The Prophet, for instance, never did anything to benefit himself or his family. In fact, throughout his life, he made great personal sacrifices. Often he and his family went without food for days on end.
Once when his beloved daughter Fatima asked for a servant to help with household work, he told her that he was sent to secure the akhira , not to seek the comforts of this world.
On another occasion, when Umar ibn al-Khattab saw marks on his blessed body because the Prophet had been lying on a coarse mat on the floor, he asked why the Prophet denied himself even the small comforts of life when the rulers of Persia and Rome enjoyed great luxury. The Prophet's reply has been a guiding light for sincere Muslims throughout their lives: such comforts are for people who wish to cling to this dunya worldly life.
There is another area in which the Islamic order is fundamentally different from the predominant secular western system today. An Islamic leader and those in positions of authority make sacrifices so that the downtrodden would have more.
In the west, the elites live in luxury while exhorting the people to make sacrifices, telling them that once the rich get richer the benefits of prosperity will trickle-down to the poor. In other words, the poor must wait for the rich to get even richer before the poor will get any relief. In real life, even this is not true; in many rich societies, the poor are becoming poorer. In the US, for instance, which has the largest economy in the world, there are more than 35 million poor people; 20 million children are without medical care [17].
In fact, the poor in the US are poorer than the poor in some of the poorest countries of the world. Islam condemns any system which allows such disparities; it wants people at the top to make sacrifices so that those at the bottom can have more. Ostentatious living is specifically discouraged; Islam enjoins its adherents to "Eat and drink [of what Allah has provided you] but do not be extravagant" Al-Qur'an Similarly, it rejects gross inequalities in society which lead to conflict and ultimately violence.
We also find the same kind of simplicity practised by the Khulafa ar-Rashidoon. Abu Bakr Siddiq took a small portion from the Bait al-Mal for his family's upkeep because he had to give up his own business when he became the khalifah. On his deathbed, he instructed his family to return to the Bait al-Mal whatever was left of his possessions.
It was this example which prompted Umar ibn al-Khattab to say that he had left a very difficult legacy for his successors to follow. During Umar's Khilafah , the Sahaba wanted to increase his stipend from the Bait al-Mal but he flatly refused despite the Islamic domain having extended far and wide and having acquired great riches.
Similarly, Imam Ali led a very simple life. A beduin once found him shivering in a worn out sheet because he could not afford to buy a better cloth to cover himself in. Such examples of self-sacrifice abound in the early history of Islam. These leaders never ordered anything that they did not practise themselves. They were always conscious of the Qur'anic command:. Why do you say that which you do not practise yourself. The worst of you in the sight of Allah is he who says that which he does not practise" Al-Qur'an It was only when Muslim rulers, especially during the period of mulukiyyah , abandoned these principles that they became separated from the people and eventually lost all trust leading to the defeat of Muslims and the loss of power.
Sabr patience is another quality essential for a leader. Impatience will simply drive his followers away. In the face of immense persecution in Makkah, the Prophet not only showed great patience himself but he also counselled his followers to do likewise.
We see from the lives of such Prophets as Ayub, Yaqub and Yusuf, that they endured their trials and tribulations with great patience. Yet one needs to make a distinction between the trials one is put through directly by Allah and those that one faces at the hands of other human beings. For instance, Prophet Ayub's trial was not caused by human beings; in the case of the Prophets Yaqub, Yusuf, and the Prophet Muhammad, upon them all be peace, it was the people who tormented them.
It was most critical in the case of the noble Messenger, because he not only had to endure such suffering himself but also counselled sabr to his companions who were being persecuted. An outstanding example of the Prophet's sabr was demonstrated following his suffering at the hands of the people of Ta'if in the tenth year of his mission in Makkah. When the chiefs of Ta'if set the hooligans of the town upon him, instead of seeking revenge, the Prophet prayed for their guidance.
Clear articulation of the vision as well as firm conviction of the leader are the primary requirements for any movement to bring about change. Those who are invited to join must know the ultimate objective. When the messenger of Allah started to deliver the message of Islam, it was clear and concise: worship of the One and only God who has no partners, and Muhammad, upon whom be peace, is the messenger of Allah; there was no ambiguity about it.
It was a direct challenge to the existing order based on tribal affiliations, exploitation and an arrogant belief in self-importance. The Prophet challenged the very foundations of this system by calling for a new order based on tawheed Oneness of God and Muslim Brotherhood. The vision was articulated in such a way that tribal and family affiliations were not only loosened but also broken.
Those who were supposed to carry on the old tradition because they would be its principal beneficiaries, became its greatest opponents. This became evident in Makkah where members of many leading families joined the new faith braving the wrath of their kindred.
Rejection of the existing order was an important part of the vision. The Prophet also made clear through his own example that there could be no cooperation with the existing jahili system. Thus, the goal was articulated in such a way that its recipients understood it clearly and were prepared to face any challenge to defend it, including separation from their families.
Together with a clear articulation of the vision, the leader must inspire and motivate people. Translating vision into action is an important task. The leader must turn people's indifference into interest, pessimism into optimism and motivate them to action for the realization of the goal. The noble messenger of Allah was able to motivate people who not only accepted the message but were also prepared to sacrifice their lives for it.
This level of commitment was not inspired by any enticements to worldly gains; their only reward, they were told, was in the Hereafter. The Qur'an narrates the stories of many Prophets who delivered the message but their people did not accept it. When Prophet Lut urged his people to abandon their abominable ways, there was nothing wrong either with the message or with his articulation of it; yet his people rejected it.
Thus, acceptance of the message is an important part of the mission. If it is not accepted, the mission remains unfulfilled. In order to motivate people, a correct analysis of the prevailing system is necessary.
It is only when people understand that the existing system is exploitative and unjust that they will be motivated to work to change it. A leader must outline an effective strategy for dealing with the prevailing order, especially in surmounting problems and difficulties that will be encountered when it is challenged. He must also indicate what he plans to replace it with. In Makkah, the Prophet rejected the unjust prevailing order; he called people to the worship of One God, to abandon killings, especially of their daughters, and to be truthful and honest in their dealings with each other.
He also called for an end to oppression of the weak. The chiefs of Makkah understood the significance of such a message; it was a direct challenge to their socio-economic and political order. That is why they opposed the Prophet so vehemently. Despite great oppression and persecution, the Prophet did not directly respond to such provocations; he also urged his companions to endure their hardships with sabr.
When the oppression intensified, he allowed a group of them to migrate to Abyssinia. What is remarkable about the Makkan period is that so few Muslims abandoned their faith despite such great hardships even when the Prophet had no power to prevent them from doing so. A few Muslims, who had migrated to Abyssinia, however, converted to Christianity and stayed there.
A successful leader is able to initiate, guide and control change in order to achieve the stated objectives. Many movements, even those struggling for a genuine cause, are often subverted from within by agents provocateurs , or when they are forced to move too quickly because they arouse expectations which cannot be fulfilled.
It is the responsibility of the leader to keep the expectations of the people within realistic limits. Prophet Musa's mission was temporarily sabotaged by Samirri in his absence even though he had left his brother, Haroon, another Prophet, in charge of the flock Al-Qur'an In the contemporary age, the Algerian Islamic movement, penetrated by agents of the military junta, has been virtually destroyed by subversive acts.
The difference in the two cases must be found both in the quality of leadership as well as the depth of commitment of their followers. Imam Khomeini's was a towering personality; others paled before him.
There was also much depth in the movement he led; infiltrators were unable to subvert it from within. During the Prophet's life in Madinah, there were munafiqun hypocrites in the ranks of the Muslims who made every effort to subvert Islam from within but the Prophet's great hikmah overcame all their attempts. It is, therfore, important for the leader to guide and control change as well as overcome the obstacles to change to ensure the desired result.
Often the difference between success and failure is predicated on the pace and direction of change. In fact, a leader himself is judged on the basis of whether he is able to bring about change that is in consonance with the vision he has articulated.
A good leader is able to see an opportunity and take advantage of it to advance the cause. Great leaders often create opportunities by challenging the status quo. Sustainability of the movement is one of the most difficult tasks a leader faces. Initially, people may participate because their enthusiasm is aroused and they have not encountered any problems or difficulties. While this was not the case with the Muslims in Makkah for they faced numerous difficulties from the beginning which progressively got worse, yet their attachment to the faith remained strong.
There were some who had to conceal their faith but the majority bore their tribulations with great patience. One of the essential qualities of a leader is that he is able to secure continuous cooperation of the group. The Prophet achieved this both in Makkah and in Madinah. In Makkah the people were persecuted, yet their loyalty was retained.
In Madinah, the hosts Ansar were motivated to make great sacrifices by accommodating and looking after the newcomers Muhajiroun as well as offering protection to the Prophet. An additional challenge was to prevent any misunderstandings arising between them as a result of the sudden influx of such a large number of people in Madinah. There were trouble-makers trying to create dissension in the ranks of the Muslims. The Quraish of Makkah regularly sent emissaries to the notables of Madinah urging them to get rid of the Muslims.
The same was true of the Jews who viewed the Muslims as undermining their monopoly on religious matters. Group solidarity was, therefore, extremely important for Muslims in the face of these challenges but it was based on iman rather than on blood ties or tribal and ethnic identity. Similarly, mobilising resources to sustain the movement is another important task a leader must perform.
Any group that is not prepared to fight and, if need be, to die for its principles will not be able to survive for long. The validity or legitimacy of the message alone is not sufficient as we have seen from the life-struggle of so many Prophets. Others, such as the Prophets Zakariya and Yahya, were killed by the people. The Prophet Muhammad, upon whom be peace, was able to motivate his followers to such an extent that they were willing to make any sacrifice.
In fact, it is one of the remarkable aspects of the early history of Islam, that Muslims always faced an enemy many times larger but they seldom lost a battle. The Muslims made up in motivation and dedication what they lacked in weapons and material resources.
It was the inspiration provided by the noble Messenger of Allah that enabled the Muslims to achieve such feats. All activity is undertaken because it provides some degree of satisfaction. The higher the level of satisfaction, the greater the willingness of the people to identify with the mission and the greater their readiness to make sacrifices for it. Satisfaction is, therefore, an important consideration in the motivation of a group. Most leaders in the world today appeal to such notions as nationalism, race, or material benefits etc.
The US, which claims to lead the west, offers its people the heady brew of "American interests. Worldly temptations often act as a strong motivational force. Islam does not resort to such temptations. In fact, at no stage did the Prophet offer to his followers any worldly rewards except if it advanced the cause of Islam. For instance, the Qur'an allows zakat funds to be used to free slaves or to win people's hearts Al-Qur'an The Prophet always told his companions that their reward would be in the Hereafter.
This was most clearly demonstrated when the delegations from Yathrib came to meet him in Makkah on the eve of the hijra. Upon inquiry about what they would get in return for providing him protection and accepting his leadership, the Prophet's responded that their reward was in the akhira.
So impressed were the Yathribi delegations that they proclaimed this to be entirely to their satisfaction. Skip to content Home Sociology Who is the supreme leader of Islam? Ben Davis April 28, Who is the supreme leader of Islam? Is Supreme Leader higher than President? Who are the supreme leaders? Who is Ayatollah? What religion is the Ayatollah? Who was the first ayatollah? What was Iran called before ? Who was the last shah? In the last two centuries, the influence of the ulama has declined in most parts of the world primarily because majority Muslim countries are oppressive dictatorships and only allow for state-appointed ulama.
Muslims in western lands are just beginning the process of creating seminaries for training male and female imams. As such their local and national religious leaders most often tend to be the most popular male and female preachers who have distinguished themselves by their culturally contextualized knowledge of Islam and their public display of piety. The ulama grew powerful during the Abbasid caliphate C. The Abbasid caliphs supported the scholars while relying on them to legitimate their rule.
As a result, early versions of Islamic political thought tended to sanction existing regimes and discourage armed rebellion against the state. Yet the ulama sometimes served as advocates for popular grievances, and held that their status and piety as scholars derived from maintaining their independence from the state. This established a pattern for relationships between ulama and governments that continued for much of Islamic history.
In the modern period, however, many Muslim governments have been relatively more successful compared to the pre-modern states in incorporating the ulama into the structure of the state. The Sufis, Islamic mystics who seek inner knowledge of God, and the ulama at times enjoyed a mutual relationship. The ulama were known as the ulama al-zahir , or "scholars of the exoteric," specializing in formal knowledge acquired through intellectual effort. The Sufis were known as the ulama al-batin , or "scholars of the esoteric," specializing in inner knowledge acquired through the efforts of the heart.
Theoretical Sufism was taught in the madrasahs, and Sufis acknowledged the legal authority of the ulama. Many ulama even chose to affiliate with a Sufi order in addition to an affiliation with a legal school. Those who combined formal scholarship with Sufism were called dhu al-janahayn , or "one who possesses two wings. Although the ulama were primarily defined by their knowledge and erudition, they also performed a number of practical duties on behalf of the community.
This is still the case in contemporary Islamic life. The various titles held by ulama relate to their practical functions, some of which are familiar to non-Muslim westerners.
For example, a mullah is a learned man who has studied Islamic jurisprudence, and advocates for traditional interpretations. Mullahs teach in the madrasahs. A mufti is a scholar who interprets Islamic familial law, and issues legal opinions called fatwa in order to provide guidance to Muslims in new situations.
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