ISLAM FOR BEGINNERS BRS 107.pdf - CUEA

commands and laws; 21 they are, indeed, measures of pressure. Those measures seemhelpful when their shadows are taken as realities-for example in the case of Osama binLaden. We are very much aware of the qualities of a good leader; Charles Keatingenumerates some:A leader must have an acute and accurate perception of the needs of the group, theability to judge and to determine its level of maturity in all dimensions of human life.Moreover he should have a close and interpersonal relationship with his followers,he initiates, regulates, informs, supports, evaluates, and summarizes. 22Who is able to carry out such duty in Islam and act according to the essence ofleadership? Anyway, this few lines are challenging as we try to understand leadership inIslam. Some scholarly works simply deny the existence of leadership in Islam perhapsbecause of the multitude shades that Islam brings to those who have even acquired amiddle view of Islam. They merely say that there is no leadership in Islam in comparisonto their various institutions like the Catholic Church since there is no Church reality inIslam; there is no Magisterium. This is merely a transfer of institutions or an adaptation ofCatholic social life to the Muslim’s. Is it not, indeed, a simplistic way of looking at things;this attitude which portrays a narrow view of Islam, does not do justice to Islam. Perhapsthis terminus could be tolerated only after we have analyzed the major Islamic texts mainlythe Qur’an and the Hadith, for there is certainly a kind of leadership in Islam which directsall the Muslims and keeps them together in Dar-l-Islam (The house of Islam) for more thanfourteen centuries. How could they have survived if there is none? Nevertheless if thereis any reality of leadership, what is its image, what is its color, height and size? How couldwe understand its organization?2. THE CONCEPT OF HUDAN (right guidance) IN THE QUR’ANIt is through the concept Hudan that we will attempt to comprehend leadership in theQur’an. In his “a dictionary of modern written arabic”, Hans wehr gives a clear definitionof the concept “hudan”. According to him, Hudan, in a religious sense means rightguidance, right way or true religion. So to be led or guided is to walk on the right way or to21 .Ibid, p.31.22 .Charles J. Keating, The leadership Book ( Toronto: Paulist Press, 1978), pp. 13-18.Frederic N. Mvumbi,OP Page 64 of 85