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Muhammad had all the necessary qualities for
success in every aspect of life. But, more importantly, he was able
to lead his community to success in every field. He is the source
from which flowed all later developments related to command,
statecraft, religion, spiritual development, and so on in the Muslim
world.
In general, leaders should have the
following qualities:
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Realism
— They should understand prevailing conditions as they
actually are and be aware of any advantages and disadvantages.
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Absolute
belief in their message — Their conviction should never
falter, and they should never renounce their mission.
-
Personal
courage — Even if left alone, they should have enough courage
to persevere. When some of his pursuers reached the mouth of the
cave in which they were hiding, Abu Bakr was afraid something
would happen to Muhammad. However, Muhammad only said what means
in the Quran:
Grieve not, for
God is with us. (Quran 9:40)
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Strong
willpower and resolve — They should never experience even one
moment of hopelessness.
-
Awareness
of personal responsibility — Everything should be directed
toward fulfilling this responsibility. In no way should they be
seduced by the world's charms and life's attractions.
-
Far-sighted
and goal-centered — Leaders should be able to discern and plan
for potential developments. They should know how to evaluate the
past, present, and future to reach a new synthesis. Those who
frequently change their opinions only spread chaos in the
community.
-
Personal
knowledge of each follower — Leaders should be fully aware of
each follower's disposition, character, abilities, shortcomings,
ambitions, and weak points. If they lack this knowledge, how can
they fill vacant posts with the appropriate people?
-
Strong
character and praiseworthy virtues — Leaders should be
determined but flexible while carrying out decisions, and know
when to be unyielding and implacable or relenting and
compassionate. They should know when to be earnest and
dignified, when to be modest, and they should always be upright,
truthful, trustworthy, and just.
-
No
worldly ambitions or abuse of authority — Leaders should live
like the poorest members of their community. They should never
discriminate among their subjects; rather, they should strive to
love them, prefer them over themselves, and act so that their
people will love them sincerely. They should be faithful to
their community, and secure their community's loyalty and
devotion in return.
Muhammad possessed all of these qualities
and many more as well. To cite only a few examples, he never even
thought of abandoning his mission when confronted with great
hostility and tempting bribes. Instead, he would tell them:
Say: "There
is no god but Allah, and prosper (in both worlds)."
When his Companions complained about the
harsh conditions and persecution in Makkah, he answered:
By Allah, Allah
will bring this matter (the establishment of Islam) to its
consummation till a rider will travel from Sana (in Yemen) to
Hadramaut fearing none but Allah, or a wolf as regards his
sheep, but you (people) are hasty.
* Taken
with kind permission from: http://en.fgulen.com.
**
Fethullah
Gulen is an influential Turkish Muslim intellectual who inspired a
series of social activities, including a transnational education and
business network, inter-faith dialogue forums, and multi-cultural
encounters. His official Web site is http://en.fgulen.com.
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