1. LEADERSHIP ‫القيادة‬
An Islamic Perspective ‫نظرة إسليمية‬
‫جاسر عودة‬ Jasser Auda
jauda@qfis.edu.qa
www.jasserauda.net

2. Islam and the Science of
Leadership
Management Science
‫علم الدارة يمن )العلوم‬
is a social science.
(‫الجتماعية‬
Based on statistical
facts, which reflect ‫يستند إلى واقع‬
human ‘nature/culture’ ‫يمستقرئ يمن الحصائيات‬
‫التي تعكس طبيعة أو‬
The ‘scientific’
interpretation of the ‫ثقافة النسان‬
Quran and Sunnah is (‫)التفسير العلمي‬
compatible. ‫للقرآن والسنة يتفق يمع‬
Q: Examples? ‫نتائج علم الدارة‬
‫سؤال: أيمثلة؟‬

3. What can Islam ‫يماذا يمكن أن يقدم‬
contribute to this
knowledge? ‫السلم لهذا العلم؟‬
The spiritual
dimension: :‫البعد العبادي للقيادة‬
in viewing leadership ‫في نظرة المسلم إلى‬
itself: ‫القيادة نفسها‬
‘O Abu Zarr, you are weak ‫‘يا أبا ذر إنك ضعيف وإنها‬
and it is a trust’ (hadith) ’‫أيمانة، الحديث‬
‘Appoint me … ’ (12:55) ِ ِ َ َ
‫قال اجعلني على خزآئن‬
ََ ِ ْ َ ْ َ َ‘
(55 ‫ال َرض’ )يوسف‬ِ ْ
the leader’s worldview
shaped by the Islamic ‫في فهم القائد لسرار‬
paradigm = universal ‫الخلق = الكليات = السنن‬
laws = Sunnat-Allah ‫اللهية‬
‘no deviation will you ever ’‫ولن تجد لسنة الله تبديل‬
ً ِ ْ َ ِ ّ ِ ّ ُ ِ َ ِ َ َ َ‘
find in God’s laws!’ (23 ‫)الفتح‬
(48:23)

4. Universal Laws ‫السنن اللهية‬
God had created us and
the universe based on a ‫خلق ا الكون بناء على‬
certain number of laws or ‫سنن وقوانين يمطردة‬
rules that govern what we, ‫تحكم حركته جميعا بما‬
or any other creature could
‫فيها حركة النسان‬
do!
Universal laws apply to
everything, from the sub- ‫السنن اللهية تحكم حركة‬
atomic particles, objects,
planets, and galaxies, to ‫الخلية والنسان والحيوان‬
cells, humans, animals, and ‫والنبات، والكون المادي‬
plants, to individuals, !‫يمن الذرة إلى المجرة‬
societies, and civilizations!
Organizations too! ‫وتحكم المؤسسات‬

5. ‫‪1. Law of‬‬
‫‪Change‬‬ ‫أول ً: سنة التغيير‬
‫‪13:11 Verily, God does‬‬
‫‪not change the condition‬‬ ‫إنح اللح الح يغيرح م اح بقومح ‬
‫قِ َهّ َهّ ْوَ َم ُ ْوَ رِّ َم ُ ْوَ قِ ْوَ ٍمْ ح ٍ‬
‫‪of a people unless they‬‬ ‫ْوَ َهّ َم ُ ْوَ رِّ َم ُ ٍمْ ْوَ قِْوَ ٍمْ َم ُ قِ قِ ٍمْ‬
‫حتي ىح يغيراواح م اح بأنفسهم‬
‫‪change their inner selves‬‬
‫‪8:53 This, because God‬‬
‫‪would never change the‬‬ ‫ذلكح بأنح اللح لمح يكح ‬
‫ْوَقِ ْوَ قِْوَ َهّ َهّ ْوَ ٍمْ ْوَ َم ُ‬
‫‪blessings with which He‬‬
‫‪has graced a people‬‬
‫مغيراح نعمةح أنعمه اح علي ىح ‬
‫َم ُ ْوَ رِّ أ ً رِّ ٍمْ ْوَ أ ً ْوَ ٍمْ ْوَ ْوَ ْوَ ْوَْوَ‬
‫‪unless they change their‬‬ ‫قومح حتي ىح يغيراواح م اح ‬
‫ْوَ ٍمْ ح ٍ ْوَ َهّ َم ُ ْوَ رِّ َم ُ ٍمْ ْوَ‬
‫ ‪inner selves‬‬
‫قِْوَ َم ُ قِ قِ ٍمْ‬
‫بأنفسهم‬

6. Q: What can I change ‫تدريب: كيف يمكن أن‬
in myself to better my
work? ‫أتغير حتى أغير؟‬
Examples: :‫ح أمثلة‬
32:24 and [as] We raised among
them leaders when they bore
themselves with patience and had
‫ح او ْوَعلن اح منهمح أئ َهّةح يهداونح‬
َ‫ْوَج ْوَ ٍمْ ْوَ قِ ٍمْ َم ُ ٍمْ ْوَ قِم أ ً ْوَ ٍمْ َم ُ ْو‬
sure faith in Our messages, guided
people in accordance with Our
‫بأمرن اح لم اح صبراواح اوك انواح‬
ُ ‫قِ ْوَ ٍمْ قِ ْوَ ْوَ َهّ ْوَ ْوَ َم ُ ْوَ ْوَ َم‬
command ‫بيآي اتن اح يوقنون‬
َ‫قِ ْوَ قِ ْوَ َم ُ قِ َم ُ ْو‬
71:10-12 I said: "'Ask your
Sustainer to forgive you your sins - ْ‫فقلت استغْفروا ربكم‬
ُ َّ ُ ِ َْ ُ ُْ َ
for, verily, He is all-forgiving! He will
shower upon you heavenly ‫إِنه كان غفارا يرسِل‬
ِ ْ ُ ً ّ َ َ َ ُ ّ
blessings abundant, and will aid
you
‫السماء عليكم مدرارا‬
ً َ ْ ّ ُ ََْ َ ّ
14:7 If you thank me I shall give َ ََِ ٍ َ ْ َِ ْ ُ ْ ِ ْ َُ
‫ويمددكم بأموال وبنين‬
you more
ٍ َّ ْ ُ ّ َ ْ ََ
‫ويجعل لكم جنات‬
‫ويجعل لكم أ َنهارا‬
65:2-3 And unto everyone who is
conscious of God, He [always]
grants a way out and provides for
ً َ ْ ْ ُ ّ َ ْ ََ
him in a manner beyond all
expectation; and for everyone who
‫لئن شكرتم ل َزيدنكم‬
ْ ُ َّ ِ ْ ُْ َ َ َِ
places his trust in God He [alone] is
enough. ‫ومن يتق الله يجعل‬
َ ْ َ َ ّ ِ َّ َ َ
ْ‫له مخرجا ويرزقه من‬
ِ ُ ْ ُ ْ ََ ً َ ْ َ ُ ّ

7. ‫تدريب: كيف يمكن أن‬
‫‪Q: What can we change‬‬ ‫نتغير كمؤسسة حتى‬
‫‪in the organization to‬‬
‫?‪better our work‬‬ ‫نغير؟‬
‫ّ‬
‫:‪Example‬‬ ‫ح مث ال:‬
‫‪8:46 Do not‬‬ ‫ح اوالح تن ازعواح فتفشلواح ‬
‫ْوَ ْوَ ْوَ ْوَ ْوَ َم ُ ٍمْ ْوَ ْوَ ٍمْ ْوََم ُ ٍمْ‬
‫‪dispute or else‬‬
‫‪you fail and be‬‬ ‫اوتذهبح ريحكمح ‬
‫ْوَ ْوَ ٍمْ ْوَ ْوَ قِ َم ُ َم ُ ٍمْ‬
‫‪patient. God is‬‬ ‫اواصبراواح إنح اللح معح ‬
‫ْوَ ٍمْ قِ َم ُ ٍمْ قِ َهّ َهّ ْوَ ْوَ‬
‫‪indeed with‬‬ ‫َهّ قِ قِ ْوَ‬
‫الص ابرين‬
‫‪those who are‬‬
‫‪patient‬‬

8. 2. The Laws of
Growth ‫ثانيا: سنن النماء‬
Good work is like ‘a ‫ح ‘كشجرةح ْوَيبةح أصله اح‬
َ‫ْوَ ْوَ ْوَ ح ٍ ط رِّ ْوَ ح ٍ ْوَ ٍمَْم ُ ْو‬
good tree’. (14:24) ‫ث ابتح اوفرعه اح ف يح‬
ِ‫ْوَ قِ و ٌ ْوَ ْوَ ٍمْ َم ُ ْوَ ق‬
1. Bury the seed in the ’‫السم اء‬
َ‫َهّ ْو‬
ground (the necessity ‫.1 م اح نبتح مم اح امح يدفنح‬
of the embryonic stage) ‫الح يتمح نت اجه‬
2. Water the growing
plant (the law of
‫.2 قليل دائم خير‬
continuity)
‫من كثير متقطع‬
3. Give it time! (law of ‫.3 سنة التدرج‬
gradual change)

9. ‫تدريب: كيف يمكن أن‬
‫‪How can I use the‬‬ ‫أوظف سنن النماء في‬
‫?‪Laws of Growth‬‬ ‫عملي؟‬

10. 3. Laws of ‫ثالثا : سنة التداول‬
Cycles ‫أو الدورات‬
18:45 AND PROPOUND ِ ََ ْ َ َّ ُ َ ْ ِ ْ َ
‫واضرب لهم مثل الحياة‬
unto them the parable of َ ِ ُ َْ َ َ َ َّْ
‫الدنيا كماء أنزَلناه من‬
the life of this world: [it is]
ُ ََ ِ ِ َ ََْ َ
‫السماء فاختلط به نبات‬ َ ّ
like the water which We
send down from the ‫ال َرض فأصبح هشيما‬
ً ِ َ َ َْ ََ ِ ْ ْ
skies, and which is ُ ّ َ َ َ ُ َّ ُ ُ ْ َ
‫تذروه الرياح وكان الله‬
absorbed by the plants of ‫على كل شيء مقتدرا‬
ً ِ َْ ّ ٍ ْ َ ّ ُ ََ
the earth: but in time they
turn into dry stubble
which the winds blow
freely about. And it is
God [alone] who
determines all things.

11. Cycles of
humans ‫دورة النسان‬
23:12-14 Now, indeed, We
create a human out of the َ َ ِْ َْ ََ ْ َ ََ
‫ولقد خلقنا النسان‬
essence of clay, and then
We cause him to remain as a ّ‫من سللة من طين ثُم‬
ٍ ِ ّ ٍ َ َُ ِ
drop of sperm in the wombs
firm keeping, and then We ٍ َ َ
‫جعلناه نطفة في قرار‬
ِ ً َ ْ ُ ُ ََْ َ
create out of the drop of
sperm a germ-cell, and then َ َ ْ ّ َْ ََ ّ ُ ٍ ِ ّ
‫مكين ثم خلقنا النطفة‬
We create out of the germ-
cell an embryonic lump, and
َ َ ََ ْ َْ ََ َ ً َ ََ
‫علقة فخلقنا العلقة‬
then We create within the
embryonic lump bones, and
َ َ ْ ُ ْ َْ ََ َ ً َ ْ ُ
‫مضغة فخلقنا المضغة‬
then We clothe the bones
with flesh - and then We
َ‫عظاما فكَسونا العظام‬
َ ِ ْ َْ َ َ ً َ ِ
bring [all] this into being as a ً َْ ُ ََْ َ ّ ُ ً ْ َ
‫لحما ثم أنشأناه خلقا‬
new creation: hallowed,
therefore, is God, the best of ‫آخر فتبارك الله أ َحسن‬
ُ َ ْ ُ ّ َ َ َََ َ َ
creators!
َ ِ ِ َ ْ
‫الخالقين‬

12. Cycles of water ‫دورة الماء‬
24:43 Are you not aware that
it is God who causes the ‫أ َلم تر أ َن الله يزجي‬
ِ ْ ُ َ ّ ّ َ َ ْ َ
clouds to move onward, then
joins them together, then ّ‫سحابا ثم يؤلف بينه ثُم‬
ُ ََْ ُ َّ ُ ّ ُ ً َ َ
piles them up in masses, until َ‫يجعله ركاما فترى الودق‬
ْ َ ْ َ ََ ً َ ُ ُ َُ ْ َ
thou can see rain come forth
from their midst? And He it is
َ‫يخرج من خلله وينزل من‬
ِ ُ ّ ََُ ِ ِ َ ِ ْ ِ ُ ُ ْ َ
who sends down from the ‫السماء من جبال فيها من‬
ِ َ ِ ٍ َِ ِ َ ّ
skies, by degrees, ‫برد فيصيب به من يشاء‬
َ َ َ ِ ِ ُ ِ َُ ٍ َ َ
mountainous masses [of
clouds] charged with hail, ‫ويصرفه عن من يشاء‬
َ َ ّ َ ُ ُ ِ ْ ََ
striking therewith whomever ُ َ ْ َ ِ ِ ْ َ ََ ُ َ َ
‫يكاد سنا برقه يذهب‬
He wills and averting it from
whomever He wills, [the ‫بال َْبصار‬
ِ َ ْ ِ
while] the flash of His
lightning well-nigh deprives
[humans of their] sight!

13. Cycles of
planets ‫دورة الفلك‬
9:36 BEHOLD, the number of
months, in the sight of God, is ِ ّ َ ِ ِ ُ ّ
‫إِن عدة الشهور عند الله‬ َ ّ ِ ّ
twelve months, [laid down] in God's ِ َِ
‫اثنا عشر شهرا في كتاب‬
ِ ً ْ َ َ َ َ َْ
decree on the day when He
created the heavens and the earth; ‫الله يوم خلق السماوات‬
َ َ ّ َ ََ َ ْ َ ِ ّ
[and] out of these, four are sacred ‫وال َرض منها أ َربعة حرم‬
ٌ ُ ُ ٌ َ َْ َ ِْ َ ْ َ
36:38-40 And [they have a sign in]
the sun: it runs in an orbit of its ّ َ َْ ُ ِ ِ ْ َ ُ ْ ّ َ
‫والشمس تجري لمستقر‬
own that is laid down by the will of ِ ِ َ ْ
‫لها ذلك تقديرُ العزيز‬
ِ ْ َ َ َِ َ ّ
the Almighty, the All-Knowing; and
[in] the moon, for which We have ُ َْ ّ َ َ َ ْ َ ِ َِ ْ
‫العليم والقمرَ قدرناه‬
determined phases [which it must ِ‫منازل حتى عاد كالعرجون‬
ُ ْ ُ ْ َ َ َ َّ َ ِ ََ
traverse] till it becomes like an old
date-stalk, dried-up and curved: ‫القديم ل الشمس ينبغي‬
ِ َ َ ُ ْ ّ َ ِ ِ َ ْ
neither may the sun overtake the ََ َ َ َ ْ َ ِ ْ ُ َ َ َ
‫لها أن تدرك القمر ول‬
moon, nor can the night usurp the
time of day, since all of them orbit ‫الليل سابق النهار وكل في‬
ِ ّ ُ َ ِ َ ّ ُ ِ َ ُ ّْ
through space in accordance with َ‫فلك يسبحون‬
ُ َْ َ ٍ ََ
Our laws.

14. Cycles of ‫دورة الملك‬
power ( ‫) تداول اليام‬
3:140 If misfortune touches
you, [know that] similar ْ َ َ ٌ ْ َ ْ ُ ْ َ ْ َ ِ
‫إن يمسسكم قرح فقد‬
misfortune has touched
[other] people as well; for it ُ ُّْ ٌ ْ َ َ ْ َ ْ ّ َ
‫مس القوم قرح مثله‬
is by turns that We
apportion unto people such
َ َْ َ ُِ َ ُ ُ ّ َ َِْ
‫وتلك اليام نداولها بين‬
days ِ ّ
‫الناس‬
30:2-3 … 11 Defeated have
been the Byzantines in the ‫غلبت الروم في أ َدنى‬
َْ ِ ُ ّ ِ َُِ
lands close-by; yet it is they
who, notwithstanding this ‫ال َرض وهم من بعد‬
ِ ْ َ ّ ُ َ ِ ْ ْ
their defeat, shall be
victorious … GOD ‫غلبهم سيغلِبون في‬
ِ َ ُ ْ ََ ْ ِ ََِ
CREATES in the first
instance, and then brings ‫بضع سنين لله ال َمر‬
ُ ْ ْ ِ ِّ َ ِِ ِ ْ ِ
the creation forth anew ... ‫من قبل ومن بعد‬
ُ ْ َ ِ َ ُ َْ ِ
‫الله يبدأ ُ الخلق ثم‬
ّ ُ َ َْ ْ َ َْ ُ ّ

15. ‫تدريب: كيف يمكن أن‬
Q: What cycles do I ‫أوظف سنن الدورات في‬
deal with and how
can I utilize that? ‫عملي؟‬