The Leadership of Muhammad by John Adair

Author:John Adair [Adair, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kogan Page
Published: 2010-07-03T00:00:00+00:00

KEY POINTS

All humankind has passed – or is passing – through a period when the dominant institution of society is the tribe. This fact has given us innate preferences for certain characteristics in our leaders. We expect them, if they are to fulfil the generic role of leader, to be both competent and benevolent.

In the harsh conditions of Arabia it was necessary for leaders and followers to live and work together side by side. Therefore leadership was never hierarchical. A leader was among the people, not over them.

Ancestral leaders acquired their office and authority only with the approval of the people. If not elected by a show of hands or a secret ballot – as is the custom in modern democracies – they were still chosen from a number of eligible candidates.

Tribes needed to have one chief who was known to be the man in charge, the one with the chief authority. The principle of ‘unity of command’ is universal. An Arab proverb expresses it starkly thus: The ship that has two captains will sink.

No tribe ever knowingly chooses a man who is known to be morally bad to be its leader.

To ancient peoples, then, it was unthinkable that there should be no leaders. To be without leaders, to obey no one, is unworthy of man: it is to be like the animals, declares an old proverbial saying from Vietnam. Muhammad was insistent that there should always be a recognized leader, though oddly enough he failed to appoint a successor. Perhaps he trusted his companions to make the right choice.

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