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.
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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.
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