Leadership in Islam Perspective: The Significant of Women Leadership

Imam Bukhari reports that Abu Bakrah quoted the prophet (S.A.W) said regarding the incident of the Persians when they had appointed Chosroe's daughter as their ruler, which is said: ''A nation which placed its affairs in the hands of a woman shall never prosper!'' Literally, we will understand that Islam does not recognize women as a leader based on this hadith. However, we must aware that according to Islamic Worldview, the main sources are Quran, Hadith, ijma and Qiyas by appointed scholars. Thus, we need to consider all the input from all the sources before we jump to a conclusion. Hence, this article shall discuss the perspectives of all the sources regarding the significant of women leadership in Islam. It will start with delineation of the word Leader and Leadership to the digestion of the meaning semantically based on Quran, Hadith, ijma and Qiyas. This is to ensure the discussion will not be rigid, rhetoric and literal. Towards the end, we shall conceive the perspective of Islam regarding the significant of women leadership in the community. Leadership comes from word leader which basically derive from word Lead, meaning the one that leads or guides or who is in charge or in command of others. Therefore, Leadership can be defined as a process of organizing a group of people to achieve a common goal. In addition, Leadership flows from the core of a personality and cannot be taught, although it may be learnt and may be enhanced through coaching or mentoring. Therefore, leadership and leader differs each other by this point of view. Leadership is a quality which comes from a leader but not every leader has the quality which is leadership. Hence, those leaders without leadership are actually playing the role of managers. So, we need to justify the differentiation between leader, which plays as managers in management and leadership through the role their played and how it is related to the significant of women leadership in Islam. According to Davis, Leadership is the ability to persuade others to seek defined objectives enthusiastically. It is the human factor which binds a group together and motivates them toward their goals. Management activities such as planning, organizing and decision making are tools in accomplishing his mission when he triggered the power of motivation in people and guides them toward their goals. Leadership stresses that a leader is more than just a

manager. Warren Bennis, a leadership expert, summarizes the distinction between leadership and management as follows: The difference between managers and leaders is fundamental. The manager administers, the leader innovates. The manager maintains the organization while the leader develops the organization. The manager relies on systems but the leader relies on his people. The manager counts on control while the leader counts on trust. The manager does things right compare to the leader who does the right thing.

An organization with good management, but poor leadership will preserve the status quo, but may not be able to advance to a higher level of performance. An organization that has an excellent leader, but nobody with good management skills may aspire to great heights, but will crash suddenly because there is no one to follow through. In modern Islamic organizations, both leaders and managers are needed. Leaders can reframe experience to open new possibilities whilst managers can provide a sense of perspective and order so that the new possibilities become reality. These differences of leaders and managers are the main points in focusing of women leadership in Islam. There are no researches yet that prove on woman disabilities to motivate group of people to achieve their goal. Women are still in the position of consideration to be selected as leader as long as she proves that she has the leadership quality.

Is it they who would portion out the Mercy of your Lord? It is we who portion out between them their livelihood in the life of this world: and we raise some of them above others in ranks so that some may command work from others. But the Mercy of your Lord is better than the (wealth) which they amass Surah Al- Zukhruuf : 32

The verse above stated that God had selected some of us to be leaders and was not mention neither the leaders shall be a man or a woman. As long as the leaders are capable of carrying leaders responsibilities, we must follow and obeyed the leaders. Another Quran verse that stated leaders responsibilities are as follows:

And We made them Imams(leaders) who guided (people) by Our command, and We revealed to them the doing of good and the keeping up of prayer and the giving of the alms, and Us (alone) did they serve Surah Al-Anbiyaa : 73

Thus, as long as women are capable in carrying those responsibilities, there should be no doubts to appoint them as leaders. Islam is well known as the religion which brings up women status quo as everybody is equal in the eyes of God. Recent years, more women have appeared on the international arena as successful political leaders. This tendency shows that women have the same leadership abilities as men and can successfully perform as Presidents and Prime Ministers. This trend is a good sign for leadership in the world which can be interpreted as a great step towards equal opportunities and the ability of public to overcome prejudices against women abilities to lead and rule.

Women leadership abilities are formed under the influence of individual characteristics. It is concerned with a particular course of action in preference to others and why they continue with a chosen action over a long period when facing difficulties and problems. It is admitted that women leaders are "more likely to be transformational leaders, defined as those who serve as role models, mentor and empower workers and encourage innovation even when the organization they lead is generally successful" (Evanston, 2005). Leadership requires many of

the characteristics common to all leaders, but also requires special abilities to manage any organization in today's rapidly changing environment. Most women leaders impose greater ability to motivate and inspire followers in order to achieve optimal goals, including Muslims women. Thus, women leadership in Islam is very important as pessimistic ideology against Islam had increased around the world swiftly. Women leadership creates a new dimension of Islam images as women can be described as more tolerant, motherly instinct and full of love. Women presidents, prime ministers, and heads of state have commanded powerful nations throughout history. Great historical leaders include Cleopatra VII of Egypt, Queen Isabel I of Spain, Queen Elizabeth I of Great Britain, Catherine the Great of Russia, Empress Dowager Tzus-his of China, and others" (Boyd, 2002). The most famous women of all times is Margaret Thatcher who proved the image of an "iron lady" able to compete with men on the political arena. Being an excellent example of an ideal female leader Margaret Thatcher possesses such features as vision of the future and personal charisma (Margaret Thatcher, 2005).

However, conservatives Muslims still rejecting women as leaders based on the Quran verse below. They stressed that women can only be a leader in the absence of men. Conservative Muslims frequently quote this verse to propagate the view that a man is the head of the Muslim family and that a woman may never take charge of men. They extended the role of man as leader and woman as follower within the family to the public sphere. They appointed that men are the managers of the affairs of women because God has made men superior to women. In dispute of preference of males over females does not restrict the family relationship but applies it to society at large. Though the verse is clearly stated on both genders roles, the condition of in the absence can be interpreted in more rationale ways. It is a clear cut in family issue in the absence of men, the women then take charges. If it brings up wider to community, its become more complicated. As a matter of fact, as long as women capable to prove that they are in position to lead the community compare to mens candidates, then they should be the leader. War of camel between Saidina Ali (the fourth Caliph) and Aishah (prophets wife) started when Islam community felt that Saidina Ali was incapable to revenge Saidina Uthmans death. Conservative Muslims conclude that Aishahs defeat in the war was a proved that women leadership will never prosper, it does not making any sense. Prophet

(S.A.W) himself also lost in Uhud war and it did not ambiguous Prophet (S.A.W) credibility as great leader. It is definitely a classic fallacy to conclude that women cannot be a leader based on Aishahs lost.

"Men are the protectors and maintainers of women, because Allah has made one of them to excel the other, and because they spend from their means. Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient and guard in the husband's absence what Allah orders them to guard."

Surah An-Nisa: 34

This view opposes any possibility of female leadership as it claims the Quran prefers men as leaders both within the family and within society. On the other hand, fundamentalists such as Sayyid Qutb restrict the applicability of the verses to the family. He upholds that as men provide for women, they earn the privilege of being in charge of women within the relationship. Even some people concede that men are the leaders within the family even though they argue women can be leaders at the same time. In the other hand, some Muslims reject the idea that the Quran relegates women to an inferior position within the family or society. They defined what God has given to men as inheritance is for seeing that the woman is not burdened with additional responsibilities which jeopardize that demanding responsibility that she can fulfill. Ideally, everything she needs to fulfill her primary responsibility comfortably should be supplied

in society, by the male which means physical protection as well as material sustenance. Therefore, it is still not denying women rights as a leader in community.

The verse above also stated that men as the head of families are meant to be leaders. Hence, adaptation to the verse, men also should be selected as the community leader. However, under certain circumstance which stated on the second part of the verse, women are eligible to conduct leaders responsibility in the absence of men. Therefore, the significant of women leadership is beyond reasonable doubts. In addition, Quran tells a story of Queen Balqis during the life of King Solomon as evidence on women leadership. Anyone who reads those verses can see that they refer to a people who prospered under a wise and powerful female ruler. It is also refuted the conservatives opinion by the compelling evidence of history. England prospered under Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth I and Russia under Catherine the Great. We may now conclude that gender is not a factor for great leadership and Islam definitely not against women leadership. It is evident that different scholars have interpreted this hadith in different ways. It is also evident, that strictly on the basis of truth-claims, the assertion that a particular position on this matter is more "Islamic" and more presumptuous. As mentioned earlier, there are other dimensions for evaluating cognitive propositions. A Muslim who accepts the essentially inferior status of woman by divine decree and sees nothing wrong with her public status is not despise to accept the interpretation which precludes her from political leadership. Yet this choice is to him "Islamic" because it conforms to his concepts of the Islamic position on gender relations. Another Muslim who sees Islam as an emancipating and democratic faith accepts an interpretation which validates and concurs with his own subjective worldview. He rejects the traditional interpretation only because he considers the subjection of women in historical deviation and the evanescent feature of a society whom striving to attain glory to its true potential. In conclusion, women leadership is still significant around the world and especially in Islam community. There has never been agreement on this matter among scholars. According to Abdullah Ibn Umar from Sahih Bukhari, every person is the shepherd of a flock, and occupies a position of leadership. He reported that the Messenger of God (S.A.W) said, Behold each of you is a

guardian and each of you will be asked about his subjects. Islam recognizes every individual as a leader / manager and each one of them is responsible on its matter. Islam did not differentiate any gender specifically as a leader. Therefore, Islamic Worldview sees a community as a pack of family from the concept of brotherhood which then forms a country. Both men and women have to work together in the same ship and sail together to same destination. Anyone of them that is able to motivate the crew to keep on sailing through variance obstacles should be leader, either male or female. Different person has different ways to tackle a situation and the best solution wins. It is
possible to say that female leadership proves the fact that the Islam needed new image vision and novelty brought by women especially after September 11 incidents. Recent years, global population is looking for leaders who are willing to give it all and female leaders are able to join strong leadership skills with female nature. Women leadership is the best process currently available for improving political effectiveness . The design retains needed principles from the traditional system; incorporates political principles, and builds a new system that works to accomplish overall objectives. The importance is that the process of effective leadership will be of importance in the future. With a female leaders and transformational leadership, Islam will be "equipped" with the necessary and proper tools to successfully perform on the international arena and succeed on the national basis. Therefore, women leadership is significant in Muslims community nowadays. The Malays quoted that The hand which hold on cradle also able to hold the world.

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