ISLAMIC LEADERSHIP BY AQIB IQBAL

ISLAMIC LEADERSHIP

Aqib Iqbal , Civil 1^st Semester

What is leadership and why leadership?

We all know that whole universe is completely following a specific rule under which it completes its daily task, it works on some principles and it repeat its activities after certain intervals of time. It can’t be imagined what will happen if it will violate any small element of this rule, we take e.g. if it will stop rotating around the sun, what will happen it will result in disaster. It means two conditions are there, first earth itself is also unable to violate any principle which it is following, and second earth did n’t want to violate any principle because it is aware about the consequences of principle violation.

Now, question arises that if earth is bound to a principle, who bounded it to that principle?

Its answer is quite different given by different people, I think that we and the whole universe are following the same principle; we also cannot violate any law framed for this entire creation. If I will take an example that how we humans are following a specific principle, we should look at our body first isn’t our body following  a specific principle, isn’t inhaling and exhaling air a principle. We can’t violate principle even of our body, so now it is to be decided that who bound us to this principle?

I think if there is a principle, there should also be someone who farmed it. According to me it is the god, who created everything. God is absolute leader and absolute leadership belongs to almighty god. In Quran it is mentioned “Indeed, your lord is Allah, who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established himself above the throne, arranging the matter [of his creation] Sura #10 ayah #3.

This Ayah explains about creation and leadership of almighty Allah. Actually Quran is the book of principles framed by Allah, Allah created us and provided us the power of thinking and choosing our own path .Our selected path could be good as well as bad it fully depends on us, we can not violate universal principles which I already mention we can violate only those principles related to our own selves. Allah framed laws for universe as well as for mankind, so Allah wants from us that like entire universe is following  its principle, mankind should also follow their principles same like rest of universe. These principles are mentioned in Quran, person following these principles will be rewarded.

“Gardens of perpetual residence, which they will enter, beneath which rivers flow. They will have therein whatever they wish. Thus, does Allah reward the righteous”.

Our mind is created and then left free, what it will think, what it will do, what it will choose. Our internal system is bound to a particular principle, which it can’t violate. The decision of heaven or hell will be on the deeds of those parts which will be free not bounded to  a particular principle, it is because if it will not be created free it will complain that how could Allah punish it if it didn’t do anything itself as it was following a principle. Humans are free as their brains are not bound to a specific thinking , he/she can do anything he/she wish, whether right or wrong. If they want to follow right path then it should follow the principles of Quran.

Allah is absolute leader, now there are also leaders which are not comparable with Allah but chosen by Allah so that they will show the right path to the whole mankind, they are messengers of Allah. They are role models for mankind and obeying them means obeying the principles of Allah.

“our lord, we have believed in what you revealed and have followed the messenger Jesus, so register us among the witnesses [to truth]”. Sura 3 ayah 53; So in this case the followers of Jesus messenger is cited an example.

The last messenger prophet Muhammad [saw] came and did what previous messengers used to do, it means to invite people toward the path of Allah.

In Quran prophet Muhammad [saw] is described as a role model for those people whose believe in one God and the last day. So, those people will obey the principles shown by prophet in this case prophet [saw] is also a leader chosen by Allah and prophet [saw] also holds the leadership of those people obeying him. After prophet [saw] those people teaching the principles of prophet, inviting people towards Allah and prophet [saw] ,they also hold leadership after prophet [saw].

They should follow prophet, their needs and deeds should be same as of prophet[saw]. As Allah chooses prophet Muhammad [saw] as role model for us, so it confirms that there is not a single issue without prophet’s teachings. There is no system in which prophet’s teachings are not there. Our political, economic, social, educational, etc should be according to prophet’s teaching. If we want that our every system should be as per prophet’s teaching then we should elect that person its head that follows fully the prophet in all conditions. If we want that our political system should be according to prophet’s teaching then our president, our prime minister, etc. all persons should be the true followers of prophet [saw]. My point is that as those persons already holding the leadership in religious system must be given the leadership of these systems too, in this way Islamic environment could be established. As in prophet’s era, all systems were controlled by prophet himself so now how can any person violating the laws of Islam could be elected as leader of any particular system whether political or anything else.

My main objective is to discuss political leadership, I am not using these terms for Muslims only, it can happen in Christian country also as they can also make politics as per their religion. Islam has not left any system without directions, so how could anybody think that politics is not connected with religion. We can do politics as per religion or I can use term religious politics. Dictatorship under the name of Islam is not Islamic political system. If anybody is claiming that they are having an Islamic rule then they should handover the chair to the religious clerics and then only their claim will be accepted. Our political leader should be an Islamic cleric, and then only Muslims will inspire the whole world. I am shocked that some rulers even didn’t remember the smallest Sura of Quran is at the highest posts in Islamic republics. What we were told to do and what we did.

We were told to include Islam in every system; we removed Islam everywhere and confined it only within the walls of mosques. Quran will tell you about your systems to be as per Islam, you used Quran only for recitation not for implementation. I am asking you why there is unrest in middle east, I have an answer it is because those persons used only name as Islamic for the country, actually they are not qualified even for a smallest post in country under Islamic rule. Islamic rule means every person in the country should enjoy his rights whether Muslim, Christian , Jew, Hindu, etc.

If any person is interested about the life and rule in Islamic country, I would request him to read a letter mentioned in book Nahjul balaga by Hazrat Ali [r.a] to the Hazrat Malik Ashtar [r.a] when appointing him governor in a state where both Muslims and non Muslims used to live. This letter inspired many people especially non Muslims and I think it was highlighted at a huge level because of its importance and connection with gateway of knowledge Hazrat Ali [a.s].

I hope in future I will see this type of Islamic government and I will be satisfied with Muslim rulers that time when a non Muslim will wish that he wants to settle in an Islamic country.

Wama alaina ilal balaghul mubeen [Quran].