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THE IDEAL
LEADERSHIP (PART 4)
By Marhum Ahmed H Sheriff
LEADER’S MISUSE OF
POSITION UNACCEPTABLE
One of the main
subjects on which the dailies these days present to us fresh news of our
morning reading is the ever-increasing cases of fraud and corruption. Be
they committed by individuals or by those in high positions in public
institutions, the news are indeed sickening for honest readers. It makes
one wonder if in our midst of generation of thugs and crooks is being
allowed to grow up. So daring have those involved become that the
amounts of funds or properties disappearing run into millions of
shillings (or dollars or pounds).
This subject would
appear more appalling and tragic when one observes that those involved
are men in high public positions, those relied upon and entrusted with
the job of safeguarding public properties. Let us view this question in
the light of past Islamic history and may be we get an idea of the
causes behind this scourge and possible solution for it.
By the time Ali bin
Abi Talib (as) was implored upon by the Muslim Ummah to accept to accept
the Caliphate and when he reluctantly did so, there had existed a state
of widespread corrupt practices. Even some of the governors and
commissioners in the Islamic state had succumbed to temptations of
misuse of public properties. Ali bin Abi Talib (as) embarked upon
eradicating all sorts of corrupt practices in his administration as he
strived day and night to establish an Islamic rule of social justice
free of frauds and nepotism. In his letter to a commissioner of some
area, he wrote:
“I have been given to understand that you have taken possession of state
lands and that you have not only brought them under personal use but
have also misappropriated government money. Will you immediately send
detailed accounts (about both the items).Remember the reckoning of the
Lord (on the Day of Judgement) is far more severe than an audit which
man can carry out.”
How imperative it
is for leaders and heads of institutions to keep a look out for cases of
frauds and misappropriation and be ready to demand accounts and
explanation from those responsible is what we learn from the foregoing.
This could only be done effectively by those who have clean hands and
maintain straight records themselves. In the eyes of Ali (as) more than
the human audit and scrutiny is the fear of Allah and His reckoning and
chastisement in after life that is effective in checking human misdeeds.
Hence his repeated mention of this in his sayings, sermons and letters
to his officers and people. The fact is that unless man is made to
inculcate in his mind the fear of his Lord and conviction about the
severe accounting before Him one day to come, he could hardly be
expected to exercise self-control over his actions. Again to one of his
provincial governors who ran away with public treasury, he wrote this:
“You
invaded the public treasury and you looted as much as was possible the
money which was reserved for old, widows, orphans and the poor. In this
plunder, your action was so quick, so nimble and so effective that it
resembled the action of a very active and weary wolf attacking and
snatching away a wounded and helpless goat. You have with pleasure sent
this looted wealth to Hijaz.”
From the foregoing,
it is evident that Ali bin Abi Talib (as) was drawing attention to those
in high public positions, that they should not lose sight of the fact
that any misuse of public funds is in fact directly or indirectly from
funds reserved for the upliftment of the poor of whom some could be
orphans and widows as well. How would they like others to misappropriate
properties belonging to their own widows or orphans when they were no
more alive in this mortal world? Again in expressing the resemblance of
such people with a wolf snatching away a wounded helpless goat, the Imam
was in fact exposing their extreme cruelty and lack of sense of humanity
and sympathy over the weak and poor.
Thus we see that
the scourge of misuse of positions and frauds in one form or the other
to have been in existence even in olden times. Man is so greedy and
hasty in his desire to grow rich overnight as if it were his main aim of
life. Unless he is provided with high moral education and his mind is
effectively inculcated with fear of Allah, with conviction of his having
to account for his deeds and misdeeds, no other method could be more
effective to check his actions. Those engaged in fraudulent practices
for amassing wealth forget that in the end they are the losers as the
natural law of ‘tit for tat’ works its way. Easy comes easy goes as the
saying goes, the illicitly acquired wealth irrespective of hardship
caused to others does not last nor does it provide true happiness.
What
is essentially needed today is effective moral education with regular
lessons on ethics to be introduced in schools. Similarly moral awakening
through lectures and seminars in public institutions need be given
paramount importance. Let leaders of every department in public
institutions also set examples by their upright character and honest
efficient services for the welfare of the public.
Readers are requested to recite
suratul-Fatiha for the thawaab of Marhum Ahmed H Sheriff.\
Released by:
Mulla Mujaheedali Sheriff
mulla@almahdi.org.uk |