Leadership: An Islamic View

Article contributed By: 

Abu Khuwailid Ibn Hajiri

A single Ummah requires unity among the people of the nation. A successful Ummah calls for an eloquent leadership from a strong and faithful Ameer. For all those years that had passed, where is the rightful Ameer that was supposed to lead us towards divine righteousness and positive development? Where is the rightful Ameer of the Ummah?

The May Election is fast approaching: another event full of deceit and ostentatious promises from running politicians with all their “I-can-do-this-and-that”. Promises we only see in papers. Promises that only last a few words, if not of a few minutes only. No one can ever distinguish which is a part of truth in their words. Election is a time for the common people to choose the right man to lead the way. It is so much a crucial decision where the future of the land depends on. But how can the people of a Nation select the right choice if every man in the screen-show of politics does the same thing: promise and nothing more. How are we going to judge; what will be our guidance in choosing those who are capable of uplifting our state? To whom shall we put our trust and our future as well?

Islam stretches the importance of good governance and Politics that plays a vital role in an Islamic society. As stated in the Holy Qur’an:

“Behold! Thy lord said to the angels; ‘I will create vicegerent on Earth…” - Al-Baqarah (2):30

Man was created to lead a good example, addressing the need of the people’s concerns and promoting the propagation of Islam. In fact, Rasulullah S.A.W. had shown the world how Islam can bring about positive change and development during the advent of Islam in his time. The only problem the Bangsamoros nowadays have—may be as an effect of the colonial era experienced—is for overlooking the Islamic way of leadership and its principles that contributes to positive development. This laxity of the people frequently resulted to the rampant graft and corruption among our leaders that could be seen in every nook off the province—greatly contributing to the dawdling progress in the Moro areas.

To help us recognize the ‘real’ Leader we've been waiting for , let us glimpse at how Islam sees what a good leader is. Let us know and understand some “Attributes of a good, Islamic Leader”.

UVPN: The Red Carpet to the Call

by: Asmina U. Sulaiman, RN

UVPN Cotabato

What's so intriguing about UVPN?

As you try to do a 360-degree turn-around, you will be able to see the physique of the world. You are to probe the top and bottom part where you can see what's trending and what's ready to trash out,;who's in the go and who left behind. Yet, I bet you are to see more. When you look around, what you are seeing are people being busy on their own lives, maybe struggling to earn few pesos for their hungry family at home; maybe one is just aiming for fame, power and money. Only a few are yelling around the streets for their grievances to be heard. Maybe some are just not yet contented so they keep on searching. Most are just people who act like normal, surviving everyday of their life. Other words, everyone has its own call.

Well, let me tell you. It is just a sneak-a-peek. You missed something. You might be forgetting the internal area where the roots grew horribly that raises the question "Why these things are happening?". Most especially, you missed the area where you stand at. It may be just a piece of place fitted for your feet alone, yet could elevate or shrink you at a time. Around you is nothing but a huge package of natural-human dilemma and temptations. So worldly that it might blind you from your true mission. 

I started my UVPN life earlier when I was in high school. Back then, it was the former Voice of the Youth for Peace Organization which was later named as Voice of the Youth for Peace and Orderliness until it got to be today's United Voice for Peace Network. As a starting organization, we encountered different things. We do activities, plan them, materialize them, gather operational budgets and it never be that easy. We admit we have difficulties doing those. Those difficulties were rooted from several things like financial matters, behavioral problems, scarce resources and time constraints stretching us into a critical thinker "geeks". So we sort it out by bending our resources and exhausting our options. It is not only about handling problems. There is more in UVPN that obligates us to wake up ourselves.

"Amidst Adversity, There can be Solidarity" -An Essay from a UVPian

Bismillah With the aim of involving all our UVP Youth Members in contributing their literary pieces, essays and insights about UVPN and our advocacy, we have received an email/essay from a fellow UVPN Student. Here is her story of how she wanted to make change to her community and finally made it through UVPN. Alhamdulillah!

Amidst Adversity, There can be Solidarity
By: Hasmiene Diocolano Ibrahim

    I was sitting in the bench early in the morning while waiting for my friends to arrive; we have this usual meeting to discuss important matters for our bulk school requirements. I have heard unintentionally from the other edge, a cluster of students exchanging stories about the remarkable experiences they had during flood times. The fact is that, flood seems so normal in the city. When it rains, even not heavy, we can expect for it to turn up. After some time, I grasp several apprehensions.

    With all of those customary occurrences in and out of the university, nothing is more notable than June 2011 flood in Cotabato City, Sultan Kudarat, and nearby areas. The week long flood have already displaced an estimated 500,000 – 650,000 persons, damaged vast properties and so with their livelihood. These might seem so tremendous. Are these really this way? At a first glance, no doubt, it could be deemed as it is. However, we have to bear in our mind the concept of  Divine Will (Qadaa)  and Predestination (Qadar).These are basic principles of faith that we have to internalize deeply as a Muslim believer. Why did I include this? We have inculcated that Allah (SWT) made this to happen for a purpose or purposes. We might not automatically realize it, but surely, there is. As mentioned in our Holy Book (Qur’an 36:82) “Verily, His Command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, “Be!”- and it is !”. Whatever Allah decrees will happen inevitably comes to pass by His Power. 

Further, the Prophet (SAW) said “Allah wrote the decrees of His creation fifty thousand years before He created the heavens and the earth, and He said: His Throne is above the water.” Hence, no rooms for questions and contentions because Allah (SWT) have carefully taken into account various facets of our lives.

    We could attest on this. Many individuals across different areas have cast their means to assist multifold victims of flood. Here we could manifest how mankinds fulfill its duty as a trustee of Allah (SWT). As His vicegerent, we must be prudent to accomplish our responsibilities in this world. We are accountable to what we have. Our knowledge, properties, and all the treasures that we cherished, we owe all of this to Him. We must not be arrogant on believing that what we achieve is just the product of our own efforts and nothing more. We have to go back to the basic principle that Allah (SWT) has the full control of all the dealings of the humanity. If not through His will, we can’t rejoice what we have. What I would like to emphasize, that though these floods caused a lot to us, it is still worthy. This is where we have witness how solidarity amidst diversity reign among humankind.