Thursday, 9 July 2015

Maula Ali- Greatest Teacher of Leadership




Dr.Mazhar Naqvi

Leadership is a frequently heard word but most sought after quality. Most of the business schools and management colleges simply aim at enhancing the quality of leadership among their students. Corporate giants dole out millions of dollars for developing their executives into effective leaders for attainment of their pre-determined objectives. On the other hand, leadership does not get much prominence in Islamic countries and little efforts are made by the management of large companies in these countries on creating leaders. It is indeed an ironical approach. Since its early days, Islam through the messenger of Allah always advocated creation of leaders. He developed many a leaders with Hazrat Ali as the most remarkable one among them. Maula Ali earned this status by exhibiting matchless qualities of leadership. He preached and practiced the true leadership (Hidayat) for appeasing Allah Almighty- His ultimate goal or predetermined objective.
A popular definition of leadership says that it is the knack of getting others to following you willingly”. Another definition says that leadership is doing the right thing, at the right time, with right kind of people and resources. Another management expert describes a leader as the one who creates leaders under him. Those who try to differentiate between a manager and leader say that a manager believes in status quo while a leader looks beyond what is obvious? A leader pulls his followers while a manager pushes them. When one looks at the life and works of Hazrat Ali, he finds him at the zenith of all the popular styles of leaderships. He emerges as an ultimate, unparalleled and matchless example of leadership that not only guarantees success in this world but also hereafter. With his noble character, deeds and decisions taken in the most difficult situations go on to show that Maula Ali introduced in the world qualities that a leader must possess to administer his followers or subordinates with fairness, equity and justice to navigate his goals with ease and without violating the tenets of Islam. An idea about Imam Ali’s principles can be formed from his letter written to Malik Al Ashtar when he appointed the latter as governor of Egypt.  He writes :    


    "Remember, Malik, that amongst your subjects there are two kinds of people: those who have the same religion as you have; they are brothers to you, and those who have religions other than that of yours, they are human beings like you. Men of either category suffer from the same weaknesses and disabilities that human beings are inclined to, they commit sins, indulge in vices either intentionally or foolishly and unintentionally without realizing the enormity of their deeds. Let your mercy and compassion come to their rescue and help in the same way and to the same extent that you expect Allah to show mercy and forgiveness to you. You must always appreciate and adopt a policy which is neither too severe nor too lenient; a policy which is based upon equity will be largely appreciated."
It is evident from his words that a leader should be for all human beings- a lesson most of the modern leaders seem to have forgotten forever and their folly has plunged the entire world into orgy of injustice, corruption, terrorism and favouritism.
Then he suggests the newly appointed Governor “ Your worst ministers will be the men who had been ministers to the despotic rulers before you and who had been a party to atrocities committed by them. Such persons should not be taken into your confidence and should not be trusted because they have aided sinners and have assisted tyrants and cruel rulers. In their stead you can comfortably find persons who are equally wise and learned but who have not developed sinful and criminal mentalities, who have neither helped the tyrants in their tyrannies nor have they assisted them to carry on their sinful deeds.
-
Such persons will prove the least troublesome to you. They will be the most helpful. They will sincerely sympathize with you. If you take them in your confidence they will sever their connections with your opponents. Keep such people with you as your companions in your informal company as well as in official gatherings in audience..." His views highlight that a leader should always pick the best people around him to be part of his team. When appointing people , a leaders should not compromise his just ideals. This style surely diminishes the chances of corruption and favouritism.
Imam then also tells to the governor the structures as to how a society should work :
"You must know, Malik, that the people over whom you rule are divided into classes and grades and the prosperity and welfare of each class of the society individually and collectively are so interdependent upon the well-being of the other classes that the whole set-up represents a closely woven net and reciprocal aspect. One class cannot exist peacefully, cannot live happily and cannot work without the support and good wishes of the other."
If leaders and governments of the modern world restrain themselves from hoarding and storing with the aim to gain, people would not be happy or may resort to rebellion as is being witnessed in countries like Somalia and other poverty stricken countries.
Imam Ali also gave a principle of leadership that a  leader should not  favor his family and kin over his when his elder brother Janab –e-Aqeel was in financial crunch and asked Maula Ali  more than his due share before the scheduled time for payment. But Hazrat Ali  refused to oblige him saying “ I can’t  do so. Aqeel must wait till the time of disbursement and he must bear the sufferings patiently.
Hazrat Ali also exhibited to the world that justice should be ensured at all cost even if it is against one’s own interests .He  says in Jame- al sadat “One who exhibits fairness on his part, Allah (SWT) shall increase him in glory".
http://www.ezsoftech.com/stories/images/dot.gif
Maula also demonstrated in his life that a leader with a perfect temperament and humility only succeeds. The great spiritual leader who brought Islamic revolution in Iran Ayatullah Ruhullah Khomeini once summed up the leadership qualities and character of Imam Ali in these words:“ "What can I say about Imam Ali's character? Who can possibly say about him? The various dimensions that this phenomenal character possesses is beyond description and human comprehension. Someone who acquires the level of human perfection must possess about 1000 dimensions and speaking about even one of them is beyond our level of comprehension. This character who is totally free of counter qualities, cannot be spoken about by anyone therefore it is better that I too keep silent.”
Today is 21st Ramadan(Ramzan).On this day, Maula Ali was laid to rest in Najaf-E-Ashraf following his martyrdom but his principles are still alive. His admirers recall his martyrdom but rarely raise voice to include his sermons and rules for governance in the syllabus of MBA or Public Administration in the universities of the world despite the fact that UNDP had recognized the significance of his sayings way back in 2002.Is it not our responsibility to liberate the world from all evils buy creating awareness about the teachings of Maula Ali for the sake of mankind and humanity. If the answer is yes then one can claim to be a follower of Maula or else he can himself decide whether he is Aliwalla or?  (Reference available on request)
http://www.ezsoftech.com/stories/images/dot.gif




No comments:

Post a Comment