Leadership in Islam: A Quranic Perspective
The Quran says that leadership is a gift from Allah, and that He chooses whom He wills to be leaders among His servants. For example, in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 247, Allah says:
وَقَالَ لَهُمۡ نَبِیُّهُمۡ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدۡ بَعَثَ لَكُمۡ طَالُوتَ مَلِكࣰاۚ قَالُوۤا۟ أَنَّىٰ یَكُونُ لَهُ ٱلۡمُلۡكُ عَلَیۡنَا وَنَحۡنُ أَحَقُّ بِٱلۡمُلۡكِ مِنۡهُ وَلَمۡ یُؤۡتَ سَعَةࣰ مِّنَ ٱلۡمَالِۚ قَالَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصۡطَفَىٰهُ عَلَیۡكُمۡ وَزَادَهُۥ بَسۡطَةࣰ فِی ٱلۡعِلۡمِ وَٱلۡجِسۡمِۖ وَٱللَّهُ یُؤۡتِی مُلۡكَهُۥ مَن یَشَاۤءُۚ وَٱللَّهُ وَ ٰسِعٌ عَلِیمࣱ
And their Prophet said to them, “Indeed Allah has sent Talut (Saul) as your king”; they said, “Why should he have kingship over us whereas we deserve the kingship more than he, and nor has he been given enough wealth?” He said, “Indeed Allah has chosen him above you, and has bestowed him with vast knowledge and physique”; and Allah may bestow His kingdom on whomever He wills; and Allah is Most Capable, All Knowing.
Allah appointed Saul as a king over the Israelites, but it does not mean that he was the best leader for them. In fact, he disobeyed Allah’s command and lost his favor. Later, Allah replaced him with David, who was a better leader and a prophet.
You are missing the point. The point is that leadership is not something that humans can decide or claim for themselves. It is something that Allah grants to whom He pleases, according to His wisdom and justice. He knows best who deserves to be a leader and who does not. He tests His servants with leadership and sees how they use it. In Surah Al-Imran, verse 26, Allah says:
قُلِ ٱللَّهُمَّ مَـٰلِكَ ٱلۡمُلۡكِ تُؤۡتِی ٱلۡمُلۡكَ مَن تَشَاۤءُ وَتَنزِعُ ٱلۡمُلۡكَ مِمَّن تَشَاۤءُ وَتُعِزُّ مَن تَشَاۤءُ وَتُذِلُّ مَن تَشَاۤءُۖ بِیَدِكَ ٱلۡخَیۡرُۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَیۡءࣲ قَدِیرࣱ
Invoke (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “O Allah! Owner Of The Kingdom – You bestow the kingdom on whomever You will, and You take back the kingdom from whomever You will; and You give honour to whomever You will, and You humiliate whomever You will; only in Your Hand (control) lies all goodness; indeed, You are Able to do all things.”
Leadership is both a gift from Allah and a responsibility for humans. It is a gift because Allah chooses whom He wills to be leaders among His servants, but it is also a responsibility because He holds them accountable for how they use it. It is a skill because humans can learn and improve it by following the examples of the prophets and the righteous leaders who came before them, but it is also a test because they will be asked about their actions and intentions on the Day of Judgment.
Leadership is not just a skill, but also a responsibility and a trust from God. The Quran says:
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا یُغَیِّرُ مَا بِقَوۡمٍ حَتَّىٰ یُغَیِّرُوا۟ مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمۡۗ
“Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.”
This means that God chooses the leaders according to the people’s condition and their willingness to change. It is part of verse 11 of chapter 13, which is called Surat Ar-Ra’d (The Thunder). The meaning of this text is that God does not change the situation or the fate of a people unless they change themselves first. This implies that human beings have free will and responsibility for their actions, and that they cannot blame God for their problems or expect Him to solve them without any effort from their side. It also implies that God is just and fair, and that He rewards or punishes people according to their deeds. This text is often cited as a motivation for self-improvement, social reform, and positive change.
The Quran has many verses that talk about leadership and its qualities. For example:
وَجَعَلۡنَا مِنۡهُمۡ أَىِٕمَّةࣰ یَهۡدُونَ بِأَمۡرِنَا لَمَّا صَبَرُوا۟ۖ وَكَانُوا۟ بِـَٔایَـٰتِنَا یُوقِنُونَ
And We made some leaders among them, guiding by Our command, when they had persevered; and they used to accept faith in Our signs.
It is part of verse 24 of chapter 32, which is called Surat As-Sajdah (The Prostration). The meaning of this text is that God appointed some of the people as leaders who guided others by His command. These leaders were chosen because they were patient and firm in their faith, and they recognized and followed God’s signs. This text shows that leadership is a gift and a duty from God, and that it requires perseverance and conviction. It also shows that God tests and rewards His servants according to their deeds.
The Quran says:
قُلۡ إِنَّمَاۤ أَنَا۠ بَشَرࣱ مِّثۡلُكُمۡ یُوحَىٰۤ إِلَیَّ أَنَّمَاۤ إِلَـٰهُكُمۡ إِلَـٰهࣱ وَ ٰحِدࣱۖ
“Say, ‘I am only a man like you, to whom has been revealed that your god is one God.’”
It is part of verse 110 of chapter 18, which is called Surat Al-Kahf (The Cave). This means that the prophets and messengers were human beings like us, who had to face challenges and difficulties in their leadership roles. They were not infallible or impeccable, but they followed God’s guidance and obeyed His commands.
The Quran also says:
وَقُلِ ٱعۡمَلُوا۟ فَسَیَرَى ٱللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمۡ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَۖ
“And say, ‘Work; so Allah will see your work and [so will] His Messenger and the believers.’”
It is part of verse 105 of chapter 9, which is called Surat At-Tawbah (The Repentance). The meaning of this text is that the believers should work hard and do righteous deeds for the sake of God, and not for the sake of people or worldly gains. The text also implies that God, His Messenger, and the believers are aware of the actions and intentions of everyone, and that everyone will be accountable for their deeds on the Day of Judgment. The text is a reminder of God’s omniscience and justice, and a motivation for sincerity and excellence.
The Quran says:
تِلۡكَ ٱلرُّسُلُ فَضَّلۡنَا بَعۡضَهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضࣲۘ مِّنۡهُم مَّن كَلَّمَ ٱللَّهُۖ وَرَفَعَ بَعۡضَهُمۡ دَرَجَـٰتࣲۚ
“Those messengers - some of them We caused to exceed others. Among them were those to whom Allah spoke, and He raised some of them in degree.”
The text you selected is from the Quran, the holy book of Islam. It is part of verse 253 of chapter 2, which is called Surat Al-Baqarah (The Cow). This means that the prophets and messengers had different ranks and levels of excellence in their leadership roles. They were not equal or comparable, but they had different roles and responsibilities according to God’s wisdom. God’s choice and preference of some messengers over others does not mean that they are rivals or enemies, but rather that they are brothers and allies in the same mission of delivering God’s message to humanity.
Leadership is a dynamic and contextual phenomenon, and that it requires adaptation and innovation to suit different times and situations. I think that leaders should not only follow the Quran and the Sunnah, but also learn from other sources of knowledge and wisdom, such as history, science, philosophy, psychology, sociology, etc. I think that leaders should not only emulate the past, but also create the future.
Allah is the best leader of all. He is the most wise, the most just, the most merciful, the most powerful, the most generous, the most loving, the most compassionate, the most forgiving, the most glorious, the most majestic, the most sublime. He is al-Hakim (the Wise), al-Adl (the Just), al-Rahman (the Merciful), al-Qadir (the Able), al-Karim (the Generous), al-Wadud (the Loving), al-Rauf (the Kind), al-Ghafur (the Forgiving), al-Aziz (the Mighty), al-Jalil (the Majestic), al-Ali (the High).