Introduction
In our era when majority have abdicated the purpose of creation, their mission and goal on earth, when human beings have become negligent of their salvation, jettisoned and abandoned the divine guidance, when majority have rather adopted godlessness, wrong parenting, political mediocrity, indiscipline, corruption, wickedness and all forms of wrong doings as ways of life, there is no matter of concern more imperative to be addressed than leadership in the human society. Given the indicators of the troubling failures of our society and the daunting challenges faced by the righteous ones who realize what should be done, it is in order to critically examine what has gone wrong with the expected credible leadership that ought to determine and tailor the affairs of citizens in the right course. To do justice to this, it is required that the meaning of the terms, credible leadership, politics, political dispensation, and the Nigeria State are explained. Other related questions to be asked and answered, include what is the distinction between the Islamic leadership and the secular leadership? Is it right or wrong for Muslims to participate in the secular leadership?
Leadership is the act of leading or the ability to lead while the term lead means to direct; to counsel; to show; to influence; to instruct someone or some people using authority towards attaining certain goal(s) which is/are supposedly a righteous course or interests of any sorts. In other words, leadership is a way of guiding conducts of people towards achieving certain goals.
The goal of Islamic leadership is attainment of peace for all and this is reflected in the name, Islam which is derived from ‘salim’ or ‘aslama’ which means submission and ‘salam’ which means peace. In other words, when we submit to the divine will or directives wielded by the Islamic leadership, peaceful living is attained. Coincidentally, the last lines of the first and second stanzas of the Nigeria national anthem reflect the ideality of leadership in the statements: “One nation bound in freedom, peace and unity” and “To build a nation where peace and justice shall reign”. It is however one thing to reflect the ideal theoretically, but it is another thing to act it (the ideal) realistically.
Politics is public decision making among people of varying interests. The decision made is biased as some people’s interests are favoured at the expense of some other people’s interests that are not favoured. Politics is the tool by which government is carried out in any society while government is the control of people via the elements of politics such as influence, power and authority. Political dispensation has to do with the governance that prevails in the community of a people at a particular period.
While this lecture is therefore about examining whether the current political leadership in Nigeria is a credible one and if its performance can lead us to the attainment of our societal goals as a people, it is required that the following question is primarily answered. What is a credible leadership?
Credible leadership can only be the one that ensures attainment of peace and goodly living in all its ramifications in this world and divine pleasure in the hereafter. Given the divine revelation and the life history of Allah’s Messenger (s a w), it is only the Islamic leadership that satisfies this condition and so the only one that qualifies as credible leadership. There is no known such justification for the secular leadership based on the same reference of the divine revelation and the example of the life of the Messenger of Allah s a w). For instance Allah says:
وَهُوَ الَّذِي جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَائِفَ الْأَرْضِ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَكُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ دَرَجَاتٍ لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِي مَا آتَاكُمْ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ سَرِيعُ الْعِقَابِ وَإِنَّهُ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
_*He (Allah) is the one Who has made you the inheritors of the earth and raised some of you in ranks over others so that He may test you in what He has given you. Surely, your Lord is swift in retribution; yet, He is also very Forgiving, Merciful.*_(Al-An’aam Qur’aan Chapter 6 v 165).
It is understood from this quotation that leadership is divinely ordained and determined via the Islamic process of evolving leadership handed down by Allah’s Messenger (s a w). Moreover, those made leaders over other members of the society are to justly facilitate allocation of Allah’s provisions (otherwise referred to as national resources in a political setting) as well as dispensation of justice and enhancement of peace to all and sundry. The immediate link of the leadership task with the ultimate accountability before Allah confirms the fact that leadership is a divine responsibility to be carried out justly.
History has it that the Islamic leadership presided over by the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (s a w), and later by the Khulafaaur-Raashiduun (the rightly guided caliphs upon whom Allah’s pleasure is solicited) and ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul’Aziiz (upon who Allah’s mercy is solicited) was accordingly justly discharged as divine responsibility, and this led to the fulfilment of Maqaasidush-Sharii’ah (objectives of the Islamic legal system). The objectives include protection of the religion, life, intellect, properties and pure linage. This achievement under the Islamic leadership, sum up to attainment of peace in this world and the hope of attaining salvation in the hereafter.
The reverse of these features of the Islamic leadership is the case with the secular leadership currently embraced and practised in Nigeria. This is confirmed by the current insecurity, absence of peace, godlessness, wrong parenting, political instability and mediocrity, economic hardship, indiscipline, corruption, usurpation of citizens’ right and wealth, injustice, oppression, nepotism, extrajudicial killings, ethnic and tribal conflicts, religious bigotry, insurgency, kidnapping, banditry and the endless list of other iniquities and abominations that characterize our social life in Nigeria. No doubt, these features of our society are indices of troubling failures of the current political dispensation in Nigeria – a fact that is even criticized by the proponents of the secular system. Under this sorry state, attainment of the goal of credible leadership in Nigeria is indeed for now, a mirage.
The pathway to greatness of a people and overall development of the society is the right education of the citizens, particularly the youths. In Nigeria, the staff of the highest level of education, the universities have been on an indefinite strike owning to the inability of the government to play its role adequately. Even when universities resume, they and the lower levels that are in session contend with no genuine cause except implementation of wrong curriculum in the name of sex education and the ultimate secular worldview bequeathed to us by our colonial masters. This situation has left the entire educational sector at the mercy of unrighteousness, sexualization and secularization of our citizens. Where then does our salvation lie?
Instead of the Muslims in particular to appreciate the fact that our salvation or the way out of the present predicament is the Islamic leadership, everyone seems to be confused, hoping that the same democratic dispensation and the other forms of secular leadership that have failed and become hopeless are the only available options to go by.
The attempt to present Islamic leadership as the ultimate solution to human leadership problem is rather seen as impossible. Some ask the questions of how proper it is to enthrone Islamic leadership given the modern sophistication and heterogeneity of our society? Others also ask how is Islamic leadership attained? To answer these questions, it should be understood that Allah and His Messenger (s a w) have not offered us any options to the Islamic leadership. To substantiate this position, Allah states in Qur’aan Chapter 3, verses 19 and 85 that the only way of life approved of by Allah is Islam and that those who seek any other options to Islam are losers because such options are wrong and are not acceptable to Allah.
In Chapter 5, verses 44 to 54, Allah made it clear that the Jews and the Christians were supposed to judge or lead by the Tawrah and the Injiil that were respectively revealed to them by Allah, while the Muslims are to judge or lead by the Qur’aan. Neither the people of the book nor the Muslims are to lead or judge by their low desires. The Muslims are further warned not to fraternize with, or adopt the way of ignorance of the Jews and the Christians who have chosen to oppose the divine will and go astray respectively. This act which our politicians indulge in today, are considered by Allah to have gone astray. That is, such Muslims who get along with the non-Muslims in the secular leadership or politics are the same and their affairs shall be decided the same way by Allah. To contend the thinking of preference of human judgement to the divine one, Allah asks the question:
أَفَحُكْمَ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ يَبْغُونَ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ حُكْمًا لِّقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ
_*Do they desire to be judged by the laws of ignorance? And who is a better judge than Allah for a people who are sure?*_(Qur’aan Chapter 5 v 50)
Moreover, Allah says in Qur’aan Chapter 24, verses 46 to 57 that His revelation is meant to determine and decide human affairs. He therefore declares that the unbelievers and the hypocrites who jettison the divine revelation and opt for their selfish desires are both not guided and wrongdoers. As for true believers, Allah says when they are called upon to decide their affairs in accordance with the divine revelation, they willingly obey and comply. On this basis, Allah promises as follows:
قُلْ أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِ مَا حُمِّلَ وَعَلَيْكُم مَّا حُمِّلْتُمْ وَإِن تُطِيعُوهُ تَهْتَدُوا وَمَا عَلَى الرَّسُولِ إِلَّا الْبَلَاغُ الْمُبِينُ
وَعَدَ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّن بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ
وَأَقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
لَا تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مُعْجِزِينَ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَمَأْوَاهُمُ النَّارُ وَلَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ
_*Say: “Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (s a w). If you do not, he (the Messenger) is only responsible to fulfill his duty, as you are responsible to fulfill yours; and if you obey him, you shall be rightly guided. (Note it well that), the responsibility of the Messenger (s a w) is to deliver the message clearly. Allah has promised those of you who believe and do good deeds that He will most certainly make them successors of (the present rulers) in the earth as He made their ancestors before them, and that He will establish for them their religion, the one which He has chosen for them, and that He will change their present state of fear into peace (and security). Let them worship Me Alone and not to commit Shirk (association of partners) with Me; and if anyone rejects (faith) after this, it is they who are the transgressors. Therefore, establish prayers, and pay obligatory charity and obey the Messenger, so that you may be shown mercy. Never think that the unbelievers can escape in the land. (As for them), the fire shall be their home, and that is an evil abode.*_(An-Nuur, Qur’aan Chapter 24 v 54-57)
Specifically, Allah further refutes the idea of democracy in His statement:
وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِي الْأَرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ إِن يَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا الظَّنَّ وَإِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا يَخْرُصُونَ
_*And if you obey most of the people on earth, they will lead you astray from Allah’s way; for they follow nothing but conjecture and preach nothing but falsehood.*_(Al-An’aam, Qur’aan Chapter 6 v 116).
The secular leadership is therefore not credible and it is discredited on the following basis. It is based on human thinking instead of belief in Allah, its principles and practices cannot, and have not enhanced the attainment of the goal of life and the society and it has also proven to be weak and ineffective. Allah confirms these assertions as follows:
مَثَلُ الَّذِينَ اتَّخَذُوا مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ كَمَثَلِ الْعَنكَبُوتِ اتَّخَذَتْ بَيْتًا وَإِنَّ أَوْهَنَ الْبُيُوتِ لَبَيْتُ الْعَنكَبُوتِ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَم
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ مِن شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
وَتِلْكَ الْأَمْثَالُ نَضْرِبُهَا لِلنَّاسِ وَمَا يَعْقِلُهَا إِلَّا الْعَالِمُونَ
_*The parable of those who take guardians besides Allah is as the parable of the spider that makes for itself a house; and most surely the frailest of the houses is the spider’s house did they but know.*_ _*Surely Allah knows whatever thing they call upon besides Him; and He is the Mighty, the Wise.*_ _*And (as for) these examples, We set them forth for men, and none understand them but the learned.*_ (Al-‘Ankabuut, Qur’aan Chapter 29 v 41-43).
Is it not obvious that the current political dispensation in Nigeria is weak and helpless in the face of her war with the insurgents, bandits, terrorists and other criminal elements?
On the question of how to attain the Islamic leadership, the Qur’aan states that:
فَلْيُقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ الَّذِينَ يَشْرُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا بِالْآخِرَةِ وَمَن يُقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَيُقْتَلْ أَوْ يَغْلِبْ فَسَوْفَ نُؤْتِيهِ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا
وَمَا لَكُمْ لَا تُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ الظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا وَاجْعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ وَلِيًّا وَاجْعَل لَّنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ نَصِيرًا
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُقَاتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ الطَّاغُوتِ فَقَاتِلُوا أَوْلِيَاءَ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّ كَيْدَ الشَّيْطَانِ كَانَ ضَعِيفًا
_*Therefore let those fight in the way of Allah, who sell this world’s life for the hereafter; and whoever fights in the way of Allah, then be he slain or be he victorious, We shall grant him a mighty reward.*_ _*And what reason have you that you should not fight in the way of Allah and of the weak among the men and the women and the children, (of) those who say: Our Lord! cause us to go forth from this town, whose people are oppressors, and give us from Thee a guardian and give us from Thee a helper.*_ _*Those who believe fight in the way of Allah, and those who disbelieve fight in the way of the Shaitan. Fight therefore against the friends of the Shaitan; surely the strategy of the Shaitan is weak.*_(An-Nisaa’Qur’an Chapter 4 v 74-76)
It follows that the only credible leadership Muslims should crave for is the Islamic leadership and not that of Shaytaan or Taaguut (other deities aside from Allah). The way to this is Jihaad fii Sabilillaah (striving in the cause of Allah). To effectively do this, Muslims are to constitute themselves into the Islamic movement as the only viable platform to carry out the Jihaad. This is a different topic that requires future intensive discussion and understanding. This effort is imperative because the unbelievers are not relenting in their efforts to enthrone secular rule. Since the results of secular rule is mischief and corruption on earth, Allah has enjoined that if the believers struggle hard their efforts would be crowned with success.
وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ إِلَّا تَفْعَلُوهُ تَكُن فِتْنَةٌ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَفَسَادٌ كَبِيرٌ
_*And (as for) those who disbelieve, some of them are the guardians of others; if you (believers) will not do same, there will be in the land persecution and great mischief.*_(Qur’aan Chapter 8 v 73).
In conclusion, the Islamic leadership has been identified as the only credible leadership according to the Qur’aan and the life history of Allah’s Messenger (s a w) as well as other righteous servants of Allah. Participation in the secular leadership has also been made clear to be an error and a wrong approach according to the same divine and Prophetic references. Instead of considering the divine option of leadership as impossible, Muslims are once again reminded that we have no reason to profess Islam and at the same time act against it. Steadfastness on establishing the rule of Allah remains the example Allah’s Messenger (s a w) bequeathed to us. May we remain guided on the path of Islam in order to attain salvation in this world via a credible leadership and Allah’s pleasure in the hereafter.
