You want good leaders, but are you prepared to follow them?

The Realization 

A realization dawned on me recently. I was sitting in a meeting for one of many Islamic organizations that I am involved with. The elders in the organization praised the new young leader and said they were happy to have him as one of their leaders.

Then the new leader held them accountable for work they were not doing and set an ultimatum. The elders began to grumble, some walked out, others muttered to each other about how young people how no respect. Others said they have been doing things their way for years and are not going to change to suit this new young leader. At the end of the day, there was no compliance.

I know what happens next, I’ve seen it happen in cycles for years. The young leader begins to realize that nobody takes him seriously, and eventually he burns out. Then he resigns. The elders then tell him that he was doing a great job, and they will miss him, and they give him an applause as he leaves. Then a new young leader is appointed, and the cycle repeats itself over and over again.

I realized that day that many organizations are stuck in a cycle. I also realized that everybody wants someone else to lead, but nobody wants to follow. In this lies one of our biggest challenges as an ummah, who is ready to follow the leaders?

So you want good leaders?

So you really want good leaders? Or do you just want someone else being held responsible for your mistakes? Understand this very well: If you want a good leader, you need to be ready to follow him even when you disagree with him!

This reminds me of a quotation attributed to Ali Ibn Abi Talib (Allah be pleased with him). When he was the Caliph, there was a lot of turmoil. Someone questioned his leadership and said such turmoil didn’t occur in the time of Abu Bakr and Umar. To this, Ali is reported to have replied, “This is because they had followers like me, and I have followers like you,” This shows us that the quality of the followers is just as important as the quality of the leader.

We spend so much time talking about the qualities of leaders, we forget to discuss the other side of the equation: every good leader needs good followers in order to succeed. So let’s take a step back and talk about what are the qualities of a good follower in Islam.

1. Obedience

There is no point appointing a leader, if nobody is willing to follow the leader. Leaders need followers, and as Muslims, we must follow our appointed leaders in all that is permissible, even when we disagree with them. It is this last point that many of us fall short off. We only follow the leader when he agrees with us. At that point, you need to ask yourself, am I trying to lead the leader?

The rule is simple: if someone is appointed as leader of a group, then his decisions should be respected and followed, unless he calls for something that is haraam. If you are not willing to follow him when you disagree, why select him as a leader?

2. Humility

We always talk about humility as a quality of good leaders, and that is true. Yet humility is also crucial in followers. If the leader is humble and his followers are arrogant, they could potentially walk all over him and take over. Humility is an essential quality of every believer, whether you are in a position of leadership or not. Be humble, always.

3. Shuraa and Naseeha

It is the duty of wise followers to advice the leader and partake in group discussions. However, at the end of the day, we should respect the leader’s decision, even if it goes against our advice, as long as the leader isn’t calling towards Haraam. Advice, discuss, then respect the decision. That is how Shuraa is supposed to work.

4. Not obeying in Haraam

This point is simple. If the leader calls for something which is prohibited, then you should not obey him and should remind him that it is prohibited. This rule is so fundamental that it is better to lose a job because of such disobedience than to commit haraam in order to please your boss.

5. Following, even when you disagree

As stated above in the first and third point, it needs repeating and emphasizing. This is where so many Islamic organizations fall apart, when people’s egos stop them from following orders, because the leader didn’t choose his opinion. Swallow your pride and follow through. There is a reason he is in the leadership position, as he may have experience and wisdom that you do not have.

6. Respect and politeness

Be politely and respect everybody. Manners are an essential part of our faith, so never forget your manners.

7. Dua and seeking forgiveness

Pray for Allah to always guide those in leadership positions to make the best choices, and ask Allah to forgive them and us for our shortcomings. They will make mistakes, so do you. Ask for their forgiveness, as you ask for your own.

8. Being a team player

It may seem cool to be rebellious and sarcastic, but it is not Islamic and it causes instability in your organization. be approachable, friendly, vision-focused, and flexible. Stay focused on fulfilling the vision of the organization even when you disagree with the route. At the end of the day, we are all working towards the same goal, so let’s function like a real team and stay focused.

In order for this ummah to succeed, we do need great leaders but we also need an ummah that is vision-focused and humble enough to follow the leaders. If we want things to change, let’s start with ourselves. Be the kind of team player you would like others to be if you were in a leadership position.

May Allah bless this ummah with strong leaders, sincere followers, and a clear path to revival in every way.

Check out our eBook Store for exclusive Islamic eBooks