New Literature for a New Era

(18)

LEADERSHIP IS DESTINY

But here is a most important truth about leadership.

Regardless of whether leadership is a personality trait or a set of skills, whether it is a one-size-fits-all type or a separate leader for separate tasks, the fact is that human beings – individuals, groups, organizations, communities, nations and peoples – need leadership.

Without leadership, they are lost. Without leadership they cannot exist or operate effectively.

As a result, it is fair to say that for a group, organization, community, nation, society or people, leadership is often destiny.

Decisions made and actions taken by people in positions of power, authority and leadership – including the decisions they do not make and the actions they fail to take – can as easily destroy a family unit or local group or a corporation as they can jeopardize the security of a nation or the welfare of a people or a society.

On the other hand, decisions and actions by the leadership can result in joy and success, peace and prosperity for the people.

Good leadership, thus, can bring success and progress, while bad leadership can lead to disaster, destruction, disgrace, even death.

For example, the decision by President Saddam Hussein of Iraq to invade Kuwait and then take on the military might of the United States and its allies precipitated the Gulf War in 1991 and resulted in the death of tens of thousands of Iraqis.

Earlier, Mr. Hussein’s decision, encouraged and supported by other world leaders and powers, to invade Iran resulted in the death and maiming of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi and Iranian soldiers and civilians.

On the other hand, the decision by American revolutionaries over two centuries earlier, to break away from the British resulted in the formation of the United States and the rising of a new major power in the world. While the decision by Abraham Lincoln to stand up to the secessionists in the South, saved the Union (United States) from breaking up, though not without a bloody Civil War that resulted in the death of tens of thousands of Americans.

Leadership, large or small, can, thus, have a decisive role in matters of life and death for individuals, groups, organizations and societies.

While good leadership could help to produce the most wonderful results, bad leadership is like a bad marriage.

Unless fixed in time, it can destroy everything: home, children, marriage partners and the marriage itself.

Leadership, therefore, is often destiny, whether it is for an individual, group, organization, nation or society.

(19)

HOLDING LEADERSHIP ACCOUNTABLE

Hence…

It is important to watch, monitor, scrutinize, analyze and evaluate leadership on a systematic, persistent and continuing basis.

And to hold leadership accountable.

To hold it accountable for its words as well as for its deeds.

For its ideas and utterances as well as for its actions and performance.

For its decisions and accomplishments.

For its methods, results, products and outputs.

For its successes and failures.

For its insights and errors.

This is particularly true in the case of Muslims.

For, Islam is an accountability-based system at every step and in every aspect of human life, both individual and collective.

“Whoever sees something wrong happening, that person should set it right by hand,” says the Prophet, Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam.

“Should that not be possible, that person must speak out against that wrong.”

“And should even that not be possible, that person then must resent that wrong in his or her own heart. Someone who believes in God cannot do anything less.”

The fundamental concept of public responsibility could hardly be stated in a more clear, forceful or sweeping manner.

Leadership needs to be held accountable for what it does and does not do.

For what it accomplished and did not accomplish.

And why?

And how?

Why did it do or not do, accomplish or failed to accomplish, whatever it is said to have done or not done?

And how exactly did it go about it all?

How do we know?

Using what sources of information?

What are the credentials of those sources?

And what is their credibility?

How were these methods and operations arrived at? The methods and operations the leadership used?

Who decided on them?

Using what procedures of debate, discussion, choice, vote, election, consultation and participation?

Using what particular methods of what is referred to in Islamic culture as Shoora?

And what in the West is generally referred to as the democratic process?

Here are some thoughts and pointers on how to do precisely that – on how to hold leadership accountable.

That is what this book is about: teaching ourselves how to hold leadership accountable.

Even the litany of excuses and the rhetoric of rationalizations remain the same.

Time after time.

Day after day.

In case after case.

In situation after situation.

END OF LEADERSHIP PART ONE

© 2003 Syed Husain Pasha

Dr. Pasha is an educator and scholar of exceptional 
talent, training and experience. He can be reached at DrSyedPasha [at] 
AOL [dot] com or www.IslamicSolutions.com.

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