LEADERSHIP IN QURANIC PERSPECTIVE

Introduction

Leadership is an important topic for studied. Especially, leadership in Islamic perspective. Fourteen century ago, when a man called Muhammad Ibn Abdullah was missionizing Islam to Meccan people, he didn’t only declare himself as a messenger of Allah, but also he is an excellent pattern.

لَّقَدۡ كَانَ لَكُمۡ فِي رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسۡوَةٌ حَسَنَةٞ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرۡجُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلۡيَوۡمَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرٗا ٢١ (سورة الأحزاب, 21)

“Certainly you have in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern (of conduct) for him who hopes in Allah and the Last Day, and remember Allah much” (Al-Ahza>b [33]: 21)

The verse shows that Muhammad Saw. delegated as a messenger of Allah for becoming an excellent pattern. It means he is a man who can become a good example also for followed.

The problem was appearing after the death of the messenger of Allah because Muhammad is the last of the prophets and the messenger of Allah that was delegated by Allah for a human being.

مَّا كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ أَبَآ أَحَدٖ مِّن رِّجَالِكُمۡ وَلَٰكِن رَّسُولَ ٱللَّهِ وَخَاتَمَ ٱلنَّبِيِّ‍ۧنَۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَيۡءٍ عَلِيمٗا ٤٠ (سورة الأحزاب, 21)

“Muhammad Saw. Is not the father of anyone of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last of the Prophets. And Allah is ever Knower of everything” (Al-Ahza>b [33]: 40)

Word of “Kha>tama an-nabiyyina” explain that Muhammad is the last of the prophets, it mean there will no prophet after Muhammad. Because of that, the topic about “Who has suitably become an excellent pattern and a good leader after the death of Muhammad?” or “What criterion is used for people that suitably become leader after the death of Muhammad?” was appearing for discussing.

In this essay, the writer will explain suitable criterion for the leader based on writer’s  comprehension to the verse of leadership in Quran.

Leadership in Quranic Perspective

The Definition of Leadership

In Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (1995; p. 669), leadership defines as “Being a leader; the ability to be a leader; or a group of leaders”. Leadership word itself comes from the word leader, which defines as “A person or thing that leads”.

Tabataba’i (2005; p. 191) defines a leader as Imam, “Imam is the title given to a person who takes the lead in a community in a particular social movement or political ideology or scientific or religious form of thought”.

While Mutahheri (2003; p. 446) defines “The leader is he who makes it easy for his followers to achieve the required goal. The guide on the other hand not only show the way but also often provides the means of traversing it and reaching the goal”.

Apart from some of these definitions, leadership can simply define as a way or a person's ability to lead. While a leader is someone who leads, both lead people and groups.

Verses of Leadership in Quran

There are so many verses that explaining and describing leadership or leader. Some of it will explain in the essay. In the Quran, leader either or leadership usually mentioned in single words such as ima>m (إِمَام), khali>fah (خَلِيْفَة), and u>li> al-amri (أُوْلِي الأَمْرِ), and plural word such as a’immah (أَئِمَّة), khala>if (خَلَائِف) and khulafa>’ (خُلَفَاء). All of the words Describing leader and leadership in a different meaning. Besides in words, sometimes the Quran just explains criteria or something that must exist in a leader. 

In general, the meaning of leadership in the Quran can explain as here:

1.        The leader is every man who followed by a group of people, both towards the straight and a perverse.

يَوۡمَ نَدۡعُواْ كُلَّ أُنَاسِۢ بِإِمَٰمِهِمۡ ... (سورة الإسراء, 17)

“(Remember) the day when We will call every people with their Imam …” (Al-Isra>’ [17]: 71)

The verse says that every person will be call with their imam in the Last Day indicated that imam or leader is a man who followed by an ethnic or a group of people.

Ibn Manzur (p. 222) defines imam as every man who followed by an ethnic in the group, both towards the straight and a perverse.

2.        A leader is a man who advises and asks people to Gods command

وَجَعَلۡنَٰهُمۡ أَئِمَّةٗ يَهۡدُونَ بِأَمۡرِنَا ... (سورة الأنبياء, 73)

“And We appointed them as leaders, guiding by Our command…” (Al-Anbiya>’i [21]: 73)

The verse explains that one of a duty being a leader is guiding people to God command. The same meaning describes in Al-Furqa>n [25]: 74, Al-Qasha>sh [28]: 5, and Al-Sajadah [32]: 24.

M. Quraish Shihab (2002; p. 482) in his Tafsir al-Mishba>h explained that the leader in this verse should have more privileges than followers.  He not only has the ability to explain the instructions, but he also must have the ability to lead his followers to the instructions.

3.        A leader is someone who gives orders and command

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ أَطِيعُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُواْ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَمۡرِ مِنكُمۡ ... (سورة النساء, 59)

“O you who believe! obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority from among you…” (Al-Nisa>’ [4]: 59)

This verse illustrates that a leader is someone who gives orders and commands must obey. However, if the instructions given by a leader opposed to the prophets and Gods command, then the command must oppose, in the sense of not being followed.

4.        The leader is someone who has authority and knowledge to clarify the truth

وَإِذَا جَآءَهُمۡ أَمۡرٞ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَمۡنِ أَوِ ٱلۡخَوۡفِ أَذَاعُواْ بِهِۦۖ وَلَوۡ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ وَإِلَىٰٓ أُوْلِي ٱلۡأَمۡرِ مِنۡهُمۡ لَعَلِمَهُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسۡتَنۢبِطُونَهُۥ مِنۡهُمۡۗ ... (سورة النساء, 83)

“And when there comes to them news of security or fear they spread it abroad; and if they had referred it to the Messenger and to those in authority among them, those among them who can search out the knowledge of it would have known it…” (Al-Nisa>’ [4]: 83)

This verse indicates that a leader is someone who has authority and knowledge to clarify the truth. This verse also confirms that in order for a leader to clarify the truth, then she must knowledgeable. As for the knowledge here include problems related to what they lead.

Conclusion

From some of the explanation, we can conclude that a leader is someone who leads and give orders to a people or group, and he is the highest authority of the truth after god and prophet.

One among the tasks of a leader is to guide followers to the truth. Therefore, a leader must have the privilege and the knowledge that more than his, so he could clarify the truth to his followers. And certainly in Islam, a leader must be guided by the revelation of God and the teachings of the prophet.

Bibliography

Book

Ibn Manzur, Lisa>n al-Arab, First Volume, Qohirah: Da>r al-Hadi>s, 2013

Mutahheri, Murtadha,  Man and Universe, Karachi: Islamic Seminary Publication, 2003.

Shihab, M. Quraish, Tafsir Al-Mishbah: Pesan, Kesan dan Keserasian Al Qur’an, Third Edition, Tangerang: Lentera Hati, 2005.

Tabataba’i, Muhammad Husayn, Shi'ite Islam, New York: State University of New York Press, 2005.

Dictionary

Hornby, Albert Sydney, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, USA: Oxford University Press, 1995.

Gambar

http://thehubforstartups.com

Note: This essay was written when following the selection of student mobility program of the Ministry of Religion of the Republic of Indonesia in November 2015