Home Religion & Spirituality A Prophetic Model of Developing Effective Leadership To Transform The Society

A Prophetic Model of Developing Effective Leadership To Transform The Society

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Planning without implementation is useless. In some countries, there is no defined concept of long term planning and solution to the immediate problems. Others which do so are normally faced with the problems of ‘analysis-paralysis’, spending too much time on fine tuning solution which lacks basic resolution. The result is simple: there appears to be too much ado about things. Only few nations are implementing their strategies effectively. I, therefore, wish to offer some principles of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as highlighted by the scholars as a solution to be emulated by all our leaders. They are generally accepted principles that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) believed in and worked with, which led to the success recorded during and after his life time. These principles are necessary for effective strategy implementation in the context of our problems.

Leadership can be defined as ”a dynamic relationship based on mutual influence and common purpose  between leader and collaborators in which both are moved to higher levels of motivation and moral development as they effect real, intended change ”.

At the same time, Mac Gregor Burns defines leadership as ”Leaders including followers to act for certain goals that represent the value and the motivations, the work and needs, the aspiration and expedition, of both leaders and followers”.

Both definitions stress the transformational dimension of leadership whereby both the leaders and the followers enrich each other. Whereas transactional leaders approach followers with an eye to exchange one thing for another (e.g. jobs for votes ), transformational leaders recognize the need of potential followers and seek to fulfill their higher order needs. They strive to engage the followers’ full personality in order to garner mutual inspiration and elevation. Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) said, ”If Allah puts anyone in the position of authority over the Muslims affairs and he secludes himself away from him not fulfilling his needs, wants and poverty,Allah will keep himself away from him, not fulfilling his needs, wants and poverty ”(Abu Dawood)

On this basis, it is a well known fact that the Prophet(pbuh) was a supremely successful man in the entire human history. But he was not just a hero as Thomas Carlyle, the Scottish historian and writer, has called him. According to the Qur’an, Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) was the best example for all mankind. He has shown us the way of achieving supreme success in this world.

By studying the life of Prophet Muhammad, we can derive those important principles which were followed by the Prophet(pbuh). Indeed the Prophet(pbuh) was a positive thinker in the full sense of the word. All his activities were result oriented. He completely refrained from all such steps as may prove counter-productive.

Principle 1- To begin from the possible

This principal is well explained in a saying of Prophet Muhammad’s wife Aisha. She said: ” Whenever the Prophet had to choose between two options, he always opted for the easier one.” (Al-Bukhari). To choose the easier option means to begin from the possible and one who begins from the possible will surely reach his goal.

Principle 2 – To see advantage in disadvantage

In the early days of Mecca, there were many problems and difficulties. At the same time, a guiding verse in the Quran was revealed . It says , ” With every hardship there is ease, with every hardship there is ease.” [Quran 94:5-6]

This means that if there are some problems, there are also opportunities at the same time. And the way to success is to ignore the problems and avail yourself of the opportunities.

Principle 3- To change the place of action

This principle is derived from the Hijrah. Hijrah was not just a migration from Mecca to Madina. It was to find a more suitable place for Islamic work, as history proved later on.

Principle 4 – To make friend out of an enemy

The Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) was repeatedly subjected to practices of antagonism by the non-believers.  At that time, the Quran enjoined upon him to return good for evil. And then, as the Quran added: ” You will see your greatest enemy has become your closest friend ”[ Quran 41:34]. It means that a good deed in return of a bad deed has a conquering effect over your enemies. And the life of the Prophet(pbuh) is a historical proof of this principle.

Principle 5 – To turn minus into plus

After the battle of Badar, about 70 of the non-believers were taken as the prisoners of war. The Prophet(pbuh) announced that if any one of them would teach ten Muslim children how to read and write, he would be freed. This was the first school in the history of Islam in which all of the students were Muslims and all of the teachers were from the enemy rank. Here, I shall quote a British writer who remarked about the Prophet: “He faced adversity with the determination to write success out of failure.”

Principle 6 – The power of peace is stronger than the power of violence

When Mecca was conquered, all the direst opponents of Prophet(obuh) were brought before him. They were very tough war criminals. But the Prophet(pbuh) did not order to kill them. He simply said ”Go, you are free’‘. The results of this kind behavior was miraculous. They immediately accepted Islam.

Principle 7- Not to be a dichotomous thinker

In the famous battle of Mutah, the Khalid Ibn Walid decided to withdraw Muslim forces from the battlefield because he discovered that the enemy was disproportionately outnumbered. When they reached Madina, some of the Muslims received them by the word ”O Furrar! ( O deserters!). The prophet said ”No, they are Kurrar (man of advancement).” Those people of Madina were thinking dichotomous – either fighting or retreating. The Prophet said no. There is also a third option, and that is to avoid war and find time to strengthen yourselves. Now history tells that the Muslims, after three years of preparation, advanced again towards the Roman border and this time they had a resounding victory.

Principle 8 – To bring battle in one’s own favorable field

This principle is derived from the battle of Hudaibiyyah.  At that time, the non-believers were determined to engage Muslims in fighting because they were obviously in an advantageous position, but the Prophet, by accepting their conditions unilaterally, entered into a pact. It was a ten year peace treaty. Until then, the meeting ground between Muslims and Non Muslims had been only the battlefield. Now the area of conflict became that of ideological debate. Within two years, Islam emerged as victorious because of the simple reason of its ideological superiority.

Principle 9 – Gradualism instead of radicalism

This principle is well established by a saying of Prophet Muhammad(pbuh). Aisha says that the first verses of Qur’an were related mostly to heaven and hell. And then after a long time when the peoples’ heart had softened, the specific commands to desist from adultery and drinking were related in the Qur’an. This is a clear proof that for social change Islam advocates the evolutionary method rather than revolutionary method.

Principle 10 – To be pragmatic in controversial matters

During the writing of Hudaibiyyah treaty, the Prophet dictated these words: ”This is from Muhammad, the messenger of God’‘. The Quraiysh delegate raised objections over these words. The Prophet(pbuh) promptly changed the words and ordered to write simply Muhammad, son of Abdullah.

These were the principles through which the Prophet gained the success which has been recognized by historians as the true success.

Challenging the process

Leadership is an active and dynamic process. While ineffective leaders sit around and react to events, successful leaders seek God’s help and challenge the status quo. In challenging the process, you have to be innovative. At the same time, you will need to redefine the process in a way that tears down the physical and mental  barriers that others have imposed on one nation.

Experiment and take risks while challenging the process with the understanding that you may not always succeed. Each failure, however, can be viewed as a learning opportunity. For example, let’s assume that you are learning how to play soccer. If you stand behind the ball but do not try to kick it, what have you learned?  How can you impose your soccer skill?

Similarly, if you have never opened your community’s place of worship up to the members of others faith based communities, how can you learn to work with them? You cannot shout for public help in time of need when you refuse to honor their request for your assistance. Go on, try, experiment, and fail if need be, but get up and rework.

The example of the Prophet(pbuh) being pelted with the stones at Taif and coming near defeat at Uhud should serve as a constant reminder of the need to rise above temporary setbacks and to keep on trying with good faith.

While challenging the status quo, a leader will often encounter many challenges. For example, you may be assailed by your own faith-fellows  more viciously than by followers of other faiths. At times, your family may be harassed,  you may even be asked to step down as a leader. You may pay dearly for seeking to make up positive difference, and may wonder why you are making such sacrifices when no one appreciates them. But before giving up, remember the following words of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) narrated by Abdullah Ibn Umar: ”He who mixes with people and endures the harm they do is better than he who does not mix with them or endures the harm they do”. (Al-Tirmidhi & Ibn Majah)

Leadership is about sacrifices and paradigm shifts. Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) challenged the world view of Jahilliyyah (period of ignorance) and encountered many obstacles. Jesus, Noah, Moses, Lot, Abraham (peace be upon all of them) were beloved to God, but this did not make them immune to suffering. Sayyed Qutb and Malcom X paid with their lives, but never backed out, Muhammad Ali lost his world boxing title even though his conviction was eventually overturned by the U.S supreme court, Anwar Ibrahim spent years in jail and paid with his reputation and health.

Challenging the status quo is never easy, but reaching the vision outlined by our planned strategies may demand no less of you. Prophet(pbuh) said: ”No fatigue or disease, no sorrow or sadness, no hurt or distress befall a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that”.(Muslim)

Inspiring a shared vision

When challenging status quo, you need to have vision of what you want your nation to accomplish. This is your main task. This vision is the source of your country’s mission statement and long term strategy. In addition, you must involve your followers and increase their commitment to the vision. Engaging in shura (consultation) can help fine-tune the vision. You can also pray to ask God to validate the content and direction of the nation’s future direction.

Once the vision is developed, effective leaders work to commit themselves to it and then to communicate it to others so that they can share it and align themselves with it.

The general idea is to share your vision with your country’s members in order to increase their commitment to its implementation. To help others, share the vision, explain it to them using simple images or symbols or metaphors that communicate powerfully without clogging. Conclusively, leadership is about delegating – authority and a central principle of delegation is that authority must be delegated with appropriate resource,  i.e. the means to accomplish the task one has been delegated with, enabling others to act, modeling  the way, encouraging the heart, and be a listening leader.

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