Our parliamentarian’s qualifications and disqualifications

Our parliamentarian’s qualifications and disqualifications

Introduction:

The qualifications of representatives have been described in our constitution under article 62 and their disqualifications are under article 63.

Article: 62 Qualifications for membership of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament)

62. Qualifications for membership of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament):

(l) A person shall not be qualified to be elected or chosen as a member of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) unless;
(a) he is a citizen of Pakistan;

(b) he is, in the case of the National Assembly, not less than twenty- five years of age and is enrolled as a voter in any -electoral roll in,
(i) any part of Pakistan, for election to a general seat or a seat reserved for a non-Muslims; and
(ii) any area in a Province from which she seeks membership for election to a seat reserved for women.

(c) he is, in the case of the Senate, not less than thirty years of age and is enrolled as a voter in any area in a Province or, as the case may be, the Federal Capital or the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, from where he seeks membership;

(d) he is of good character and is not commonly known as one who violates Islamic Injunctions;

(e) he has adequate knowledge of Islamic teachings and practices obligatory duties prescribed by Islam as well as well abstains from major sins;

(f) he is sagacious, righteous, non-profligate, honest and ameen, there being no declaration to the contrary by a court of law; and

(g) he has not, after the establishment of Pakistan, worked against the integrity of the country or opposed the ideology of Pakistan:

(2) The disqualifications specified in paragraphs (d) and (e) shall not apply to a person who is a non-Muslim, but such a person shall have good moral reputation.]

Comments;

In above stated article 62 which deals with the qualification of a candidate, only clause (1) sub clauses (d, e, & f) could be termed as Islamic clauses that too on the basis of word “ Islam” which is used in theses clauses.

Some social and constitutional scholars are debating about characteristics of the “Good Character” required in sub clause (d) in their circles, as constitution does not guide about the same.

Clause (e) is also under discussion and objected by particular circles, demands from a candidate to have adequate knowledge of Islamic teachings, as it is the fundamental duty of all Muslims to have at least that much religious knowledge upon the basis of which they can take decision about the permissibility or non-permissibility if required.

According to some social and political activist Clause (f) is the most biased and ambiguous clause of article 62, as there is no definition available for “HONEST & AMEEN”, they further claim this clause is used by establishment in favour of pro-establishment candidates.

Article: 63 Disqualifications for membership of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament)

Section 21 of the Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Act, 2010 (10 of 2010), substituted Art. 63, in its present form, (w.e.f April 19, 2010), in place of the said Art., as substituted by item 16 of the RCO (P.O. 14 of 1985) in 1985 and amended by item 7 of the C.E.O. No. 24 of 2002 and Legal Framework (Amendment) Order, 2002, C.E.O. No. 29 of 2002, that read :

63. Disqualifications for membership of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament).

(1) A person shall be disqualified from being elected or chosen as, and from being, a member of the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) if—

(a) he is of unsound mind and has been so declared by a competent court; or

(b) he is an un-discharged insolvent; or

(c) he ceases to be a citizen of Pakistan, or acquires the citizenship of a foreign State; or

(d) he holds an office of profit in the service of Pakistan other than an office declared by law not to disqualify its holder; or

(e) he is in the service of any statutory body or any body which is owned or controlled by the Government or in which the Government has a controlling share or interest; or

(f) being a citizen of Pakistan by virtue of section 14B of the Pakistan Citizenship Act, 1951 (II of 1951), he is for the time being disqualified under any law in force in Azad Jammu and Kashmir from being elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Azad Jammu and Kashmir; or

(g) he is propagating any opinion, or acting in any manner, prejudicial to the Ideology of Pakistan, or the sovereignty, integrity or security of Pakistan, or morality, or the maintenance of public order, or the integrity or independence of the judiciary of Pakistan, or which defames or brings into ridicule the judiciary or the Armed Forces of Pakistan; or

(h) he has been convicted by a court of competent jurisdiction on a charge of corrupt practice, moral turpitude or misuse of power or authority under any law for the time being in force; or

(i) he has been dismissed from the service of Pakistan or service of a corporation or office set up or, controlled by the Federal Government, Provincial Government or a Local Government on the grounds of misconduct or moral turpitude; or

(j) he has been removed or compulsorily retired from the service of Pakistan or service of a corporation or office set up or controlled by the Federal Government, Provincial Government or a Local Government on the grounds of misconduct or moral turpitude; or]

(k) he has been in the service of Pakistan or of any statutory body or any body which is owned or controlled by the Government or in which the Government has a controlling share or interest, unless a period of two years has elapsed since he ceased to be in such service; or

(l) he is found guilty of a corrupt or illegal practice under any law for the time being in force, unless a period of five years has elapsed from the date on which that order takes effect; or

(m) he has been convicted under section 7 of the Political Parties Act, 1962 (III of 1962), unless a period of five years has elapsed from the date of such conviction; or

(n) he, whether by himself or by any person or body of persons in trust for him or for his benefit or on his account or as a member of a Hindu undivided family, has any share or interest in a contract, not being a contract between a co-operative society and Government, for the supply of goods to, or for the execution of any contract or for the performance of any service undertaken by, Government
Provided that the disqualification under this paragraph shall not apply to a person—
(i) where the share or interest in the contract devolves on him by inheritance or succession or as a legatee, executor or administrator, until the expiration of six months after it has so devolved on him;
(ii) where the contract has been entered into by or on behalf of a public company as defined in the Companies Ordinance, 1984 (XLVII of 1984), of which he is a share-holder but is not a director holding an office of profit under the company; or
(iii) where he is a member of a Hindu undivided family and the contract has been entered into by any other member of that family in the course of carrying on a separate business in which he has no share or interest; or
Explanation.– In this Article “goods” does not include agricultural produce or commodity grown or produced by him or such goods as he is, under any directive of Government or any law for the time being in force, under a duty or obligation to supply.

(o) he holds any office of profit in the service of Pakistan other than the following offices, namely:-
(i) an office which is not whole time office remunerated either by salary or by fee;
(ii) the office of Lumbardar, whether called by this or any other title;
(iii) the Qaumi Razakars;
(iv) any office the holder whereof, by virtue of such office, is liable to be called up for military training or military service under any law providing for the constitution or raising of a Force; or

(p) he has been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for having absconded by a competent court under any law for the time being in force; or

(q) he has obtained a loan for an amount of two million rupees or more, from any bank, financial institution, cooperative society or cooperative body in his own name or in the name of his spouse or any of his dependents, which remains unpaid for more than one year from the due date, or has got such loan written off; or

(r) he or his spouse or any of his dependents has defaulted in payment of government dues and utility expenses, including telephone, electricity, gas and water charges in excess of ten thousand rupees, for over six months, at the time of filing his nomination papers] D[; or]

(s) he is for the time being disqualified from being elected or chosen as a member of the Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) or of a Provincial Assembly under any law for the time being in force.

(2) If any question arises whether a member of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) has become disqualified from being a member, the Speaker or, as the case may be, the Chairman shall, within thirty days from raising of such question refer the question to the Chief Election Commissioner.

(3) Where a question is referred to the Chief Election Commissioner under clause (2), he shall lay such question before the Election Commission which shall give its decision thereon not later than three months from its receipt by the Chief Election Commissioner.

Comments;

To understand the Islamic provisions from above these mentioned articles we do not need a rocket science.

Article 63 generally deals with the disqualification of corrupt, tax evaders, willful loan defaulters, and criminal politician. A group leading by prominent journalists and others insists for the meticulous implementation of Article 63.

In whole article 63 no clause is included which could be termed as Islamic and those who are following this debate knows it very well that our pro-west circles are only arguing about the Islamic part and ignoring the article 63 in their arguments, there attitude is more like “DEGREE TU DEGREE HOTI HAI”.


However, there are some provisions of Article 62 on which a lot of breadth is being lost. As to 62(f) there is a lot of clamor about “sagacious, righteousness, non-proliferate, honest and ameen”
Throughout the civilized world integrity and incorruptibility are deemed to be the most important requirements for a public figure. Those who come to the Parliament, or hold ministerial responsibility are expected to be above board in this respect. They must be men of integrity. That is what Sadiq and Amin mean; nothing more, and nothing less. Sir Ivor Jennings, one of the leading authorities on law and political science says, in his classical work “Cabinet Government”:
The most elementary qualification demanded of a minister is honesty and incorruptibility. It is, however, necessary not only that he should possess this qualification but also that he should appear to possess it.

Similarly a lot of breath has been lost on the requirement of “adequate knowledge of Islamic teachings”. What is adequate and what is not has been presented as an impossible task.

But adequate is not simply a moral or literary term. It is also a legal term and is ascertainable in the context of its use. Black’s Law Dictionary defines it precisely: “Sufficient, commensurate, equally efficient, and equal to what is required; suitable to the case or occasion. Equal to some genuine occasion on work”.

It further identifies at least seven uses of the term in law. In each case the meaning and implications of this term are determinable and are frequently ascertained by law courts and other relevant authorities. ‘Adequate cause’ ‘adequate compensation’, adequate consideration’, ‘adequate notice’, ‘adequate provocation’, ‘adequate remedy’ are some examples.

It is not such an un-definable quantity.

In short… if we see

What does article 62, 63 basically mean??
1. Person should not be against the ideology of Pakistan. Now, what is so difficult about this clause??? Everyone knows who is against the ideology of Pakistan and who stands for an Islamic Pakistan of Quaid and Iqbal. ANP DO NOT accepts Pakistan at all. MQM says making of Pakistan was the biggest blunder. So these snakes are clearly known and the entire nation knows that they fail this first clause of the article 62, 63.
2. Second clause says they should be practicing Muslims abstaining from known Haram and major sins   like Alcohol, adultery, womanizing, Riba and should be following at least the 5 fundamental pillers of Islam Salat, Zakat, Hajj and Saum along with being a Muslim.
Now, this is also NOT a secret who does what openly. Only Allah knows the sins done within the boundary walls or behind locked doors but this clause applies to sins or deeds done in Public. What is so difficult to decide who drinks, womanizes or prays or not ????
Those leaders who are living without wives like Zardari and Altaf are not angels that they live without wives and pray all night and fast all day!!!! Everyone knows what they do and so does so many of the Ministers, MNA’s and MPA’s.
3. Third clause is that they should not be financially corrupt where the condition of Ameen is applied. Again, everyone knows who is corrupt and who is honest. When people live beyond their known incomes and they become rich overnight after coming into power, they are corrupt. This is NOT a secret anymore now. Almost the entire country has been bled dry at 13 billion rupees per day corruption and still we don’t know who the corrupt are ????  Astaghfurllah.

Solution’s

And if we want solution,

I even would like to said,

If we want survival, the survival is only in Quran, the real Islamic qualifications as well have been well defined by Holy Quran and Sunnah.

THE CONCEPT OF LEADERSHIP IN ISLAM:

In the Holy Quran God addresses human beings as his representatives or vicegerents on the earth providing them with all the necessary skills, principles and tools to lead their lives towards glory and also to lead others towards realizing their fullest potential.

"It is He Who hath made you (His) agents, inheritors of the earth: He hath raised you in ranks, some above others: that He may try you in the gifts He hath given you: for thy Lord is quick in punishment: yet He is indeed Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful" (Al-An'âm 6: 165)

As a representative of God Himself, human beings are assigned great faculties and qualities which if properly deployed could result in the achievement of miraculous goals. However to reach these goals one needs to follow certain principles and tools which are also known as success or leadership principles. Where do these tenets come from? Where can we find them? How to get them and use them? To answer these and identical questions let us first deal with the first question and identify the key sources of Islamic Leadership standards.

THE SOURCES OF ISLAMIC LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES:

Islamic Leadership Principles are primarily derived from the following key sources:

· The Holy Quran.

· The Holy Prophet.

· The Wise Caliphs.

· Pious Followers

THE HOLY QURAN AS A PRIMARY SOURCE OF ISLAMIC LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES:

"There has come to you from Allah Light and a Plain Book." (5.15)

The Holy Quran is the primary source of leadership and success principles. Revealed by a Supreme author, God, its message has universal and eternal relevance. It is a complete Code of Life which contains guidelines on spiritual, social, economic and political aspects of human life. It is the last and complete edition of divine guidance and teaches the success and leadership principles which can guide life towards success and highest attainment. The beauty of the Quran lies in the universality of its use and completeness of its message. It is meant for everyone and in its following lie the success and prosperity of not this or that nation, but the entire human race. There are 6346 verses in the Quran which deal with various aspects of human life and offer advice and guidance. In some of these verses lie key attributes and qualities which if acquired will make one successful in any human endeavour. Faith, struggle, knowledge seeking, piety, charity, decision making etc. and identical concepts which form the core of leadership principles are contained in this book. It is through the understanding and application of these principles that one can perfect his/her leadership and achieve mega results. As representatives of God Himself human beings are very privileged to strive for excellence in every field of their endeavors and make things happen for themselves and those they lead. The leadership lessons contained in the holy Quran which will be detailed in the subsequent chapters offer keys to success and advancement. These concepts about leadership are either directly communicated or reflected in stories about earlier prophets and wise persons in the Quran. For example in one of the verses the Qur'an highlights an important aspect of Islam's concept of leadership. After successfully completing a number of tests, Prophet Ibrahim is given the glad tidings that he has been appointed a leader of all the people. "What about my progeny?" asks Ibrahim. "My covenant does not include the dhalimeen (oppressors)", comes the divine reply (Al-Qur'an 2:124). An important point emerges from this dialogue: an oppressor is not fit to be the leader of people. This is just a single example of how leadership is dealt with in the Quran. There are many more lessons and guidelines in the Quran which provide exemplary leadership principles for everyone to follow. In essence going through the Quran and understanding its contents one will be delighted to discover timeless wisdom based principles which are as relevant today as they were yesterday or thousands of years ago.

The Holy Prophet.

Who is the Greatest Leader of all times? In intellectual debates, philosophical discussions, and the biographies of great people who ever lived on the earth one name always appears on the top –Prophet Muhammad. The Quran also bears divine testimony and states that he is the best of leaders according to the following verse:

"For you the life of the Prophet is a good model of behaviour" (33:21).

The above view is not only held by his followers but also great personalities of other religions. These include some of his opponents as well who hold him in high esteem and consider him as the greatest personality of all times. Michael H. Hart author of the book “The 100”, French Philosopher Lamartine, George Bernard Shaw, Thomas Carlyle and many other great intellectuals agree that Muhammad (pbuh) was one of the greatest leaders who ever lived and pay him great tributes.

It is thus through the study of Prophet Muhammad’s life, deeds, sayings and personal qualities that valuable leadership lessons can be derived. Three aspects of prophet Muhammad (pbuh) will be discussed here which will form the second source of Islamic Leadership Principles.

These are:

         HIS WAY OF LIFE-SEERAH AND SUNNAH:

Seerah is an Arabic word which means a way of life while Sunnah also an Arabic word means "Method" and provide excellent examples of the altruistic leadership principles practiced by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). It is through the study of his life and biographical events derived from it that Islamic leadership models are formulated. The Prophet began his message with a handful of individuals, organised them into dedicated groups, then into larger coherent organizations, until the process led to the setting-up of an Islamic State. This clearly required the development of a versatile political leadership process of incredible complexity and effectiveness.

         HIS SAYINGS-HADITHS:

Hadiths are the sayings and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) which were compiled by his companions. These were later on incorporated into great collections the Hadith (i.e. traditions) Books of Bukhari, Muslim etc. The collectors of traditions adopted a very scientific system in collecting the Traditions. They did not record any tradition except with the chain of narrators. Every tradition gives the name of the last narrator of the tradition from whom he learnt the tradition and so on back to the Prophet or Companion of the Prophet. In many of Hadiths the Prophet has directly and indirectly explained the leadership qualities and the importance of leadership. In one of his Hadiths the Prophet said:

“Each of you is a shepherd, and all of you are responsible for your flocks.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)

In yet another Hadith the prophet said:

When three persons go on a journey, let them put one of their number in command." (Abu Da'ud on the authority of Abu Sa'id)

The above two sayings of Prophet Muhammad(pbuh) emphasizes the importance of leadership while a number of his other Hadiths have identified key qualities and principles which shall account for a person’s success.

The life, deeds and sayings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) offer excellent leadership models which if put into practice produce excellent results on individual as well as organizational performance. An orphan boy who faced hardships and whose guardianship changed hands three times since birth to adulthood Muhammad rose to be an undisputed leader of all times. He is a powerful role model that by following his example tremendous results can be achieved. This alone exemplifies his tremendous achievements because he totally practiced what he preached, and spent his life according to the divine Quranic teachings.

         WISE CALIPHS AND PIOUS FOLLOWERS:

After the Holy Prophet, the first four Caliphs namely Abu Bakar, Umar, Uthman, and Ali followed the teachings of the Quran and the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and achieved extraordinary results. In fact their time is considered as the “Golden Age” of Islam because total justice, prosperity, progress, development, and ideal leadership principles characterized that era. The Caliphs were ideal leaders who guided their followers to the Right Path and discharged their duties as leaders in exemplary and extremely humane manner. In the chapters that follow we will discuss some of their leadership traits and life stories which will testify the highest quality of standards held by them.

Besides the wise Caliphs there are many more leaders and people of great wisdom who practiced the Wisdom-based principles of Islam and followed the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Jamaluddin Afghani, Salahuddin Ayubi, Jalaluddin Rumi, Iqbal, Tun Mahathir and many more who shaped human history and achieved tremendous achievements are just a few examples. Review and analysis of their thinking, deeds and achievements will provide us with the timeless principles. By tapping into their knowledge and skills, attitude and behaviour critical advantages in life can be achieved.

Leadership in Islam is considered as an amanah (a trust) and a responsibility. A leader is required to meet his obligations to God ,the Supreme Power as well as to discharge his duties towards the people (Makhluq) or his followers to the best of his abilities. It says to the rulers that the authority vested in them is not their private property but is a trust and that they should discharge the obligations of that trust to the utmost, like upright and honest people, and should carry on government in consultation with the people. It says to the ruled, the power to choose your rulers has been bestowed upon you as a gift from God and you should, therefore, be careful to invest only such persons with governing authority as fully deserve it, and after vesting this authority in them, you should give them your fullest cooperation and should not rebel against them, for if you do so, you are merely seeking to demolish that which your own hands have built.

There are many laws and principles and models but grouped together we can classify them into the following cardinal principles and values:

1. Faith and belief.

2. Knowledge and Wisdom.

3. Courage and determination.

4. Mutual consultation and Unity. (Fraternity and brotherhood.)

5. Morality and Piety. (Honesty and trust.)

6. Superior communication.

7. Justice and compassion.

8. Patience and Endurance.

9. Commitment and Sacrifice.

10. Lifelong Endeavour.

11. Gratitude and Prayers.

1. FAITH AND BELIEF

“God is the protector of those who have faith: From depths of darkness He leads them forth into light” 2:257

Faith lays the foundation of greatness and success and nothing happens unless one believes in its happening. One of the greatest qualities commonly shared by all great leaders who ever lived was their strong faith and belief in higher entity, themselves or their ideas. Faith and belief are thus the key qualities which determine the quality of one’s leadership.

2. Knowledge and Wisdom.

“Seek knowledge from the Cradle to the Grave “Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)

Leadership is a great responsibility and to fulfil this important duty the leader must continuously acquire knowledge as per the above advice put forward more than fourteen hundred years ago by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

In numerous ayaats or verses of the Holy Quran human beings are advised to seek knowledge and wisdom. “...Say: ‘Are those equal, those who know and those who do not know? It is those who are endowed with understanding that receive admonition.’” (Qur’an, 39:9) This verse asks us an interesting question which makes us think that those who have knowledge are not equal to those who lack it. Knowledge is power and any leader who wishes to excel his/her leadership prowess must acquire knowledge. Knowledge is one of the major reasons which determine the rise and fall of civilizations and their leaders.

WISDOM AND LEADERSHIP:

“He (God) grants wisdom to whom He pleases; and he to whom wisdom is granted receives indeed a benefit overflowing; but none will grasp the Message but men of understanding.” (Qur’an 2: 269)

Wisdom or hikmah in Arabic one of the most admired, ancient, recurring and popular attributes credited to great leaders is yet another quality highly admired by God himself as quoted in the Holy Quran.

3. Courage and determination.

Courage and determination are qualities which every leader must embrace, acquire, and possess. History is full of stories where ordinary people emerged as great leaders because they showed courage and determination. The story of Tariq Bin Ziad a young army general is a classic example where courage, determination and confronting his fear led to the achievement of impossible tasks.

It is related that the Spanish King Roderick was a very cruel king who inflicted extreme cruelties on his people. Besides being a tyrant and a repressive person he also disgraced his own people. In one such display of his tyranny he laid his hands on a female courtier who was the daughter of Count Julian, the Governor of Ceuta. This infuriated the count so much that he decided to overthrow Roderick and approached Musa bin Nusayr, the governor of Muslim North Africa, for help. Musa got the Caliph’s approval, after which he sent Tariq bin Ziad a young general in 711 to assist the Spanish people and get rid of the cruel King Roderick. Landing at Gibraltar , Tariq's army of 12,000 stood against 60,000 Spaniards, outnumbered 5:1. With his back to the Mediterranean Sea and a seemingly overwhelming force in front of him, Tariq gave the unthinkable order to his men to "burn their boats." His army's only means of escape. Tariq then delivered an inspiring speech and urged his comrades to be brave and think about the end goal, victory, and how they would achieve it. His courage, determination, speech and vision of victory rallied his troops to total commitment to the job at hand. With sheer courage and determination Tariq defeated his strong enemy and led his people to victory.

4. Mutual consultation and Unity.

"And those who answer the Call of their Lord, and to worship none but Him alone, and perform their prayers, and who conduct their affairs by mutual consultation, and who spend of what we have bestowed on them." Quran 42:38

Mutual consultation (Shura) is a Quranic command as the above verse emphasizes and is listed with other key virtues such as worshipping God, performing prayers, and spending for the sake of God.

The Holy Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) himself practiced this value and in almost all important matters consulted with his colleagues and companions. The most outstanding example of the Prophet's Shura occurred on the eve of the Battle of Uhud (3AH). While he was of the opinion that the city should be defended from within, the majority wanted to go out and fight. The Prophet accepted this; he did not impose his own opinion.

And

It is interesting to note that the term used for Parliament is Majlis-e-Shoora in the Constitution of Pakistan, this has been done so while completely ignoring the genealogical history of the two institutions. The structure of Parliament evolved within a system driven by a political theory based on liberal and secular philosophies during the era of so called enlightenment in Europe; whereas the term Majlis-e-Shoora had its own unique theological background and rules of operations derived from Islamic traditions.

Now using this term has colossal implication for the nation, as many religious stakeholders ascribe utterly unrealistic expectations from Parliament system because of this term. To add to the confusion these articles about Pakistan's future leaders has been made a part of the Pakistan's constitution as well, which is further giving a pretext to the religious lobbies to expect the political machinery to operate on Islamic principles. 

Metaphorically speaking, assume that the entire political machinery of Pakistan of is like an automobile having an IC (internal combustion) engine driven on petrol, diesel or CNG; now if the name of this engine is changed to an 'electric motor' and it is claimed that it is pollution free and do not have a carbon footprint, then one can imagine the level of confusion it would create for the public who see things only in parts rather holistically. Perhaps this is exactly happening in Pakistan today, an electric motor is being attempted to fit into a structure which is designed for an engine of secular and liberal parliamentarians, with completely different structure of rules and criterion to measure their performance.  

5. Morality and Piety.

7:35 “O CHILDREN of Adam! Whenever there come unto you apostles of your own, conveying My messages unto you, then all who are conscious of Me and live Righteously - no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve;”

In numerous verses of the Holy Quran including the above, morality and piety are greatly emphasized not only upon as virtues of leaders but all believers. A leader communities he leads and as such his/her morality and piousness must serve as an example.

In his first speech as Khalifah of the Muslims, Abu Bakr Siddiq proved himself an ideal of modesty and humility.

Abu Bakr Siddiq's attitude was totally different. He said:

"I have been appointed as ruler over you although I am not the best among you. I have never sought this position nor has there ever been a desire in my heart to have this in preference to anyone else... If I do right, you must help and obey me; if I go astray, set me aright... Obey me so long as I obey Allah and His Messenger. If I disobey them, then you have no obligation to follow me"

6. Superior communication:

A leader must be extremely good in communication and must be eloquent and articulate. This is required to communicate the purpose, mission, vision, and goals of an organization.

When Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah went to the Prophet with offers of money, beautiful women or a position in the Makkan hierarchy, in an attempt to dissuade him from his mission, the noble Messenger gave him a patient hearing. When Utbah had finished, the Prophet recited Surah Ha Mim Sajda (Surah 41), instead of responding to his suggestions which clearly imputed ulterior motives to the Prophet. The recitation of the Surah had such an effect on Utbah that he returned to his fellow chiefs in utter humiliation, telling them to leave the Prophet alone.

7. Justice and Compassion.

Justice and Compassion are yet other qualities which form the core of Islamic Leadership. Justice without compassion leads to tyranny, while compassion without justice creates anarchy. A leader needs to maintain a careful balance keeping the overall good of society in mind (Al-Qur'an 5:08; 4:135; 7:29).Prophet Muhammad as well as his wise Caliphs and companions attached great importance to justice and compassion. In a suit brought against a Jew by Hazrat Umar, both went to the Qazi. The latter on seeing the Caliph Umar rose from his seat out of deference. Caliph Umar considered this such an unpardonable weakness that he dismissed the Qazi at once. On another occasion when Umar found his own son Abu Shama drunk he had him publicly flogged. In Islam the concept of justice is at such a highest standard that no other system can compete with it. The Holy Quran in explicitly commands that “ O ye who believe ; stand firmly for justice as witness to God, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: For God can best protect both” Quran 4:13.

8. Patience and Endurance:

Patience (Sabr) and endurance is yet another hallmark of great leadership. God the Mighty Wise himself has praised this quality in many verses of the Holy Quran. The verse “O ye who believe! Persevere in PATIENCE and constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear Allah. that ye may prosper.” Quran 3:200. This shows how important patience and endurance is for a leader and a believer in general.

9. Commitment and Sacrifice:

Commitment and sacrifice are yet other traits without which a leader can not be exemplary. It is through commitment to one’s mission and goals and the mentality of whatever it takes that differentiates great leaders from the ordinary people. In my view commitment may be simply defined as, “ an attitude of people for deploying their total resources towards the achievement of certain goals”. With total commitment also comes the spirit of personal sacrifice. A Muslim leader must be seen to be making sacrifices, only then the followers will commit to the cause and make bigger sacrifices.

It is reported that Abu Bakr Siddiq took a small portion from the Bait al-Mal (Treasury) for his family's upkeep because he had to give up his own business when he became the khalifah. On his deathbed, he instructed his family to return to the Bait al-Mal whatever was left of his possessions.

10. Lifelong Endeavour:

Islam is a dynamic and practical religion and so are its tenets towards leadership. One of the most important tenets of leadership is the concept of lifelong endeavour for the good of humanity and God’s good causes. The Quran therefore tells all believers “ And strive in His cause as ye ought to strive (with sincerity and under discipline): Quran 22:78”. A true leader thus does not sit idle on laurels but continuously strives towards better conditions and nobler goals. The Quran clearly states that “ Man can have nothing but what he strives for” Quran 53:59.

11. Gratitude and Prayers

Human beings owe a lot of gratitude towards their Creator as without His blessings and power nothing can happen. Prophet Muhammad has said that “Gratitude (shukr) for the abundance (ni'math) you have received is the best insurance that the abundance will continue. If we think and see around there are a lot of good things which God has provided us which must be acknowledged and one must be grateful for them. Health, inner peace, family, our beliefs and faiths and thousands of other things which we take it for granted are the gifts of God for which we must be grateful at all times. Gratitude is a morally beneficial emotional state that encourages reciprocal kindness and receipt of further gifts from God. Related to gratitude is the importance of prayers and supplications. It is reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Supplication is the weapon of the believer, the pillar of the religion, and the light of the heaven and earth" (Al-Hakim). Prayers and supplications bring us nearer to God and protect us from calamities and destruction. On the positive side prayers and supplications plead our case to God and he bestows more blessings on us. In verse 60 of Sura “Mu’min” God commands us “ And your Lord says’ “ Call on me; I will answer your (prayers). But those who are too arrogant to serve me will surely enter Hell-in humiliation”.

Conclusion:

The Islamic Leadership Model and the principles associated with it offer a leadership alternative which can open the door of excellence and achievement. The principles are gleaned from the Quran the words of the Mighty Wise, the practice and sayings of Prophet Muhammad, the character and deeds of the Caliphs and other great Muslim leaders who with meager means and enormous hurdles reached the zenith of excellence. These principles and their application are equally useful for every leader be they Muslim or non-Muslim as they transcend racial, religious, and temporal boundaries. Understanding, acquiring, and application of these mega principles can open up the doors to success and progress in every human endeavour. Prophet Muhammad, Caliph Abu Bakar, Umar, Othman, and Ali and their successors practiced these principles and achieved highest places in the annals of human history.

These qualifications should be possessed by a candidate for this prestigious post. The candidate should not only be a Muslim but he should also be a practicing Muslim not indulging in any major sin like fornication, drinking, gambling, usury, shirk (polytheism), and disobedience to parents. He should be pious with excellent moral character and should be known for integrity, honesty, justice, kindness, forgiveness, humility, chivalry, diligence, trust-worthiness and sense of responsibility. He should be an adult and sane citizen of the Islamic state and should not be greedy for the post. Al-Mawardi, a great Muslim political philosopher of Middle Ages, lays down the following qualifications for the post of Imam: (1) Justice, (2) Learning, (3) Mental soundness, (4) Physical fitness, (5) Wisdom, (6) Bravery, (7) Quraishite descent.

And for us I would like to mention a hadith:

The Prophet (sallallahu aleihi wa sallam) said:

"Allah does not punish the individuals for the sins of the community until they see the evil spreading among themselves, and while they have the power to stop it, do not do so." (Ahmad)