe, secure, sound, wholesome, unharmed, unimpaired and intact’. Historically Islamic rule and leadership had brought great peace to the diverse communities it ruled. Under Muslim rule, Muslims, Christians, Jews lived together in Jerusalem in contentment, tolerance, and peace. The key quality of a good Muslim is to work towards peace and prosperity. While members of all three religions were living peacefully together in Palestine, the Christians in Europe decided to organize a crusade. Following a call by Pope Urban II on 27 November 1095 at the Council of Clermont, more than 100000 people from all over Europe set out for Palestine to free the Holy Land from the Muslims and find the fabled wealth of the East. After a long and wearing journey, and much plundering and slaughter along the way, they reached Jerusalem in 1099. The city fell after the a siege of nearly five weeks, and the Crusaders moved in. They carried out a savagery the like of which the world has seldom seen All Muslims and Jews in the city were put to the sword. The peace and harmony in Palestine, which had lasted since Caliph Umar , ended in terrible slaughter. The barbaric Crusader army made Jerusalem their capital, and established a Latin Kingdom whose borders stretched from Palestin to Antioch. However this did not last long, as Saladin gathered all the Muslims kingdoms under his banner in a holy war, and defeated the Crusaders at the battle of Hattin in 1187. Unlike the slaughter of the crusaders when Saladin re-captured the Jerusalem he did not even touch one Christian in the city. Instead he forgave the king Guy as well as all Christians and Jews and provided peace and security to Jews and Christians. Peace is at the heart of Islam and a Muslim leader as well as follower must practice, promote and work for peace. Today more than ever before peace is needed as illegal wars, terrorism, conflicts, and distrust among people is a great source of fear and pain for everyone. Islamic is clearly against war and terror and forbids killing one self. “Nor kill (or destroy) yourselves: for verily God hath been to you Most Merciful!” Quran 4:29 A true leader works for peace and avoids self destruction or that of others.
MODERATION AND CHOOSING THE MIDDLE PATH OR MEAN:
Moderation and the middle path is the heart and soul of great leadership. Human beings are only called human beings if their thoughts, feelings, and actions are balanced and not extreme. A true leader is moderate, and chooses the mean or the middle path. Islam and Quran have always promoted moderation and preaches that human beings should not cross the limits. In verse 2:143 the Almighty says: "And thus have we willed you to be a community of the middle way." Quran 2:143. In yet another verse God praises moderation “ Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly, but hold a just (balance) between those (extremes)” Quran 25:6 Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) said that “The best in all things is their mean.” Hence moderation, balanced behaviour, and the mean is the most preferred among options. A true leader must be moderate do not leaning on any extremes, rather balanced, and enlightened.
COURTESY AND POLITENESS:
The effectiveness of a leader depends on the his or her relations with the people and courtesy and politeness is the key towards cultivating good relations with others. It is through courtesy and politeness that people are attracted to us and they feel respected. Prophet Muhammad was the prime example of courtesy and politeness. By nature he was courteous and polite and always overlooked the short comings of people. In various sayings such as “He who does not thank people, does not thank Allah” and “Your smile in the face of your brother is an act of sadaqah (charity)” the Holy Prophet taught us to be courteous and polite. He was always the first to greet another and would not withdraw his hand from a handshake till the other man withdrew his. If one wanted to say something in his ears, he would not turn away till one had finished as reported in the books of Abu Daawood and At-Tirmithi. Islam asks human beings to interact with one another and enhance relationship as Quran clearly states in the verse “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well acquainted (with all things).” Quran 49:13 Caliph Ali advised his son Hassan “O’ my son learn four things from me. Nothing will har you if you practice them. That the richest riches is intelligence; the biggest destitution is foolishness, the most wild wilderness is vanity and the best achievement is courtesy” 5
Leadership and justice go hand in hand and a leader who is just as well as compassionate will earn the respect of people as well as their obedience. The world we live today is mired by myriad injustices and there is a need for strong leadership from every leader to correct them. The way injustices exist today and if it continues to rise as it is there is going to be total turmoil and chaos in the world. People will continue fighting one another and more blood baths will take place. I am convinced that the correction of injustices on social, economic, political, and legal fronts will do a great justice to our planet. Leaders must stand up against any injustices taking place and rid the world from this menace. There is also a need for compassion towards our fellow human beings. Piecemeal show of compassion will not be enough rather leaders must display universal love for humanity. At micro level and individual interactions the leader must display courtesy and politeness. In essence justice and compassion combined together equals great leadership and happiness for all.
Bibliography:
1. Muhammed Ullah, The Administration of Justice in Islam, Kitab Bhavan.
2. Islam and Justice, Speeches by Dr Tun Mahathir.
3. Wikipedia the online encyclopedia, August 15, 2007 entry.
4. Forgiveness: Islamic perspective by Dr Muzzamil Siddiqi.
5. Nahjul Balagha by Imam Ali (Ansarian Pulication) Iran.
6. Al-Atas Syed Muhammad Naquib, THE ICLIF LEADERSHIP COMEPETENCY MODEL by ICLIF.
7. Dubring, Leadership, Research findings, practice, and skills byHoughton Mifflin.
8. Holy Quran, English Translation and the meanings and commentary by King Fahd Holy Quran Printing Complex.