The Importance of Organization and Leadership

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THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIZATION AND LEADERSHIP FOR ISLAMIC ACTIVITIES

Allah ﷻ says in the Holy Qur’an:

وَقُلِ ٱعْمَلُوا۟ فَسَيَرَى ٱللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۖ وَسَتُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَـٰلِمِ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

"Work righteousness, soon will Allah ﷻ observe your work and His Apostle, and the believers: Soon will you be brought back to the Knower of what is hidden and what is open: Then will He show you the truth of all that you did."
(Surah Tawbah: 105)

Islam is a system for the practical life of humanity in all of its aspects. It is a system that entails the ideological ideal and the convincing concept which expands upon the nature of the universe and determines the position of mankind in it. It outlines as well our ultimate objective in this world and includes the doctrines and practical organizations which emanate from and depend upon the everyday life of human beings.

1. Islam and our lives: Islam is comprehensive and interdependent which means it deals with and organizes the following aspects of our lives:

- Ethical foundation

- Social order

- Economic doctrine

- Political system

- International relations

Since Islam organizes all of our needs and activities, our religion is not reduced to mere emotional beliefs cut off from the real aspects of human life. It is therefore not only the performance of the rites of worship that believers would collectively or individually perform 'to achieve a modicum of faith. But rather Islam is the perfect system for mankind. It is the only system that can save humanity from the disastrous dangers towards which it is heading. It saves us from our attraction to “the glittering illusions of material civilization.” Islam is a capable system which can coordinate and harmonize human progress in terms of material innovation and spiritual exaltation. Such coordination and harmony has never been experienced by humanity throughout all history except under the rule of lslam. Islamic ideology does not posit a conflict, not even a significant separation, between the spiritual dimensions of our lives and the mundane. Islam wants to mold individual life, as well as the social order, in a healthy way in order to establish the “Kingdom of Allah ﷻ ” on earth so that peace, contentment and well- being may reign. As Allah ﷻ says:

"If the people of the towns had but believed and feared Allah We should indeed have 'opened' out to them (all kinds of) blessings from heaven and earth; but they rejected (the truth) and We brought them to task for their misdeeds"
(Surah Al-’Araf: 96)

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ ٱلْقُرَىٰٓ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱتَّقَوْا۟ لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَـٰتٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَـٰكِن كَذَّبُوا۟ فَأَخَذْنَـٰهُم بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ

2. The Islamic system of life: The purpose of life in the Islamic view is to establish, maintain, and develop the virtues with which the Creator of this Universe wishes the human's life to be adorned, and to prevent and to eradicate the evils, the presence of which in the human's life is utterly abhorrent to Allah ﷻ. To achieve this purpose it is necessary for us to establish the "Kingdom" i.e. the “government of Allah ﷻ,” or, the Islamic system of life. In other words, in the sphere of life in which man has been granted authority, he should of his own· will and desire accept the jurisdiction of Allah in the same way as every single particle of matter in the universe is bound to accept the natural laws of Allah ﷻ. The system of Islamic life applies to both the individual and his social life - to prayers, fasting, pilgrimage and charity as well as to the economy and society, to culture and politics. Islam governs the whole system in its entirety.

3. System and method: The areas which are related to the individual's personal life should become a part of the true believers existence. Those aspects of our lives which cannot be established individually should make us strive to implement them through collective efforts of the believers by means of a group or organization. We have to keep in mind that the true believer's real aim in this life is to attain the acceptance of Allah and salvation in the Hereafter. This aim cannot be obtained without making efforts to establish the system ordained by Allah. How can one attain the acceptance of Allah and salvation in the Hereafter? How can we establish the Islamic system of life? It is very important to know that the best and the most perfect way is the method of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. We must study his methodology, understand and practice it. If Muslims do this, they will not go astray. Allah ﷻ says:

"You have indeed in the Apostle of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct) for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Final Day, and who engage much in the praise of Allah
(Surah Al-Ahzab:21)

لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِى رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌۭ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلْيَوْمَ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًۭا

The main principles of the Prophetic methodology are:

1. To seek the guidance of Allah ﷻ with sincerity.

2. To seek knowledge and understanding of the Holy Qur'an which is the constitution for humanity, and the traditions (sunnah) of the Prophet ﷺ which is the practical implementation of the Quran.

3. Not to follow, use, or accept any means which violates the principles of truthfulness, honesty and morality.

Unfortunately, the Muslims of today have forgotten their mission. They conduct themselves contrary in regards to their beliefs. It is their habit to violate the laws and principles of Islam one after another until they lose their worth. After all of this, they still regard themselves as Muslims. It is necessary in this time of misunderstanding of the nature of Islam to outline the duties of the individual Muslim in terms of his character. They are as follows:

1. To know the difference between Islamic and non-Islamic actions in all aspects and to be familiar with the limits ordained by Allah in order to enjoy the lawful (halal) and to avoid the unlawful (haram).

2. In all matters, one's point of view should be molded according to the teachings of the Holy Qur'an and the traditions (sunnah} of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

3. To smash the idol of self-worship in order to accept the commands of Allah in their entirety, whether it is pleasing or not.

4. To purge from one’s life those customs and habits of non-lslamic ways which are against the teaching of the Holy Qur'an and Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ in an attempt to fashion one’s internal and external life according to Islam.

5. To purge one's thinking of those narrow prejudices and interests of no importance to Islam.

6. To go about one’s daily routine on the principles of honesty, justice, fear of Allah ﷻ and uncompromising support for what is decent and right.

7. To limit your relationships with persons who are unmindful of Allah ﷻ and to terminate relationships with those who are flagrantly immoral and behave in a criminal manner. Likewise, one should work to strengthen and promote his relationship with those who are God-fearing, righteous and of good conduct.

A Muslim should dedicate his life in its entirety to Islam. He has to urge others to do the same, but if no one steps forward, he must not hesitate to undertake the duty alone. To reach this degree of understanding one must:

1. Prepare himself for quite a long time to be fit for this unrelaxing task.

2. Be prepared by means of exalting himself to the level of the true religion of Al-Islam.

3. Raise himself to its height by genuine and deep faith in Allah ﷻ by knowing Him, for no one can believe in Allah ﷻ securely unless he knows Him.

4. Raise himself to its level by being fully aware of his surroundings and the local culture in knowing how to deal with others.

5. Join an active group. If there is no active group working towards these objectives he should take the initiative to find one for there is no Islam without a Jama'ah.

A Muslim must not be isolated because Allah ﷻ reveals in His Book:

"And let there be from you a nation that invites to goodness, and enjoins right conduct and forbids indecency. Such are they who are successful"
(Surah Ale-Imran:104)

وَلْتَكُن مِّنكُمْ أُمَّةٌۭ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى ٱلْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ ۚ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ

Therefore, he must seek out others with whom he can cooperate to please Allah ﷻ. They must encourage each other to practice the Islamic way of life.

"… help you one another unto righteousness and pious duty. Help not one another in committing sin and transgression, but keep your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is severe in punishment"
(Al-Ma’idah: 2)

تَعْتَدُوا۟ ۘ وَتَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلْبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْعُدْوَٰنِ ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِيدُ ٱلْعِقَابِ

If a Muslim is ordained to be in a group, then it becomes an obligation for this group to have an imam or an amir because the Prophet ﷺ said “If you are three Muslims or more you should select one of you as an amir (leader).”

Discipline is very important and Muslims should obey the orders and commands of the leadership for Allah ﷻ says:

"0 you who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger and those of you who are in authority; and if you have a dispute concerning any matter, refer it to Allah and the Messenger if ye are in truth believers in Allah and the Last Day"
(Surah An-Nisa:59)

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن تَنَـٰزَعْتُمْ فِى شَىْءٍۢ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌۭ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا

So long as those orders are not against Allah's commands ﷻ a Muslim should be convinced that “no objective can be achieved without planning, no planning without leadership and there is no sense in having leadership without discipline in the Jama'ah.”

The amir of the group at any level should have some qualifications such as - fear of Allah ﷻ, knowledge of the Qur'an and the Sunnah, religious acumen, an understanding of practical matters, foresight and prudence, resolution and perseverance in the path of Allah ﷻ. But if there is no one who possesses these qualities, Muslims are asked to select the best from those who are available.

In conclusion, we must not forget that sacrifices are required all the time. Great objectives cannot be achieved easily and Muslims must not reserve any effort, time, or wealth for a respectable cause – the cause of Allah ﷻ.

Note: Ustadh Ahmad Ehwas delivered this speech in Georgetown, Guyana on the 3rd of Muharram 1398, corresponding to the 14th of December 1977. Ustadh Ahmad would usually print multiple copies of his talks and give them to the brothers whom he believed would benefit from them. Faisal Baksh held onto the hard copy that was given to him. He scanned it and Nazim Baksh edited it to help readers appreciate and perhaps benefit from the ideas and concepts that Ustadh Ahmad introduced to the Muslim community in Guyana.