Islamic Leadership

Concepts and
Perspectives

By
Ismail Mat
Introduction
 To highlight some important features of Islamic leadership
concepts and perspectives from Islamic worldview
 The foundation of Islamic leadership which includes a
brief account of fundamental teachings of Islam: faith
(iman), Islam and Ihsan
 The sources of guidance from which we could derive
general guidelines, concepts and principles of Islamic
leadership.
 To provides a brief account on leadership perspectives
and , concepts : early and contemporary thoughts on
Islamic Leadership.
 five-step model of leadership concepts and perspectives
A. Foundations of Islamic
Leadership
Fundamental Teachings of Islam
 The last verse of the Qur’an: “this day I have
perfected your religion for you, completed my
favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam
as your way of life”
(Qur’an 5:3)
 Islam is the last and complete religion
 Allah’s revelation to the Prophet Muhammad:
The Qur’an
 The Prophet Muhammad divinely guided role
was as a blessing for all the worlds” (Qur’an 21:
107)
The Hadith on the teaching of
Islam
 One day while the Prophet Muhammad
was sitting in the company of his
companion, (the angel) came and asked
him,
 “ What is faith (iman)’
 The Prophet replied, ‘Faith is to believe
in Allah, His angels, His books, His
Apostles, and to believe in Resurrection
and to believe in one’s ultimate
accountability for his deeds .”
Then he further asked, “What is
Islam?”

 The Prophet answered, “To pronounce

shahadah (the confession of faith), i.e.,
that there is no God but Allah and that
Muhammad is the last Prophet of God,
to offer prayer, to pay the compulsory
charity (or zakah) and to fast during the
month of Ramadan, and to perform
pilgrimage (hajj) for those who are
capable of performing it”.
Then he further asked, “What
is ihsan (perfection)?”

 The Prophet replied, “To worship Allah

as if you see Him, and if you cannot
achieve this state of devotion then
consider that He is looking at you…”
(Sahih Bukhari).
Iman and Islam

 Islam
 The above hadith shows that an individual
must pronounce his confession of shahadah
(witness) together with other articles of faith
(arkan al-iman) in order to accept Islam as his
way of life.
 solemnly witnesses that “there is no God but
Allah and Muhammad is the Prophet of Allah, is
entitled to all privileges and rights of a Muslim
and bound by all duties and obligation of
Islamic law.
Iman

 The confession of shahadad does not only

constitute as the Muslim’s legal passport into
the Muslim community, but also the
quintessence of the Muslim’s faith and an
expression of identity.
 Faith includes six articles of faith:the belief in
the Oneness of Allah and the Prophethood of
Muhammad (pbuh) as the last messenger of
Allah, includes the belief in His angels, His
previous messengers, His revealed books, the
belief in life hereafter and in one’s ultimate
accountability for his deeds.
Ihsan

 Ihsan is the love of Allah which

motivates the individual Muslims to work
towards attaining Allah’s pleasure. The
Prophet Muhammad said of ihsan:
“Worship Allah as if you see Him, and if
you cannot achieve this state of devotion
then you must consider that He is
looking at you.”
Sources of Guidance in
Islamic Leadership
 sources of guidance: Islamic legal
methodology:
 The Qur’an
 The Sunnah (or Hadith)
 Consensus of opinion (ijma)
 Modes of Ijtihad: Juristic preference
(Istihsan), Istislah or Maslahah (public
interest), Blocking the means ( Sadd al-
Dhara’i) and custom (‘urf or ‘adah), etc.
The Qur’an

 Islamic legal methodology or the principles of

Islamic jurisprudence (usul al-fiqh) provide
detailed sources of guidance from which
Muslim scholars were able to deduce a number
of concepts and perspectives on Islamic
leadership.
 The Qur’an states, “O you believers! Obey God
(the Qur’an) and Obey the Messenger (the
Sunnah) and those of you who are in charge of
affairs (ulil al-‘amr). If you have a dispute
concerning any matter, refer it to God and to the
Messenger”Qur’an 4:58-59
Terms used in the Qur’an and
the Sunnah

 Khalifah (pl.Khala’if):
 Besides the term ‘ulil al-‘amr,
 the terms Imam (‫ )إمام‬or Imamah‫)(إمامة‬
 Ra’i ‫))راع‬
 The Qur’an states: “And (remember) when his Lord tried
Abraham with (His) commands, and he fulfilled them, He
said; Lo! I have appointed thee a leader (Imam) for
mankind. (Abraham) said: ‘and of my offspring (will there
be leaders)? He said: My covenant includeth not wrong
doers”
[1] Qur’an 2;124; 25:74
(Khalifah)
 “And when (after creating heaven and earth) Allah told
the angel that He was about to create a vicegerent
(Khalifah) and to assign him to the earth, the angels
pleaded; ‘Would you place on earth persons who will do
evils and shed blood while we praise and adore you
constantly’. Allah replied: ‘I have an ulterior purpose
which you do not know.’ Having created Adam, Allah
taught him the names of all things, showed him to the
angels and asked them to name the things of nature.
They could not answered, ‘Praise be to you. We know
only what you have taught us. Yours is the knowledge
and wisdom.’ Allah asked Adam to tell the names, which
he did….Then Allah asked the angles to prostrate
themselves to Adam.”[1]

[1] Qur’an 2:30-34; 10:14; 38:26
The Sunnah

 The Prophet’s Sunnah consists of his :

 saying (aqwalihi),
 deeds (af’alihi) and
 his tacit approval (taqririhi).
 Hence, his Sunnah constitutes a model example for the
Muslims to follow.
 His hadith concerning the responsibility of a leader stated: “All
you are a shepherd; and every shepherd is responsible
(mas’ul), i.e., ‘answerable’, ‘accountable’) for his flock.
 The Arabic term ra’i (‫ ) راع‬which literary means “a guardian” is
employed to mean “the person in charge”, “leader” or
“administrator”.
 In this hadis, the Prophet (pbuh) commands the Muslims to
appoint a leader to conduct their affairs either in family life,
society or state activities.
Consensus of Opinion

 Consensus of opinion of Muslim Jurists

(Ijma’( and ijtihad
 The third important source of guidance is based
on the consensus of opinion among Muslim
jurists (ijma’) who are capable of deducing
specific rulings from the above two primary
sources of law in Islam. Ijma’ constitutes
consensus of opinions among the Mujtahidun
(Muslims scholars) of the Muslim community of
any period following the demise of the Prophet
Muhammad on any matter.
Islamic legal reasoning (ijtihad)

 Islamic legal reasoning (ijtihad) constitutes a

dynamic element of Islamic science of
jurisprudence (‘ilm usul al-fiqh) for a proper
solution of issues and problems related to
Islamic leadership practice.
 Different modes of ijtihad may be used to
deduce Islamic leadership concepts and
perspectives; analogical reasoning (qiyas),
juristic preference (istihsan), public interest
(maslahah or masalih al-mursalah) and
customary practice (‘urf or ‘adah),
Brief Account of Leadership
Theories
 Early thought of Islamic Leadership
 The utilized sources of guidance to provide
their thoughts on questions related to
Islamic leadership.
 A number of early scholars of Islam have
attempted to provide their thoughts on
questions related to Islamic leadership.
 Their contributions have left a tremendous
influence on the writings of contemporary
scholars
Ibn Taymiyah (d.728/1328)
 “Al-Siyasah al-Shar’iyyah fi Islah al-Raa’i wa al-Ra’iyyah
(The Shari’ah Politics)”
 Provides an explanation concerning the obedience to an
appointed leader in a Muslim community.
 Qur’anic verse on ‘Uli al-Amr’ is precisely referred to
“those who are in charge of authority”. The nature and
objectives of authority and the purpose of the state are
outlined on the premise that authority (wilayah) is a
charge or a responsibility for care (ri’ayah) in pastoral
sense.
 Hadith, “All you are a shepherd; and every shepherd is
responsible (mas’ul), i.e., ‘answerable’, ‘accountable’) for
his flock
Cont.
 He highlighted the importance of consultation
(shura) in state’s administration.
 “Risalah al-Hisbah wa al-Hukumah al-Islamiyah
(Hisbah and the Responsibility of the Islamic
Government),
 on leadership control as a tool to preserve the
legacy of an Islamic state and to redirect
personal and governmental behavior towards
the right directions.
 The just leader (imam), being the head of the
state, has the primary duty of guaranteeing the
rights of individuals for the maintenance of
social peace.
Al-Farabi (d. 950)
 His book, “Ara’ Ahl al-Madinah al-Fadilah (Opinions of
Dwellers of the City of Excellence):
 He was not only concerned with correct leadership,
 The importance of leadership in the establishment of a
virtuous state.
 To establish the virtues state and bring happiness to the
people.
 some characteristics of leadership:be intelligence, full of
wisdom, possess complementary characters in terms of
their physical and abilities, ideal long-sighted policy
makers.
Al-Mawardi (d.1058

 His book entitled, “Al-Ahkam al-

Sultaniyyah wa al-Wilayah al-Diniayyah
(Al-Mawardi The Ordinances of
Government).
 on the appointment of leaders and
administrative officers in various
department of the state
 the government as a leader of the
society and organizer of its activities
Khalifah

 The Khalifah as a ruler or chief leader becomes

more than a mere institution; it turns into a
symbol representing an entire-politico-religious
system that regulates the life of men in a
Muslim community.
 on the qualifications, power and duties pertinent
to it.
 Once the Caliphate or Imamate is established,
the focal point of the Islamic government, all
important functions of the state such as
constitution and legal system.
Cont.

 requirements are needed for

appointment of supreme leadership such
as justice, knowledge conducive to the
exercise of independent judgment in
crises or decision-making, sound
hearing, vision and speech, physical
fitness and prudence.

Imam al-Ghazali (d.1111),
 “Al-Tibr al-Masbuk fi Nasihat al-Muluk (Council
or Advice for Kings)”:
 He outlined the characteristic of a leader from
Islamic perspective. He provided ten important
characteristics which were supported by the
Sunnah of the Prophet together with the views
of Muslim philosophers.
 consultation (shura), avoidance of committing
injustice, softness and tenderness as a mode of
conduct between authorities and citizens and
helping members in resolving problems
Ibn Khaldun (d.1406)

 his book entitle, “Al-‘Ibar wa al-Diwan al-

Mubtada’ wa al-Khabar fi Ayyam al-Arab wa al-
Barbar wa al-‘Ajam wa Man ‘A’srahum Min
Dhawi al-Sultan al-Akbar (Al-Muqaddimah):
 “leadership is an outcome of social interaction
between different social groups “.
 the social organization is related to many
factors and environmental elements which
affect human behavior and will be reflected in
the leadership of the society.
Al-Ali

 Al-Ali in his book on “Al-Idarah fi al-

Islam (Administration in Islam),[1] in
which he mentioned that Islam is a
religion that combines faith (imam) and
good deeds (‘amal).
 some characteristics of leadership in
Islam with reference to the Qur’an and
the Sunnah on the development of
leadership.
Abu Sin,
 Abu Sin, who has written on “Al-Idarah fi al-Islam
(Administration in Islam:
 On leadership thought in Islam based on the Qur’an and the
Sunnah and human values that were prevalent at the beginning
of Islamic history.
 To understand the Islamic perspective of leadership he
suggested that Muslims have to look into their legislative
process and leadership practices of the early Muslim state
formed by the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his pious
Caliphs (r.a).
 The objective of an Islamic leadership is mainly concerned with
the worship of Allah (swt) on Earth by applying Islamic
principles in ibadah (worship) and mu’amalat (transactions),
establishing Khalifah and justice
Cont.

 on the significance of connecting

leadership with the Islamic social
environment making it bound by social
values of society
 he stressed the importance of applying
consultation (shura) and securing a
humane environment that encourages
higher productivity
Al-Buraey

 Al-Buraey’s book on, “Mabadi’ al-Idarah wa al-

Qiyadah fi al-Islam (Principles of administration
and Leadership in Islam )
 an Islamic leadership is the one that seeks
happiness for the individual and society.
 to assist the individual in attaining happiness in
both worlds.
 the function of Islamic leadership is to properly
direct human resources to serve society in
achieving happiness.
Fazlul Karim

 “He shall view this world as a temporary resting

place for the everlasting and eternal next world.
 He shall continuously endeavor to acquire, in
his lifetime, as much religious merit by just and
honest administration, which must be based
upon justice, social equity and efficiency.
 He shall place himself as a mere servant of the
people and a trustee for his subjects, i.e., those
below him in command as well as the public in
general
Abdul al-Athim
 , “Usul al-Fikr al-Idari fi al-Islam (Fundamentals of
Administrative Thought in Islam)”called for an Islamic
leadership theory in which values and morals are the
basis which he called as “leadership by values”.
However, earlier Abu Sin has already specified some
features of an Islamic theory of leadership as follows:
 It is related to the social philosophy of Muslim society; its
ethics and
 values.
 It focuses on the economic variables and material
incentive, and
 works to satisfy the needs of the individual.
C. General feature of Islamic
leadership
 Islamic Leadership Concepts and
Perspectives
 In order to formulate a proper Islamic
leadership concepts and perspectives, a more
serious efforts are needed to examine the
Qur’an, the Sunnah, and Islamic heritage and
try to deduce a theory of Islamic leadership, its
objectives, characteristics, role and styles,
dimensions and principles. The Qur’an and the
Sunnah as primary sources of guidance provide
general and specific guidelines with respect to
Islamic leadership concepts and perspectives .
 Islamic Leadership is based on the
Unity of Allah (Tawhid)
 Islamic leadership concept is rooted in
the faith of Islam (Iman) that is the
belief in the Unity of Allah (Tawhid). The
Unity of Allah (swt) which is the belief in
the Oneness of Allah (Tawhid) is the
first principle of Islam and of its
concepts of leadership
Cont.

 The Unique Feature of Human Nature

 man was created in a unique affinity with
his Creator. He is set on earth to govern
all the rest of creation which made
submissive to His will. Man’s purpose is
to do ‘ibadah (worship) to Allah (swt
9 Qur’an 2:29-34; Sad 38:72-85)
 As Khalifah. (vicegerent of Allah)
 Man’s carrying of the Divine amanah which
constitutes his khalifah or vicegerent of God.
Being a leader, his khalifah is for the fulfillment
of the moral laws. The corpus of religious or
moral laws consists of actual practice of living,
of being and doing. Allah has appointed man,
as leader in this worldly life is to achieve two
things. First being a leader human beings
should transform creation into the divine
patterns, i.e. to rearrange its materials so as to
make them fully and beneficially to serve
human needs
Amanah

 Leadership in Islam is a trust (amanah).

 The principle of amanah (trust or Trusteeship) is
an important concept of Islamic leadership. It is
a psychological contract between a leader and
his followers in which the former will try his best
to guide, protect and to treat the latter with
justice. The focus of leadership in Islam is the
doing of good deeds. As a leader man was
endowed with the Divine Amanah( a trust) in
the Qur’an, Allah said:
 It gives consideration to the human and spiritual
dimensions. In
 Addition, it respects the individual as a human
being and incorporates him in the administrative
process, each according to his capacities.
 It gives due attention to organizational
diminution; specification of
 Responsibilities, respect for authority, official
ties and the organizational structure.
Cont.

 Leadership as Ibadat
 Islamic Leadership is based on Ethical
Behavior (akhlaq)
 Leadership Qualities :
 Challenging the Process and as a Guide
 The Visionary Leader
 The Servant Leader
 The Educative Leader
 Modeling the Way
Conclusion
 Islamic legal methodology or the principles of Islamic
jurisprudence (usul al-fiqh) provide detailed sources of
guidance from which Muslim scholars were able to
deduce a number of concepts and perspectives on
Islamic leadership.
 To understand in detail the implication of the Islamic
leadership concepts and perspective in the context of
present day organization
 Empirical studies need to be conducted to uncover some
of the impact of the Islamic leadership qualities on the
practicing Muslims leaders or managers in the
contemporary society