Leadership lessons from Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H)

Shareef AP

Leadership: Definition

The ability of a superior to influence the

behavior of subordinates and persuade them

to follow a particular course of action.

(Chester Barnard – 1938)

Pioneers in leadership studies

• Chester Irving Barnard (November 7, 1886 – June 7, 1961) was an American business executive, public administrator, and the author of pioneering work in management theory and organizational studies. His landmark 1938 book, The Functions of the Executive, sets out a theory of organization and of the functions of executives in organizations. The book has been widely assigned in university courses in management theory and organizational sociology.

• Warren Bennis: American scholar, organizational consultant and author, widely regarded as a pioneer of the contemporary field of Leadership Studies. Bennis is University Professor and Distinguished Professor of Business Administration and Founding Chairman of The Leadership Institute at the University of Southern California.

• James McGregor Burns: Presidential biographer, authority on leadership studies, Woodrow Wilson Professor (emeritus) of Political Science at Williams College, and scholar at the James McGregor Burns Academy of Leadership at the University of Maryland, College Park. He received a Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award in 1971 for his Roosevelt: The Soldier of Freedom 1940–1945.

• Peter Drucker: Writer, management consultant, and self-described “social ecologist.” Widely considered to be the father of “modern management,” his 39 books and countless scholarly and popular articles explored how humans are organized across all sectors of society—in business, government and the nonprofit world.

• Barry Z. Posner: Dean of the Leavey School of Business as well as a Professor of Leadership at Santa Clara University.

• Stephen R. Covey: An international respected leadership authority, author of Principle Centered Leadership, Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, and The 8th Habit. Founder and vice chairman of Franklin Covey Company.

• Victor Vroom: Business school professor at the Yale School of Management. Vroom's primary research was on the expectancy theory of motivation, which attempts to explain why individuals choose to follow certain courses of action in organizations, particularly in decision-making and leadership. His most well-known books are Work and Motivation, Leadership and Decision Making, and The New Leadership. Vroom has also been a consultant to a number of corporations such as GE and American Express.

Qualities of a good leader

Honest

Forward‐looking

Inspiring

Loyal

Broad‐minded

Cooperative

Courageous

Supportive

Straightforward

Simplicity

Honest

Prophet (PBUH) was called Al- Ameen in his childhood.

He was an acceptable personality to all, even for the enemies of Islam.

Quraish entrusted to him the role of placing Hajarul Aswad during reconstruction of the Ka'ba.

Prophet (P.B.U.H) trained his disciples for the world hereafter.

Stones were thrown on holy body by the people of Thwaif, but prophet did not take revenge. If at least one of them comes to Islam.

Forward‐looking

Inspiring

Great people who went to different parts of the world for propagating Islam were inspired by prophet (PBUH)

Search for knowledge even if it is in china

loyal

A Madinan, Ibad Bin Sharjil, was once starving. He entered an orchard and picked some fruit. The owner of the orchard gave him a sound beating and stripped off his clothes. The poor man appealed to the Prophet (peace be upon him) who remonstrated the owner thus: “This man was ignorant, you should have dispelled his ignorance; he was hungry, you should have fed him.” His clothes were restored to the Madinan and, in addition, some grain was given to him (Abu Dawud, Kitabul Jihad).

Broad‐minded

The incident of Jewish guest who came to prophet’s home is a best example .

He was turned to a believer due to prophet’s broad-mindedness

Cooperative

Treaty of Hudaibiyya

A great mile stone in Prophet’s History

Reaching in consensus without bloodshed.

Compromising to Quraish.

Courageous

Once, when he (PBUH) was resting under a tree, an a’arabi came and took Prophet’s sword which was hanging on the tree in his hand. He then asked prophet (PBUH) “who will protect you from me now”?. Prophet said “Allah”. A’arabi shivered and sword fell down. Prophet PBUH now took the sword in his hand asked the same to A’arabi. He answered

“ none can rescue me”

Supportive

I and one who protects orphans is like this.

Then prophet raised his (PBUH) two fingers.

“Have patience, Yasser’s family, you are promised Paradise”

Straight-forward

Never compromised on ideology.He (PBUH) was offered what ever he needs if he is

ready to withdraw his(PBUH) argument that “I’m the holy prophet of Almighty to ” . Wealth, woman, power or anything.

“I swear to Allah that even if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left hand in return for leaving this message, I will not until Allah grants us victory or I die first!”

Simplicity

Aa’isha(R), Muhammad’s (Peace be upon him) wife, said, “The mattress of the Prophet (Peace be upon him), on which he slept, was made of leather stuffed with the fiber of the date-palm tree.”

Despite his responsibilities as a prophet, a teacher, a statesman, and a judge, Muhammad (Peace be upon him) used to milk his goat, mend his clothes, repair his shoes, help with the household work, and visit poor people when they got sick. He also helped his companions.

References

• Functions of an executive: Chester Bernard

• Leadership lessons from the life of Rasoolullah:Mirza Yawar Baig

• Swaheehul Bukhari.