LEADERSHIP IN ISLAM, POLITICS AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

By Hon. Kayode Abdulwahab-Omotose PhD

There are three important concepts in this topic, which shall be defined to lay the precise and proper understanding of this paper. These are leadership, politics and national development.

Leadership is the ability to inspire and guide people towards the attainment of a common goal. A leader usually possesses the qualities of integrity, trustworthiness and respect from his followers. Politics is the authoritative allocation of values. This means that it is the government that will determine who gets what facilities, where, how and when. National development is the process of achieving social, economic and political upliftment of the society.

The Holy Prophet Mohammed and the four principal Caliphs that succeeded him, Sayyid na Abubakr, Umar, Usman and Ali gave perfect leadership to Islam. However, it suffices to mention that his great works were upheld with efficiency and effectiveness.

The 1st caliphate was successfully nourished by Sayyidna Abubakr and it was referred to as the Rashidun era. The headquarters was in Al-Madinah Al Munawarah. It was established by the Holy Prophet. It is situated in the present day Saudi Arabia. The second era was the Umayyad dynasty from 661-750 AD. At this period the city of Damascus, which is the capital of present day Syria, was the headquarters of Islam, where the Caliph lived. The remarkable thing at this time was that the religion of Islam expanded into North Africa, Europe and Central Asia. The 3rd caliphate was the Abbasid era. The headquarters was moved to the city of Baghdad, which is in the present day country, called Iraq. It lasted from 750-1258 CE. There were so many scientific accomplishments and advancements in philosophy. The 4th period was referred to as the Ottoman Empire. It existed from 1299-1924 CE. The headquarters of Islam moved to Constantinople, which is the city of Istanbul today, in Turkey.

The point to emphasise herein, was that good governance was dispensed because the Prophet and all his Caliphs ruled with the fear of God. They were accountable, fair, just, and equitable. They took decisions purely in the public interest. Programmes and policies were enunciated and implemented for the general welfare of the people. There was peace, progress, freedom from oppression and suppression. The leaders were disciplined as well as the followers.

At this juncture we must make reference to the fact that the principle of accountability and reckoning that was enshrined was the etiquette of HISAB in the Holy Quran. The word Hisab was used by Allah in the Holy Book, 13 times. Some of the places that it occurred were in Surah Al Anbiya (21), verse 47; ونضع’ الموازن القسط ليوم القيامة فلا تظلم نفس شيءا …..حاسبين ” Surah As Sajdah (32) verse 21-22;” ومن أظلم ممن ذكر ….. إنا من المجرمين منتقمين. ” Surah Al Hijr verse 92-93. ” فربك لنسءلنهم أجمعين. ” Similarly the Holy Prophet, in the Hadith reported by Bukhari and Muslim stated that:“Whosoever is given responsibility over something will be held accountable for it”. Furthermore, they also reported in another Hadith that: “ A leader is a guardian. And he will be held accountable for his wards”.

The principle of justice, equity, fairness and truthfulness, which was stated as ADL, QIST and HAQ was underlined by Allah 291 times in the Holy Quran. Among other portions, it was explicit in Surah Al Anam (6) verse 114-116; ” افغير الله أبتغي حكما…وان هم الا يحرصون ،” Surah An Anbiya (21) verse 47; ” ونضع الموازن القسط ليوم القيامة فلا تظلم نفس شيءا…”Surah Al Hadid (57) verse 25. “.لقد أرسلنا رسلنا بالبينات وانزلنا معهم الكتاب الميزات…..دد” The Hadith that supported this precept was related by Imam Al Tirmidhi when the Prophet said that : “A just ruler is a shadow of Allah on earth”. The principle of governance in the general interest of the public was reiterated 96 times in the Holy Quran. This was contained in Surah Al Nisa (22) verses 19 and 58 “.ان الله يأمركم ان تؤدوا الٱمانة الى اهلها … ” Surah Al Hajj (22) verse 37; “.لن يزال الله لحومها ولا دماؤها….و بشر المؤمنين “Surah Ar Rum (30) verse 48 ” الله الذي يرسل الرياح فتثير…إذا هم يستبشر ن “; Surah Al Araf (7) verse 9.” ومن خفت موازنه فأؤلءك الذين خسروا أنفسهم… ”

Similarly, among the numerous Hadiths that supported this assertion was related by Ahmad and Al Tirmidhi that the Prophet Mohammad said : “The best of you are those who are beneficial to others ”.

Now that we have laid the fundamentals, it is now auspicious to integrate leadership to politics and national development. Let me say that politics and the government is the super structure of any society. Whoever is in the government would take decisions that shall be binding on everyone irrespective of race, religion, ethnic nationality, gender and other factors or qualifications. Yorubas in the rich tradition maintained that: ‘Osi nibe, oso wipe won o pin dada. Koda ti oba wa nibe gan, won afe je e mon ogun’. (You are not in a place where they are dispensing opportunities and benefits, and you are complaining that they did not distribute the largesse well, when as a matter of fact, even when you are seated they could seek to cheat you of your heritage).

As young boys and girls trained in the best acts of Godliness, you have to be accountable, just, affair, equitable and act in the best interest of the public, I enjoin you participate in politics and governance. That is the avenue to be in the government and to lead well with the prescriptions of Allah. It is the government that determines the policies that will affect our social, economic, political and even the observance of our religious obligations. During the Covid 19 pandemic, inspite of the fact that it had minimal occurrence in this part of our country, the government said initially, that we Muslims should not open the mosques nor conduct the call to prayer for Salat. When it was relaxed after some weeks the government directed that we should not line up shoulder to shoulder during Salat congregations. Similarly, Christians were instructed not to open churches initially. And when it was relaxed, they were directed not to sit together. And all these directives were strictly observed. That is the power of the government.

During the regime of General Sani Abacha, the GSM network was billed to be launched in Nigeria because of our size and population. But General Abacha refused. He was myopic that his misdeeds would be instantaneously broadcast to all parts of the world. It was taken to South Africa. Uptill today our country is losing the economic benefits and pride as the giant of Africa for that directive by the government of that time. The point is that, it is the government that charts the path, including the availability of food and what we eat.

It means therefore that if good leaders were in the government the society will enjoy. And conversely, when bad people are left alone to lead misery, squalor, deprivation and other negative indices of governance shall reign supreme. Permit me to use the legendary words of Frantz Fanon in his book ‘The Wretched of the Earth’, that: “Evil will thrive when good men do nothing”. If good people run away from politics, governance and leadership, bad people will take over to misrule, misgovern and inflict misery on the citizenry. And all of us will continue to suffer. You must also remember that Allah said in Surah Ar Rad (13) verse 11 ” له معقبات من بين يديه ومن خلفه يحفظونه من أمر الله ان الله لايغير ما بقوم حتى يغير ما بأنفسهم…. ” Meaning : “Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves”. It is also quite exhilarating to reiterate the legendary motto of the best secondary school in the world Government Secondary School, Ilorin MAN JADA WA JADA (No Struggle No Success).

It is lamentable that recently the EFCC arrested the Chairman and Secretary of NAHCON, Alhaji Jalal Arabi and Alhaji Abdulahi Kontagofra for misappropriating #90 billion subsidy for 2024 Hajj. Infact, #131. 9 million was immediately recovered from them in the first instance.

Finally, I must remind you that in order to lead from the front, you must be properly educated and well read and certificated, emotionally stable and calm, transparent and diligent, trustworthy, humble, bold and courageous, confident and urbane with high integrity. As good Muslims from this young age, you have to be determined to lead and make Nigeria a golden place to live in. Politics is the super-structure of the state, the best men should be present to lead aright.

Maa Salam

Hon. Kayode Abdulwahab-Omotose PhD delivered the speech at the Jamaatul Nasril Firdaus colloquium.