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ISLAMIC
PERSPECTIVE OF
HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Ph. D Dissertation
By
SHAH KHAN
DEPARTMENT OF MANAGEMENT SCIENCES, QURTUBA UNIVERSITY
OF SCIENCE AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, D.I.KHAN
KHYBER PAKHTUN KHWA (PAKISTAN)
(2015)
Approval Certificate
ii
This is to certify that the dissertation, “Islamic Perspective of Human Resource
Management” submitted Mr. Shah Khan is of sufficient standard and quality to justify its
acceptance by the department of Management Sciences, Qurtuba University of Science
and Information Technology, Peshawar, for the award of Degree of Doctor of
Philosophy.
Dr. Farzand Ali Jan
Supervisor
External Examiners
1…………………………………..
Dr………………………………
2…………………………………….
Dr……………………………
1
Acknowledgement
This dissertation is the outcome of years of study on the topic and exposure to a wide
variety of lectures, classroom discussions and presentations at the Qurtuba University,
apart from learning and de-learning. The experience was immensely helpful in reviving
my old habit of in-depth reading and rediscovering the process of research after a quite a
long time. At the outset, my head bows in gratefulness to the Almighty Allah, the most
gracious and merciful, who, apart from bestowing numerous blessings upon me, granted
me the ability, the strength and the will to carry out and complete this dissertation.
My sincere thanks are due to Dr. Farzand Ali Jan who supervised my paper and
offered me the requisite guidance, help and encouragement during the period of the
dissertation. He showed great enthusiasm and keen interest in the work and provided me
valuable feedback, suggestions and support. The paper would be lacking in its present
value with out his active involvement.
I also owe gratitude to my teacher, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem, the Dean of Social
Sciences of the University, who proved instrumental in generating very intellectual
environment during the class sessions of the course work and enabled us all to learn a lot
in the process.
I recall and fondly remember the love, affection, care and help which I received from
the late Abdul Aziz khan Niazi before and after the start of the research work. He showed
keen interest in my research work and the topic and sensitized me a great deal with regard
to the importance of the topic. When he was alive, I found him a practical and living
example of Islamic values of humility, Ihsaan, forgiveness, non-reciprocal goodness to all
and a pro-active man, always thinking positively for the betterment of all. At times when I
would go out of touch with the research work due to my pre-occupation with the very
demanding routine of my job, he would bring me back to the work in his own special and
kind way and motivate me. I really miss him today, when I have completed the paper.
I would also like to acknowledge the help, support and encouragement of Dr.
Muhammad Azhar Khan Niazi, Dr. Muhammad Zulfiqar Khan Niazi and Dr.Ayaz Khan
who offered me constructive advice and valuable support in completing the paper.
Abstract
2
The rapid globalization-with increasing focus on commercial expansion, profit
maximization on the part of modern business organizations, the recent explosion in
the information & communication technologies and growing integration of the world
economy- offers serious challenges and opportunities to the Human Resource
Management. With the rapid growth of population of Muslims across the globe,
especially in the USA, France and other Western countries, there are now visible
signs of recognition of the need (and thus attempts) to understand the Muslim moral
and cultural values in order to effectively deal with the problems of diversity they
now face and to ensure better management of the increasing number of Muslim
employees. There is now growing emphasis on integrity and the leadership and,
thus, HRM Paradigm is changing from the utilitarian concept and enforcement-
centric to the one based on ethics, morality, trust, voluntary motivation, ownership
and loyalty to the organization. In the national context also, our institutions are
afflicted by serious human resource problems such as professional inefficiency, lack
of integrity & merit and the prevalent culture of misuse of authority and favoritism,
resulting in wastage of national resources and loss of sovereignty among the comity
of nations. Thus, the need for a study on the Islamic perspective of HRM and how it
is relevant and helpful in addressing these and other HR problems being faced by
managers and organizations in the country at large and the Western countries.
The basic approach of the study remains exploration and description in detail
of the fundamental values behind the Islamic Principles and Practices in the realm of
HRM by using both primary and secondary data including a review of studies
already done in the field, study of the relevant literature, conducting interviews,
using questionnaires, by adopting combination of several approaches-comprising of
historical, descriptive, empirical, analytical and comparative.
The Islamic HRM Model coming to the fore from the study has, at its core,
the fundamental values of non-reciprocal goodness (Ihsaan), Tazkia ( purification of
one’s self in all respects), Taqwa (God-fearing attitude), unconditional justice, merit
& right for the right job, emphasis on integrity, honesty and fulfilling obligations,
the principle of gradualism, its emphasis on acquiring knowledge (including
3
adequate skills and attitudes) & training, focus on Human Resource Development
more than on HRM. The study also emphasizes the importance of the principle &
practices of consultation, compassion & humility, kindness & tenderness, peaceful
activism, patience & perseverance and forgiveness as means of creating ownership
among the employees and the desired level of employee motivation, commitment
and voluntary contribution towards achievement of organizational goals and
employees’ job satisfaction. Besides, it brings forth a unique model of conflict
management and leadership paradigm based on service and guardianship of the
public rather than being their ruler and master.
Given Islam’s emphasis on development of the human being in all respects
rather than his mere management and treating him as a mere resource as the Modern
Human Resource theory and practices tend to do, the core values of Islam behind the
Islamic HRM can help a great deal in solving various problems being faced by the
modern Human Resource managers-both Muslim and Non-Muslims and in the
national and Multi-national organizations. Thus, the Islamic perspective not only
becomes relevant but in many ways preferable to the modern HR tools and
techniques to tackle HR problems and conflicts faced by Muslim organizations and
societies internally- in the form of ethnic, sectarian, cultural conflicts- and externally
involving Muslims as minority as well as the target of discrimination and stereotypes
resulting into aggression and extremism.
In the context of HRM and Islamic perspective, additional research with
large samples will be necessary to support findings of the current study and its
validity. Additional research is also required to generalize these findings to the HR
managers employed in the government institutions and in the private sector. Also
global level categories have to be included in the additional research to generalize
the current research findings to organizations and institutions in the western
countries.
4
CONTENTS
Approval Certificate…………………………………………… i
Acknowledgement ……………………………………………
ii
Abstract………………………………………………………
iii - iv
Chapter One
Introduction …………………………………………………
01 - 16
1.1 Background…………………………………………….……
01 - 04
1.2 Personal Background to the Study ……………….………….
04 - 05
1.3 National and International Context of the Study…………………
05 - 06
1.4 Justification of the Study………………………….………….
06 - 09
1.5 Research Problem……………………………………………
09 - 11
1.6 Objectives of the Study………………………………………
11 - 11
1.7 Hypotheses……………………………………………………
11 - 12
1.8 Scope of the Study……………………………………………
12 - 12
1.9 Methodological Approach……………………………………. 12 - 15
1.9.1 Nature of Research …………………………………………. 12 - 12
1.9.2 Research Methodology……………………………………… 12 - 13
1.9.3 Data Sources……………………………………………….. 13 - 13
1.9.4 Research Instruments ………………………………………. 14 - 14
1.9.5 Analytical Techniques……………………………………… 14 - 15
1..9.5.1
Questionnaires………………………………………………
15
- 15
1.9.6 Basic Approach of the Study …………………………………. 15 - 15
1.10 Organization of the Study …………………………………… 16 - 16
Chapter Two 17 - 30
Introduction to HRM theory & Review of Literature 17 - 30
2.1 Human Resource Management (HRM)……………….. 17 - 17
2.2.1 Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM)………………… 17 - 18
2.2.2 The rise of Individualism ………………………………….. 18 - 18
2.2.3 Decline in Collectivism …………………………………… 18 - 18
2.2.4 The rise of Knowledge Workers………………………… 18 - 19
2.2.5 Drive for Quality ………………………………………..………. 19 - 19
2.2.6 Strategic Human Resource Development (SHRD)……………….. 19 - 19
5
2.2.7
2.2.8
2.2.9
2.2.10
2.2.11
2.2.12
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.5.1
SHRD as a source of Competitive Advantage…………………….
Training and SHRD as Bi-polar Construct ……………….
Learning Organizations ………………………………………
Shared Vision………………………………………………..
Team Learning …………………………………………….
Employees’ Empowerment ………………………………..
Literature Review on Islamic HRM……………………..
Studies Already Done……………………………………
Need of the present Study on Islamic HRM…………….
Concluding Comments…………………………………..
20
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24
28
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Chapter Three
Theoretical Frame work………………………………….
31 - 105
3. The Core Values…………………………………………… 31 - 105
3.1. Justice …………………………………………………… 32 - 37
3.1.1 The Basis…………………………………………………. 32 - 33
3.1.2 Justice Lies at the core of the edifice of Islamic Values….. 33 - 34
3.1.3 The Matchless Practice of Justice…………………………… 34 - 35
3.1.4 Strict Accountability is a Must for Justice…………………. 35 - 35
3.1.5 Criteria for appointment of a Judge………………………… 35 - 35
3.1.6 Establishment of Avoiding Conflict of interest…………….. 35 - 35
3.1.7 Not only selection of the best person but also ensuring that justice
is actually meted out……………………………………
36 - 36
3.1.8 Justice as a necessary Ingredient of HRM theory & Practice…. 36 - 37
3.2
3.2.1
3.2.2
3.2.3
3.2.4
3.2.5
3.2.6
3.2.7
Ihsaan…………………………………………………………….
The Origin ……………………………………………………
The Principle confirmed by Modern Research………………
Practice of the Principle……………………………………
Like for others what you like for yourself…………………
Avoiding Exhibiting Double Standards…………………….
Two Levels; The Legal and the Moral/ Spiritual………….
Forgiveness is a Great Moral Virtue………………………
Concluding Comments ………………………….
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3.3
3.3.1
3.3.2
3.3.3
3.3.4
3.3.5
Consultation…………………………………………………….
The Basis in the Holy Quraan ……………………………..
The practice of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him)…..
The Precedents of the four Caliphs of Islam…………….
Efforts for Institutionalization of the Consultation Principle………
People’s Right to question the Decisions of the Rulers ………….
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6
3.3.6
3.3.7
3.3.8
3.3.9
3.3.10
3.3.11
3.3.12
Respect for Fundamental Rights/Freedoms…………………….
Benefits of the Consultation Obligation………………………..
Creating Consensus is Preferable…………………………………
What if Consensus is not possible?
The Purpose of Majority Principle……………………………
Necessity of Healthy Criticism and Dissent……………………..
Usefulness of the Principle of Consultation in HRM Functions…
51
51
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55
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3.4
3.4.1
3.4.2
3.4.3
3.4.4
3.4.5
3.4.6
3.4.7
3.4.8
3.4.9
3.4.10
3.4.11
3.4.12
Peace ……………………………………………………………
Basis in the Twin Sources of Quraan and Sunnah……………..
How to preserve Peace?............................................................
Significance of Peace………………………………………….
Islamic Revolution; the most Bloodless in Human History………
Peaceful Activism is Distinctly Superior………………………..
The Islamic Formula shows wonders in Later History…………...
The Hudaybiah Model of Peaceful Activism…………………..
A Distinct Feature: Opting for Peace at the Risk of Treachery…
Peaceful Activism is the Biggest Jihad………………………..
How to achieve Peace in a Plural Society……………………….
Peace: The Best Strategy for Conflict Management…………….
Peace: A Complete Ideology as well as Methodology………..
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3.5
3.5.1
3.5.2
3.5.3.
3.5.4
3.5.5
3.5.6
3.5.7
3.5.8
3.5.9
3.5.10
3.5.11
3.5.12
Patience and Perseverance………………………………………
The Principle…………………………………………………….
Patience; One of the Loftiest Islamic virtues …………………
Patience; the Requisite for Social Reform and Change……….
Rewards for Patience…………………………………………..
Patience; a Prerequisite for a Sound Policy……………………
The Migration Model of observing Patience………………….
Patience Helps in avoiding Pre-mature/Counter-productive Actions
Patience Entitles to Divine Succour…………………………
Patience is a Must for Peace and Security……………………..
Patience creates Solidarity in Organizations and Society………
Success goes with Patience and Peaceful Activism…………….
Merit of Patience and Peaceful Activism in HRM
71
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3.6
3.6.1
3.6.2
3.6.3
3.6.4
3.6.5
3.6.6
3.6.7
Compassion, Tenderness and Humility …………………………
Compassion and Humility practiced…………………………..
Tenderness and Facilitation are at the core of Islamic Faith….
Humility and Good Manners are Virtues………………………
Significance of Modesty in Islam……………………………
Forgiveness changes Enemies into Friends…………………
Humility as a means of Avoiding conflict and Enhancing Strength
Merits of Islamic Principles & Practices of Patience & Tolerance
82
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7
3.7
3.7.1
3.7.2
3.7.3
Merit……………………………………………………………….
Merit and Right Man for the Right Job…………………………
Good Governance depends on following the right man for the right
job……………………………………………………
Utility of the principle in Modern HRM …………………
90
90
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3.8
3.8.1
3.8.2
3.8.3
3.8.4
3.8.5
3.8.6
Accountability and
Integrity………………………………………
The Principle…………………………………………………….
Obligation of Accountability of the Rulers In Islam…………….
Extreme strictness exhibited in following the principle ………..
Accountability & Justice had Primacy over all other considerations
Simplicity of the Rulers; part of the Accountability system………
Merit and Utility of adopting the principle……………
93
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3.9
3.9.1
3.9.2
3.9.3.
3.9.4
3.9.5
3.9.6
3.9.7
3.9.8
3.9.9
3.9.10
Performance Appraisal……………………………………….
The Moral basis of Performance Appraisal ………………………..
Performance Appraisal Defined…………………………………
Purpose of Performance Appraisal…………………………….
Evolution of Performance Appraisal…………………………….
Existence of job description for Performance Appraisal………….
Assets Declaration as a means of Performance Appraisal……
Performance Appraisal / Management Practices………………..
Conducting Test and Soliciting Feed Back Regarding Prospective
Employees…………………………………
Merits of the Islamic concept of Performance Appraisal…..
Conclusion of the Chapter………………………
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Chapter Four
Islamic Human Resource Management Practices………………
106 - 158
4.1
4.1.1
4.1.1.1
4.1.1.2
4.1.2
4.1.3
4.1.4
4.1.5
4.1.6
4.1.7
4.1.8
4.1.9
4.1.10
4.1.11
Employees Selection……………………………………………,…
The Criteria: Right Man for the Right Job…………………………
Administrators …………………………………………………….
Physical Workers…………………………………………………..
Avoiding Responsibilities to Nears and Dears……………………
Three Categories of persons ……………………………..
Granting Adequate Freedom to Employees ………………………
Traces of an Employment Agreement……………………………
Details regarding period of service and remuneration……
Full disclosure of necessary facts………………………..
One Person’s Right is another Person Obligation……………….....
Sufficient/Adequate Delegation of Authority …………………….
Adequate Salaries…………………………………………
Job Description………………………………………………
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8
4.1.12
4.1.13
4.1.14
4.1.15
4.1.16
4.1.17
4.1.18
4.1.19
Assets Declaration ………………………………………………
Performance Appraisal / Management……………………………
Conducting Tests and Soliciting Feed back……………………….
Avoiding Conflict of Interest……………………………………….
Reasonable increase in salaries as means of retaining employees…
Succession Planning ……………………………………………….
Traces of appointments in Various positions………………………
Concluding Comments……………………………………
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4.2
4.2.1
4.2.2
4.2.3
4.2.4
4.2.5
4.2.6
4.2.7
4.2.8
4.2.9
4.2.9.1
4.2.9.2
4.2.9.3
4.2.9.4
4.2.9.5
4.2.9.6
4.2.9.7
4.2.9.8
4.2.9.9
4.2.9.10
4.2.9.11
4.2.9.12
4.2.9.13
4.2.9.14
4.2.9.14.1
4.2.9.14.2
4.2.9.14.3
4.2.9.14.4
4.2.9.14.5
4.2.10
Planning & Organizing……………………………....................
Theory & Practice………………………………………………..
Consideration for Counter- Planning ……………………………
Maintaining Secrecy as part and requirement of effective planning.
Overawing the Enemy…………………………………………….
Bottom up Approach……………………………………………..
Accepting Unfavorable Terms……………………………………
Finding Common Grounds……………………………………….
Setting the Right Direction ………………………………………
Major Features of Planning ……………………………………...
Beginning with the Possible……………………………………...
To see Advantages in Disadvantages…………………………….
Emigration: Changing the place of Action……………………….
Having Trust in Human Nature………………………………….
Making the best of Enemies……………………………………..
The Power of Peace……………………………………………...
The Third Option………………………………………………..
A Change in the field of Action…………………………………
The Principle of Gradualism…………………………………….
Pragmatism Instead of Idealism………………………………….
Involving Humanity at Large…………………………………….
Using the Principle of Diversion…………………………………
Adopting the Means of Wisdom…………………………………
Other Instances of Planning……………………………………….
Population Census………………………………………………..
Maps Drawn for War strategy…………………………………..
Keeping Records…………………………………………………
Showing Low Profile in Migration……………………………….
Test for Determining the Quantity for Rationing of food………….
Concluding Comments……………………..
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4.3
4.3.1
4.3.2
4.3.3
4.3.4
4.3.5
Training ……………………………………………..…………….
Theory & Root…………………………………………………….
The Aims of Training……………………………………………..
Emphasis in the twin source of Quraan and Sunnah……………….
The Traces of Training Practices of the Holy Prophet……………
Importance of Knowledge and Good Deeds in Training…………
142
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142
142
144
144
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158
142
142
144
144
145
9
4.3.6
4.3.7
4.3.8
4.3.9
4.3.10
4.3.11
4.3.12
4.3.13
4.3.14
4.3.15
4.3.16
4.3.17
4.3.18
4.3.19
4.3.20
4.3.21
Islam is the Pioneer in encouraging Freedom for Research……...
Islam is the creator of Modern Age / Science……………………
Knowledge and Learning were the First Priority………………..
Training in Integration & Harmony through establishment of……
Sabr (Patience & Steadfastness) as an important instrument……..
Importance of Physical Health in Islamic Training……….
Importance of Intellectual Health in Islamic Training………….
Proper Timing of Action is extremely important in Islamic …….
Avoiding Useless Reprimand……………………………….
Due Regard for Pragmatism And Result-Orientation……….
Avoiding Conflict and Availing the Present Opportunities
Building Human Personality along Positive Lines…………
Maintaining Equilibrium and Avoiding Provocation…………
Finding Common Grounds in case of Conflicts and Controversy….
Following the Balanced & Integrative Approach of Islam in HR…
Concluding Comments ………………………………
145
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149
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153
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156
157
157
158
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5.1
Chapter Five
Islamic Human Resource Management Practices (continued)…
Conflict Management ……………………………………………..
159
159
- 220
170
5.1.1 The Theoretical Base……………………………………………… 159 - 159
5.1.2 Differences of opinion and understanding are Natural……………. 159 - 160
5.1.3 Present Day Tools of Conflict Management and their Demerits….. 160 - 161
5.1.4 Islamic Perspective of Conflict Management…………………….. 161 - 162
5.1.5 Considering the Collective and Long-term Impacts of the Conflict 162 - 163
5.1.6 The Nature follows the Avoidance Principle………………………. 163 - 163
5.1.7 The Prophetic Model of Conflict Management……………………. 163 - 163
5.1.8 Long-term Dividends of the Prophetic Model………………… 164 - 165
5.1.9 Lessons for the Present from the Migration & Hudaybiah Model…. 165 - 166
5.1.10 Sabr (Patience & Steadfastness) lies at the core of the Islamic……. 166 - 167
5.1.11 Entitlement for Divine Succour……………………………………. 168 - 168
5.1.12 Need for Internal Re-construction, Stability and Strength of the
Muslims:
168 - 170
5.2 Gradualism……………………………………………………........ 171 - 179
5.2.1 Theory and Practice ………………………………………………. 171 - 171
5.2.2 The Practice of the holy Prophet (peace be upon him)……………. 171 - 172
5.2.3 Relationship with Idealism………………………………………… 172 - 172
5.2.4 Gradualism is Related to Perseverance……………………………. 173 - 173
5.2.5 Various Instances of the prophetic Actions………………………... 173 - 176
5.2.6 Advantages of the Gradualism Principle…………………………... 176 - 177
5.2.7 Gradualism and Gaining inner/internal Strength………………….. 177 - 177
5.2.8
5.2.9
Strict Observance of Gradualism Principle………………………..
Merit and applicability of Gradualism principle in HRM……..
178
179
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179
179
10
5.3
5.3.1
5.3.2
5.3.3
Reward &
Compensation………………………………………….
The Basis…………………………………………………………..
Rationale of Reward……………………………………………
Merit of Islamic concept of Reward in HRM…………….
180
180
180
182
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182
180
182
182
5.4 Leadership ……………………………………………………...... 183 - 193
5.4.1 Leadership Defined……………………………………………….. 183 - 184
5.4.2 Ingredients of Leadership…………………………………………. 184 - 186
5.4.3 Leadership in Islam……………………………………………….. 186 - 188
5.4.4 Two Primary Roles of a leader in Islam…………………………... 188 - 188
5.4.4.1 Servant-Leader……………………………………………………. 188 - 189
5.4.4.2 Guardian-Leader………………………………………………….. 189 - 189
5.4.5 Taqwa, Ihsaan, Justice and Public Service are the main Ingredients
in Islam
189 - 190
5.4.6 The Essential Traits of a Leader in Islam…………………………. 190 - 192
5.4.7
5.4.8
Islamic Leaders create Dynamic Followers and also Leaders…….
Merit of Islamic concept Leadership…………………………..
192
193
-
-
193
193
5.5 Teamwork…………...............................................
194 - 198
5.5.1 The Necessity……………………………………………………… 194 - 194
5.5.2 Islam and Team Work…………………………………………… 194 - 196
5.5.3 Importance of Solidarity and Sense of Sacrifice for Effective Team
Work………………………
196 - 198
5.6 Human Resource Development ………………………………. 199 - 212
5.6.1 Human Resource Development; Theory and Practice ………… 199 - 202
5.6.2 Development of Personality…………………………………… 202 - 204
5.6.3 The Aspect of Purification…………………………………… 204 - 206
5.6.4 Physical Dimension………………………………………… 206 - 206
5.6.5 Moral Dimension…………………………………………… 206 - 207
5.6.6 Social Dimension……………………………………………… 207 - 208
5.6.7 Spiritual Dimension…………………………………………… 208 - 209
5.6.8 Intellectual Dimension……………………………………… 209 - 209
5.6.9
5.7
5.7.1
5.7.2
5.7.3
5.8
5.8.1
5.8.2
5.9
5.9.1
5.9.2
Critical Aspects and Factors ………………………………………
Criticism on Modern HRM theory & practices ……………
Challenges to Modern HRM theory & practices………………..
Lack of emphasis on Integrity and Ethical values……………..
Usefulness of Islamic Values in HRM………………………..
Merit & Applicability of Islamic HRM in Religious Institutions
Problems of Religious Schools and Students………………….
Relevance of the Islamic Perspective of HRM………………….
Merits & Applicability of Islamic HRM principles in the West.
Practices of values common between Islam and the West……….
Practice of ‘Omar Laws’ in the West…………………………
209
213
213
213
215
215
216
216
217
217
219
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
212
215
213
215
215
215
216
217
220
219
219
11
5.9.3 Merit & Applicability of Islamic principles & practices in the
West.
220 - 220
Chapter Six
Features of the Islamic HRM Model…………………………
221 - 253
6.1 Analysis of Data Collected ….……………………………… 221 - 232
6.1.1 Data Collected…………………………………………………….. 221 - 221
6.1.1.1 Data Collected Regarding Existing Levels of Islamic Practices…… 221 - 223
6.1.1.2 Data Collected regarding Potential Impact in the Organizations… 224 - 227
6.1.2 Findings from the Data Collected……………………………….. 227 - 232
6.1.2.1 Levels of practice of Islamic HRM principles in Organizations…. 227 - 229
6.1.2.2 Impact of Islamic HRM theory & Practice on Organizations…….. 230 - 230
6.1.2.3 Comparison Between Conventional and Islamic HRM Practices….. 231 - 232
6.2 SWOT Analysis…………………………………………………… 233 - 236
6.2.1 Strengths and Weaknesses of the Islamic Model………………….. 233 - 236
6.3 Over all Findings…………………………………………………… 237 - 248
6.4 Conclusions………………………………………………………… 249 - 253
Chapter Seven
7.
Recommendations………………………….……………………
Limitations……………………………………………………….
254
266
-
-
266
266
Appendix Terminology/Glossary of Terms…………….Annex-I
Intimation Letter to Participants…………… Annex-II
Questionnaire (1)……………………………Annex-III
Questionnaire (2)……………………………Annex-IV
Selected Bibliography…………………………………..………
Books……………………………………………………………
Journals…………………………………………………………
Tables
Table No Nature of Table
I Positions of Respondents…………………………………………… 221 - 221
II Gender Break up of Respondents……………………………........... 221 - 222
III Age Ranges of the Respondents…………………………………… 222 - 222
IV Sectoral Break Up of the Respondents……………………………. 222 - 222
V Existing Levels of Islamic HRM Practices………………………… 222 - 223
VI Break up in Islamic & Others……………………………………. 223 - 223
12
VII Organizational Effectiveness…………………………………….. 223 - 223
VIII Impact of Islamic principles……………………………………… 224 - 225
IX
X
XI
Comparison……………………………………………………….
Research Drivers…………………………….. ………….
Frequency Demographics……………………………
225
226
226
-
-
-
226
226
227
13
Chapter One
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background
Organizations are managed by manpower. Without manpower, organizations can not
survive. In fact, the opportunity, the challenge and the failure in creating and managing
organizations originate, primarily, from the human resource related issues that crop up
within them. Human resource is the most vital of all resources in the new management
paradigm that values creativity, flexibility and teamwork more than efficiency and
economies of scale1. The role of human resources in achievement of organizational goals
is now considered as most critical so much so that we now find some management gurus
attaching to it the notion that enterprise is the people2. With the rapid globalization and
swift changes in information and other technologies in the past two decades, the growing
integration of world economy is increasing the intensity of competition among
organizations3. Increase in competition entails greater pressure on organizations to
improve in terms of lowering costs, making employees more productive and finding new
ways and techniques to do things better, efficiently4. Technology has created a new trend
driving a significant change from ‘brawn’ to ‘brains’. The continuing shift and emphasis
from manufacturing jobs to service sector has led to an increasing focus on the aspect of
human capital - education, knowledge, training, innovative skills and professional
experiences of the organization’s workers5.
The new human resource management theories and better management tools and
techniques made available by rapid changes in information technology and explosion of
knowledge after the industrial revolution and, particularly, in the last fifty years have
resulted into remarkable improvement in organizational management and efficiency6.
Discoveries, investigations, researches and development of human resource managerial
thought, principles and practices have improved organizational structures and
1 Wayne F.Cascio, Managing Human Resources International Ed( Islamabad, National Book Foundation,
1998) P.5 2 Wayne F.Cascio, ibid,p.5. 3 B Jones, Sleepers Wake! Technology and the Future of Work (Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1982),
p.59. 4 O Reilly, Your New Global Workforce, p.63. 5 Richard Crawford, In the Era of Human Capital, (New Yark, Harper, 1991), p.10. 6 Ibid, p.35.
14
management styles immensely. These changes in organizational structures have changed
the role of human resource from a mere resource to a change agent and strategic partner7.
The transition from ‘Personnel’ into ‘Human resource Management’ indicates this shift in
paradigm. Thus, flattened (rather than pyramidal chains with 10 or 9 levels), downsized,
high performing organizations with well groomed, committed and highly motivated
employees – not technology gadgets – are the organization’s competitive tools8. This
newly emerged notion of human resource as the main source of competitive advantage for
organizations has given rise to a new concept known as Strategic Human Resource
Management -the linking of HRM with long term objectives and goals of the organization
for improving performance and developing organizational norms and ethos fostering
flexibility and innovation for achieving sustainable and long term competitive advantage9.
The contributions of Europe and the US in the 19th & 20th centuries and, to some
extent, of Japan in the last fifty years in the evolution and development of management –
from scientific management model, classical organizational theory, the behavioral
management school, the management science school, the systemic approach, the
contingency approach into the modern dynamic engagement approach - have played an
immense role in the development of the modern human resource management theory and
practice10. But at the same time, unfortunately, Western literature on evolution of human
resource management portrays the impression that human resources management was
developed and evolved by the United States, Europe and Japan only and, that too, in the
past two centuries. It is presumed that the pioneers and forerunners to modern human
resources management theorists were Frederick W Taylor (1856-1915), an American
Mechanical Engineer, and his associates and these managers and theorists had developed
their theories about human resource relationships with little precedent11. As a matter of
fact, certain personalities have been shaping and reshaping organizations for over two
7 Gary Dessler, Human Resources Management ,9th Ed(Florida International University, 1995) P.11 8 Gary Dessler, ibid, p.11 9 Ibid, p.12.
10 Robert Clark and Jeremy Seward, Human Resource Management; Frame work and Practice, (Irwin/MC
Graw – Hill, Australia, 2002) P.15.
11 Heinz Wehrich & Harold Koontz, Management: A Global Perspective, 10th Edition,(Mc GRAW-Hill,
Inc),p.20.
15
thousand years. In a historical backdrop, one can trace the mention of people working in
teams in formal organizations such as the Roman & the Greek armies and the Roman
Catholic Church etc12. There are quiet old writings about how to manage people and to
make organizations effective, productive and efficient long before the terms such as
‘Management’ came into common usages13. A classic work, in this respect, that gives
considerable insights to modern managers is the ‘Art of War’ penned down by the
Chinese Philosopher Sun Tzu more than 2000 years ago. It was further modified by Mao
Zedong- the founder of the Peoples Republic of China in 1949. No doubt, the rules in the
book were meant primarily for military strategists, they have also been utilized for
planning a strategy to outpace business competitors14. No doubt, Sun Tzu might not have
imagined pioneering a theory of management, so to say, his experiences give significant
lessons in managing Human Resource. The books of Confucius ( Kung Fu Tseu 551 – 479
BC), Plato, Aristotle (384 – 322 BC) and his Indian contemporary Kautiliya served as text
books for princes and rulers for long and contained a great deal of generalizations and
rules on people management15. Plato insists upon work-specialization of state-
functionaries in his “Republic”. Even the Sophists emphasized the same principal when
they underscored that “man is the measure of all reality”16. Real development, therefore,
pertains to human development. Philosophers of history - from Plato to Ibne khaldun –
observe that there are two foundational principles for the rise and fall of civilizations. And
they are unity (organization) and justice. Organizations have existed in various forms for
as long as human beings have been on this earth; for examples armies, societal structures
(government, royalty) and families. It will, therefore, not be irrelevant to recall that at
different points in time in human history several civilizations – such as the Greek, the
Roman, Ghandara, Chinese and Muslims – had reached their zeniths17. The royal
structures, architecture, literature, centers of learning, etc during paramountcy of these
civilizations had indelible marks on human history. One of the most critical elements in
emergence and rise of these civilizations at world stage was, obviously, the role of their
12 Robert Clark & Jeremy Seward, ibid, p.16. 13 Rana Sinha, History of Human Resource Management( ICFAI University press,2011),p.8 14 Stoner, Freeman and Gilbert, Jr, Management (6 Ed, prentice- Hall of India, New Delhi, 1996) P.31. 15 Ibid, p.32. 16 Obaidullah Farahi, Tasawuf; An Analytical Study (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer, 2007), p.22. 17 Robert Clark & Jeremy Seward, ibid, p.16.
16
philosophers, leaders and kings in performing the basic functions of Human Resource
Management (HRM) such as planning, organizing, recruiting, staffing, leading,
controlling, training & developing, motivating and maintaining people in general and
employees in particular. The human resources during the ascendancy of those civilizations
were highly developed and fairly well managed18.
1.2 Personal Background to the Study
In terms of academic qualification, I have done Bachelors in Civil Engineering from the
University of Engineering & Technology (UET), Peshawar (Pakistan) in 1992 and then
Masters in Economics from the University of Peshawar in 2004. I also did four months
Diploma course in HRM from the National Institute of Management (NIM), Lahore in
2004. Earlier, I had also opted for a comprehensive course in Islamic History & Culture in
the Central Superior Services (CSS) examination held in 1993 which I qualified in the
first attempt and got selected for the current job in the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).
Before the start of the study, I had already put in more than 10 years of service in the
Federal Inland Revenue Service (IRS) tasked with levy and collection of National
Revenues and currently facing problems of abysmally low Tax-to-GDP ratio and narrow
tax base, besides, weak political economy of taxation. Apart from other problems, the
main challenges facing my organizations are low confidence of the taxpayer public in the
tax collecting machinery and the poor quality of Human Resources-characterized by lack
of professionalism, commitment and in-efficiency- resulting in low level of voluntary
compliance with the tax laws, large scale tax evasion and weak economic and financial
resource mobilization, resulting in high dependence on foreign debts. For tackling these
problems, the department has undergone major reforms and revamping in the last decade
with special focus on the HRM, involving capacity building of its employees through
training, redesigning and revamping of job descriptions, performance appraisal system
and improving the system of reward and punishment. Besides the above academic
background, over the years, I had developed significant personal interest in study of Islam
and studied a great deal on its political, economic systems, moral directives and core
values. Owing to the above experience and background, it gradually dawned upon me that
18 Robert Clark & Jeremy Seward, ibid, p.17.
17
Islamic principles and practices in the field of HRM- especially those relating to justice,
Ihsaan, consultation, merit and right man for the right job, integrity & accountability,
compassion, peaceful activism, conflict management, leadership, training and gradualism-
can contribute a great deal to solve the problems of HR in my own department in tackling
the issues of in-efficiency, lack of professionalism and integrity.
1.3 National and International Context of the Study
I also realized that in the National context too, these principles & practices can prove to
be very useful in dealing with the problems of in-efficiency, mis-use of authority in
national institutions, myriad social divides-on several lines-ethnic, economic, religious,
sectarian-and extremism afflicting the nation at large which stems primarily from the
HRM related challenges faced by these institutions and the nation. Strict adherence to
these principles & practices can significantly improve the presently grim national scenario
and help in regaining the national sovereignty and strength currently at the lowest ebb due
to over all moral decline observed in the society. Its principles and practices can also help
a great deal in improving the situation prevailing in the religious institutions and
seminaries which are faced with the problems in training, leadership, essential
professional skills, knowledge and attitudes required for productive careers. Adopting the
principles of Islamic HRM can not only increase employees’ motivation, skills and
productivity but can also help in achievement of the organizational goals.
In the international context also, these principles & practices can help tackle the
challenges arising from increasing Muslim populations across the globe in the realm of
cultural gaps, diversity and leadership issues and how to manage effectively and
productively the increasing number of Muslim employees in the multi-national and multi-
cultural organizations. The study was expected to be immensely helpful also because the
Islamic HRM is essentially and distinctly based on ethical values, trust and voluntary
motivation compared to the Western HRM paradigm based primarily on utilitarian
concept of profit maximization, material progress and compliance mainly through
coercive enforcement of formal rules. Islamic HRM considers employees more than mere
resources as the modern practices do. Thus, it is not only relevant but in some areas
preferable. Its principles & practices can also help a great deal in improving the image of
18
Islam and its civilization tarnished by politically motivated stereotyping and negative
media campaigns in the West.
1.4 Justification of the Study
In the heyday of Islamic civilization, Muslims continued to hold sway over a large part of
the world. They were supreme intellectually, militarily, administratively and in science19.
Spiritually and materially, they were in fact the leaders of civilized mankind20. Wherever
they went, they revolutionized people’s ideas, ways of thinking, their pet theories, morals
and habits, their behavior and outlook of life – in fact they changed the entire fabric of
their being21. Islam radically changed socio-moral and economico- political order of the
Arabian Peninsula22. This change and its impact were overwhelming and all pervasive.
The dynamism and vigor infused by the Islamic code effected a spectacular
change in the characters of men23. They provided a positive direction to the tribal virtues
and disciplined negative traits of the Arab tribalism. Besides, the training and inspiring
leadership qualities of the prophet played no less a significant role in this
transformation24. According to some scholars and researchers, the Islamic revolution
brought about by the prophet (peace be upon him) involving wars and military
expeditions spanning over 10 years, is considered to be the most peaceful in recorded
human history, given the immense impact it had on human history25. The believers with
the vigor of faith and strength of character, despite lesser material resources and
manpower impressed and over-awed mighty emperors and big world powers26. The
Muslim empire stretched from Iran to Africa and Spain. The sincere believers howsoever
uneducated, poor, ill fed, and with swords without proper sheaths struck such awe and
19 Waheedud Din Khan: Islam; The creator of Modern Age (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer, 2002), p.56. 20 Ibid, p.57. 21 Waheedud Din Khan, Ibid.57. 22 Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem, “Principles of Good Governance”, (The Dialogue, July-Sept; 2006,
Qurtuba University of Science & Information Technology, Peshawar),p. 43. 23 Ibid, p.59. 24 Muhammad Asad, Principles of State and Government in Islam (California University, 1961), p.35. 25 Waheedud Din Khan: Muhammad; The Prophet of Revolution (Karachi,, Darul-Ishaat, Urdu Bazaar,
1996) P.70.
26 Waheedud Din Khan, ibid, p.75.
19
established such a power27. The moral force and the motivation level these first Human
Resources of Islam had, made up the deficiency of material resources. In all this, the
quality and character of Muslim human resource played a crucial role. The moral
teachings of the Quraan and inspiring leadership of the prophet (peace be upon him)
trained and developed such a human resource that their effectiveness and motivation
level were matchless28.
A multitude of literature produced both by Muslim and non Muslim scholars,
academicians and researchers is available on the political, economic, social, legal, moral,
military, administrative systems of Islam29 and the evolution of Muslim Institutions,
norms, cultures etc30. Valuable attempts have also been made, and are still being made, to
rediscover and revive the dynamism originating from pristine Islamic faith and strength
of character in the lives and societies of Muslims31. But till recent past, one witnesses an
acute dearth of literature highlighting and analyzing the dynamics of leadership qualities
of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions and on whether there was any
framework or model of human resource management theory and practice attributable to
Islam in the first place. There is lack of detailed academic researches on the status and
importance of peaceful activism, human rights, integrity & merit, accountability,
gradualism, conflict management in Islam. This lack of literature on human resource
management theory and practice in Islam, on the one hand, has created an impression
that Islam has made no worthwhile contribution towards evolution of Human Resource
Management practices, tools and techniques or that it had no Human Resource
Management Model as such. On the other hand, it has deprived us –Muslims from
appreciating the Islamic Human Resource Management, theory, tools and techniques and
application of the same in business and other organizations. Recently, however, some
systematic studies regarding Islamic human resources management theories and practices
have been conducted32. These studies have explored and analyzed the major principles of
27 Prof. Rasheed Ahmad: Political Ideas of Muslims (Lahore, Idara Saqafat e Islamia, 2008), p.45. 28 Quraan (8), 65. 29 Muhammad Hameedullah: The Muslim Conduct of State (Lahore, Al Faisal publishers, 2005), p.8-35. 30 Prof. Rasheed Ahmad: Political Ideas of Muslims, ibid, p.1-345. 31 Akbar S. Ahmad: Discovering Islam; Making sense of Muslim History and Society (London,I. B Tauris,
1988) and Post Modernism and Islam; predicament & promise (Karachi, Royal Book Company, 1992). 32 Dr. Muhammad Hameedullah : Introduction to Islam (Islamabad, Da’wah Academy, 1988)P.40
20
good – governance in Islam and obligations of state functionaries in an Islamic state33.
These studies reveal that the teachings of the Quraan and practices of the prophet (peace
be upon him) and four enlightened caliphs of Islam contained a great deal of both
principles and practices of human resources management and good governance which are
not only useful for today’s organizations in achievement of their goals, motivation of
employees and ensuring their loyalty but can also help immensely towards creating social
harmony, unity and progress. Briefly stated, these principles and practices relate to;
1) Planning.
2) Mobilizing, developing and organizing man-power.
3) Motivating and inspiring manpower.
4) Controlling functions and practices.
5) Leading functions, importance of role of leaders/rulers in human resource
management, leadership style in Islam and its role in human resource
management.
6) Selection of right man for the right job and the observance of merit in
selection.
7) Job specialization and professionalism.
8) Teamwork.
9) Importance of education, training and development of manpower.
10) Job descriptions and allocation of assignments according to each person’s
capability.
11) Provision of adequate salaries to enhance efficiency & effectiveness of
state - functionaries and eliminate corruption and abuse of state power and
resources.
12) Competence and intelligence as one of the foremost characteristics of the ruler
and state – functionaries.
13) Honesty and integrity as one of the essential characteristics of the ruler and
state functionaries – leadership in Islam is more than an assignment or a job; it
is a trust (Amanah).
33 Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem, “Principles of Good Governance”( The Dialogue, July-September, 2006,
Qurtuba University of Science & Information Technology, Peshawar ,Pakistan), p.41.
21
14) Modesty and simplicity of the rulers and state - functionaries.
15) Importance of discipline, unity and obedience.
16) Combination of adequate freedom to the administrators & manpower and
delegation of requisite authority with assignment of responsibility and
accountability.
17) Transparent accountability of the rulers and state - functionaries.
18) Service to Humankind - “Repel evil with good” approach, humility,
kindness, magnanimity, concepts of servant – ruler and guardian – ruler,
responsibility for well being of the public.
19) Respect for human rights.
20) Due process of law – Equality before the law, equity and impartiality of the
rulers & state - functionaries
21) Promotion of justice to all and in all circumstances
22) Principle of gradualism – use of incremental approach for effecting a change.
23) Conflict Management in Islam
The Present study is aimed at examining, exploring, analyzing and describing in
detail the above principles & practices and to formulate a frame work of Human
Resource Management theory practiced and developed by Islam. It will also explore
significance of revival, utility, relevance and merit of these practices for managing
present day organizations and contributing to over all social harmony & progress, along
with a comparison of its salient features with those of the modern HMR principles and
practices.
1.5 Research Problem
Islam is an all encompassing religion which has directions for all aspects of life34. It
integrates spiritual and material progress35. It also integrates individual and collective
growth and well being36. It combines this world with the hereafter. It aims at developing
all these aspects simultaneously. No aspect is allowed to develop unduly or at the cost of
34 Akbar S. Ahmad: Islam Today, ibid, p.2. 35 Muhammad Asad: Principles of State and Government in Islam, ibid, p.13. 36 Prof. Rasheed Ahmad: Political Ideas of Muslims, ibid, p.1.
22
others37. It combines its laws of (Ad’l)38 and spiritual morality (Ihsaan)39 for achieving its
objectives of establishing a just socio-moral and economico- political order in this world.
This balance and integration is also evident in all of its rituals and social dealings which
creates love, humility, kindness, compassion, equity, social harmony, justice, peace,
unity and order, intellectual freedom and individual and collective dynamism and
progress40. Its methodology is education, training, persuasion and peaceful activism41.
The Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) devoted his entire life to the preparation of
appropriate human resource for realizing the objectives of establishing a just socio-moral
and economico-political order through education, training and purification of souls42.
In the twenty first century, what can Islamic Human Resource Management
contribute to the individuals, organizations, societies and to the world at large? The
answer is, a great deal. Islam’s notion of a balance – between this world & the hereafter,
the moral & the material, the individual & the collective well-being - is unique and
worthy one43. It can provide a corrective check to the materialism, over commercialism
and treating the employees as mere resource-focusing more on managing them rather
than their development-that characterize much of contemporary human resource
management theory and practices. Islamic HRM can, instead, offer compassion &
tenderness, forbearance & humility, highest levels of sense of motivation &
commitment, loyalty, harmony, trust, job satisfaction and optimum achievement of
organizational objectives and performance etc44.
Foregoing in view, it is imperative to recognize that Islamic Human Resource
Management theory and practices can not be, and should not be, viewed in isolation
from the moral and spiritual teachings of Quraan and Sunnah. It can properly be
37 Akbar S .Ahmad, Postmodernism and Islam; Predicament and Promise (Karachi, Royal Book Company,
1992) P.4.
38 Quraan,(5), 8. 39 Quraan (41), 34. 40 Akbar S. Ahmad, ibid, p.5. 41 Quraan (5), 16. 42 Prof.Dr. Muhammad Saleem, ibid, p.43. 43 Moiz Amjad: Understanding Islam (Lahore, Almawrid, 1998), vol I, p.134.
44 Arshad Ahmad Baig, ‘Human Resource Development: Islamic viewpoint’, monthly Tarjumanul Quraan,
(Lahore, December, 2007, 2007), p.32.
23
understood only in its totality & harmony and with a holistic and integrated approach.
To ascertain a complete picture of Human Resources Management in Islam and how is it
relevant and useful in tackling the human resource problems - inefficiency, lack of
integrity & merit, the prevalent culture of misuse of authority and favoritism afflicting
our national institutions- and serious internal conflicts –ethnic, cultural and sectarian- all
resulting in wastage of national resources and loss of sovereignty among the comity of
nations, therefore, requires an in- depth study.
1.6 Objectives of the study:
1. To explore and describe moral & spiritual teachings of Islam which provide the
basic foundation to the Islamic Human Resource Management theory and practice
and evolve a framework thereof.
2. To identify and highlight human resource management practices in Islam.
3. To identify broad outlines of an integrated model of human resource
management in Islam and compare its salient features with those of the current
Human Resource Management theory and practices.
4. To evaluate relevance, utility, merit and usefulness of such model for present day
organizations with special reference to human resource management functions of
selection, planning, training, leading and motivation.
1.7 Hypotheses
H.1. There is a positive relationship between the spiritual and moral teachings of
Quran and Sunnah and purely human resource management theory and
practices.
H.2. Islamic Human Resource Management offers distinct leadership styles,
Human Resource Development paradigm and motivation model unique and
different from the modern day Human Resource Management.
H.3. Implementation of the Islamic Human Resource Management theory and
Practices enhance motivation, loyalty and efficiency of the individual
(employees) as well achievement of the organizational goals.
24
H.4. Islamic Human Resource theory and practices are more effective in
enhancing employees’ motivation, loyalty & commitment and achievement
of organizational goals compared to the theory and practices of modern
Human Resource theory and practices in vogue.
1.8 Scope of the Study
This research study aims at exploring, describing evaluating and highlighting the
broad outlines of Islamic Human Resource theory and practice. The study is restricted
to the teachings of Quran, practices of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the four
“enlightened caliphs” of Islam. While an out line of the moral and spiritual teachings
of the Quran and Sunnah is essential to the scope of the study, a detailed study and
analysis of such teachings is out side the scope of this research. Further, a detailed
comparison of Islamic Human resource management theory and practice with the
modern HRM is out side the ambit of this study and it contains only broader
comparison/distinction of few selected aspects. A detailed study of Islamic
institutions and system such as political, economic, welfare, military, legal, social,
administration etc is also outside the preview of this study.
1.9 Methodological Approach
1.9.1 Nature of Research: The present research study is essentially exploratory,
descriptive, analytical and comparative in nature and is meant to discover the extent
and levels of actual practice of Islamic HRM theory & practice in organizations in
Pakistan and also the relationship of the main features of Islamic HRM with levels of
motivation & loyalty among employees and over all organizational performance and
their impacts. The study is based on both secondary as well as primary data,
supported by information collected through informal and semi-structured interviews,
walk and talk around of some of the target population.
1.9.2 Research Methodology: Research Methodology adopted in this paper is a
combination of several approaches-comprising of historical, descriptive, empirical,
analytical, and comparative as well as statistical ones. It encapsulates with in its
scope both types of sources of data -secondary as well as primary..
25
Primary: Findings from the questionnaires, interviews, personal observations to
ascertain ground realities regarding actual practice of Islamic HRM theory and
practices in the organizations in Pakistan, especially government, and the
relationship with and impact of Islamic HRM on the motivation, loyalty of the
employees as well as organizational performance and output.
Secondary: The theoretical framework and perspective of the study is based on
secondary data comprising of the holy Quraan, important exegeses thereof, Hadith
literature, biographies of the holy prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) & the
companions, books on systems & institutions of Islam, journals, periodicals,
newspapers & other publications regarding Islam and literature on modern HRM etc.
1.9.3 Data Sources:
(1) The first, and also the foremost, source of data utilized includes (but not
restricted to) the holy Quran, hadith literature, biographies of the holy Prophet and
the companions, prominent exegesis of the Quran written by various scholars,
books on the institutions and systems, of Islam and literature on modern Human
Resource Management etc.
(2) Articles in contemporary journals are the 2nd major source which have been
utilized in this study.
(3) Questionnaires for quantification (that is, confirmation or opposition) of
the theoretical basis and hypotheses have been utilized by getting feedback from
Islamic scholars and Mangers in and outside the country. The first questionnaire
aims at quantifying the extent of actual practice of the Islamic HRM in
institutions/organizations while the second quantifies the relevance, utility, impact
of the theory & practices of Islamic HRM on the basic HR functions. It also
contained questions regarding comparison of the salient features of principles &
practices of Islamic HRM with those of the modern/current HRM In vogue.
(4) Semi-structured and informal interviews with individuals in important
positions in the government and non-governmental organizations have also been
utilized.
26
1.9.4 Research Instruments
The study utilizes integration of several of the techniques of data collection. Apart
from own observations & experiences, questionnaires were served, semi-structured
and informal interviews were done with important persons of the Islamic institutions
& NGOs regarding the actual practice of the Islamic HRM practices and their impact
on motivation & loyalty of the employees and organizational performance in case
these principles & practices are fully implemented in the organizations. The
population of the study constitutes primarily, but not exclusively, Islamic institutes
and organizations in Pakistan. It is, mainly, because these institutions have the
highest probability to adopt Islamic HRM theory and practice. The prime Islamic
Institutions to which the questionnaires were sent (mostly through electronic mode)
are Islamic Ideology Council of Pakistan, International Islamic university,
Islamabad, Shaikh Zayed Islamic Centre, Peshawar, Darul Uloom Deoband, India,
Darul Uloom, Karachi and Madrassah Haqqaaniah, Akora Khattak, Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. The respondents are spread over four countries
(Pakistan, United Kingdom, Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia) different cities in
Pakistan, different vocations, positions and ages and are generally senior level
administrators and managers. The study contains responses to questionnaires from
persons of government, private sector and some NGOs. Respondents were asked to
answer the questions on a 5 likert scale so as to increase convenience and reliability
in filling the questionnaire. Last, descriptive analysis has been conducted on the
returned questionnaires in order to gauge the extent of practice and the impact of
Islamic principles & practices on organizations.
1.9.5 Analytical Techniques
Percentages, simple averages, tables, diagrams and graphs have been used to
Interpret and analyze the data collected.
Questionnaires: Two different sets of questionnaires were developed as Annex-I and
II. The questionnaire items was developed, rephrased and selected to suit the context
of the study and to represent the variables in the research. The researcher developed
four (4) research drivers with twelve (12) research variables for study. Pre-testing of
the items and their measurement were conducted by going through the results of the
27
focus groups (employees) by asking from the human resource managers in the
selected organizations. All developed items will be relevantly matched to the effects,
critical role and benefits of the Islamic human resource management in employee’s
motivation, loyalty & organizational effectiveness. The research items and variables
have been presented in table X in chapter six. The frequency demographic and
respondents’ characteristics are summarized in table XI. The analysis of the data
involved a purely descriptive analysis, which had frequency, percentage, cumulative
percentage and the means of central tendencies which included mean, median and
standard deviation (Table XI) in chapter six.
Questionnaire-I consisted of 10 questions framed to seek responses for ascertaining
the extent and level of actual/on ground practice of Islamic HRM principles &
practices in basic HRM functions of organizations in Pakistan in particular and in the
Muslim Ummah in general, the level of performance of the organizations and why
they perform below standard and expectations. The results would also indicate,
although indirectly, the level of relevance of the Islamic HRM theory & practices for
enhancing motivation, loyalty of the employees and over all organizational efficiency.
The questions were farmed to know the prevalent levels of practice of the Islamic
theory and practices.
Questionnaire-II consisted of 16 questions for seeking responses for ascertaining the
relevance of the Islamic HRM, its relationship with employee’s motivation, loyalty &
trust, voluntary commitment, productivity & efficiency and organizational justice,
performance and objectives. The questionnaire also contained questions for making
comparisons between the Islamic theory & practices of HRM and the
conventional/current practices in vogue.
1.9.7 Basic Approach of the Study
Islam integrates individual and collective growth and well being. It also integrates
spiritual and material progress and development and it emphasizes on the balance
between these aspects, the study, therefore, adopts primarily an integrative,
harmonious and systematic approach rather than an isolationist one.
28
1.10 Organization of the Study
The study has been divided into 7 chapters as follows:-
Chapter 1 introduces the study, personal background of the researcher, national &
international context and justification of the study, describing the problem studied
and identifying objectives of the study.
Chapter 2 contains a brief introduction to the concepts of HRM, SHRM and
Review of Literature which provides basis of the study and lays down the
framework in the light of what has already been done on the topics related to the
study and the basic thrust of the present study.
Chapters 3 gives the necessary theoretical framework and highlights in detail the
basic Islamic values and distinct harmonious linkages between the belief systems,
objectives of the Islam with regard to human relations & human resources
management and how these influence the core practices of Human Resource
functions, principles and practices.
Chapters 4 and 5 give an overview of Human Resource Management functions
such as planning, organizing, staffing & employees’ selection, leading, controlling,
training & development, motivating, conflict management. It also contains
criticism on modern HRM theory & practices and merits of the Islamic HRM
theory & practices in religious institutions, merits & applicability in the West with
reference to what is known as ‘Omar Laws’ in the West.
Chapter 6 contains analysis of the data collected, comparison between
conventional and Islamic HRM practices, consolidation of the findings,
conclusions and formulation of the frame work and outlines of the Islamic Human
Resource Management model.
Chapter 7 sums up the study’s findings, conclusions and recommendations.
29
Chapter 2
2. Introduction to HRM Theory & Review of Literature
2.1 Human Resource Management (HRM)
Introduction: Human Resource Management is the process of managing employees
effectively in order to achieve organization’s objectives. The HRM process consists of
acquisition (recruitment & selection) of employees, training & development,
motivation, maintenance, compensation, rewarding and retention of employees. John
et al (2008) recognized that for achieving and sustaining optimum performance and
acquiring competitive advantage, HRM activities should be implemented in an
environment of employee’s involvement, loyalty, ownership and commitment. In
short, HRM is an important process to manage human capital for organizational
effectiveness. Managing human resource meets various challenges. Yeganeh & Su
(2008) have identified challenges that shaped HR practices which include culture,
legal system, technology, organizational structure and size, diversity.
2.2.1 Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM)
It is very difficult to give at a neat all-encompassing definition of SHRM. However, it
has the following four important aspects:
1. Integration of personnel policies to form a coherent package, with business
planning more generally.
2. The locus of responsibility for personnel management no longer resides with
Specialist managers but is assumed by senior line management.
3. The focus shifts from management of trade union relations to management of
employee relations, from collectivism to individualism.
3. There is emphasis on commitment and the exercise of initiative, with managers
now assuming the role of ‘enabler’, ‘empowerer’ and ‘facilitator’.
SHRM derives its ‘strategic’ facet from the link to wider business strategy and
integration between various HR policies, procedures and practices: the first is termed as
vertical integration and the second as horizontal integration45.
45 Mike Millmore.Philip Lewis,Mark Saunders, Strategic Human Resource Management, Contemporary Issues, Pearson
Education Ltd, USA (2007) P40-41.
30
Strategic Human Resource Management considers the employees as a ‘strategic
resource’, that is, “resourceful humans” where the emphasis is upon training and
development, employee involvement and all the other HR practices designed to
optimize the potential of employees rather than considering them mere “human
resource” and ‘headcount resource’ and treated as ‘any other factor of production46.
2.2.2 The rise of the Individualism
There has been a general change in western society in the past 20 years which has seen
growth of individualism and an accompanying decline in traditional family and
community-based values. This societal shift towards individualism in recent years has
also been mirrored in HR initiatives. SHRM reflects this shift in focus from the
management of trade union relations to the management of employee relations-from
collectivism to individualism. Example of this shift is the growth of performance
management (Bach, 2000) in which the individual employee is set targets and held
accountable for their achievement. This approach forces the employee into a one-to-one
relationship with his manager. Therefore, the treatment that the employee receives from
the manager is individualized according to the extent to which success has been
achieved in pursuit of the targets.
2.2.3 Decline in Collectivism
There has been a visible decline in the influence of trade unions due to employment
protection legislation in Europe aimed at the individual, shift from manufacturing
industry to service, retail and high-technology industries. This decline in the influence
of trade union organization at the workplace has created a climate where managers can
introduce policies of change, including SHRM initiatives based upon notions of
individualism, such as performance management, without the need for extensive and
time-consuming consultation and negotiation with trade unions.
2.2.4 The rise of Knowledge Workers with differing work expectations
The decline is also partly due to the differing expectations of the increasing number of
‘knowledge’ workers who have the confidence, information and labour market power
gained through a shortage of key workers, necessary to pursue their interests. The
46 Ibid p.45.
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proliferation of computer technology has played immense role in increasing the amount
of knowledge workers.
2.2.5 Drive for Quality
The relative poor quality of US manufactured products compared to those of Japanese
stimulated the drive to produce higher-quality goods through processes which were
subject to what became known as total quality management (TQM). Japanese industry
had used TQM to regenerate its industries after the ravages of the Second World War.
TQM differed from the traditional quality inspection approach through its emphasis
upon quality problem prevention which emphasized employee involvement in all
quality processes. Quality inspection had become associated with the management
control approach. Involving employees in quality processes signaled the need for a
radically different approach to employee management along the lines of the SHRM
principles.
Foremost among the principles of TQM is the notion of employee empowerment,
which is deemed essential for employee participation in quality-problem-solving
groups and feedback for continuous improvement47.
2.2.6 Strategic Human Resource Development (SHRD)
More recently, the term training and development has been replaced by Human
Resource Development (HRD). HRD reflects a significant development from its
training and development traditions. Training and development is normally driven by
top-down, planned interventions, HRD incorporates, in addition, a greater focus on
individual and organizational learning that can give rise to accidental as well as
planned changes to the skill, knowledge and attitude base of employees. In the SHRD,
training and learning are strategically integrated, vertically to an organization’s
strategic goals and horizontally to other HR activities. This moves training and
development from a process that is largely directed at solving specific gaps in HR
competences to a potentially proactive activity directed at improving corporate
effectiveness48.
47 Ibid p.64-66. 48 Ibid p-81-86.
32
2.2.7 SHRD as a source of Competitive Advantage
Human Resource Development encompasses activities and processes which are
intended to have an impact on organizational and individual learning. The term
assumes that organizations can be constructively conceived of as learning entities, and
that the learning processes of both organizations and individuals are capable of
influence and direction through deliberate and planned interventions.
Thus, HRD is constituted by planned interventions in organizational and individual
learning processes. A strategic approach to training and development engages all in a
connected, explicit and developmental purpose which helps to simultaneously fulfill an
individual’s learning goals and the organization’s mission. SHRD, thus, embody the
creation of a learning culture in which training, development and learning strategies
both respond to corporate strategy and also help to shape and influence it. It is about
meeting the organization’s existing needs, but it is also about helping the organization
to change and develop, to thrive and grow. It is the reciprocal, mutually enhancing,
nature of the relationship between HRD and corporate strategy which lies at the heart
of SHRD and development of a learning culture.
Strategic HRD may be considered as a range of culturally sensitive interventions
linked vertically to business goals and strategy, and horizontally to other HR business
activities, to actively encourage and support employee learning, commitment and
involvement throughout the organization49.
2.2.8 Training and SHRD as a Bi-Polar Construct
The HRD territory is more commonly interpreted as a bi-polar construct with training
at one end and SHRD at the other. At one end, training interventions are reactive and
are directed at resolving specific problems resulting from the introduction of the new
technology. At the other end, SHRD interventions are proactive and help shape the
decision-making process surrounding the introduction of the new technology.
At the SHRD end, evaluation of HRD interventions operates as a continuous loop
not only to support the introduction of new technology but also as an input into wider
49 Ibid p.351.
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organizational learning that might impact, for example, on such areas as change and
project management50.
2.2.9 Learning Organizations.
"Learning organization"—an organization that is continually expanding its capacity to
create its future. For such an organization, it is not enough merely to survive."Survival
learning"also termed "adaptive learning"is important—indeed it is necessary. But for a
learning organization, "adaptive learning"must be joined by "generative
learning,"learning that enhances our capacity to create. The ability to learn faster than
your competitors may be the only sustainable competitive advantage. As the world
becomes more interconnected and business becomes more complex and dynamic, work
must become more "learningful."to all.
2.2.10 Shared Vision.
If any one idea about leadership has inspired organizations for thousands of years, it's the
capacity to hold a shared picture of the future we seek to create. In 21st century no
organization can sustain greatness in the absence of goals, values, and missions that
become deeply shared throughout the organization. When there is a genuine vision,
people excel and learn, not because they are told to, but because they want to. The
practice of shared vision involves the skills of unearthing shared pictures of the future
that foster genuine commitment and initiative rather than compliance
2.2.11 Team learning
The intelligence of the team exceeds the intelligence of the individuals in the team.
Teams develop extraordinary capacities for coordinated action. When teams are truly
learning, the individual members are growing more rapidly. Learning explores ignorance.
2.2.12. Employees’ Empowerment
Giving authority and responsibility to make important decisions is a key structural aspect
of empowerment. The real essence of empowerment comes from releasing the
knowledge experience and motivation that is already in people but is being severely
underutilized.
50 Ibid p.360.
34
Empowerment is the “cutting edge technology” that provides strategic advantage to an
entity and provides opportunities to the people. It is the means for involving teams
members as strategic business partners in determining success or failure of an
organization. The slogan of employees’ empowerment has become a cliché51.
But only lip service is paid to it. Giving up power and authority is probably the most
difficult element for all levels of management to share. Yet it is the most important
element for empowering employees. Managers from all levels must relinquish and
redistribute some power and authority if the organization, as a whole, is to respond
quickly to customers and foster innovation.
In the new SHRM paradigm, the mangers want employees to be problem solvers,
owning the organization, taking initiative and accepting responsibilities in the new
empowering environment where employees take decisions for improving their quality of
work life, the quality of product or service, give necessary feedback and have
knowledge for successful performance outcomes.
2.3 Literature Review on Islamic HRM
Introduction :While writing on Islamic theory and practice in the present time, one
has to keep in mind the hostile and negative image of Islam as projected by the
international mass media through internet websites, broadcast satellites, newspapers
and magazines, etc52. The interaction of the Muslim world with the West since the
Crusades has given rise to what is known as the West’s stereotyping of Islam53. The
Western mind views Islam as a mysterious, inscrutable, irrational system of beliefs;
fantasies about the private lives of Islam’s religious leaders including prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him) entertained by the Western European Christians
since that time still persists54. This is despite the fact that in recent years the tradition
of Western orientalism has sought to correct the distorted image and some of the
scholars have tried to display sympathetic understanding, objectivity and balance.
51 Ibid p.415. 52 Zafar Ishaq Ansari, Foreword to the Book ‘Islam: Essence and Spirit’ by Muhammad Zubair Farooqi (,
Islamabad, Dawa Academy, International Islamic University, 2007). 53 Akbar S. Ahmad: Islam Toda y( I.B Tauris, London, New york, 1999), p.2. 54 Zafar Ishaq Ansari, ibid.
35
Laudable as these efforts are, they have nevertheless failed to rectify the prejudice and
misconceptions resulting from the writings of Christian scholars of the Middle Ages
and the Renaissance and some of their present day successors writing in a similar vein
such as Samuel Huntington seeing an imminent clash of civilizations55.
The problem is compounded by the general Muslim decline in character &
morality, institutions of education, training and research- leaving them far behind in
the realm of science & technology -and visible deviations from the original spirit of
the pristine Islam, represented now by the growing extremist, overly dogmatic and
ritualistic interpretations of Islam getting attention from a sizeable percentage of
Muslim population partly as a reaction to the Western stereotyping of Islam and
injustices56. Central to this decline is the increasing highlighting of ‘conspiracy
theories’, culture of emotionalism and growing affinity to get involved in conflicts for
ending the injustice instead of focusing on internal reconstruction through education,
training and peaceful activism57. This problem on the part of Muslims has a great role
in discrediting Islam and providing excuses to the Western media for its stereotyping
of Islam and the Muslims.
As a consequence of the above two reasons, Islam is still looked upon as a hostile
culture, violent, pugnacious, intolerant of other systems of life, anti-democratic and
incompatible with the values of the West58. The Western media has carried and given
currency to several buzz-words: political Islam, militant Islam, fundamentalism,
terrorism etc59. The atmosphere has been further vitiated by the writings of persons
like Samuel Huntington who have been ominously predicting a clash between the
civilization of the West and Islam. In fact after the end of the cold war and the
disappearance of the specter of Communism from international scene, the Western
statesmen and political writers have been feeling uneasy in the vacuum and were eager
to grapple with the next adversary even if they had to put up a ghost for the purpose.
55 Ibid. 56 Waheedud Din Khan, Monthly Tazkeer (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer, August, 2007) p.24. 57 Waheedud Din Khan, Monthly Tazkeer, ibid. 58 Muhammad Zubair Farooqi, Islam: Essence and Spirit (Islamabad, Dawa Academy, International Islamic
University, 2007) p.5. 59 Akbar S. Ahmad: Islam Today, ibid.
36
Islam, with its political manifestation, seemed to be a fair target60. But before
preparations could be initiated for the ensuing encounter, it was realized that what was
being said and written about Islam was more mythical than reality. The so-called
political Islam was nothing more than the outcome of the socio-economic grievance of
the colonial era. The Islamic world, despite its large area, population and physical
resources was found to be too poor, backward and weak for a worthwhile encounter61.
A serious drawback in encountering Western misconception is the fact that no
Muslim state has been able to enforce the totality of Shariah (Islamic code of conduct)
and falls short of the high standard of Islam as regards good governance, merit,
accountability of the rulers and those in authority, public welfare, socio-economic
development and progress62. A truly Islamic state is thus non-existent63. The situation
as described above causes confusion in the minds of many readers, especially non-
Muslims, about the rationality of Islamic values & practices and its very relevance to
the present day problems and issues64, especially those relating to Human Resource
Management. This dilemma also underlines the difficulties of those who write about
Islamic values and attempt to explain its outstanding features.
2.4 Studies Already Done: Ilhaamie Abdul Ghani Azmi65 conducted research
on the relationship between Islamic Human Resource Management theory & Practices
and Organizational Performance in the context of Islamic organizations in Malaysia.
He studied in detail various Human Resource problems faced in public organizations,
the extent to which Islamic Human Resource Management (HRM) practices are
adopted in organizations and the impact of these practices on organizational
performance. He found that the effect of Islamic HRM practices on organizational
performance is immense.
60 Ibid. 61 Muhammad Zubair Farooqi, ibid, p.8. 62 Ibid, p.8. 63 Ibid, p.9. 64 Akbar S. Ahmad: Islam Today, ibid, p.4. 65 Ilhaami Abdul Ghani: Islamic Human Resource Practices and Organizational Performance; A conceptual
Framework (2009), ( Business Review, Academy of Islamic Studies, University of Malaysia).
37
Abdul Ghani and Norhashimi66 (2008) examined the cases and problems of
misconduct in public sector organizations, its extent, causes and impact. He concluded
that conventional HRM practices, based as they are on bottom-line approach with the
primary motive of profit maximization, were not fully capable of producing satisfied,
loyal, motivated and trustworthy employees as these practices do not incorporate in
their objectives the collective, social, moral and spiritual aspects of the employees as
well as the organization.
Tayeb67 (1997) and Abuznaid68 (2006) believe religion plays significant role for
organization to gain competitiveness. Nik Mutasem (2009) and Khan et al (2010)
found positive relationship between Islamic principles and Human Resource
Management and suggested that for achieving optimum results in terms of the
organizational goals, Islamic principles and practices should be utilized in all HR
functions.
Junaidah69 (2007) & Namazie and Tayeb (2006) studied in detail five Islamic
HRM practices viz recruitment & selection, career development, training &
development, performance appraisal/management and reward. They found that Islamic
theory and practices not only enhance the effectiveness of these functions but its
peculiar traits, having their origins in Islamic principles of Ihsaan, justice, emphasis on
acquisition of knowledge (skills) & integrity (Amanah), fear of God (Taqwa),
consultation (shura), purification of soul (Tazkiah), unity and equality of humankind,
training (Tarbiah) etc prove far more effective compared to the current HRM theory
and practices. They suggested that measuring employees’ performance must consider
justice, fairness, accountability and responsibility. Budhwar, Al Hamadi and Mellahi 70
(2006) investigated the determining factors forming part of the HR programs in
various types of organizations in Muslim countries such as the Middle East, Oman,
66 Abdul Ghani, S & Norhashimi (2008), http://ustazghani.com/ 6th May, 2009. 67 M Tayeb: Islamic Revival in Asia & Human Resource Management, Employees relations, vol.19, No.4,(1997) p.352-364. 68 S Abuznaid: Islam and Management; What can be learned? (Thunderbird International Business Review
, vol.48 No.1, 2006),p.125-139. 69 Junaidah, H.(2007): Human Resource Management: Islamic Approach and (2009) : Islamic Revival and
Human Resource Practices in Malaysian Organizations, International Journal Islamic and, Middle Eastern
Finance and Management 2(3),p.251-267. 70 Al Hamadi, A.B & Budhwar: Human Resource Management in Oman, Managing Human Resource in the
Middle East ( London & Newyark, Routledge, 2006), p.273-290.
38
Kuwait, Turkey, Morocco, Malaysia, Indonesia and the actual extent of practice of
Islamic theory & practices. Seldon and Sowa 71(2004) examined in details various
dimensions of organizational performance, especially the financial (such as
profitability, return of assets, return on investment, sales, revenue etc) and non-
financial (such as customer loyalty & satisfaction, job satisfaction and motivation,
employees turnover, service quality, efficiency of job performance etc). They
suggested use of a multi-dimensional and integrative approach to cater to complexity
of organizational performance. They found that Islamic theory and practice supports
this multi-dimensional approach.
Hogan and Muhlau72 (2005) studied the three dimensions of employees’
performance- work performance, co-operation and discipline- and their linkage with
Islamic principles and practices. Sabah Alorfi73 (2012) studied the relationship of
Islamic theory & practices with HRM practices and found that Islamic principles &
practices play significant role in enhancing organizational performance, employees’
motivation, loyalty and trustworthiness. Al Ali74 (2005) traced and identified the bases
of HRM principles & practices in Islamic sources & values and outlined its important
characteristics.
Ahmad75 (1993) highlighted the importance of integrity and competence in
Islam and their significance in organizational performance. Saeed76 (1997) explored
the principles of planning, organizing, selection, training, and performance appraisal
in the light of Islamic theory & practice and pointed out the relevance, significance
and utility of the latter.
71 Seldon, S.C & Sowa, J.E: Testing a multi-dimensional Model of Organizational Performance; prospects and problems( journal of Public Administration Research ,2004) p.395-416. 72 Horgan, J & Muhlau: Human Resource Management & Performance; global database, (2005) 242-258. 73 Sabah Alorfi: Human Resource Management from an Islamic Perspective ( Department of Quraan &
Sunnah , International Islamic University, Malaysia), E-mail at salorfi@ hotmail.com. 74 Al Ali: The Management in Islam, New Horizons in Management (2005), Malaysia. 75 Ahmad Fayaz: Islamic Principles of Business Organizations ( New Delhi, 2005). 76 Saeed: A Survey of Management from an Islamic Perspective (New Dehli, Ahmad Academy of Human
Resources, 1997).
39
Dr. Khaliq Ahmad77 studied in detail the basic values of Islam such as Tazkiah,
Taqwa, Ihsaan, Ad’l and Itqa’n etc and how these values enhance efficiency &
effectiveness, motivation of human resource as well as organizational effectiveness.
Idris Bin Osman78, Muhammad Halim Bin Mahpoth and Maryam Jameela
examined the challenges of globalization & technological changes to HRM, the
relevance of Islamic principles of Ihsaan and justice and how Islamic HRM practices
affect positively the organizational justice, productivity, motivation and loyalty of the
employees by analyzing three aspects of justice in organizations- distributive,
procedural and transactional. They found that for creating optimum levels of
employees’ motivation and organizational efficiency, these three aspects of justice
(taken as dependent variables) need to be given importance in all HR functions such as
recruitment and selection, development & training, career development, performance
management and compensation & reward ( taken as independent variables).
Abdus Sattar Abbassi (2010) in his Ph. D dissertation studied and explored the
impact of Islamic leadership on corporate management based in values and found that
Islamic leadership has a significant positive relationship with motivation, loyalty and
commitment of the employees and practicing its various elements enhances efficiency
of the employees as well optimum achievement of the organizational objectives.
Arshad Ahmad Baig79 (2007) explored various aspects of human personality
and underlined the importance of more emphasis on Human Resource Development as
compared to HRM as is the prevalent practice in conventional HRM. He found that for
actualizing proper utilization of human potential, all the aspects of human resource-
physical, intellectual, moral, spiritual, social-need to be developed with a balance
among all and an integrative rather than an isolationist approach should be adopted for
enabling the human resource to play its due role for larger objectives of the
organizations and society rather than restricting the organizational goals to mere profit
maximization and treating the humans as a mere resource.
77 Ahmad , Khaliq : Challenges and Practices in Human Resource Management of the Muslim World,
(Journal of Human Resources and Adult Learning, vol.4, December,2008). 78 Idris 424 @ melaka.uitm.edu.my. 79 Baig, Arshad Ahmad: “Human Resource Development; Islamic Perspective”, Tarjuman ul Quraan
(monthly) September, 2007(, Lahore Idara Tarjumanul Quraan), p.23-38.
40
Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem80 (2006) underlined important elements of good
governance among state functionaries in Islam such as following the principles of
merit & right man for the right job, granting of adequate freedom to employees,
equality before law, justice for all and to all, accountability, integrity, consultation and
freedom of expression. He emphasized that the concept of leader in Islam is that of
servant of the public and that of the public as watch-dog of the rulers and state
functionaries.
Rafik I .Beekun and Jamal Badawi81 (1999) identified the salient features of a
leader in Islam and emphasized the aspects of service, guardianship, mentoring,
coaching, integrity, creating dynamic followers by distinguishing its characteristics
from other types of leaders.
Syed Wajid Ali Rizvi82 (2005) explored and traced Islamic principles and
practices regarding merit, accountability, integrity, public welfare, responsibility as
trust, justice, equality before the law, following the principle of consultation etc.
Some studies have examined the scope of management in Islamic perspective on
organizational behavioural outcomes. For example, Yousuf (1999) discovered
organizational commitment and job satisfaction as indicators of attitudes towards
organizational change in an Islamic set up and identified Islamic work ethics as the
significant moderator between organizational commitment, job satisfaction,
motivation and loyalty.
2.5 Need of the present study on Islamic HRM:
Notwithstanding the above, the extent of literature on Islamic perspective of Human
Resource Management is still very limited keeping in view its immense utility and
relevance. The theory & practice of peace in Islam, its theory & practice in how to
manage conflicts, the relevance of principle of gradualism and tools of planning, its
emphasis on merit , integrity & accountability, justice and trustworthiness- just to
name a few- have not attracted due attention these aspects deserve as for as HRM is
concerned. Further, there is increasing need and also interest in its application in the
80 Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem: ‘Principles of Good Governance”, The Dialogue (quarterly), July-Sept;
2006, Qurtuba University of Science & Information Technology, Peshawar (Pakistan), p.41-59. 81 Rafik I .Beekun & Jamal Badawi: Leadership; An Islamic Perspective (Amnana Publications, Beltsville,
Maryland, 1999), p.1-130. 82 Syed Wajid Ali Rizvi: Islam and Good Governance (Lahore, Maqbool Academy, 2005).
41
face of challenges of globalization, rapid changes in technologies83 & social media,
increase of Muslim population in the Western countries & organizations mainly as a
result of immigration84, increasing importance of diversity in work force85, the rise of
Muslim-led and Muslim-owned Multinational Corporations (MNCs) both within and
outside Muslim majority countries86.
One of the important reasons is the increasing awareness & consciousness
among Muslims of their common destiny as a result of the information revolution,
resurgence and revival87. Particularly, the management and leadership paradigm in
the West are in flux and ethics & morality are exhibiting a visible comeback88. The
bestsellers in the domain of leadership and management increasingly focus integrity
and sincerity more than any thing else and the usefulness and superiority of
leadership paradigm based on ethical and moral principles are finally emerging- a
position that Islam has entailed from its very inception89. Core Islamic values are
reasserting themselves and, as a result, Islam has become the fastest spreading
religion in the United States and the second largest religion in France also90. As
procedures and legislations alone are proving inadequate to ward off every form of
malpractice, a self-induced Islamic ethics and HRM is naturally much sought after to
more than supplement the deficiency. Thus, for these and other reasons, the need for
more studies in the Islamic Human Resource Management principles and practices.
2.5.1 Concluding Comments:
In this study, I will be focusing primarily on exploring and describing the basic
values behind the principles and practices of Islamic HRM and trace out and
highlight these values with qualitative and quantitative analysis for knowing as to
whether these are practiced in the Pakistani organizations and, if yes, to what extent.
83 Akbar S. Ahmad: Islam Today (London, Newyark I. B. Tauris, 1999), p.1. 84 Akbar S. Ahmad: Islam Today, ibid, p.3. 85 John Storey: New Perspectives on Human Resource Management (Cengage Learning, EMEA, 1999),
p.137. 86 Rafik I .Beekun & Jamal Badawi, op cit, p.4. 87 Rafik I. Beekun Jamal Badawi, ibid, preface. 88 Ibid. 89 Ibid. 90 Akbar S. Ahmad, ibid, p.3.
42
I will also examine in detail as to how practice of these principles help in tackling
the problems of lack of efficiency & integrity, professionalism & merit, misuse of
authority and ensure employee motivation, loyalty, commitment, efficiency &
productivity and organizational objectives.
43
Chapter Three
Theoretical Frame work
3.1 The Core Values:
Introduction: Islam integrates individual and collective growth and well being. It
also integrates spiritual and material progress and development and it emphasizes
on the balance between these aspects, the study, therefore, adopts primarily an
integrative, harmonious and systematic approach rather than an isolationist one.
The theoretical framework provides the basic foundation to the Islamic Human
Resource Management theory and practice. Since Islam aims at developing all the
aspects simultaneously and no aspect is allowed to develop unduly or at the cost of
others1. It combines its laws of (Ad’l)2 and spiritual morality (Ihsaan)3 for
achieving its objectives of purification of the human soul and establishing a just
socio-moral and economico- political order in this world and success in the
hereafter.
Merit & right man for the right job, accountability & integrity, teamwork
and objective performance appraisal system lie at the core of this framework. This
balance and integration is also evident in all of its rituals and social dealings which
creates love, humility, kindness, compassion, equity, social harmony, justice,
peace, unity and order, intellectual freedom and individual and collective
dynamism and progress4. Its methodology is education, training, persuasion and
peaceful activism, consultation, teamwork, patience & perseverance, gradualism
and development of the HR. The sections that follow give a detailed account of
these core values, their linkage with the HRM and how these core values help in
achievement of employee motivation, job satisfaction, loyalty, voluntary
contribution, productivity and organizational objectives.
1 Akbar S .Ahmad, Postmodernism and Islam; Predicament and Promise (Karachi, Royal Book Company,
1992) P.4.
2 Quraan,(5), 8. 3 Quraan (41), 34. 4 Akbar S. Ahmad, ibid, p.5.
44
JUSTICE
3.1.1 The Basis:
Introduction: One of the very important demands of the humanity is that one should
deal justly with others. In no circumstances should we follow the path of injustice or
oppression. That is why Islam has laid great stress on adopting just attitude in
individual and collective affairs. Some of the Quraanic verses are as follows:
“We sent our Messengers with clear Signs & instructions and sent down with them the
Book and the Balance so that people may stand by justice”5
“God enjoins justice, generosity and kind treatment with relatives, and forbids
indecency, wickedness and oppression. He admonishes you so that you may take
lessons”6
“And He has enjoined: that you should not go near the property of an orphan except
in the best way, until he reaches his maturity, and you should use a full measure and a
just balance .We charge every person only with that much responsibility that he can
bear, and whatever you say should be just, even it is concerning your own relatives
and you should fulfill your covenant with God. God has enjoined these things on you
so that you may follow the admonition”7
“ O Believers, be steadfast in righteousness and just in giving witness for the sake of
God ; the enmity of any people should not so provoke you as to turn you away from
justice .Do justice as it is akin to piety. Fear God (in your affairs): indeed He is fully
aware of what you do”8
“God commands you to pass judgment upon men with fairness”9
“We created not the heavens, the earth and all between them, but for just ends”10
“We created not the heavens, the earth and all between them, merely in (idle) sport.
We created them not except for just ends, but most of them do not understand”11
“And if you retaliate, let your retaliation be to the extent that you were wronged….”12
5 Quraan,(57), 25. 6 Quraan (16), 90. 7 Quraan (6), 152. 8 Quraan (5), 8. 9 Quraan (4), 58. 10 Quraan (15), 85. 11 Quraan (44), 38-39. 12 Quraan (16), 126.
45
“O Believers, be you the standard-bearers of justice and witness for the sake of God,
even though your justice and your evidence might be harmful to yourselves, or to your
parents, or to your relatives. It does not matter whether the party concerned is rich or
poor: God is their greater well-wisher than you: therefore, do not follow your own
desire lest you should deviate from doing justice. If you distort your evidence or
refrain from the truth, know it well that God is fully aware of what you do”13
“Do not usurp one another’s property by unjust means nor offer it to those in
authority (or the judges) so that you may devour knowingly and unjustly a portion of
the goods of others”14
3.1.2 Justice lies at the core of Islamic Edifice of Values
From the above, it is clear that one of the basic purposes of sending the messengers of
God to humanity is that people observe justice. It is also evident that observance of
justice is unconditional and non-reciprocal. Using the word ‘balance’ for it implies
that it is essential for maintenance of social order and peace15. No reason or excuse is
great enough not to observe justice, not even the enmity with someone. Doing and
maintenance of justice has been included in the objectives of religion called ‘Maqased
e Shariah’ (objectives of Shariah)16.
God’s justice and mercy is so comprehensive that He has not left unnoticed the
problems of the non-Muslims who had never had the opportunity of knowing what
Islam is. Says the holy Quraan:
“(We sent) apostles as the givers of glad tidings and as warners, so that people should
have no plea against God after they had come”17
Justice demands that man should not be burdened beyond his capacity and the holy
Quraan declares the same so emphatically:
“We place only as much burden upon a person as he can bear”18 .
The Quraan has repeatedly commanded that social issues should always be resolved
with justice19. It commands that in controversial matters, peace should be made
13 Quraan (4), 135. 14 Quraan (2), 187. 15 Waheedud Din Khan, Tazkeer (monthly), February, 2006 (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer), p.19. 16 Dr. Muhammad Nejatullah Siddiqui, Maqased e Shariah (Urdu) (Islamabad, Islamic Research
Foundation, 2009), p.25. 17 Quraan (4), 165. 18 Quraan (6), 6. and (2), 232.
46
between antagonists with equity and justice.20 It is a general command. In the family,
in the organizations and in society, differences will always arise. On such occasions, it
is the duty of all the concerned members to settle the matters in accordance with
justice with out tilting towards any party. From the above verses, it is also evident that
we have to stick to justice even when dealing with the enemy. The holy Quraan exerts
man that since the systems of the earth and the heavens are established on perfect
justice, therefore, it is only right and appropriate that man’s code of conduct should,
like wise, be based on justice.
3.1.3 The Matchless Practice of Justice
The second caliph of Islam Umar (r.a) was so particular about justice that he himself
went to the court as one party in a dispute for institutionalizing the equality of all and
sundry before the law. He was once found in a dispute with the companion Obay Ben
Ka’b (r.a) who instituted a case against him in the court of Zyad Ben Thabet (r.a).
Umar attended the court as a respondent and Zayd gave him a bow as a sign of
respect. On pointing out that such a treatment was against the norm of justice, he sat
with the complainant. According to the rules, Obay (r.a) wanted Umar to take oath but
Zayd (r.a) , considering the status of the caliph, requested Obay to exempt the caliph
from the oath. Umar got annoyed with this and addressed Zayd thus:
“You can not do justice with your position unless you treat Umar and an ordinary
person equally”21.He would not spare even his own son from punishment of 80
stripes22. When he was once invited for a meal along with other notables and found
that their servants were not asked to sit down, he expressed his displeasure on the
discrimination23. When he was asked as to his right (as salary) from treasury he said:
“Two pairs of clothes-one for the winter and one for the summer, one cloth-sheet for
pilgrimage and so much of food per person of my family which suffice for an ordinary
person of the Quraysh; neither more nor less. After this, I am an ordinary man among
Muslims; whatever their condition, the same for me”24
19 Waheedud Din Khan, ibid, p.20. 20 Quraan (49), 4. 21 Shibli Numaani: Alfarooq (Urdu) (Lahore, Maktaba Rahmania, 1990), p.221. 22 Ibid. 23 Ibid, p. 328. 24 Muhammad Hussain Haykal: Umar Farooq (Urdu) (Lahore, Ilm o Irfan publishers, 2004),p.611.
47
The caliph was so particular in letting the public know the duties and powers of
the state functionaries that he would repeatedly address people in this regard25. He
would forbid the functionaries to exhibit harshness towards the public or to disgrace
them or to commit discrimination or to beat them or to deny access to them26. They
would be directed to fulfill peoples’ obligations and show simplicity in their life
style27.
3.1.4 Strict Accountability is a Must for Justice
Umar (r.a) would appraise and oversee the performance of his governors, military
commanders and tax collectors. He would requisition them for annual accountability
before the public mostly at the time of pilgrimage. He would also invite public opinion
and requests for redressal of grievances viza vis governors of diferrrent provinces of
the caliphate and tax collectors28. Moreover, only one of his kinsmen was appointed as
revenue collector in the entire period of his caliphate and he too was removed from the
responsibility later upon complaint of drinking filed against him. 29
3.1.5 The Criteria for Appointment of a Judge
In important cases of appointment such as selection of the Qaazi (judge), he would
sometimes conduct tests before making the appointment30. He had ordained that the
person who is not wealthy enough and respected should not be made a judge because
in such cases, the judge would be tempted to corruption and unduly influenced by
influential people31.
3.1.6 Establishing the Principle of Avoiding Conflict of Interest
Further, the judges would not be allowed to engage in trading or business and this is
the sound principle which has been adopted in the developed countries after
experiences of hundred of years32.
25 Ibid, p.221. 26 Ibid, p.195. 27 Ibid. 28 Ibid, p.196. 29 Ibid, p.307. 30 Ibid, p.220. 31 Ibid. 32 Ibid, p.221
48
3.1.7 Not only selection of the best person but ensuring that justice is actually
meted out
He wanted to establish justice in every nook and corner of the state and for this he
would feel himself accountable before God Almighty. That is, if his tax collector
would mal-treat any person thousand of miles away, he would feel as if he himself has
mal-treated the person. When he once asked “Do you think that by appointing the best
suited person as collector, I would be absolved of any further responsibility”? People
replied in affirmative. On this he said “No, it would not be true unless I also ensure
that he has acted upon as required”33. In the very first address as caliph he said:’
“By God, a weak person among you will be stronger with me until I deliver him his
due while a strong person among you will be weaker with me until I snatch from him
what is due to others”34.
3.1.8 Justice as a necessary ingredient of the HRM theory & practice
Concluding Comments: Justice is prerequisite for a peaceful society35. It is the
necessary ingredient for organizational and social development36. Organizational
justice and the employees’ perception about fair and transparent treatment in their
organization are very important for unity, solidarity, motivation, and loyalty of the
employees in the organization37. It has a positive relationship with performance,
efficiency and effectiveness of the employees as well as the organization and, thus, has
positive effects on managing human resource38. Justice enhances unity, solidarity and
team spirit. More attention should, therefore, be given to strict observance of justice
in human resource functions such as selection, performance appraisal and
compensation which if not done will always result in perception of injustice among the
employees. Practicing Islamic approach of unconditional justice to all (even the
enemies) ensures organizational justice. Islam not only emphasizes organizational
justice but also requires that procedural justice in decision making in the organization
should also be adhered to. In Islam, choosing the right person effects loyalty to the
33 Muhammad Hussain Haykal, ibid, p.622. 34 Ibid, p.615. 35 Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi: Islam; the Religion of Peace (Karachi, Royal Book Company, 1989),p.118. 36 John Braton & Jeffery Gold, Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice, (Good Reads, 1999), P.35. 37 Gary Hamel, Competing for the Future (Howard Business press, 1994), p.67. 38 Gary Hamel, ibid, p.68.
49
organization.39 Favoritism tends to create mistrust and disloyalty. Islam opts for
selection of the best person for the job40. What is required is that Islamic perspective
of justice should be embedded in HRM activities starting from selection to career
development in organizations, especially the Islamic ones.
39 Quraan (28), 26. 40 Prof. Rasheed Ahmad: Political Ideas of Muslims, Idara Saqafat e Islamia, Lahore, 2008, p.49.
50
3.2 IHSAAN
3.2.1 The Origin
Introduction: The Arabic root of the word Ihsaan is “Husn” meaning beauty and
contains the elements of proportion, balance, completeness, perfection, goodness.
Ihsaan, therefore, means doing things, dealing people and fulfilling one’s obligations
and duties in an excellent way and by following the principle of unconditional goodness.
The concept of Ihsaan is at the core of morality of Islam. Justice is lower in rank than
Ihsaan. Its characteristics have been explained in the holy Quraan and in the sayings &
actions of the prophet of Islam. True believers have been defined in the holy Quraan as
those who “when angered are willing to forgive”1 This means that when a person is
confronted with such a behaviour as makes him angry, he does not retaliate with anger,
but rather returns forgiveness for anger. This is exhibiting of goodness more than the
requirement of justice. That is, meting out non-reciprocal goodness and unconditional
forgiveness to people. Appreciating the above qualities, the holy Quraan says:
“And goodness and evil are not equal. Repel evil with what is best (ahsan). You will see
that he, with whom you had enmity, has become your dearest friend. But non can attain
this quality (of repelling evil with goodness) except those who endure with patience”2
Persons exhibiting excellence in deeds (Ihsaan) have been appreciated and mentioned as
entitled to the blessings and love of Almighty God3.
The prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) also said:
“By God a person can not be a believer until and unless he likes for his neighbour and
his brother what he likes for himself”4 and:
“A person from whose evils his neighbour is not safe will not go heaven”5
In the holy Quraan the prophet of Islam has been described as “sublime character”. The
following sayings of the holy prophet indicate the essential traits and requirements of
the ‘sublime character’ :
“Never debase your character by saying that if people treat you well, you well treat
them well, and if they harm you, then you will do worse to them. Rather, become
1 Quraan (42), 37. 2 Quraan (41), 34. 3 Quraan (2), 195, (5), 13 and (56), 7. 4 Saheeh Muslim (Karachi, Darul Ashaat, 2005), Vol 2, Narration No.195, p. 345 5 Ibid, p.345.
51
accustomed to being good to those who are good to you, and avoid wronging those who
harm you”6
“Join hands with those who break away from you, forgive those who wrong you, and be
good to those who harm you”7
3.2.2 Principle confirmed by Modern Practice/Research
Recent research conducted by the American scientists’ shows that those people who are
capable of forgiving others are healthier both mentally and physically. A study of two
hundred and fifty nine persons residing in San Francisco was conducted by a team lead
by Dr Frederic Luskin, who has a PhD in Counseling and Health psychology from
Stanford University. Those who were subjected to experiments stated that the level of
their sufferings reduced phenomenally after forgiving people having mistreated them8.
The study indicated that people having adopted the habit of forgiveness feel far better
psychologically, socially, physically as well as emotionally. The study brought to the
fore, for instance, that the experience of forgiveness resulted in visible decline in
physical and psychological levels of illness, viz backache related to stress, stomachaches
and insomnia in the persons under study.9
Dr. Frederic Luskin, in his book ‘Forgive for Good’, mentions that forgiving
people is a sure cure for happiness & over all health. He mentions in detail to what
extent forgiveness enhance positive & balanced traits of personality such as patience,
hope and self-confidence through controlling anger, frustration, stress, depression and
aggression. Forgiveness is a complete methodology and recipe; when people do not
forgive, it will destroy them10.
The ideal behaviour mentioned hereinabove has been practically put into practice
– in entirety- by the holy prophet of Islam. Characters can be divided into two main
types- ordinary and special. The former has its origin in the rule of reciprocity indicated
in the saying “do as you have been done by”11 Such a behaviour can be categorized as
‘knee –jerk behaviour’, because those having such a behaviour merely react rather than
6 Mishkatul Masabeeh, p.345. 7 Shah Muhammad Jafar Phulwarwi: Riazus Sunnah (, Lahore, Darut Tazkeer, 1998), p.35. 8 Waheedud Din Khan, Tazkeer, March, 2007 (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer), p.18. 9 Ibid. 10 Ibid. 11 Abu Yahya: Quran ka Matloob Insaan (Urdu) (Karachi, Inzaar Publications, 2012), p.26.
52
responding to mal-treatment by other people; separating from those who sever relations
with them, exhibiting highhandedness to those who do wrongs to them, and doing harms
to those who treat them badly.
But the ideal kind of behaviour is based on the rule “do as you would be done by”12.
Persons having such behaviour treat both friends & foes in similar manner based in
goodness for all, regardless of the manner of treatment at the hands of others. Being
always considerate-even interacting with those who sever from them-they treat kindly
even those who try to harm them. They exhibit forbearance, forgiving and helpful even
to those who maltreat them.13
3.2.3 Practice of the Principle
The well known instance of Hazrat Ayesha (r.a)- the mother of Muslims (may God be
pleased with her) and daughter of the first caliph of Islam, Hazrat Abu Bakr (r.a)-
having been accused of adultery, is a very pertinent illustration of the practice of the
aforesaid principle14. The false charge made against her, while she was incidentally left
behind when coming back from an expedition, then rescued by a young companion
Sufwaan Ben Muattal (r.a), was absolutely false, malicious and slanderous. That is why,
the event became known in Islamic history as the “case of the slander”15. One of the
men instrumental in concocting the false story and then spreading it in the length &
breadth of Arabia was a close kinsman of Abu Bakr (r.a) namely Mistah. Knowing that
Mistah was involved in character assassination of his innocent daughter, Abu Bakr (r.a)
stopped the financial help that he used to give to Mistah as a poor relative. No sooner
than Abu Bakr (ra.) did this, God Almighty sent this verse of the Quraan to his
prophet16.
“Those among you, who are bountiful and men of means, should not swear on oath that
they would withhold their help form their relatives, the indigent and those who have left
12 Abu Yahya, ibid. 13 Ibid. 14 Waheedud Din Khan, Tazkeer, ibid, p.20. 15 Quraan, (24), 12. 16 Waheedud Din Khan, op cit.
53
their homes for the cause of God : they should rather forgive and forbear. Do you not
wish that God should forgive you? And God is forgiving and merciful”17.
The above shows that financial assistance should not be denied to a person in need
due to his misdeeds. Instead, one must forgive him and continue to help & treat him
with goodness18.
3.2.4 Like for others what you like for yourself
Being virtuous is the collection of individual traits that guarantees the right and
agreeable attitude in social and group interactions. The underlying principle of this code
of ethics has been highlighted in a narration from the holy prophet (peace be upon him)
thus:
“One should like for others what one likes for himself, that is, one should treat others
just as he wants to be treated by others”19. This narration has a great wisdom hidden in
it. Everyone wants to be addressed with pleasing words and nice manners. Thus, it binds
that all people should be treated gently. Everyone wants his presence to be free of
problems which essentially obliges him to avoid creating problems for others as well.
Everyone wants from others sympathy, forgiveness and co-operative behaviour. Thus,
his own expectations from others put him under this moral obligation to show sympathy
and co-operation with others.
The Islamic sets of ethics and morality are very simple and natural. This narration
provides such a just, rational and perfect yardstick for human ethics that no
inconsistency, contradiction, discrimination or faults can be found in it. Thus, Islam has
prescribed, in the light of mutual expectations, what attitude should be exhibited and
what had to be abstained from. In terms of another narration reported form the holy
prophet (peace be upon him), the best of us is the one who is the best in moral
character20. Thus, becoming ideal humankind has nothing ambiguous. It is to avoid
practicing double standards21.
17 Quraan (24), 22. . 18 Waheedud Din Khan, ibid. 19 Prof. Khursheed Ahamd: Islam; Basic Principles and Characteristics (Islamabad, Dawa Academy, 2009),
p.19. 20 Prof. Khursheed Ahmad, ibid, p.20. 21 Waheedud Din Khan, ibid.
54
3.2.5 Avoiding Exhibiting Double Standards
Adopting a high code of ethics or good conduct means practicing what is preached:
meting out equal respect and good manners to the weak and the poor which is shown to
the strong & powerful, pursuing the same behaviour which he expects from others, not
deviating from or compromising moral values and exhibiting an ideal moral attitude even
when people behave in the lowest ebb of moral decline. Viewed from the above
standpoint, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) appear standing at the highest position in
terms of human ethics and morality, never deviating from the high benchmarks which he
professed and established22. Enmity, bad treatment and expediency could not force him to
adopt immoral behaviour. This character on the part of prophet of Islam -and not mere
preaching or sermons-earned him respect even in the eyes of his dearest enemies. His
companions followed him strictly in all kinds of hardships, trials and tribulations. They
loved him both in situations of defeat, anger as well as in situations of victory, supremacy
and happiness. He was found to be with out any moral blemish23.
3.2.6 Two Levels; the Legal and the Moral/Spiritual
There are two levels of behaviour in a matter. One is legal and thus relating to one’s right
established on the touch-stone of apparent justice. This kind of behaviour is often
exhibited in and based on reciprocity24. The other is moral & spiritual connoting
behaviour with and treatment of people beyond what is required by mere application of
law and apparent acts of justice. It is exhibiting goodness towards people with out any
reciprocity and conditions. It is unidirectional goodness towards all human beings
irrespective of whether the other party reciprocates it or not. This unidirectional and
unconditional goodness has been encouraged in the believers by the holy Quraan:
“Let evil be rewarded with like veil. But he who forgives and seek reconcilement shall be
rewarded by God. He does not love the wrongdoers. Those who avenge them selves when
wronged incur no guilt. But great is the guilt of those who oppress their fellow men and
22 Ibid. 23 Ibid. 24 Abu Yahya: Quran ka Matloob Insaan, ibid, p.56.
55
conduct themselves with wickedness and injustice in the land. These shall be severely
punished. But true constancy lies is forgiveness and patient forbearance”25
The above verses make distinction between behaviour & treatment allowed by the
principle of justice and reciprocity and attitude of forgiveness & patience based in
unconditional goodness and beyond what is required by law26. The verses provide that
avenging wrongdoing to the same level is allowed as a matter of right but it does not
contain an element of inherent goodness. Goodness lies in forgiving a wrongdoer and
foregoing a right established by law or reciprocity. The holy Quraan encourages this
attitude and mindset by using the term ‘Ihsaa’n’ and ‘Taqwa’- perfection in actions and
fear of God- as opposed to the word ‘right’ -connoting behaviour based on law and
reciprocity. The holy Quraan appreciates the behviour of such people by referring to them
as ‘Muhseneen’27 and ‘Muttaqqeen’28.
Forgiveness is one of most the important characteristics recommended in the Quraan:
“Hold to forgiveness, command what is right, and turn away from the ignorant”29.
“…They should rather pardon and overlook. Would you not love God to forgive you? God
is ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful”30.
3.2.7 Forgiveness is a great Moral Virtue
Forgiveness is very difficult for those who do not follow moral values as they are very
susceptible to errors. God Almighty, however, has advised that forgiveness is more proper
in such a situation:
“The repayment of a bad action is one equivalent to it. But if someone pardons and puts
things right, his reward is with God…”31.
“But if you pardon and exonerate and forgive, God is ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful”32.
From the above, it is evident that forgiving in anger is one of the critical characteristics of
the faithful. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) trained the Muslims to deal gently
25 Quraan (42), 36-43. 26 Abu Yahya, ibid. 27 See reference No. 3 above. 28 Quraan (2), 177. 29 Quraan (7), 199. 30 Quraan (24), 22. 31 Quraan (42), 40. 32 Quraan (64), 14.
56
even those who maltreated them. That is, Muslims should exhibit goodness in return for
evil, and remain, always, peaceful in the face of antagonism.
Concluding Comments: Ihsaan-unconditional goodness- lies at the core of Islamic HRM
theory & practices. It entails avoiding double standards, high sense of sacrifice for others,
forgiveness, positiveness, liking for others what one likes for one’s self and repelling evil
with goodness. Adopting the principle ensures making friends out of enemies, avoidance
of conflicts and helps immensely in ensuring employees’ motivation, loyalty, co-
operation, commitment, productivity and organizational success.
57
3.3 CONSULTATION
3.3.1 The Basis in the holy Quraan
Introduction: Islam enjoins that in collective affairs, all the decisions are to be
made through consultation. The holy Quraan says:
“Who obey their Lord, establish the Prayer and conduct their affairs by mutual
consultation...”1.
The prophet of Islam has also been exhorted to take decisions after consultation.
“..and take counsel with them in the conduct of the affairs; then when you make up
your mind (to do a thing),trust in God( and do it)”2.
This mutual consultation is required in all such matters on which depend interests of
the people. For example family matters:
“There is no harm if they wean the child by mutual consent and consultation”3.
Since God Almighty has endowed men with varying degrees of understanding,
therefore, those who are unable to grasp things themselves have been enjoined to
“consult some one who is well versed in the matter”.4
The prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) has also exhorted the companions
for consultation. The fourth caliph of Islam Ali (r.a) narrates that he asked the holy
prophet (peace be upon him) as to the matter regarding which there is no revelation
of the holy Quraan or Sunnah of the prophet .The holy prophet (peace be upon him)
responded:
“In such a matter bring together those who have knowledge and decide the matter
through consultation. The decision should not be based on the opinion of any one
person”5.
While sending the companion Muaaz Ben Jabbal (r.a) to Yeman, this was one
of the matters the holy prophet (peace be upon him) emphasized. He said:
1 Quraan (42), 38. 2 Quraan (3), 159. 3 Quraan (2), 233. 4 Quraan (16), 42. 5 Musnad Ahmad, Narration No.7991.
58
“Whatever your decide or say, should not be with out knowledge. If you feel any
confusion (about a matter), ask (people) with out any hesitation .Do consult because
those who consult are helped ( by God)”6.
At the same time, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) emphasized that those who
are consulted have a bigger responsibility to shoulder. He said:
“When any one among you requires his brother to give his opinion, he must give his
opinion (honestly)”7.
The companion Abu Hurayra (r.a) narrates the following from the holy prophet
(peace be upon him):
“Whosoever is consulted is (like) a trustee”8.
3.3.2 The Practice of the of Islam prophet (peace be upon him):
The prophet (peace be upon him) would decide every collective matter through
consultation. One of the companions Abu Hurayra (r.a) says that he has not seen any
person seeking consultation more than the prophet (peace be upon him) did9.
Whenever any difference of opinion on any issue occurred between the companions,
the holy prophet (peace be upon him) decided the matter after due deliberation and
exchange of views10. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) himself is known to
have accepted the opinion of his companions as opposed to his own opinion. Here
are some examples:
(1) Consultation was made by the holy prophet (peace be upon him) with the
companions regarding the terms of the agreement with the Jews of Madina knows
as “Meethaq e Madina”11.
(2) The matter of what should be done in the Battle of Badr was decided after
consultation and, after due deliberation, it was decided that the Quraysh should be
6 Ibne Asaakar, Tareekhe Damishq, Vol 44, p.371. 7 Sunan Ibne Majaa (Lahore, Darul Ashaat, 2005), Narration No.2737, vol 2, p.134. 8 Op.cit, Narration No.2735. 9 Jamae Tirmazi (Lahore, Maktaba Rahmania, 2005), Narration No.3009 and also see Muhammad Hussain
Haykal: Umar Farooq (Lahore, Ilm o Irfan publishers), 2004, p.604. 10 Muhammad Asad: Principles of State and Government in Islam (California University, 1961), p.64. 11 Dr. Muhammad Hameedullah: The Muslim conduct of State (Lahore, Al Faisal Publishers, 2005), p.21.
59
confronted.12 The holy prophet (peace be upon him) accepted opinion of majority
of the companions although it was against his own decision13.
(3) In the battle of Badr, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) selected a
specific spot for the encampment of the Muslim soldiers. One of the companions
enquired of him as to whether he had selected this place under guidance of
revelation (in which case it would be binding and obligatory) or it was the
outcome of his personal opinion. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) replied
that it was indeed his own choice. On hearing this, the companion who was well
versed in war strategy, submitted that in that case we should move a little further
and occupy an elevated place. This would, he explained, give us an edge over the
enemy as we would be able to oversee them and hit them from a vantage point
beside having access to water-resources. The holy prophet (peace be upon him)
immediately accepted the proposal even though this decision was to determine the
destiny of the Muslim Ummah14.
(4) When some of Quraysh people were made captives in the battle of Badr,
the question of how they should be treated arose. Consultation was made which
resulted in some of difference of opinion. Whosoever gave any opinion gave his
arguments also. Since revelation was also received on the matter, details of such
discussions can be seen in the exegeses on verses 67 to 69 of 8 th chapter (Sura
Anfaal) of the holy Quraan and the books about the life of the prophet (peace be
upon him)15.
(5) One of the important consultations is the one made on day of battle of
Uhud for deciding whether the battle should be fought within the city of Madina
or it should be in the open out side Madina. Verse 159 of A’al e Imraan (3) relates
to the said consultation and decision.16
(6) In the battle of trench, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) accepted the
proposal of Salman Farsi (r.a.) for digging trench for the defence of the city
12 Musnad Ahmad, Narration No.12468. 13 Muhammad Yaseen Mazhar Siddiqui: Tareekh e Islam (Lahore, Royal Book House, 2002), p.152. 14 Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem, “Principles of Good Governance”, The Dialogue ( Quarterly), July-
September, 2006, Qurtuba University of Science & Information Technology, Peshawar (Pakistan), p.47. 15 Muhammad Nejatullah Siddiqui: Maqased e Shariah (Islamabad, Islamic Research Foundation, 2009),
p.25. 16 Ibne Al Qayyem, Zadal Maad, vol 3, p. 173-180.
60
(Madina). Similarly, when siege was prolonged causing serious difficulties for the
prophet (peace be upon him) & his companions, the prophet thought of a plan to
ease the situation. He talked to the Ansaars and proposed that may be we should
promise some of the land produce to some of the tribes currently engaged in the
siege and induce them to pull out. On considering opposition of Ansaars to his
proposals and the basis of their opinion, the holy prophet (peace be upon him)
immediately withdrew his own proposal and accepted the consultation of the
Ansaar17.
(7) Detailed discussions, difference of opinions and consultations are also
reported on the occasions of battle of ditch & Khyber and on the issue of whether
or not peace is to be made with the tribe “Ghatafaan”.18
3.3.3 The Precedents of the four Caliphs of Islam
Among the important decisions of the first caliph Abu Bakr (r.a) which were made
after due deliberation, exchange of views & discussion, difference of opinion and
consultation are the ones relating to those people who refused to Pay Zakat to the
Islamic state, collection & compilation of the holy Quraan and the sending of
Army against the Romans.19
Since the reign of the second caliph Umar (r.a) was comparatively long,
there are more recorded examples of decisions after consultation and difference of
opinion. The most important among these are regarding distribution of the lands of
Iraq & Syria captured by the Islamic caliphate and the plague of ‘Amwaas’20. The
consultation in the former matter took months in which difference of opinions
came to the fore. Finally, the matter was decided after the companions were
convinced with the correctness of the opinion of the caliph and arguments in
support thereof21. It is also reported that in appointment of officials of the
provinces, proposals would be sought from the provinces regarding their choices
17 Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem, ibid, p.48. 18 Ibne Hisham, Seerah, vol 2, p.234. 19 Khalid Ismail Naef, Al Darasat el Islamia, Islamabad, volume 3, April-November, p. 62-64. 20 Muhammad Nejatullah Siddiqui: Islamic concept of ownership, chapter 11,p. 169-170. 21 Muhammad Nejatullah Siddiqui: Maqased e Shariah, ibid, p.26.
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with a feedback on their ability and integrity22. The adoption of Islamic calendar
from (the date of) migration to Madina was also made after public consultation23.
In the details of these consultations, one can easily note that those giving their
opinions would express them with out any fear or reservation and the circle of
those giving opinions was quite large24. Reading these details also makes it evident
that the culture of freedom of expression & exchange of views was well
entrenched in the society and this helped immensely in reaching sound decisions in
disputed matters through consensus25.
3.3.4 Efforts for Institutionalization of the Consultation Principle
The conscious attempts on the part of the second caliph Umar (r.a) to
institutionalize the obligation of consultation and accountability on the part of
rulers is evident from the following details:
When the caliph had got wounded and was on his death bed, he constituted a
committee of six companions to decide the issue of his successor after due
consultation and seeking opinion of the public at large26. These were six living
companions among the initial ten known as “Ashara Mubashara”- those ten
companions having been given the glad tiding of heaven in their life. The seventh
living companion among the ten was his cousin and brother in law. Only because
of his relation with the caliph, he was excluded from the committee. The caliph
also categorically declared that his son may be consulted in the matter but he
would not be considered as a candidate or nominee for the position of the
caliphate27. After initial deliberations among the members, the committee
authorized one of the senior members, namely Abdur Raman Ben Auf (r.a) to seek
opinion of the public in the matter on behalf of the committee. It is reported in the
books of history on the lives and works of the companions that Abdur Rahman
Ben Auf (r.a) roamed in the streets of Madina, the then capital, for three
consecutive days and met with various section of the society- men, women,
22 Shibli Numaani: Alfarooq (Lahore, Maktaba Rahmania, 1990), p.186. 23 Shibli Numaani, ibid, p.275. 24 Muhammad Asad, ibid, p.85. 25 Ibid, p.186. 26 Muhammad Asad, ibid, p.65. 27 Prof. Rasheed Ahmad: Political Ideas of Muslims (Lahore, Idara Saqafat e Islamia, 2008), p.44.
62
wayfarers, slaves, orphans etc- for seeking their opinion as to who should be
assigned the duty of caliphate. Based on his survey, he proposed to the committee
the name of Hazrat Usman (r.a) for the position. The decision was based on
opinion of the majority28.
It is note worthy that if the members of committee, on their own, had
decided the matter with out referring it to the opinion of the public at large, people
would still have not any reason to challenge the decision or integrity and intentions
of the members as their integrity was beyond doubts and questions. Referring it to
the opinion of the public (and that essentially of the majority of them) meant that it
was not, and it could not be, a matter of privilege of a few, howsoever honest and
wise they may be. Rather, it was a matter of right and obligation of the public at
large29. Another aspect of the matter is also worth highlighting. Given the low
level of sources/means of communication available at that time and the absence of
modern media-press, electronic media etc- the process adopted amounted,
virtually, to holding an election for the position of the caliphate. This is the real
democratic spirit which the second caliph of Islam attempted to institutionalize in
the society30.
3.3.5 Peoples’ Right to question the decision of the rulers
There are several instances to indicate that ordinary people would dare to question
the decisions or opinions of caliph or even an item of his personal life on the
touchstone of propriety, integrity and accountability of the ruler to the public31.
Even women folk would exercise their right of criticism. And the caliph would not
only bear such criticism but would rather welcome and appreciate the same by
saying that “they would be of no good if they do not point out such things and we
(the rulers) would be of no use if we do not listen and accept criticism”32. And not
only that, he would also stand corrected if proved to be wrong, and would admit
his mistake in the public from the pulpit33.
28 Shibli Numaani, ibid, p. 172. 29 Muhammad Asad, ibid, p.78. 30 Muhammad Nejatullah Sediqqui, Maqasad e Shariah, ibid, p.27. 31 Shibli Nomaani, ibid, p.186. 32 Ibid, p.188. 33 Op cit, p.27.
63
3.3.6 Respect for Fundamental Rights/Freedom:
One of the features of the reign of the third caliph of Islam, Hazrat Uthman (r.a) is
the prevalent differences of opinions and the dissensions which had become
current then. But he never attempted any restriction(s) on freedom of expression34
.Every one had the freedom to express his/her opinion. Neither was any one made
afraid of the hell from the pulpit for the purpose of restriction on freedom of
expression nor was any one pursued at through police. In all this, it is evident that
no one even thought of curbing fundamental freedoms -because there is no room in
Islam for doing so.35
The reign of the fourth caliph Hazrat Ali (r.a) was brief but full of political
controversies36 .The precedent set by him for dealing with dissent is very
significant. The most critical problem he faced was that of the group of ‘Khawarej’
who had adopted a very extremist stance owing to its fallacious understanding of
religion as regards difference of opinion. There were more than one opinions
among Muslims on how should they be dealt with37. Some of the companions
suggested very tough actions for crushing their power. But the caliph did not leave
any stone unturned to make them understand the correct approach in matters
subject of difference of opinion. This is evident from the following incident:
Once, five persons of the group were brought before him arrested in the state
of calling names to the caliph. One of them was threatening publicly that he would
kill the caliph. On this, some of the companions suggested stern action against the
person and his group. But the caliph let them go and told his companions that
unless the group commits clear acts of disorder & killing the innocent, they would
not be killed or tortured38.
3.3.7 Benefits of the Consultation Obligation
It is worth noting that every difference of opinion may not be overcome or
converted into consensus. However, we have to continue to do so in the light of the
spirit shown by the four caliphs of Islam and enunciated in the above mentioned
34 Ibid, p.27. 35Syed Abul Ala Maududi: Khelaafat Wa Malookiat (Lahore, Idaara Tarjumnul Quraan, 1979), p. 109. 36 Ibid. 37 Op cit, p.28. 38 Syed Abul Ala Maududi, ibid, p.102.
64
verses & narrations. From the above, one can understand the wisdom behind the
Islamic principle of consultation and the freedom of expression. In solving the
unforeseen problems, one of the significant factors is availability of information
and analysis. Past experience may not be enough to cope with the problem.
Information leading to the decision may not be available to every person equally.
The consultation based on freely expressed opinions has (at least) this social
advantage that the information (which is otherwise available to various
individuals) becomes available to the collectivity for arriving at decision39.
3.3.8 Creating Consensus is Preferable
Arriving at consensus in decisions is, no doubt, preferable because in such a case
all the people, being part of the consultation process, tend to own the decision
wholeheartedly and play their due part in actualizing & implementing the decision.
That is why it has been encouraged in Islam40. There is, thus, enhanced focus and
direction of the group or the community in implementation stage. The sharing of
responsibility for the decision on the part of the leadership as well as those
consulted is also easy in case the decision proves to be wrong subsequently. For
these and other obvious advantages, Islam has encouraged consensus in the
decisions41.
3.3.9 What if consensus is not possible?
But naturally, consensus is not possible in all the cases and in all situations. Thus,
a difference of opinion may crop up in the decision making process. To prevent the
difference of opinion from becoming conflict, Islam prescribes following of a
golden principle by the community42. This is the principle of honoring and
following the majority opinion in contentious matters. The holy prophet is reported
to have said:
“On the collectivity (of Muslims) is the (helping) hand of God. So whoever, severs
from it will be taken away by the Satan. Therefore, when you see difference (of
39 Muhammad Asad, ibid. 83. 40 Quraan (3), 103. 41 Sajed Hameed: Nuskha Ha e Na Tamaam (Lahore, Almawrid, 1999), p.34. 42 Muhammad Asad, ibid, p.87.
65
opinion) in it, follow the (opinion of the) majority because whosoever severs from
the collectivity ( of Muslims) will find his place in Hell”43.
“Follow the majority group ( of Muslims)”44.
“For you, it is obligatory to be with collectivity and majority (of Muslims)”45.
The holy prophet (peace be upon him) adopted the principle of following the
majority in non-religious matters. The verse enjoining consultation also implies the
principle of following the majority because in case of consultation, consensus can
not always be arrived at as their can be, and their were actually, difference of
opinions on a number of issues46. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) conducted
consultation about the battle of Uhud. The companions differed with one another
and the holy prophet (peace be upon him) followed the majority opinion47. To
follow the majority opinion is also a principle of Islamic jurisprudence. The
majority opinion of Mujtahedeen (experts in Islamic law) constitutes Ijma
(consensus) and known as the third source of Islamic law after Quraan and Sunnah
of the prophet (peace be upon him). Once Ijma is reached on any issue, it becomes
part of the law and is enforceable48.
3.3.10 Purpose of Majority Principle
The majority principle is not aimed at assigning sacredness to the majority; that is
majority will always be correct in its decisions and actions. Instead, the majority
principle is aimed at ensuring participation of the general public in important
decision making & evince collective wisdom, ensuring peaceful transfer of
political power and a sense of ownership in all sections of the society at large and-
above all-preventing difference of opinion from slipping into conflicts, violence
and political & social disorder49. Thus, it is political guideline for smooth
functioning of the political affairs of Muslims. The soundness of this principle has
43 Mustadrak, Kitabul Ilm (as reported by Sajed Hameed in his book ‘Nuskha Ha e Na Tamaam’, (Lahore,
Almawrid, 1999: 35) and Al Shaafi’i, Al Risala, p. 473 (as reported by Fazlur Rahman: Islamic Methodology in History (Islamabad, Islamic Research Institute, IIU, 2009), p.47. 44 Ibn e Maja: Sunan, as reported by Muhammad Asad, ibid.p.87. 45Ahmad ben Hanbal: Musnad, as reported by Muhammad Asad, ibid. 46 Sajed Hameed, ibid, p.35. 47 Dr. Muhammad Shafiq: Islamic Concept of a Modern State (Gujarat, Center for Islamic Research, 1987),
p.101. 48 Ibid, p.102. 49 Sajed Hameed, ibid, p.36.
66
been proved by the evolution of democratic history of the west especially in the
last two centuries50. In Islam, there is thus no place for dictatorship or the
supremacy of a priest class. Rather, it prescribes a popular vicegerency51. The real
good of Islamic democracy lies in its emphasis on moral responsibility and
accountability of the rulers to the public not only at the time of vote and election
but, all the times, as a trust of God which will be asked about on the Day of
Judgment52. Thus in Islam, the concept of democracy is different from the western
democracy and can be called a ‘theo-democracy’53.
3.3.11 Necessity of Healthy Criticism and Dissent
Healthy criticism is part of the consultation process as it evaluates various policy
options and help in good decision making54. No worthwhile achievement can be
obtained with out involvement of good team members who can contribute towards
healthy criticism and are willing to give frank feedback. The proper course to knit
such people together is to create conditions of bearing with their opinions,
disagreements and expression of the same. Genius men tend to be outspoken and
would express their thoughts and concepts candidly rather than suppressing
them55. A genuine and broad minded leader will allow all people –even his
opponents- to fully express their opinions and reservations and he will not be at all
angered with their dissent and criticism. Consequently, he will command the
continued allegiance of valuable and able persons. That is why honest difference
of opinion among Muslims has been termed as blessing of God56. The practice of
tolerating difference of opinion and criticism against the decisions of the rulers
was so well encouraged and established by the holy prophet (peace be upon him)
and the four guided caliphs of Islam, especially, Umar (r.a), as indicated by several
reports in this regard, that Islam can rightly be claimed to be the creator of Modern
concept of democracy and accountability57.
50 Muhammad Asad, ibid, p.87. 51 Ibid, p.37. 52 Muhammad Asad, ibid. 85. 53 Syed Abul Ala Maududi, Islamic political system (Lahore, Islamic publications, 1988), p.134. 54 Waheed ud Din Khan, Tazkeer, April, 2009 (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer), p.9. 55 Waheed dud Din Khan, ibid. 56 Al Sayuti: Al Jame Al Kabeer (quoted by Muhammad Asad, ibid, p.85). 57 Waheedud Din Khan, Islam: The Creator of Modern Age (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer, 2002), p.56.
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3.3.12 The Usefulness of the Principle of Consultation in HRM functions:
Concluding Comments: Islamic principles of consultation, freedom of
expression, equality before the law and following the majority principle in case of
difference of opinions and lack of consensus, can go a long way in creating
harmony, unity, solidarity, love and brotherhood not only among employees of the
organization but can also prove useful in the hands of the Human Resource
managers in dealing with problems of diversity, perception of justice and conflict
resolution. The relevance of the Islamic principle of consultation is further
discussed in chapter five with reference to quantification of its impact on above
mentioned traits of HR.
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3.4 PEACE
3.4.1 Basis in the Twin Sources of Quraan and Sunnah
Introduction: Peace is the order and religion of the Universe. It must, then, be the
desire of the human being as well 1. When Almighty God raised the universe, He
directed things so that each constituent part should do its functions and tasks,
peacefully with out contradicting the other. The holy Quraan informs thus:
“the sun is not allowed to overtake the moon, nor does the night outpace the day. Each
runs in its own orbit”2
While God has imposed upon the universe the law of nature, in submission to
which all of the things making the universe follow the path of peace, there remains
just one exception- that of the human being who has been endowed by God with the
free will to make moral choices. He may or may not follow the path of peace which is
so uniformly adopted by the rest of the elements of the universe3.
If human beings, with their freedom of choice, are to be kept on the path of peace,
society must be kept free of corrupting elements. It is for this reason that the Quraan
directs “not to corrupt the land after it has been set in order”4 The structure of nature
devised by God Almighty already has its base & origin in peace- if the system of
nature is kept undisturbed, it will continue to pursue the course fixed for it by the God
Almighty5. Peace is actually inherent in nature and, as such, can not be artificially
imposed upon human beings as if it were an external factor.
Islam is compatible with the requirements of nature. In fact, it is a counterpart
thereof. That is why it has been termed as the religion of nature in the holy Quraan and
the narrations ascribed to the holy prophet (peace be upon him). Since Islam has peace
at its core, therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that Islam is a religion of peace6. Its
Arabic origin is ‘Silm’ connoting peace. The faithful of Islam is known as Muslim.
Thus, a Muslim is one who tries to find internal peace by submitting to the will of
1 Dr.Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi: Islam; The religion of Peace (Karachi, Royal Book Company, 1989),p. 2. 2 Quraan (36), 40. 3 Prof. Rasheed Ahamd: Political Ideas of Muslims (Lahore, Idara Saqafat e Islamia, 2008, p.22. 4 Quraan (7), 85. 5 Dr. Ishtaiq Hussain, op cit. 6 Dr.Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi: ibid, p. 12.
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God. The holy Quraan states “…and God invites to the abode of peace”.7 The holy
Quraan calls its (Quraanic) ‘the path of peace’8 , “the policy of reconciliation as the
best option”9 and that Almighty God does not like violence (the disturbance of
peace).10 One of the attributes of God Almighty mentioned in the holy Quraan is ‘As-
Salaam’11 which connotes security and peace meaning that God’s Being itself is the
origin and a manifestation of peace. There are also other names (attributes) of God
Almighty which indirectly mean security and peace. The word ‘Rahim’ (the Most
Merciful), for example, has been mentioned in the holy Quraan more than 200 times.
Also, the word ‘Rahman’ ( the Most Compassionate) finds mention more than 200
times. He is peace in His very existence and He wants that the humankind lives with
peace here. He desires the human beings to nourish peace in their minds &hearts and
spread such impression to all and sundry. Peace is so important in Islam that the
routine Muslims’ greeting also connotes peace. Among many exhortations of Islam is
the commandment that when Muslims meet each other, they should greet one another
by uterring ‘Assalamu Alaykum’ meaning “may peace be upon you”12. Muslims utter
and receive this greeting several times in a day. At another place in the holy Quraan,
people avoiding interaction with the ignorant (hell bent on dispute) have been
appreciated in the words:
“The true servants of the Merciful are those who walk humbly upon the earth and say
‘peace’ to the ignorant people who behave insolently towards them”13
3.4.2 How to Preserve Peace?
Two important injunctions have been prescribed by Islam for preserving peace
(established by nature) from disruption. On the individual level, it enjoins the
observance of patience & perseverance, and at the collective level, it prevents from
taking the offensive.
7 Quraan (10), 25. 8 Quraan (5), 16. 9 Quraan (4), 128. 10 Quraan (2), 205. 11 Quraan (59), 23. 12 Dr. Ishtaiq Hussain, op cit.p.3. 13 Quraan (25), 63.
70
The main reason for absence of peace in daily living is negative reaction on the
part of individuals to situations of provocation. One experiences bitterness from others
in social life more often than not. On such occasions, display of resentment could
cause matters to escalate to the point of imminent conflict. It is for this reason that
Islam’s recurrent theme is to travel the course of patience & perseverance. The holy
Quraan says: ‘Surely those remaining patient will be paid their reward in full beyond
measure”14 The main cause for reward for patience being so immense is that it helps in
keeping intact the created system of God. According to the holy Quraan, the steadfast
man “is the helper of God”15. Another commandment aimed at maintaining order
among the human beings, debars initiating of an offensive war. In Islam, no one has
been given the freedom to initiate an offensive against another. No reasons or excuses
are considered enough for justification of an offensive war16. Islam permits only a war
in self defense and that too is subject to moral restrictions and rules. It is only if one
community of humans- deviating from the principle of nature- initiates war against
another, that a war in self defense may be fought by the nation which is the victim of
aggression. Even then, it has to be subject to moral principles and humanitarian
considerations17
3.4.3 Significance of Peace
How much important is peace in Islam is shown by the following event: One of the
terms of the ‘treaty of Hudaybiah’ entailed that if any person from Makkah coverts to
Islam and wants to settle in Madina, he has to be handed over back to the Quraysh in
Makkah. On the other hand, if any of the Muslims of Madina happens to go to
Makkah, the Quraysh would not be required to return them back to Muslims in
Madina. Immediately after agreement on the terms of the treaty, a Muslim youth of
Makkah namely Abu Jandal managed to run away from Makkah and reached
Hudaybia. His condition was such that his body bore many wounds and his skin had
been abrased by the chains. “Save me from the enemy!” he requested the Muslims.
His condition and request created a critical and volatile situation. Emotions of the
14 Quraan, (39), 10. 15 Quraan, (61), 14. 16 Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi: Islam; The religion of Peace, ibid, p.13. 17 (i) Quraan, (60), 8-9., (ii) Maulana Waheedud Din Khan: A study of the Seerah (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer),
p.35.
71
companions were already high due to the, apparently, unfavorable provisions of the
agreement. The companions of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) picked up their
swords. The pathetic condition of Abu Jandal had caused such consternation in their
feelings that most of them desired to save his life and withdraw from the treaty. The
Quraysh instantly reminded the holy prophet (peace be upon him) that this was the
first occasion on which he would be obliged to fulfill requirements of the agreement
recently inked. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) was convinced and thus decided
that he would fulfill the obligations under the treaty18. Although it was an extremely
painful decision for the companions, but Abu Jandal was handed over to the enemies.
Prima facie, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) was handing over an innocent target
of oppression to his oppressor enemies. However, in fact, he was exhibiting the best
and ideal of human conduct. Far from reaping any meaningful benefits from the above
mentioned clause and from the incarceration of Abu Jandal, the oppressors, in stead,
were surprised and struck by such unique human conduct, that the incident of Abu
Jndal became no ordinary matter for them; instead, the incident indicated their own
low moral position compared to the ideological strength of Islam and Muslims19. As a
consequence of the incident, the men at Makkah were influenced by the ideal moral
principles of the Muslim religion and they embraced Islam.
This event highlights another important point which normally goes unnoticed.
Had the holy prophet (peace be upon him) succumbed to the emotions of the
companions & refused to hand over Abu Jandal to the Quraysh, the result would have
been out break of war and the loss of human lives on both sides. Thus, an attempt to
save one person at this critical juncture would have risked lives of several hundreds, if
not thousands, and the holy prophet (peace be upon him) understood the implications
of such a proposition & the value of peace20. Thus, he opted for peace at the cost of
possible risk to the life of his companion. From the above incident also, judging by the
consequences, it is clear that the option of peace is far superior to that of antagonism21.
18 Waheedud Din Khan: A study of the Seerah, ibid p.45. 19 Ibid. 20 Waheedud Din Khan: A study of the Seerah,, ibid, p.36. 21 Ibid.
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3.4.4 Islamic Revolution; the most Bloodless in human history
The Islamic revolution that occurred under the leadership of the holy prophet (peace
be upon him) was accomplished at the cost of 1018 lives only. Eighty expeditions
took place in the whole of 23 years of the prophetic mission. The holy prophet (peace
be upon him), however, took part in only 27 of such expeditions and only a few of
them involved actual fighting. The number of deaths in these wars were 259 Muslims
& 759 non-Muslims - a total of 1018 casualties22. It is an extra-ordinarily meager
number of deaths to have occurred during such a spectacular revolution- that which
altered and shaped a large part of human history. Compared to achievements and the
number of casualties in all wars in human history, the revolution of the holy prophet
(peace be upon him) can, for practical purpose, be called a bloodless revolution23.
3.4.5 Peaceful Activism is distinctly Superior
According to a narration reported from the holy prophet (peace be upon him) “God
grants to the gentleness (peace) what he does not grant to harshness (violence)’”24 It
means , that both in terms of principles as well as results, peaceful activism is far
better than violent activism25. Apart from destruction and death, nothing positive and
useful can be obtained from war and conflict. On the other hand, an aura of peace
helps normal relations to be enhanced. Feelings of cordiality, goodwill and friendship
prevail in such a situation. In favourable circumstances, constructive activities get a
boost and the available assets/resources can be utilized for further development. A
positive bent of mind will prevail in an atmosphere of peace which can enhance
development of academic and intellectual activities26. The major negative effect of
conflict and violence is that it eats up present resources whereas the greatest advantage
of peace is that it creates opportunities and opens up the doors human struggle to the
maximum limit. The result of war is further loss, while the result of peace is gains and
consolidation thereof. It is for this reason that Islam guides us to avoid confrontation,
22 Waheedud Din Khan, ibid, p.29. 23 Ibid, p.30. 24 Sunan Abu Daud (Karachi, Darul Ashaat, 2005), Vol 2, p.455. 25 Op cit, p.36. 26 Ibid.
73
conflict and war even at the cost of some initial loss. It encourages us to vie for peace
to the maximum achievable extent27.
The age of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) was one of conflicts & wars.
People would resort to use of arms, irrespective of the consideration of loss or gains,
as they did not know any peaceful methods for resolution of their problems28. The
sword was regarded as the measure and indication of power through out the world.
The Arabs had a saying in this regard: ‘The greatest check of war is war’. Contrary to
the above notions, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) has observed:
“God grants to gentleness (non-violence) what he does not grant to harshness
(violence)”29.
In the life of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) the Quraysh, enjoying the
leadership of Arabia, became so hatred-ridden that they did not hesitate from waging
war against him. Books on the life of the holy prophet indicate that the Quraysh
attempted to involve him in small and major battles on more than 80 occasions. But
the holy prophet (peace be upon him) did his best to avoid enmities by adopting a
peaceful approach. For example, in the event of the ‘war of trench’, the holy prophet
(peace be upon him) established a buffer in the shape of a trench between him and his
antagonist. Again in the matter of agreement at Hudaybia, when he realized that the
enemy was hell bent on raising the flags of war, the holy prophet (peace be upon him),
accepted all the conditions demanded unilaterally by the enemy for achievement of the
larger goal of peace despite reservations of the many of the companions30.
In the whole the 23 years period of his prophethood, the holy prophet (peace be
upon him) encountered his enemies physically only on three occasions- at Badr, Uhud
and Hunayn, and that too only when the wars had become totally unavoidable as these
were initiated by the enemy. Each of these three battles lasted for only half a day. The
conquering of such belligerent, biased and aggressive enemies with so little a
27 Ibid. 28 Dr. Muhammad Hameedullah: The Muslim Conduct of State (Lahore, Al Faisal Publishers, 2005), p.23. 29 Saheeh Muslim (Karachi, Darul Ashaat, 2005), Vol 2, Narration No.195, p.643. 30 Waheedud Din Khan, op cit, p.30.
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bloodshed was possible only because the holy prophet (peace be upon him) always
opted for peaceful activism as far as possible31.
3.4.6 The Islamic Formula of Peace shows wonders in later history
In the later history of Islam also, the policy of peaceful activism was followed by and
large. It is for this adoption of this policy, that Muslims won such great successes. The
Muslim history of the thirteenth century A.D provides one glaring example of the
success of this policy. During this century, the barbaric Mongol tribes appeared from
Turkistan and destroyed the entire Muslim empire right from Samarqand to Aleppo.
The majestic Abbasid caliphate almost eased to exist.
In that period, the Muslim military and political strength had so immensely
become weak that the saying becomes current and famous among them that if some
one tells that Mongols have been defeated, one should not believe it as correct32. It
was in such circumstances that the Islamic policy of peaceful activism showed
wonders. Muslims realized the need of the time, and involved themselves
wholeheartedly in peaceful missionary work. The consequences were unbelievable. In
a span of less than 50 years, the unexpected happened and scene became completely
changed. In the jargon of the holy Quraan,33 ‘the staunch enemies had been converted
into dearest friends’ and the majority of the conquering class had been brought into the
ambit of Islam. A Western researcher on Islam, T.W Arnold in his book “The
Preaching of Islam” had this to say:
“The religion of Muslims had conquered where their arms had failed”. An other
historian has put it thus: “The conquerors had accepted the religion of the
conquered”34
The holy prophet (peace be upon him) exemplified that power of peaceful
activism was far superior and greater than the power of violence, and on many
occasions, he and his followers successfully put this peaceful model into practice. This
policy of peace, as against violence, had a tremendous impact on the course of events
31 Ibid. 32 Ibid, p.31. 33 Quraan (41), 34. 34 Waheedud Din Khan, ibid.
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at that time and continued to have a significant impact on later generations35.
Presently, this policy has acquired the status of a permanent social philosophy. It is the
same golden principle utilized by which the South African leader Nelson Mandela
(1920-2013) became successful in his political movement in support of the blacks
against the white. He lived in jail for 27 years, did not shed blood of a single person,
forgave all his staunchest enemies and because of his peaceful struggle all his
opponents had to bow to his greatness, perseverance and peaceful activism36.
Peace actually does not automatically results in justice. Rather, peace improves
conditions for accomplishment of justice. In agreement at Hudaybia, the holy prophet
(peace be upon him) had not found justice nor did he insist on it. He had achieved
peace but only by de-linking it from justice37. It was meant to avail the opportunities
of peace38. And with the achievement of peace through the agreement, great
opportunities did spring up. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) reaped these
opportunities to the full extent. And then in just two years following the treaty, he not
only achieved justice but also established Islam on a quite sounder foundation39.
3.4.7 The Hudaybiah Model of Peaceful Activism
The unfavorable terms of the treaty at ‘Hudaybia” weigh so badly & heavily on the
companions that, after its conclusion & signing, the companions hesitated to act on the
frequent calls of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) regarding sacrifice of the
animals having been brought for the purpose. This feeling was symptomatic of so deep
a sorrow. But this peace agreement, with apparent unfavorable terms for the Muslims
had, with in its seeds, numerous benefits and advantages for the Muslims in
subsequent times40.
Before the agreement, the Muslims had to face enmity of two big antagonists-
the Jews of Khyber and the Quraysh of Makkah. The Muslims could not face both of
them at the same time as they were quite weak. Confronting one would result in
providing the second group with their wanted chance to attack Madina from behind,
35 Ibid, p.32. 36 Abu Ammar Zahidur Rashidi: “Death of Nelson Mandela”, (monthly Al Shariah, Januray, 2014,
Gujranwala, Pakistan), p.3. 37 Ibid. 38 Ibid, p.33. 39 Ibid. 40 Ibid.
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thereby rendering the Muslims’ Stronghold into serious threat and jeopardy41. Now the
prophet of Islam, by accepting all the demands of the Quraysh, had entered into a ten-
year truce with one of the two and was now free to deal with the conspiracies of the
other. The Quraysh ceased to carry out forays into the Muslims’ domains and
territories. With the enmity of the Quraysh having been neutralized, for the time being,
the holy prophet (peace be upon him) was now able to deal with the Jews of Khyber.
The attack on Khyber followed in less than two months after the treaty at Hudaybia42.
It was now the turn of the Quraysh to be confronted and subdued. The haunch of
the holy prophet (peace be upon him) made him realize importance of waiting until
they violated terms of the treaty before entering into war with them. The holy prophet
(peace be upon him) had a very fair idea of the biased emotions that overpowered the
Quraysh in their enmity and bias for the Muslims. Motivated -as the enemy was- by
intense emotions of greed, hate, jealousy & arrogance, the holy prophet (peace be
upon him) realized that the Quraysh would resort to every & unethical and unjustified
action in pursuance of their vain desires and feelings of vengeance. His understanding
of the expected move from Quraysh proved too correct43. In the 8th year after
migration, skirmishes started between the two tribes of Khuza’a and Banu Bakr. The
later tribe was affiliated with and allied to the Quraysh and the former to the Muslims.
Violating blatantly the clauses of the agreement, the Quraysh supported its allies with
secret help, encouraging and helping them attack the Khuza’a. The attack had
occurred just two years following the agreement. In the meanwhile, the number of
Muslims had increased from 1500 to more than 10000. Along with such an army, the
holy prophet (peace be upon him) started for Makkah with complete secrecy. So
comprehensive and complete were his strategy, preparation and secrecy that Makkah
was conquered with out any bloodshed44.
The prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) had been preaching for 20 years after
which the treaty was signed. The message of Islam had, not doubt, spread far and wide
in the Arabian Peninsula. In every tribe, there were men & women who now found a
41 Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi: Islam; The religion of Peace, ibid, p.27. 42 Ibid. 43 Ibid. 44 Waheedud Din Khan, ibid, p.33.
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soft corner for Islam and the holy prophet. But since Quraysh had been their leaders
both in political and religious affairs, these people still followed the Quraysh. Many
who felt in their hearts & minds the truth of Islam still found it difficult to express
their conviction & realization due to fear of Quraysh. Many would imagine that
adopting Islam meant declaration of hostilities against the strongest tribe of Arabia.
They now came to know that both the parties had given their pledge to end the war
for 10 years. The powerful Quraysh would now not dare to take action against men
adopting Islam. With the end of this fear as a result of the truce, there was now
nothing to stop people coming into the fold of Islam. It seemed that an immense
population had assembled at the doorsteps of Islam. The door got opened-thanks to the
treaty of Hudaybia -and the crowds rushed into Islam. AL Zuhri and other historians
have stated that the benefits and advantages to Muslim from the truce at Hudaybia
were far more than any other campaigns and victories45. The holy prophet (peace be
upon him) came to Makkah with 10000 men two years later. This was the ominous
consequence of setting aside the main hurdle to the acceptability of Islam- the
irritation, hatred and anger of the powerful Quraysh- which was to end essentially with
the treaty. Bara (r.a)- one among the early companions present at Hudaybia- narrated
in collection of ‘Bukhari’ how he would tell the people of succeeding generations-
considering the conquest of Makkah to be the greatest achievement of Muslims- that
the early companions of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) would consider the
truce of Hudaybia as the outstanding victory46
3.4.8 A Distinct Feature; Opting for peace at the risk of Treachery
Islam values peace so much that even if there is chance of deception on the part of
enemies, the Muslims have been encouraged to buy that peace.
“If they incline to peace, make peace with the, and put your trust in God. Surely He is
the Hearing, the knowing. Should they seek to deceive you (through the peace
45 Waheedud Din Khan op cit, p.34. 46Saheeh Bukhari, ibid, Vol 3, p.187
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agreement), God is all-sufficient for you. He has made you strong with His help and
rallied the faithful around you.”47
Peace (non-violence) is not simply an absence of terror, instead, it is a course of
action in the complete sense of the term. It is to struggle for a cause through peaceful
means. The difference between a violent person and a non-violent person is not that
one is active and the other is (passively) non-active. The difference between the two is
that one wants to achieve his goals through violent methods, and the other through
non-violent methods48.
3.4.9 Peaceful Activism is the Biggest Jihad
Non-violent methods are far more effective than violent ones, which has been proved
by the model of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) & experiences of history.
According to the holy Quraan, violent struggle for even a just cause (when the fight
has been thrust upon Muslims despite their best to avoid the same) is a small ‘Jehad’
while non-violent struggle is a biggest Jihad.49 The holy Quraan says that
“Reconciliation is the best (course)”. In other words, a peaceful struggle is far more
superior and productive compared to a violent struggle in controversial situations .In
other words, the policy of non-confrontation is better than the policy of confrontation.
While violence leads to bloodshed, a non-violent struggle can bring about a bloodless
revolution. The allegation/concept of Islamic violence is so clearly baseless that, on
the face of it, it must stand discredited50.
Another incident of the early phase of Islamic struggle & history is also related
to the matter under consideration. In the 2nd year after migration, the battle of Badr
was fought between the Muslims and the Quraysh. As we learn from traditions, the
holy prophet (peace be upon him) at that time sat in a tent on a small hillock at the
corner of the war zone. An angel of God met the holy prophet (peace be upon him) at
that moment and said ‘O! Muhammad, God Almighty has sent you salaam (peace)’. In
47 Quraan, (8), 61-62. 48 Abu Ammar Zahidur Rashidi, ibid, p.5. 49 Quraan,(25), 52. 50 Muhammad Ammar Khan Nasir, ibid, p.372.
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response, holy prophet (peace be upon him) said: “God is peace, peace is from Him,
and peace is to Him”51
This indicates that Islam attaches so much importance to peace. The
commandment of God Almighty communicated was one of peace even at the time of
war hysteria. The response by the holy prophet (peace be upon him) in such words at
such a critical moment also connote peace. From the above we can say that the holy
prophet (peace be upon him) was making the next peace plan even in the battle field of
Badr52. A prayer of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) also contained the
supplication: “O God, You are Peace and Peace is from You.”53 And another narration
quotes the holy prophet (peace be upon him) saying: “There are three actions the
performance of which is equal to possessing the whole faith. These are doing justice,
doing one’s utmost for the peace and well-being of the world, and spending on others
in spite of a lack of means.”54
The above status of peace & order can be accomplished only by consistent
exhortation & counseling and not through coercion or use of force. Re-engineering of
the mind is required for achievement of such an objective. Awakening man’s ability to
ponder, think, realize and imbibe the moral values and practice good deeds is crucial
in this regard. The means of achieving it is thus a peaceful intellectual change. It is for
this reason that all Islamic teachings are wholly based on the ideology of peace.
3.4.10 How to achieve peace in a multi-religious and multi-cultural society?
In the year 622 A.D, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) migrated to Madina. In
Madina at that time, idolaters and Jews existed side by side with the Muslims. The
Madina at that time had the status of a multi-religious society. In such a situation, how
were people to lead their lives peacefully. The holy prophet (peace be upon him)
discovered a successful formula. This formula was based on the principle: ‘Follow one
and respect all.’55 In Madina in those days, Muslims were in a majority. Hence, the
newly formed state was presided over by the holy prophet (peace be upon him). In his
51 Ibn Katheer, Al Bedaya Wal Nehaaya, Vol 3, p.267. 52 Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi: Islam; The religion of Peace, ibid, p.56. 53 Ibid. 54 Saheeh Bukhari (Maktaba Rahmania, Lahore, 1999), vol 1,446.
55 Waheedud Din Khan: The Ideology of Peace (New Dehli, Goodwards Books, 2002), p.34.
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capacity as head of state, he issued a declaration, known as the declaration of Madina
(Meethaq e Madina). It was mentioned in this declaration that Muslims, idolaters and
Jews would all enjoy the right to settle their personal matters according to their own
religion and culture. So far as social controversies are concerned, those would be
settled in accordance with the Shariah as laid down by the holy prophet (peace be
upon him). This also offers a practical solution to the problems posed by diversity
resulting from attachment of people (human resource) to different religions, cultures
and ethnicities56.
This is the only practical principle on the basis of which peace can be established
in a multi-religious or multi-cultural society facing the challenge of diversity. This
principle allows people the freedom to follow traditions of their own culture and
religion, but so far as social matters are concerned, where opinion differ from one
another, the dictates of the central authority should be followed. That is, individuals
should have total freedom within the framework of the social system.
3.4.11 Peace; The best strategy for Difference/Conflict Management:
The holy prophet (peace be upon him) thus trained his colleagues in how to carry out
peaceful ‘difference management’. It is a fact that in every society, differences do
exist, whether the society is uni-religious or multi-religious. These differences can be
accepted, but they can not be obliterated. In such a situation, in a society, establishing
peace can be done only on the principle of co-existence57.
On reaching Madina, the first task the holy prophet (peace be upon him)
performed was to build a mosque & establish the system of saying prayers five times a
day. The method laid down for prayer concluded with words to this effect: At the end
of the prayer those saying prayers have to turn their heads both to the right and left
side, uttering these words: ‘Assalamo Alaykum Wa Rahmatullah’. This is the
equivalent of addressing all those inhabiting the earth and saying to them: ‘O people,
peace be upon you.’ Meaning that you can expect and get only safety and security
from me; that your honour, life and property-all- are secure with me. In this way, the
congregational prayer, apart from establishing spiritual relationship with the creator,
56 Ibid. 57 Ibid, p.35.
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also served as a means of training to enable people live in their society as peaceful
citizens58. They had to have positive feelings in their hearts for their fellow beings. In
that way, they would never create problems for others. Their attitude will always be
humanitarian and amicable towards others59.
For his peaceful activism method to be productive, a group of peace-loving and
virtuous men, well trained in peaceful activism was required. The companions of the
holy prophet (peace be upon him) proved themselves up to the requirement & the
method of overpowering violence through peaceful activism came out to be so
productive that, with in a meager span of twenty years, Islam changed the whole of
Arabia. This peaceful activism ensured its success mainly to the holy prophet (peace
be upon him) having established peace agreements with all the tribes of Arabia60.
The holy prophet (peace be upon him) is reported having said: “The difference of
opinion among the learned people with in my community is a blessing of God.”61 It is
this Islamic tradition of tolerance and non-violence which needs revival; for those who
can not appreciate diversity with in their own religious brotherhood will definitely be
incapable to honour religious pluralism and contribute to the cause of world peace”62.
People commit a common mistake by confusing non-violence with inaction or
passivity. Keeping in view the results, non-violence is a real and productive method.
In fact, it is far more productive response compared to violence. Non -violent activism
is more powerful and effective than violent actions. It should be not restricted to one
aspect or area. It is an option which can be adhered to in all walks of life.
Islamic teachings favour non-violence. The holy Quraan says that God Almighty
does not like Fasad-disorder. The meaning of Fasad has been explained in the holy
Quraan as that action which disrupts the social system, causing losses of property,
honour and lives63.
Both the holy Quraan and Sunnah of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) attach
immense significance to Jihad which means struggle to one’s utmost by strenuous
58 Waheedud Din Khan: Islam Rediscovered (New Dehli, Goodwards Books, 2004), p.13. 59 Waheedud Din Khan, ibid. 60 Waheedud Din Khan: Islam and Peace (New Dehli, Goodwards Books, 2002), p.24. 61 Saheeh Bukhari, ibid, p.452. 62 Waheedud Din Khan: Islam Rediscovered, ibid, p.17. 63 See reference No.4 above.
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efforts. It sometimes takes the form of Qitaal that is, fighting in the way of Allah and
for self defense. It must, however, be noted that this word has been used in the holy
Quraan, primarily, for non-violent efforts in opposition to violent struggle64. One
unambiguous evidence of this is the verse of the holy Quraan which says: “And
perform the greater jihad with them (the rejecters of truth) through this (the holy
Quraan)”65
The holy Quraan is obviously not a gun or a sword to fight with. It is a book of
moral philosophy, ideology and divine wisdom. Performing jihad, in such a case, with
the holy Quraan obviously means an ideological struggle for conquering peoples’
minds and hearts through a resort to Islam’s superior ideology, philosophy and
argument66. Keeping in view the above verse of the holy Quraan, it is clear that the
greater jihad, in actual fact, is the 2nd name for peaceful activism or non-violent
efforts67.
3.4.12 Peace; A Complete Ideology as well as Methodology
Concluding Comments: The above details tell us that the holy prophet (peace be
upon him) discovered and developed peaceful activism as a comprehensive ideology
as well as a practical model68 – the best theory & practice- the pioneer of the most
effective and productive strategy in all matters; whether they were related to Human
Resources Management, Human Resources Development, Planning, Training or
Conflict Management. The revolution brought about by him- based as it was on the
ideology of peace- was both practical and wholesome. This aspect of the prophetic
model, has, however been eclipsed by the political considerations & history of Islam
in the latter times69. This model can contribute immensely not only towards the cause
of Human Resource Management in organizations and it various tools but also
towards peace, unity and harmony in Muslim societies as well as preventing conflicts
across the globe.
64 Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi, Islam; The Religion of Peace (Karachi, Royal Book Company, 1989), p.81. 65 See reference No. 57 above. 66 Waheedud Din Khan: The True Jihad, (New Dehli, Goodwards Books, 1999), p.13. 67 Waheedud Din Khan: The True Jihad, ibid. 68 Waheedud Din Khan: The Ideology of Peace, ibid, p.37. 69 Waheedud Din Khan: The True Jihad, ibid, p.18.
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3.5 PATEINCE AND PERSEVERANCE
3.5.1 The Principle:
Introduction: One of the important elements of the mission of the holy prophet (peace be
upon him) was a continuous patience and forbearance visa viz the hardships in the path of
Almighty God70. ‘Sabr’in Arabic means patience. Among derivatives of its Arabic root is
‘sabbarah’, connoting unfertile, tough land refusing to admit any kind of seed. Similarly, a
patient human being exhibiting sabr is that who is not affected by difficult situations
(negatively) and does not lose heart. In stead, he follows his goals with immense
determination. Brave and unduanting persons are also termed ‘sabur’, because they do not
succumb to intimidation or fear: they remain resolute & unflinching, irrespective of the
adversity of the situations71.
3.5.2 Patience; one of the loftiest Virtues
Patience is among the loftiest Islamic virtues that a Muslim can adopt. When Islamic
beliefs and prescribed deeds take deep roots in our characters, it gives us an unshakable
conviction which helps us to remain hopeful and not to get disappointed from the
hardships which befall (us) in the path of God Almighty. The Islamic attitude in the face
of such challenges is not to shake in resolve or to succumb to despair72. Belief in God is,
in fact, trusting Him absolutely and in all matters. The one who has absolute trust in God
Almighty is the possessor of immense strength and power; nothing on earth can weaken or
defeat his resolve and determination73
3.5.3 Patience; the requisite for Social Reform & Change:
With out patience, men of principles and morality aiming at reform and social change can
not continue their mission any more74. When such people start their mission, they find
they are, as if, strangers in their own people. They feel bound by God’s commandments
and moral values, while others think that can do whatever they like with a feeling of no
restrictions at all. Whatever these reformers do is aimed, primarily, at social good &
welfare of the people and success & good reward in the next world, while all the
considerations & opportunities towards personal benefit and worldly gains are available to
70 Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi, Islam; The Religion of Peace, (Karachi, Royal Book Company, 1989), p.106. 71 Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi, Islam, ibid, p.106. 72 Quraan, (3), 146. 73 Waheedud Din Khan: The Ideology of Peace (New Dehli, Good wards Books, 2002), p.45. 74 Waheedud Din Khan: The Ideology of Peace, ibid.
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their adversaries. They follow the moral and ethical values strictly, while others’ actions
are bound by no restrictions. The men of principles are not only affected adversely by
these moral bounds, they may, at times, be enticed into following ways of the madding
crowd and, resultantly, end up leaving their mission. They may think that if they are
unable to make some impact, they may as well spare themselves the trouble. This is
exactly when patience (sabr) provides them with the necessary psychological help &
succor, saving them from giving up only because their exhortations and selfless actions
appear to have no impact on others. The holy Quraan says:
‘Therefore, have patience. God’s promise is true. Let not those who have no certainty
make you impatient’…”75. In another verse, the reward of heaven has been ascribed to the
only act of observing patience and fortitude. The holy Quraan says:
“Such are the people who will be rewarded with (heaven) for their fortitude, wherein they
will be welcomed with due respect, honour and salutations…”76. At another place, it is
pointed out that the quality of making a dearest friend out of a staunchest enemy can be
achieved by those only who observe patience.
The tests and tribulations faced by the reformers, especially the prophets are an
essential par of their responsibilities. Their target addressees, due to their mental
conditioning and the resultant bias, are most likely to offer opposition to their ideals &
actions, and, most of the times, their attitude would be uncompromising & violent. In case
of attitude of complaining about their maltreatment at the hands of others, the very
bonafide of their struggle to make their opponents adopt the path of truth and justice
would get discredited and rendered doubtful. Men struggling for the cause of God
Almighty and betterment of humanity do not get affected negatively by the maltreatment
from others. The hardships they face in the way of seeking God’s good pleasure are
actually a test of their selflessness77. Unless and until they prove their sincerity through an
attitude of steadfastness and fortitude, they can not expect their words to have an effect78.
75 Quraan (30), 60. 76 Quraan (25), 75. 77 Waheedud Din Khan: The Ideology of Peace, op cit, p.47. 78 Quraan, (41), 34.
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Sabr, some times, takes the form of steadfastness and forbearance in response to
persecution at the hands of others. This aspect of the Sabr was practiced by all the
messengers of God with out any exception. They would say to the addressees:
‘…We will endure your persecution patiently. In Go let all the faithful put their trust”79
People, faced with the unpleasant treatment of their adversaries, usually take
retaliatory measures of their own. Sabr, on the contrary, is to bear patiently whatever
undue inconvenience & hardship is meted out by the adversaries and to make extra efforts
to excel over them in the long-term.
3.5.4 Rewards for Patience
When the Quraysh isolated the Muslims economically in Makkah at the time of the holy
prophet (peace be upon him), some of them immigrated to Abyssinia for avoiding conflict,
continuing their mission and consolidating their position.. Their antagonists at Makkah
had made it difficult, if not impossible, for them to continue their mission and in what
they believed. The companions opted to migrate to a neighboring country and continue the
mission of preaching there. So hardworking and faithful they were in their interactions
that Nijjashi, the ruler of Abyssinia, announced that any one who maltreated a Muslim
will have to give to them eight Dirham compensation. It was only one of the many ways
in which God Almighty compensated the migrant companions to re-habilitate there, by
valuing and rewarding their patience in the face of treatment of persecution meted out to
them80.
Patience may seem to be a negative & useless trait, but in view of its consequences,
it is a highly positive and useful trait. If we realize the value of patience, we would desist
from taking impulsive knee-jerk actions qua our opponents. Instead, we would see into
prospectivity & cause into action sequence of events that would essentially result in the
ultimate triumph81. When we are maltreated, emotions tend to run high. In such a state of
mind, if we resort to impulsive action, we may not be able to exhibit a sound response
79 Quraan (14), 12. 80 Waheedud Din Khan: The Ideology of Peace, ibid, p.49. 81 Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi, Islam, ibid, p.108.”
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necessitated by rationality or propriety. Instead, our reaction may be knee-jerk, originating
from our raw impulsive emotions at that time.
3.5.5 Patience; a pre-requisite for Evolving a Sound Policy
Patience, on the contrary, makes us consider objectively & unemotionally all the
opportunities available to us and then understand the exact characteristics of the
environment we may be in. Observing patience brings us into a position when we can
pursue a sound policy82. Impatience results into immediate action for countering the
moves of the antagonist while patience helps us to bide time for the permanents laws of
nature created by God Almighty to start acting positively against our enemies83.
We exhibit impatience for countering our adversaries. At times, mere base
emotions and superficial motives spur us for a reaction rather than a considered response
based on a correct reading of the problem and the response required. In that case we may
make blunders and errors of judgment that only prove to worsen our position further. On
the contrary, when we observe patience, a divine power –intelligence- gets created with in
us84. Intellect is an extra-ordinary treasure of power. It also makes us capable to see into
the future, beyond apparent barriers and obstacles, and make planning for the future.
Proper utilization of the intellect saves people from reactionary responses and knee-jerk
reactions and enables us to ponder on a sound basis over the problem. It helps us discover
immense powers enabling us to overpower our antagonists85.
3.5.6 The Migration Model of observing Patience
The migration to Madina was one of the examples of the holy prophet (peace be upon
him)’s patience. When the enmity of the Quraysh and the resulting persecution of the
Muslims had reached unbearable proportions, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) had to
choose between two choices; either to confront the enemy as a means of self-defense, or
to migrate from Makkah for a safer place. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) adopted
the second option. He thought over the situation coolly and opted to migrate to Madina- a
far safer place for continuance of his mission86. Before the migration, preparations for the
same were carried out, in the utmost secrecy possible, for over 6 months. A well devised
82 Ibid, p.109. 83 Ibid. 84 Waheedud Din Khan: The Ideology of Peace, ibid, p.52. 85 Ibid. 86 Ibid, p.53.
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plan for migration had been made and then the holy prophet (peace be upon him) set out
for Madina, taking a trustworthy guide along. From the eye of an extremist, the migration
would seem to be running away, for he would desire, in such circumstances, to fight to the
end; he would not value nay other option except making a martyr of himself. However, if
we consider the beneficial outcomes of the migration of the holy prophet (peace be upon
him), one can clearly find that it became, no doubt, one of the most important events in
Islamic history87.
3.5.7 Patience Helps in Avoiding Pre-mature/ Counter-productive Actions
Patience prevents us from resorting to premature actions & allows matters to run their
natural course. The nature of human being is a changeless entity which, more often than
not, has a considerable impact on all aspects of human character. Inside in their hearts,
people have soft corner for those who bear mistreatment & injustice silently, and for those
who avoid to react in despite clear provocation. The inborn conscience obviously prefers
to favour and have sympathies with the oppressed rather than the oppressor88. Immense
opportunities became available in the world of nature to those who are denied their rights
in this world. When people stand firm in the face of persecution with out reacting in the
negative ways, they prove that their action is correct. The boycott thrusted by the Quraysh
on the holy prophet (peace be upon him) & his followers in the 7th year of the prophet’s
ministry was one of such like instances. Implementing the boycott, all of Banu Hashim-
clan of the holy prophet (peace be upon him), was isolated in a mountainous ravine- Shi’b
Abi Taleb. The way in which the besieged Muslims quietly bore this unbearable
oppression was essentially to create an impact on the conscience of others and it surely
did. With in 3 years, important persons severed from the side of the antagonists, candidly
questioning the moral justification of the agreement through which the moratorium had
been placed on the clan of the holy prophet (peace be upon him). The pact ended & the
Banu Hashim was rescued from their pathetic condition89.
87 Waheedud Din Khan, monthly ‘Tazkeer’ (Lahore Darut Tazkeer, October, 2009), p.18. 88 Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi, Islam; ibid, p.108. 89 Waheedud Din Khan, ibid, p.37.
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3.5.8 Patience Entitles one to Divine Succour
The significant aspect regarding patience is that it entitles the person for the help from
God Almighty. Patient forbearance in following a noble pursuit amounts to placing one’s
problems to the will of the Lord of the worlds. It is unthinkable that persons putting their
faith in Almighty God, for the purpose of a noble & just cause, would render themselves
left unaided and forgotten by God Almighty90. This is exactly what the holy Quraan
guarantees by saying:
“These (believers with the mentioned qualities) shall be rewarded with the highest heaven
for their patient endurance. There they shall be welcomed with a greeting and peace”91
The divine succour reflects itself in this world in various forms and ways. The
human intellect can not conceive or understand these ways. Few of the shapes in which
the help from God manifests itself, are referred to in the holy Quraan. While facing their
non-Muslim antagonists on the battle front, to give an example, the help from God makes
up the deficiency of their inferior resources: it enters confidence, satisfaction and
assurance in the minds of the Muslims and creates fear in the minds of their opponents
which weakens their morale and resolve. This is mentioned in the holy Quraan thus:
“Believers, remember God’s goodness to you when there came against you hos ts. We
unleashed against them a wind and soldiers you could not see. God saw all that you were
doing”92
The above verses relate to the war of the Trench. It tells that God Almighty
arranged for 2 things- the wind and a brigade of angels- as a help to the believers. There is
nothing extra-ordinary about the wind. That it blows is not unusual. However, in a
particular place, and at a particular time, it was directed to run quickly, thereby helping
the Muslims. It follows that when God Almighty wishes to assist a person, He causes
usual physical events take a specific required magnitude that guarantees
triumph93.Regarding the angels, it is noteworthy that they were meant to provide
psychological succor. What they were meant for, as mentioned in some other places, was
90 Ibid, p.38. 91 See reference No.3 above. 92 Quraan (33), 9. 93 Ishtiaq Hussain, ibid, p.110.
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to “give courage to the believers and cast terror into the hearts of the infidels”94. As a
consequence of their presence, the enemy appeared to be a “small band” while the
companions were shown to seem as a “great army”95 before their opponents.
Notwithstanding all the help which was given to the holy prophet (peace be upon
him) & the migrant companions by the Ansaar-the helpers- life of Muslims in Madina was
far from easiness and facilitation. There was always the threat of an eminent attack against
the Muslims. It is exactly why and how Obayye Ben Ka’b (r.a)- a companion of the holy
prophet (peace be upon him)- assesses the inherent threat in the environment at that time:
“When the Prophet and the companions arrived in Madina and the Ansaar gave them
asylum, the Arabs united against them. The Muslims used to remain in their armour, day
and night”96
The Quraysh imposed economic restrictions against the population of Madina.
Following the lead of the Quraysh, all the Arab tribes, ended their interaction with the
city. Internal resources were quite inadequate to fulfill the requirements of the recently
enhanced population of Madina. Further, the expenditure on defense of the city pushed the
economy to its very testing limits. The Second caliph of Islam, Omar (r.a) says that the
holy prophet (peace be upon him) would face hunger all the day in Madina. The Muslims
would go out on expeditions with hardly any provisions. In such testing times, only the
Islamic concepts of patience and perseverance would come to their rescue97. It would not
only help them to bear the circumstances bravely and steadfastly but would also urge them
to continue building their internal strength to be winners of the future. Observing the
Islamic practice of patience helps in preventing/reducing conflicts, creating harmony &
solidarity, avoiding un-planned pre-mature actions, and making friends out of enemies.
3.5.9 Patience is a must for Peace and Security:
Living in peace and security is one of the commandments of God. Anger, rage and other
immoral tendencies have been prohibited by God. The holy Quraan says:
“ Hasten to follow the path that leads to forgiveness from your Lord and to the Heaven,
which is as vast as the skies and the earth prepared for those pious people who spend
94 Quraan (8), 12. 95 Quraan (8), 43. 96 Kazul Ummal, Vol 1, p.259.
97 Dr.Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi: Islam; The religion of Peace (Karachi, Royal Book Company, 1989),p. 114.
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their wealth in times of both ease and hardship; those who control their rage and forgive
other people-God loves such people very much..”98
“Those who avoid major wrong actions and indecencies and who, when they are angered,
are willing to forgive”99
“Tell my servants that they should say whatever is politest”100
“Repel evil with that which is best”101
“A good action and a bad action are not the same. Repel (evil) with what is best and, if
there is enmity between you and someone else, he will become like a bosom friend”102
Through several sayings, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) has encouraged the
Muslims to desist from being over-powered by rage. One such saying is thus:
“The strong man is not the one who overcomes others with his strength, but the one who
controls himself while enraged”103
In the above as well as several other verses of the holy Quraan, the attitudes of
politeness, calmness, patience, forgiveness and non-reciprocal goodness in situations of
provocation & injustice have been appreciated. God Almighty has thus identified the
characteristics of good believers and Muslims are directed to be meticulous about not
acting to the contrary. When people follow the principles of the Quraan and Sunnah, every
one attempts to acquire the ‘best’ manners. Tranquility and peace become the culture and
environment of people and the society. Hatred, anger, bias, envy, conflict, rage, distrust
and disputes simply disappear. True believers attempt to avoid displaying such traits of
character, regardless of where they are; in public office, in business, in the family or in the
traffic jam104.
3.5.10 Patience creates Solidarity in Organizations and Society:
Solidarity is very important for peace and cordial social relations. For every desirable
thing in this world, there is cost tag with it. For securing and maintaining unity, the price
to be paid is not only to avoid claims and counter claims with regard to our rights, but also
98 Quraan (3), 134. 99 Quraan, (42), 37. 100 Quraan (17), 53. 101 Quraan (23), 96. 102 See reference No.4 above. 103 Saheeh Bukhari (Lahore, Maktaba Rahmania, 1999), Vol 1, p.153. 104 Haroon Yahya: What Happens if Fear Of God does not Exist: Tazkeer monthly (Lahore, July 2009, Darut
Tazkeer), p.24.
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the willingness to sacrifice our own special interests for others. Solidarity- unity emerging
from mutual interests and common feelings among different individuals-is one of the most
valuable aspect for maintaining social harmony. However, solidarity is also something
very fragile which needs to be meticulously safeguarded in order to prevent difference of
opinions and clash of interests from slipping into dissension and divisiveness. Solidarity
can remain intact only when all the concerned agree to disagree, and are prepared to leave
their bones of contention to be chewed by others. The human aspect most essential for the
cause of solidarity is tolerance. In short, all of our actions must be bound & guided by
patience if we expect not to receive anger and intolerance from others.
Solidarity is a trait really worth encouraging and, in this, religious values has a major
role to play. As a matter of fact, there can be no solidarity with out religion105. Naturally,
solidarity will be visible where religious and moral values are well entrenched and are a
living, true force.
Religion in Islam is primarily premised in extreme love for God Almighty and doing
good to the humankind. Regarding the former, the holy Quraan says: ‘The love of God is
stronger in the faithful’106 Regarding the later, the holy Quraan says this, “Those who
believe enjoin patience and enjoin mercy, they are people of the right hand (successful
and deserving heaven)”107. It is clear that when human actions are governed by such moral
teachings, solidarity will, automatically and essentially, emerge as a psychological
need108. People will feel closeness & affinity to one another, notwithstanding their
differences. They will be friends. Islamic religion reminds the human beings of this reality
that they all are God’s creation and are like His family. All of them are Adam’s (peace be
upon him) children. This implies that in Islam, all human beings are blood brothers
despite differences. When inculcating fellow-feelings among its followers is one of the
main objectives of Islam, the believers in it will then have only brotherly affinity, respect
and love for others. And obviously, social solidarity will prevail, where there is brotherly
love109.
105 Haroon Yahya, ibid. 106 Quraan (2), 165. 107 Quraan (90), 17. 108 Haroon Yahya, ibid, p.25. 109 Ibid.
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Usually, a problem appear to be afflicting one part of the society but, in reality, the
treatment lies somewhere else. For curing the ill, we have to focus more on the cause
instead of reflections of the illness. If the society suffers from lack or absence of
solidarity, the main cause for this is the inability of the individuals to live together. Thus,
for enhancing solidarity and social unity, it is the individual who has to be focused upon.
It has to be achieved at the individual level before it can be expected to be seen in
society110. For a tree to bear fruit of good quality, it is the seed that has to be improved and
not the fruit. This is the law of nature which also applies human beings.
3.5.11 Success goes with Patience and Peaceful Activism
As a moral virtue, patience has been given significant importance in the Islamic teachings.
The holy Quraan contains more than 110 verses in which the word ‘sabr’ (patience) or its
derivatives occur. In fact, the holy Quraan emphasizes to the extent of saying that only
patience is the primary reason for any success111. The holy Quraan says: “O People, be
patient and steadfast, and be ever prepared for the service of truth so that you may
prosper”112 At another place in the holy Quraan, the leadership of nations, in itself, has
been linked to the observance of patience and perseverance113. The same very truth has
been mentioned in the body of a lengthy narration ending with the words: “Learn that
success goes with patience”114. This means that patience entails success. There can be no
success with out patience. The seed of any achievement is always sown in the farm of
patience115.
As regards peaceful activism, we find that the holy prophet of Islam had to face all
kinds of atrocities from his opponents, yet he never used the language of hatred against
them. He even did his best to save his companions form this feeling of hatred. We find
abundant examples of this nature through out his life. For instance, in Makkah the family
of Yaaser, a companion of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) were poor & weak, so
the powerful opponents of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) started beating them to
compel them to leave the fold of Islam. On seeing it, the holy prophet (peace be upon him)
110 Ibid. 111 Ishtiaq Hussain, ibid, p.115. 112 Quraan (3), 200. 113 Quraan (32), 24. 114 Masnad Ahmad, Vol 1, p.307. 115 Waheedud Din Khan, op cit, p.42.
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did not utter any word against the opponents. He only exhorted Yaser and his family to
exercise patience, because for doing so, they were promised paradise.
Telling them that the reward for patience was paradise, the prophet of Islam tried to
bring this point home to them that they ought to refuse to allow themselves to be
provoked, irrespective of the kind of provocation. In no circumstances were they to
harbour negative feelings against their opponents. This was an important aspect of the
policy of the holy prophet (peace be upon him): remaining patient in face of all acts of
injustice committed by his opponents. The holy Quraan gives clear guidelines on this
subject. Quoting the prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him), it says: ‘We shall certainly
bear steadfastly whatever harm you do to us’116 By expressing its approval of Ibrahim
(peace be upon him)’s attitude, it endorses the virtue of patience.
A Jewish scholar of Madina- Zayd Ibn Sana-who later converted to Islam, observes
that when he first time saw the holy prophet (peace be upon him), he noticed all the
indications of prophethood on his face and the most prominent among them was the
endless patience which is one of the hall marks of a prophet117. When the opponent would
exceed in ignorance, this would increase forbearance by the holy prophet (peace be upon
him).
3.5.12 Merit of Patience and Peaceful Activism in HRM
Concluding Comments: Patience is one the loftiest virtues in Islam. It is also the pre-
requisite for social change and reform. Observing patience saves from emotional reaction
and enables us to respond properly to a challenge. It saves us from pre-mature and
counter-productive decisions and actions. It entitles one to divine succor, helping the
person in various forms and ways. Observing patience is must for maintaining peace and
order. It creates solidarity, harmony, co-operation, trust and mutual respect in
organizations and in the society at large. Peaceful Activism is the biggest Jihad and
success goes with it. Thus, the Islamic concept of patience and peaceful activism can help
enhance harmony, mutual respect, trust and peace among employees as well as in the
organizations.
116 Quraan (14), 12. 117 Dr.Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi: Islam; The religion of Peace (Karachi, Royal Book Company, 1989), p. 123.
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3.6 COMPASSION, TENDERNESS AND HUMILITY
3.6.1 Compassion and Humility practiced
Introduction: God’s attribute in the holy Quraan is said to be “the compassionate”, “the
merciful”1 That is extremely kind and sympathetic. Besides, the holy prophet (peace be
upon him) of Islam has been called “A mercy to the Worlds”2 That is the prophet (peace
be upon him) of Islam has been sent as a blessing to the whole world. The most
prominent quality of the prophet (peace be upon him) is his being the instrument of
universal mercy3. The holy Quraan, as a matter of divine guidance, urges people to
exercise patience and compassion in their dealings with one another. This means that
everyone should treat others with sympathy and kindness. Even when one experiences
unkindness from others, one should not return the same but should continue to behave
sympathetically.
The holy Quraan enunciates that God’s aim is to make the life of man easy
and free from hardship. This assurance is given unambiguously by the Almighty. He
tells us clearly that He desires to make things easy and does not wish to create
difficulties for mankind. He says:
“God desires ease for you, and He does not desire hardship for you”4
Another Quraanic declaration regarding divine mercy and benevolence is no less
emphatic, clear and direct. The holy Quraan says:
“Say: To whom belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth?
“Say: To God, He has ordained mercy on Himself”5
There is nothing which can be beyond the reach of His mercy. This pervasiveness is
explained in the prayer of a Muslim that is prescribed by the holy Quraan. The words
of the prayer are:
“Our Lord, You embrace everything in Your mercy and knowledge”6
The holy Quraan enjoins to “show kindness to near relatives, to orphans, to the
needy, to the neighbors-kinsmen and strangers, to fellow travelers, to the wayfarers
1 Quraan (1), 2. 2 Quraan (21), 107. 3 Waheedud Din Khan: The Prophet of all Humanity (New Dehli, Goodwards Books, 2002, p.5. 4 Quraan (2), 185. 5 Quraan (6), 12. 6 Quraan (40), 7.
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and to the slaves in your possession and that God does not like such persons as are
self-conceited and niggardly”7.
3.6.2 Tenderness and Facilitation are at the core of Islamic Faith
The prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) is reported to have declared that “deen”
(religion of Islam) is easy or, in other words, the deen of Islam offers facilities. The
prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged the companions to observe tenderness,
softness and forgiveness in human relations and interactions8. When a group of Jews
called on the prophet (peace be upon him) and addressed him by twisting the Islamic
greetings of “Assalamu alaykum” to a form meaning “death be on to you”, Hazrat
Ayesha (r.a) understood the malicious intent of the greeting and said “death and
punishment be on to you”. At this point, the holy prophet (peace be upon him)
explained “O Ayesha! don’t respond like this because God is tender and likes
tenderness in all matters and He gives on observing tenderness which He does not give
on harshness”9 He further said “Whoever contains softness will get beautified while
those lacking softness will render themselves defective (failing)”10.He said on another
occasion that “whosoever has been given a share in softness has been given a share in
goodness, while whosoever has been denied a share in softness, has been deprived of
a share in goodness”11. When one of the Jews demanded return of his loan from the
holy prophet (peace be upon him) before due date in extremely harsh words & abusive
language, the second caliph Omar (r.a) got furious and threatened the Jew for his
abusive language. The prophet (peace be upon him) intervened and reprimanded Umar
(r.a) by saying “We both needed some other kind of help from you. I need to be told to
return the loan in the best way, while he needs to be told to demand his money in the
best way. O Umar! Take him along and arrange to return to him his money”.12 After
this incident, the Jew became Muslim.
The holy prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) also says:
7 Quraan (4), 36. 8 Waheedud Din Khan: The Prophet of all Humanity, ibid, p.7. 9 Saheeh Bukhari (Lahore, Maktaba Rahmania, 1999, Vol 3, Narration No.964), p.438. 10 Shah Muhammad Jafar Phulwarwi: Riazus Sunnah (Urdu), (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer, 1998, p.47. 11 Ibid. 12 Saheeh Bukhari. Ibid, Narration No. 1719, p.913.
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“O God, whosoever in my nation is given the authority (over people) and he treats
them harshly, be harsh to him and whosoever is given authority and he treats them
gently ,be gentle to him”.13
At another occasion, the holy prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) explained:
“God will be merciful to those who are merciful (to His creatures)”14 and:
“You should be merciful to people on earth, God on high will be merciful
to you”15
One of the companions Abu Musa(r.a) has stated that when the holy prophet
(peace be upon him) would send some one towards people he would urge him and say
“ spread glad tidings and do not spread disappointment , create easiness for people
and do not make matters difficult”.16
3.6.3 Humility and Good Manners are Virtues
In the holy Quraan, humility has been mentioned as a very valuable goodness:-
“And the (true) servants of the Beneficent God are they who walk on earth in humility,
and when the ignorant address them (insolently) they say, Peace”17
“And do not turn your face away from people in contempt, nor go about in the land
proudly; surely God does not like any self-conceited, boastful person. Be moderate in
your gait, and lower your voice, for the most disagreeable of all the voices is the
braving of the asses”18
In the above verses, the holy Quraan refers to an ass’s braying as the worst
sound. Men ought, therefore, to desist from speaking in the irritating manner of the
ass, and express their feelings and desires with moderation, soft tone and gentleness.
The holy Quraan says in another place that birds sing the praise of God.19 It indicates
that God Almighty likes a talking that is accompanied by the sweetness of a bird song,
and not like the braying of a donkey which causes irritation to the hearer’s ears.
Being the means of exchange of ideas among human beings, the tongue is the
most valuable blessings of God Almighty. There are two ways of utilizing this
13 Saheeh, Muslim, (Karachi, Darul Ashaat, 2005), Vol 3, Narration No.202, p.137. 14 Saheeh Bukhari, ibid, Chapter on ‘mercy on people’, Narration No.953, p.436. 15 Saheeh Muslim, ibid, Narration No.204, p.138. 16 Ibid, Narration No.6&7, p.24. 17 Quraan (25), 63. 18 Quraan (31), 18, 19. 19 Quraan (24), 41.
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blessing: one is pleasing by considering its quality of politeness, sincerity and
rationality; and the other is marked by sarcasm, taunts and abrasiveness and, in effect
on human ears, is like ‘the braying of a donkey’, which can never be liked and loved
by the hearers. The holy Quraan does not approve of this manner as being irritating,
and insists that man’s talking must have a welcoming and positive effect on the hearer.
The holy Quraan tells us that true believers are those ‘who, when angered are
willing to forgive’20. Every one understands that when a person becomes angry with
some one, turbulence of feelings that is aroused with in. This essentially being the
result, forgiveness can be exhibited only when this turbulence is managed. If
understood in this backdrop, the exact implication of this verse of the holy Quraan is
this: When caused to anger, they are prepared to forgive, even if this requires
suppressing their emotions and controlling & curbing the turbulence having arisen
with in them21.
According to a narration, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) has explained:
“To God the best companion is one who is best for his companion and the best
neighbour is one who is best neighbour”22 On another occasion the prophet (peace be
upon him) clarified thus “One who believes in God should not give trouble to his
neighbour”23 and “One who believes in God should accord due respect to his
neighbours”24.
Tenderness was inherent in the nature of the holy prophet (peace be upon him).
This trait in his character has been mentioned in the holy Quraan thus:
“It was thanks to God’s mercy that you were very gentle and lenient to them: for, had
you been harsh and hard-hearted, they all would have deserted you”25
The power of the holy prophet to conquer people’s minds and hearts was
actually based in his matchless magnanimity; his noble character won over whosoever
came closer to him. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) is reported having
explained thus:
20 Quraan (42), 37. 21 Prof. Khursheed Ahamd: Islam; Basic Principles and Characteristics (Islamabad, Dawa Academy), p.23. 22 Jamae Tirmazi, Maktaba Rahmania, Lahore, 2005, Vol 2, p.345. 23 Saheeh Bukhari, ibid, Chapter on ‘Ill treatment of neighbour’, Narration No.956, p.437. 24 Ibid, Narration No. 954, p.436. 25 Quraan (3), 159.
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“Honouring ties of relationship does not mean honouring your ties only with those
who honour ties with you: it means honouring your ties (also) with those who sever
their ties with you”
3.6.4 Significance of Modesty in Islam
Related to the principle of compassion is Islam’s emphasis on modesty. Modesty- one
of the greatest adornments to humankind-is central to the building of a good, peaceful
and just society, for all other human qualities emanate there from. It is for this reason
that so much emphasis has been laid upon it in all Islamic teachings26. The man who
lacks the virtue of modesty may seem to be a human being, but in real sense of the
word, he falls very short of being so. What best befits humankind is humility and
modesty. Man’s beauty, completeness and perfection do not lie in arrogance but in
humble gentleness. Lack of modesty essentially results in highhandedness- a trait of
character betraying a frivolous disdain for the social obligation to respect the feelings
and rights of others27. It is for this reason that Islam has laid so much emphasis on
ensuring a responsible attitude towards obligations of others and the society at large.
The holy prophet (peace be upon him) has explained it thus:
“You should adopt the attitude of modesty. None should deal high-handedly with
others. No one should be so presumptuous as to display superiority over others”28
All human beings have equal status as servants of God Almighty as all attributes of
greatness and completeness belong to Him only. Humility and modesty would be the
only natural attitudes of human beings if this principle of God’s greatness becomes
properly ingrained in people’s minds.
One important aspect of the method of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) was
compassion towards his enemies, even when they were totally at his mercy. The
reason for this was that he did not consider anyone as an enemy; he considered all men
and women as potential friends & target recipients of Islamic teachings. He was keen
to give them every possible chance to convert to Islam. One matchless instance of this
magnanimity, displayed by the holy prophet throughout his life, can be seen in his
behaviour with his enemies after Makkah had been conquered. Enemies who had been
26 See reference No.17 above. 27 Prof. Khursheed Ahamd: Islam; Basic Principles and Characteristics, ibid, p.24. 28 Sunan Abu, Daud (Karachi, Darul Ashaat, 2005), vol 2, Narration No1376, p.765.
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relentlessly persecuting the prophet (peace be upon him) and his followers for the last
20 years, were now at the mercy of the holy prophet (peace be upon). However,
instead of punishing them for their past crimes, he chose to forgive them all29.
3.6.5 Forgiveness Changes enemies into friends
The principle of forgiveness is based on a keen understanding of the nature of human
society. Human society is a composite aggregate of live, sensitive individuals, in
whom an urge for vengeance arises when one of their members is maltreated. Human
beings are not like pieces of stone, which exhibit no reaction when another stone is
broken. To humiliate one individual is to invite rebellion from those associated with
him, which implies that the time which could be usefully utilized in building up the
society is wasted in pursuit of egoistic goals. Through forgiving all his past enemies
after their defeat at Makkah, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) ensured that no
insurrection would raise its head in future. As a matter of fact, most of those he
forgave converted to Islam and became a source of its strength30.
The immigration to Madina was a milestone in Islamic history. As for as its
consequences are concerned, Islam transformed from a primarily propagatory
emphasis and approach to social and political activism. In Madina, missionary work
was still the fundamental objective of the prophetic struggle. However, the scope &
range of activities had been enlarged. Islam now had also to take into consideration
political, economic and social issues. The method chosen by the holy prophet (peace
be upon him) at this critical point was meant to soften hearts of the people towards
Islam for achieving objectives of his mission with out useless conflicts and
bloodshed31. There were two complimentary aspects of the holy prophet (peace be
upon him)’s method: one was aimed at creating a deterrence & awe among the
enemies regarding Islam, whereas the second was meant to plant the feelings of
affinity and love for Islam in their hearts & minds. The former implied acquiring
enough power and strength32 (through unity, discipline, commitment and building of
sound characters) so that, owing to the deterrence of power, the antagonists of Islam
29 Waheedud Din Khan: The Prophet of all Humanity, ibid, p.23. 30 Waheedud Din Khan: Muhammad; The Ideal Character (New Dehli, Goodwards Books, 2004), p.39. 31 Waheedud Din Khan: The Ideology of Peace, ibid, p.18. 32 Quraan (8), 60.
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get convinced that they can not harm it and it would be rather better for them to come
to its fold. The 2nd measure was to soften their hearts for Islam through the acts of
forgiveness, reconciliation and goodness produced in the companions through the
Islamic injunctions of Ihsaan, fear of God, justice, and humility etc33.
3.6.6 Humility as a means of Avoiding Conflicts and Enhancing Strength
Humility is the foundation of unity. If every one gives due consideration to his
obligations towards others rather than overly emphasizing his rights, then the occasion
of friction and conflict would seldom arise, because disunity originates from everyone
attending to his own rights only and desiring that he and his opinions should be given
priority and supremacy, irrespective of the circumstances and needs of others. If no
one considers himself superior and people are more conscious about their obligations
than their rights, there would very less to quarrel about.
Clashes of interest and opinions are apt to arise in a society where people have
close contact and interaction with each other. In such a case, superiority complexes
and ego issues are naturally to arise. Every body tends to think that that his own
opinion is correct, that his rights have primacy over others’, and that his own interests
must be safeguarded at all costs. Such kinds of considerations alienate people from
one another, which results in disunity and social disharmony, and if all parties
adamantly stick to their claims of rights, friction is essentially to escalate. On the other
hand, if one of the parties to a dispute chose to exhibit a humble attitude and is
prepared to stand down, then disunity and friction will end automatically, and
harmony will come to the fore. Unity can thrive only by bidding a farewell to over
emphasis on personal interests, through appreciating the rights of others, to disagree
and- where agreement is not possible-by bringing the disputes to a resolution by
agreeing to disagree in a spirit of goodwill34.
3.6.7 Merits of Islamic Principles & Practices of Patience & Tolerance
Concluding Comments: What the humankind needs today perhaps the most is an
agreeable mechanism for the achievement of religious and social harmony. For
33 Waheedud Din Khan: The Ideology of Peace, ibid, p.20.
34 Ibid.
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solution of collective problems, the approach of Islam is immensely practical because
it starts from accepting distinctions and differences of ideologies. It then encourages
methodology of mutual respect & tolerance for others in every day interactions. This
method, in effect, is the parallel of the rule & norm implied in the English sentence
“Let us agree to disagree”.
Among the directives of the holy Quraan, in this regard, is the rule, “there shall
be no compulsion in religion”35 It is mentioned at another place “you have your own
religion and I have mine”36. It was in pursuance of this directive that after migrating to
Madina, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) made a declaration affirming his
accepting religious freedom. For creating the atmosphere of social solidarity and
mutual harmony, the holy Quraan directs its adherents not to ‘revile the idols of the
deniers’ which they worship besides God Almighty so that, in their ignorance, they
may not spitefully revile God’ and it may result in mutual bickering and possibly a
breach of peace37.
One pertinent instance of practice of this principle can be found in the model of
the holy prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) in what is known as “Methaq e
Madina”. Though Islam lays much emphasis on the singularity of truth & reality, it
has also laid sufficient & due emphasis on practicing toleration in social interactions,
even if it amounts to going to the extent of allowing non-Muslims to visit the place of
worship of Muslims for religious discussion and, if it is time for their worship prayers,
letting them feel free to perform their worship in accordance with their own ways in
the mosque itself. Through out Islamic History, tolerance has been practiced as a rule
and as a commandment. Tolerance has, as a matter of fact, been one of the main
underlying causes of Islam’s successful spread more than anything else38. Following
Islamic injunctions regarding patience, tolerance, humility, kindness, forgiveness,
tenderness, facilitation, modesty can contribute a great deal in ensuring harmony, trust,
co-operation, unity, solidarity, togetherness and social harmony among employees and
within organizations despite difference of opinions and clash of interests.
35 Quraan (2), 256. 36 Quraan (109), 6. 37 Quraan (6), 109. 38 Ishtiaq Hussain, ibid, p.118.
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3.7 MERIT
3.7.1 Merit and Right Man for the Right Job
Introduction: The prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) followed the principle of merit
scrupulously in public appointments. In this regard the holy Quraan says:
“Verily God directs you to assign trusts/duties/things to the care of whom they are due
and to judge with justice when you decide between people”39.
From the verse, it is evident that all the positions and posts of public office are trusts
of God, whose repository are those persons who have the powers to hire and fire the
employees. Thus, these positions are to be given to those (like a trust) who deserve them
on merit consisting of integrity & competence (professionalism) and who are the best in
the available lot40. That is why when one of the companions Abuzar (r.a) sought
appointment on an important position, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) refused the
appointment candidly but lovingly by saying that “O Abuzar! You are (administratively) a
weak person and the said post is a trust, which may put the occupant in disgrace on the
Day of Judgment…..”41. The prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) also said “Whosoever
appointed on a (public/official) post such a person who is not the best among the
available lot, he cheated God, His prophet and all the Muslims”42.
When a companion asked when the doomsday will happen, the holy prophet (peace
be upon him) explained the reason thus “When trust/integrity will be lost, then wait for the
doomsday...”43. When one of the companions desired his appointment on an important
position, the holy prophet said:
“Verily! We do not appoint a person (against merit) who demands it and who is after
it”44. On another occasion he said that if some one is appointed after his demand he will
be handed over by God ( to the difficulties and tough accountability) and whoever is
appointed with out any demand he will be helped( by God )in the matter45. Following the
39 Quraan (4), 58. 40 Muhammad Asad: Principles of State and Government in Islam (California University,1961), p.82. 41 Saheeh Muslim, Darul Ashaat, Karachi, 2005, Narration No.4684. 42 Al Targheeb Wal Tarheeb, Vol 3, p.123, 125. 43 Ibne Maja: Sunan, Darul Ashat, Lahore, 2005, no. 2645, vol 2, p43. 44 Saheeh Muslim, ibid, Narration No.197. 45 Op cit, Narration No.195.
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principle of merit not only ensures picking up the right person for the desired place46,
enhancement of competitive advantage of the organization but also reduce the chances of
complaints of discrimination among the employees.
3.7.2 Good Governance depends on following the right man for the right job
The principle of good governance that the holy Quraan insists upon is appointment of the
correct person for the correct place. That is, merit would be the only criterion of
appointment of man- power in an Islamic state47. Colour, creed and race have been ousted
from influencing the selection and appointments48. It is noteworthy that the holy prophet
appointed even the non-Muslims for diplomatic and other services only on the touchstone
of their professional competence and integrity49. The holy prophet (peace be upon him)
hired the services of a non-Muslim as a guide for the journey from Makkah to Madina
because this guide had the reputation of being a man of integrity in his field & services.
In Islamic history, we know him as Abdullah Ben Urayqet. He lived and died in
Makkah with out having come to the fold of Islam50. At the battle of Badr, around 70
persons of the enemy were taken as captives. Majority of them were literate. The holy
prophet (peace be upon him) declared that any of those war criminals who were ready to
teach ten children of Madina how to write and read would be given their freedom. Their
education services were counted in lieu of their ransom money. This was the first centre of
learning in the history of Islam in which all the pupils were Muslims and all of the
teachers & trainers were from the enemy side51. In making this choice, the consideration
that these prisoners, when freed, may again involve in conspiracies against the Muslims
was not given any value52. What were considered most important were their competence
and the person’s integrity53. This shows that skills (ability) and integrity are the two most
important criteria for selection of an employee
46 Prof. Rasheed Ahmad: Political Ideas of Muslims (Lahore, Idara Saqfat e Islamia, 2008), p.49.
47 Muhammad Yasin Mazhar Siddiqui: The System of Government under the Prophet (Lahore, Al Faisal Publishers, 200), p.35. 48 Ibid. 49 Muhammad Hameedullah: The Muslim Conduct of State (Lahore, Al Faisal Publishers, 2005), p.27.
50 Waheedud Din Khan, Tazkeer (monthly) September, 2009, (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer), p.16. 51 Ibid. 52 Ibid, March, 2009, p.22. 53 Muhammad Yasin Mazhar Siddiqui, op cit, ibid.
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3.7.3 Utility of the principle in Modern HRM
Concluding Comments: In the present age, the main cause of why the organizations fail
in delivering what is expected from them is the fact that majority of those having been
assigned to man important positions in the organizations actually do not have the requisite
qualifications in terms of their skills, capacity and levels of integrity . Majority of such
appointees lack even the minimum required skills for handling of their responsibilities.
And worse still, they don’t have the will & commitment to strive for the service of their
organization and the humanity at large even if they happen to possess such required skills.
More often than not, people are assigned to particular positions more on the basis of mere
mutual self-interests and privileges than the criteria of merit. We can avoid all the
negative outcomes, if we chose to follow the Quraanic injunctions of right man for the
right job, importance of integrity and treat the responsibility and powers as trusts of God
Almighty and the public at large.
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3.8 ACCOUNTABILITY AND INTEGRITY:
3.8.1 The Principle
Introduction: The holy prophet (peace be upon him) said that “every one among you is
accountable and he will be made accountable for those under his authority”54.On an other
occasion he said “ Whosoever is made authority( over people) and he dies in a state of
being dishonest with them, God will never enter him in heaven”55.Of the same connotation
is the saying “ Whosoever is made an authority in matters of Muslims and he does not
strive for their good and facilitation, he will not enter in heaven”56.
The belief system of Islam is composed, mainly, of three components:
1. One single authority- Unity of Command
2. Responsibility –Accountability
3. Code of Conduct
The above components are critically essential for proper working of an organization or
society. In the absence of above components, anarchy, disorder and disastrous failures
are the fate of the organization or society57. The basic fundamentals of Islamic concept
are exactly the same:
1. Tauheed- Recognizing one, supreme Almighty Allah or the God.
2. The Hereafter- Acknowledging the Day of Judgment where &
when humankind shall be raised again to give account of all his deeds.
3. A code of conduct- prescribed in the holy Quraan and taught & practiced
by the holy prophet (peace be upon him)
The over-ridding purpose of Islam is to establish a just economico-political and
socio-moral order here, apart from purification of the soul and acquiring an attitude of
Taqwa (God-fearing). Social reforms were central to the message & mission of the
holy prophet (peace be upon him). In Madina when state came into existence, the holy
prophet (peace be upon him) attended to effect socio-economic changes (e.g levying
Zakat for the amelioration of the downtrodden sections of the society, to rescue poor
people from the chronic & unbearable debt, allocating shares in the inheritance to the
54 Saheeh Muslim (Karachi, Darul Ashaat, 2005), Narration no. 204. 55 Saheeh Muslim, ibid, Narration No.209. 56 Muhammad Asad: Principles of State and Government in Islam (California University, 1961), p.82. 57 Julie Beard Well & Tim Claydon, Human Resource Management; A Contemporary Approach, Prentice
Hall, p.341.
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females, prescribing regulations fo marriage & divorce, banning usury & improving
the defence of the new-born city) besides enforcement of the religio-moral and
spiritual injunctions of the Quraan. Muslims are enjoined to establish a just socio-
moral order wherein they could organize their individual and collective life in
accordance with teachings of Quraan and Sunnah. They are admonished to be careful
lest the enmity of a community (or a person) deter them from being just, fair and
upright58.
The holy Quraan exhorts human beings to acquire empirical knowledge as well
as take moral lessons from the creation of the universe and his own self so as to purify
his intellect and soul and acquire the attitude of Taqwa- God-fearing attitude: and
attitude of accountability to God Almighty on the Day of Judgment for all of his
actions. This psycho-moral attitude is deemed to enable us to do justice to all59.
3.8.2 Obligation of Accountability of the Rulers in Islam
In an Islamic state the rulers are bound to decide important matters through
consultation of the community or its representatives60. The concept of the rulers or
those in authority is like that of a Shepard which is responsible for the welfare,
progress and protection of its public61. In an Islamic state, the community is to serve a
watch-dog of social norms and values. It is to have a vigilant eye on the conduct of the
rulers and the functionaries of the state. This accountability of the ruler in the form of
obligation of consultation is likely to save the ruler form the lust of greed and misuse
of power and authority. In fact, the rulers run the affair of the state not for himself but
on behalf of and for the community. He can not impose himself on the community
against its wishes. He can enjoy this position so long as he has the trust, support and
confidence of the community and would his right to govern their affairs if he loses
their trust and confidence62.
58 Quraan (5), 8. 59Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem, “Principles of Good Governance” (The Dialogue, July-Sept; 2006, Qurtuba
University of Science & Information Technology, Peshawar),p. 43. 60 Quraan (42), 38 and (3), 159. 61 Saheeh Bukhari (Lahore, Maktaba Rahmania, 1999), Narration No.3733 62 Ibid.
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3.8.3 Extreme strictness exhibited in following the principle
The strictness shown by the caliphs towards making themselves and their
administration accountable to the public is worth pointing out here. Both the first and
the caliphs of Islam, Abu Bakr (r.a) and Umar (r.a) adequately clarified that the state
has to strictly ensure appointment of right man for the right job. Further, the state has
also to give to the state functionaries sufficient professional freedom and authority so
that do not feel handicapped in doing justice with their jobs. Umar (r.a) not only
strictly enforced the above mentioned two provisions but also exhibited unusual
vigilance & fair accountability of the state functionaries as the essential means of good
governance. He would appraise and supervise the public conduct of his governors,
military commanders and tax collectors and would call them for annual accountability
before the public mostly at the time of pilgrimage. He would invite public opinion and
grievance redressal applications against his governors of different provinces of the
state and tax collectors63. It was in one of such complaint proceedings, that one
Egyptian citizen lodged a complaint that the son of the governor challenged him for a
horse race and when the former was beaten in the race, he lost his temper and flagged
the Egyptian. The complaint was brought to the governor but he proved a failure in
doing justice to the aggrieved. Finally, when Umar (r.a) listened to the complaint, he
asked the Egyptian to flog the son of the governor to the same extent as he was
flogged by him. Moreover, he also reprimanded the governor by questioning his
authority to treat the humans like his personal servants/slaves who are/were born free
and sacred. He even went further and suggested that it is more suitable for the
governor to tend to the sheep-goats of the central treasury (Baytul Maal) because he
was better suited to attend to the animals instead of the humans. Moreover, he would
advise his officials and state functionaries to grant free & easy access to the public and
not to shield themselves in palatial dwellings or place guards at their gates. It is
noteworthy that in his whole period of caliphate spanning over 10 years, he posted
only one of his relatives in tax collection and he too was removed from the job later
under drinking charges64.
63 Ibid, p.196. 64 Shibli Nomaani: Alfarooq (Lahore, Maktaba Rahmania, 1990), p.307.
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It is note worthy that Umar (r.a) used to pay to the state functionaries very high
salaries. This was to serve as motivation to state officials to exhibit integrity and
protect the interest of the state as well as the public. He had also introduced a kind of
assets declaration at the start of employment of state official so that evaluation of
integrity of the employee is properly made. He became one of the most outstanding
Islamic leaders in human history by treating his state functionaries equitably, apart
from other measures. He not only enforced the system of accountability on others, but
he would be the first to offer him for accountability of the public. That is why every
one could ask about the source of his clothes. Even women folk had the courage to
criticize him for his decisions or opinion. He implemented such a system of
accountability and vigilance that the state functionaries would feel that the caliph is
with them in the far off provinces65.
The caliph was so particular in letting the public know the duties and powers of
the state functionaries that he would repeatedly address people in this regard66. He
would forbid the functionaries to exhibit harshness towards the public or disgrace
them or commit discrimination or beat them or deny access to them67. They would be
directed to fulfill peoples’ obligations and show simplicity in their life style68. Out of
his relatives, he posted only one person in the department of tax collection in the
whole period of his caliphate and he too was removed from service later under
drinking charges69.
In important cases of appointment such as selection of the Qaazi (judge), he
would sometimes conduct tests before making the appointment70. He had ordained that
the person who is not wealthy enough and respected should not be made a judge
because in such cases, the judge would be tempted to corruption and unduly
influenced by influential people71. Further, the judges would not be allowed to engage
in trading or business and this is the sound principle which has been adopted in the
65 Muhammad Hussain Haykal, Umar Farooq (Lahore, Ilm o Irfan Publishers, 2004), p.32. 66 Ibid, p.221. 67 Ibid, p.195. 68 Ibid. 69 Ibid, p.307. 70 Ibid, p.220. 71 Ibid.
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developed countries after experiences of hundred of years72. He wanted to establish
justice in every nook and corner of the state and for this he would feel himself
accountable before God Almighty. That is, if his tax collector would mal-treated any
person thousand of miles away, he would feel as if he himself has mal-treated the
person. When he once asked “Do you think that by appointing the best suited person
as collector, I would be absolved of any further responsibility”? People replied in
affirmative. On this he said “No, it would not be true unless I ensure that he has acted
upon as required”73. He was very strict in accountability of the state functionaries as is
evidenced by removal of Khalid Ben Walid-one of the outstanding generals in the
history of Islam- from military command74.
3.8.4 Accountability and Justice had Primacy over all other considerations:
Once the people of Kofa lodged a complaint against their governor, Sa’d Ben Abi
Waqas (r.a), who was also the commander of the Muslim army and who had won the
laurels of victory in the battle of Qadsiyah against the Persians in 635 A.D. At that
time, the caliph received a report to the effect that the Persians had gathered a huge
army of some 150,000 soldiers at Nihavand against the Muslims to avenge their defeat
at Qadsiyah. This created a serious predicament for the Muslims. On the one hand,
Sa’d Ben Abi Waqas (r.a) had to face the Persian onslaught while on the other, he had
to face the inquiry initiated against him by the caliph in pursuance of the complaint.
Umar (r.a), realizing the importance of accountability in accordance with requirement
of justice, ignored the expediencies on the occasion and disregarding the grave threats
from the enemy, went ahead with the inquiry and sent the chief inquiry officer namely
Muhammad ben Maslima (r.a) to Kofa to investigate the veracity of the complaint. He
completed the inquiry and brought with him Sa’d Ben Abi Waqas (r.a) to Madina for
personal investigation and hearing of the caliph. The caliph suspended his duties
despite the fact that the public at Kofa was very pleased with him just to avoid the
possibility peoples’ discontent. This incident shows the primacy of accountability and
justice in Islam.
72 Ibid, p.221 73 Shibli Numaani, ibid, p.622. 74 Muhammad Hussain Haykal, ibid, p.622.
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3.8.5 Simplicity of the Rulers; part of Accountability System
He would observe the life style of an ordinary person. In the year of famine when his
state faced acute shortage of food, he took oath not to eat meat and ghee till the end of
the famine and would say: “How can I know the hardship of the public at large unless I
also go through the same conditions as are faced by people”75. He fulfilled his oath till
the end of the famine. He kept fasting, denied himself food and, in the process, got so
weakened that people started saying that if God Almighty does not end the famine, the
caliph would die for the sake of the people76. In the whole of the period of famine, he
would not take meal in his house but would rather take it with the people so as to
observe equality and enhance solidarity77. He would observe so strictness in taking
something from the public treasury for his personal needs that sometimes it would
become very painful. Once he got sick and was advised to take some honey which was
not available in his home. On the puppet he sought approval from the people for its use
which they gave78.
3.8.6 Merit and Utility of adopting the principle
Concluding Comments: The Islamic principles of accountability of those in authority,
the principles of avoiding conflict of interest, avoiding appointment of one’s nears and
dears in important positions, the concept of the ruler as the servant and guardian of the
public rather being their ruler, regular and objective performance appraisals and primacy
of justice and accountability over all other considerations whatsoever, can help a great
deal in enhancing efficiency and productivity of both the employees as well as the
organizations. It can also enhance the perception of justice with in organizations and
enhance the levels of employee motivation, ownership, commitment and voluntary
contribution towards achievement of the organizational goals.
75 Muhammad Hussain Haykal: Umar Farooq, (Lahore, Ilm o Irfan publishers, 2004), p.350. 76 Ibid, p.351. 77 Ibid. 78 Ibid.p.611.
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3.9 PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL
3.9.1 The Moral basis of Performance Appraisal
Introduction: If from pot containing water, a single drop is found to be of bad taste,
it indicates that all of the water is not fit for drinking. For ascertaining with surety
what the rest of water will be like, we require only one drop as sample. The human
being has also the same character. The human personality is just like an over
brimming container that continues to shed drops for other people to drink, to find
having good or bad taste, as the case may be . Very few examples of a person’s
behaviour and fairly lesser period in his/her company are generally adequate to let us
know what his over all behaviour will be like. A careless observation, a mean trick,
an inability to provide the needed sympathy or psychological help, a dubious
dealing- all such are evident signals which exhibit the dearth of integrity or
insensitivity of the person you are dealing with79.
The human behaviour has the same character like the water. An isolated human
misconduct can not, and should not, thus, be understood in isolation by taking it as a
mere exception. Rather, it needs to be seen as indicative of the whole personality of
the man. If a person does not prove reliable in one aspect, he/she is most expected to
exhibit the said trait in other matters as well. If he/she is found to be untrustworthy
in anyone matter, there are sure chances that he/she will exhibit this trait time and
time again on other occasions and matters as well80.
Only one type of persons may prove exception to the rule, and these are the
ones who subject their attitudes & behaviours to constant review, reappraisal, who
are continuously scrutinizing themselves for weakness, errors & mistakes and who,
when having known such weaknesses, does not wait for redeeming them81.
When a man commits a mistake, he can fully do away with the effects of what is
an undesirable treatment for others by frankly acknowledging his mistakes,
correcting his behaviour and seeking forgiveness. Some individuals are pricked by
their conscience but they are not prepared to do anything to rectify the muffled
feelings of other people, considering that doing so would amount to exhibiting
79 Waheeud Din Khan: Kitab e Zindagi (Urdu), (Lahore Darut Tazkeer, 1998), p.135. 80 Ibid. 81 Ibid, p.136.
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weakness and would essentially entail loss of repute and ego. Such kind of persons
can not have sound & healthy social relations and can never obtain the goodwill &
trust of other people. Little do they understand that a person shows his real strength
when he admits his incorrect decisions & acts for what they are, reform his
behaviour and humbly asks forgiveness for his high handedness82.
3.9.2 Performance Appraisal Defined
It is defined as the tools and process through which individual job performance are
evaluated by organizations83. More, technically, it is the systematic evaluation of
individual employees with regard to their performance on the actual job and their
potential future development84.
3.9.3 Purposes of Performance Appraisal
Performance Appraisal is one of the most significant components in the systematic
and rational process of Human Resource Management. The information & data
acquired through the instrument of performance appraisal helps in recruitment and
selection of the new employees, training and development of the exiting ones, and
motivating & maintaining quality work force through adequate rewarding of
performance and productivity. With out performance appraisal, the Human Resource
Management System fails, resulting in waste of valuable human as well as other
sources an organization may have85.
Broadly speaking, there are two main purposes of Performance Appraisal;
evaluation and development of the employees. The evaluative objective is meant to
inform the employees about their performance status while the developmental
purpose is meant to identify the problems (and reasons thereof) in employees’
performing the assigned tasks. The information collected in the Performance
82 Ibid. 83 William B. Werther, Jr & Keith Davis, Human Resources and Personnel Management, 5th Ed, Mc Graw-
Hill, Inc.USA,1996,P.341. 84 Dale S Beach, Personnel; the Management of People at Work, 5th Ed, Macmillan Publishing Company,
London, 1996, p.639. 85 http//findarticles.com/p.articles/mi_g*5209/is_1999/ai_n19125832/pg_2tag=artBody;coll
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Appraisal is used to provide necessary training in skills and professional
development86.
3.9.4 Evolution and traces of Performance Appraisal in Islam
The performance appraisal has its origin in the start of human civilization. The
teachings of the holy Quraan and Sunnah in terms of its emphasis on assigning trusts
to those to whom they are due (Amanah), Ad’l, integrity, justice, Ihsaan,
competence etc provide us with the requisite fundamental guidance for the
appropriate performance appraisal to serve its purpose of evaluation of the
individual job performance and future development in the requisite skills for the
achievement of the goals of organizations, society. The said fundamental guidance
was further practiced and further developed by the four rightly guided caliphs. As
regards the principle of right person for the right place, the holy Quraan has the
following indication:
“And Abraham was tried with certain commands by his Lord, he fulfilled them.
Wherefore, Allah said to him: I Am about to make thee Imam (leader) of men.
Abraham said, but what about my progeny? Allah replied: My covenant does not
include the wrong doers”87. At another place, the holy Quraan mentions the instance
of the prophet Samuel (peace be upon him) as follows:
“Their prophet (Samuel) said to them (Bani Israeel), Allah has appointed Talut (Saul)
as king over you,” They said: “How can he exercise authority over us when we are
better fitted than him to exercise authority, although he is not even gifted with the
wealth in abundance? He said: Allah has chosen him above you, and gifted him
abundantly in knowledge and bodily prowess: Allah grants His authority to whom
He pleases, Allah is all-embracing and He knows all things”88.
3.9.5 Existence of Job Description for Performance Appraisal
Soon after migration to Madinah, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) realized the
importance of outlining the rights & obligations of the citizens and got the ‘charter
86 Ibid. 87 Quraan (2), 124. 88 Quraan (2), 247.
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of Madinah’ enforced, which is considered to be the first ever written constitution in
human history and rightly called “Magna Charta” of Islam. The agreement
determined the rights and duties of the Muslims as well as the Jews towards each
other and towards the state. It was a kind of a broader outline of job description89.
For employees appointed on important posts such as tax collection, the
second caliph of Islam, Umar would issue a declaration containing terms of
appointment, powers & authority and details of duties (job description)90. The
declaration would bear evidence of some witnesses also. The employee was bound
to make the declaration public in front of the people so that they know his powers
and duties and make him accountable in case of any violation of the terms of his
employment91. The caliph was so particular in letting the public know the duties and
powers of the state functionaries that he would repeatedly address people in this
regard92. He would forbid the functionaries to exhibit harshness towards the public
or disgrace them or commit discrimination or beat them or deny access to them93.
They would be directed to fulfill peoples’ obligations and show simplicity in their
life style94.
Another verse also refers to the rights and obligations of two parties.
The verse reads as under:
“I wish to give you one of my daughters in marriage provided that you serve me
for eight years; and if you wish you may complete ten. I do not want to be harsh to
you; if God wills, you will find me a righteous man. Moses replied, ‘Be it an
agreement between me and you. Whichever of the two terms I complete, let there
be no injustice to me after that; and Allah is a witness to what we have agreed
upon”95
Since the household of Shoaib (peace be upon him) did not have a male
member to do the outdoor works, the job description of grazing the goats was
patently apparent, between the lines, keeping in view Quraanic principle of
89 Muhammad Hussain Haykal: The Life of Muhammad (Lahore, Idara Ilm o Irfan, 2004), p.205. 90 Shibli Nomani, ibid, p.194. 91 Ibid, p.194. 92 Ibid. 93 Ibid, p.195. 94 Ibid. 95 Quraan (28), 27, 28.
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omitting to mention what is obvious from the context96, and thus it was well
known to both the parties. The place of work was also known and need not be
mentioned. The period of employment was precisely provided for in the offer. The
remuneration (pay) was also outlined. In a narration from the holy prophet (peace
be upon him), it is also mentioned that, inherent between the lines of the offer, was
the fact that the food to be provided to Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) was
also the responsibility of the employer.97.Thus, all the necessary aspects/terms of
the agreement were fully disclosed.
3.9.6 Assets Declaration as a means of Performance Appraisal
At the time of appointment by the second caliph of Islam, a statement of the
functionary’s assets would be prepared and kept as part of the record so that, in
case of unusual accretion in the employee’s assets, he may be confronted with the
same and then made accountable accordingly98. There are instances where the
assets acquired beyond fair and explainable means were deposited in the
treasury99.
3.9.7 Performance Appraisal/Management Practices
Umar (r.a) would appraise and supervise the performance of his governors,
military commanders & tax collectors and require them for annual accountability
before the public during the annual pilgrimage. He would call for opinions and
complaints of the public regarding the governors of various provinces of his
caliphate and tax collectors100. He would also defend his employees against
frivolous complaints so that they work with out any undue pressure and writ of the
state is kept intact. Moreover, he posted only one of his relatives for tax collection
in the entire period of ten years of his caliphate and he too was removed from the
job later under drinking charges101. For investigation of veracity of complaints
96 Amin Ahsan Islahi, ‘Tadabure Quraan (Lahore, Faraan Foundation,199), Vol 1, p. 37. 97 Sunan Ibne Maja, Darul Ashaat, Karachi, 1999, vol 3, Chapter “food is on the employer” p.178. 98 Ibid. 99 Ibid, p.196. 100 Ibid. 101 Ibid, p.307.
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against state functionaries, Umar had established a separate post on which the
companion Muhammad Ben Muslima (r.a) was appointed. This companion carried
out investigations on the complaints against important personalities including
governors102.
3.9.8 Conducting Tests and Soliciting Feed Back Regarding Prospective
Employees
It is also reported that in appointment of officials of the provinces, proposals would
be sought from the provinces regarding their choices with a feedback of their
ability and integrity103. In important cases of appointment such as selection of the
Qaazi (judge), he would sometimes conduct tests before making the
appointment104. He had ordained that the person who is not wealthy enough and
respected should not be made a judge because in such cases, the judge would be
tempted to corruption and unduly influenced by influential people105. The
accountability for one’s activities and performance has been emphasized in the
holy Quraan106.
3.9.9 Merits of the Islamic concept of Performance Appraisal
Concluding Comments: In Islam, an objective and transparent performance
appraisal system for ensuring justice, employee motivation, ownership and
commitment is considered essential. A clear job description and assets declaration
are essential part of the appraisal system in Islam so as to effectively appraise
output and integrity of the employee. Calling feedback from the concerned is
important in the performance appraisal. From the Islamic perspective, measuring
employees’ performance must consider justice & fairness, responsibility and
accountability. A proper performance appraisal helps in enhancing the output of
the employees, motivation, commitment and achievement of the organizational
goals.
102 Ibid, p.197. 103 Ibid, p.186. 104 Ibid, p.220. 105 Ibid. 106 Quraan (35), 7-8.
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3.10 Conclusion of the Chapter
At the core of Islamic values lie the principles & practices of Ihsaan (non-
reciprocal goodness), unconditional justice to all, the importance of consultation,
peaceful activism, patience & perseverance, compassion, tenderness, humility,
facilitation , forgiveness, merit & the principle of right man for the right job,
integrity & trustworthiness, accountability, and objective, transparent and effective
performance appraisal system. Adopting these principles by individuals and
organizations can enhance the levels of employees’ motivation, commitment,
mutual trust, efficiency, harmony, co-operation and enhance organizational
productivity and effectiveness.
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Chapter Four
Islamic Human Resource Management Practices
4.1 EMPLOYEES’ SELECTION
4.1.1 The Criteria: Right Man for the Right Job.
The holy Quraan says:
“Verily God directs you to assign trusts/duties/things to the care of whom they are due
and to judge with justice when you decide between people”1.
From the above verse, it is evident that all the positions and posts of public office
are trusts of God, whose repository are those persons who have the powers to hire and
fire the employees. Thus, these positions are to be given to those (like a trust) who
deserve them on merit consisting of integrity & competence (professionalism) and
who are the best in the available lot2. That is why when one of the companions Abuzar
(r.a) sought appointment on an important position, the holy prophet (peace be upon
him) refused the appointment candidly but lovingly by saying that “O Abuzar! You are
(administratively) a weak person and the said post is a trust, which may put the
occupant in disgrace on the Day of Judgment…..”3. The holy prophet (peace be upon
him) also said “Whosoever appointed on a (public/official) post such a person who is
not the best among the available lot, he cheated God, His prophet and all the
Muslims”4.
When a companion asked when the doomsday will happen, the holy prophet
(peace be upon him) explained the reason thus “When trust/integrity will be lost, then
wait for the doomsday.”5.
When one of the companions desired his appointment on an important position,
the holy prophet said:
“Verily! We do not appoint a person (against merit) who demands it and who is
after it”6. On another occasion he said that if some one is appointed after his demand
he will be handed over by God ( to the difficulties and tough accountability) and
1 Quraan (4), 58. 2 Muhammad Asad: Principles of State and Government in Islam (California University, 1961), p.82. 3 Saheeh Muslim (Karachi, Darul Ashaat, 2005), Narration No.4684. 4 Al Targheeb Wal Tarheeb, Vol 3, p.123, 125. 5 Ibne Maja: Sunan (Lahore, Darul Ashat, Lahore, 2005), no. 2645, vol 2, p43. 6 Saheeh Muslim, ibid, Narration No.197.
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whoever is appointed with out any demand he will be helped( by God )in the
matter7.
The principle of good governance that the holy Quraan insists upon is
appointment of the correct person for the correct place. That is, merit would be the
only criterion of appointment of man- power in an Islamic state8. Colour, creed
and race have been ousted from influencing the selection and appointments9. It is
noteworthy that the holy prophet appointed even the non-Muslims for diplomatic
and other services only on the touchstone of their professional competence and
integrity10. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) hired the services of a non-
Muslim as a guide for the journey from Makkah to Madina because this guide had
the reputation of being a man of integrity in his field & services. In Islamic history,
we know him as Abdullah Ben Urayqet. He lived and died in Makkah with out
having come to the fold of Islam11. At the battle of Badr, around 70 persons of the
enemy were taken as captives. Majority of them were literate. The holy prophet
(peace be upon him) declared that any of those war criminals who were ready to
teach ten children of Madina how to write and read would be given their freedom.
Their education services were counted in lieu of their ransom money. This was the
first centre of learning in the history of Islam in which all the pupils were Muslims
and all of the teachers & trainers were from the enemy side12. In making this
choice, the consideration that these prisoners, when freed, may again involve in
conspiracies against the Muslims was not given any value13. What were considered
most important were their competence and the person’s integrity14. This shows that
skills (ability) and integrity are the two most important criteria for selection of an
employee.
7 Op cit, Narration No.195.
8 Muhammad Yasin Mazhar Siddiqui: The System of Government under the Prophet (Lahore, Al Faisal Publishers, 200), p.35. 9 Ibid. 10 Muhammad Hameedullah: The Muslim Conduct of State (Lahore, Al Faisal Publishers, 2005), p.27.
11 Waheedud Din Khan, Tazkeer (monthly) September, 2009, (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer), p.16. 12 Ibid. 13 Ibid, March, 2009, p.22. 14 Muhammad Yasin Mazhar Siddiqui, op cit, ibid.
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The criteria for selection for administrators & managerial positions and labor &
physical workers in Islam can be found in two of the Quraanic verses, that is, verse
number 55 of Chapter 12 and verse number 26 of Chapter 28 respectively. The
criteria are explained below:
4.1.1.1 ADMINISTRATORS:
The position requires mental, intellectual and
organizational ability. The criteria indicated in the verse are
(i) Integrity( Amanat)15
(ii) Knowledge, skills and ability to perform one’s duties(Ilm)
(iii) Trust for protection from loss(Hifaazat)16
4.1.1.2 PHYSICAL WORKERS:
(i) Integrity( Amana)
(ii) Physical strength and stoutness for work( Basatat, Quwwat)17
It is noteworthy that the criteria for merit in both the cases differ a little.
In the case of physical worker, physical strength is obviously necessary for optimum
efficiency .Integrity, however, is considered essential in both the cases. It is because,
in the final analysis, integrity is such a critical factor in the selection of the
employees that it can not be compromised in any case except at the cost of the very
existence and objectives of the organization. This is because, when integrity is
present in the employees or in the culture of the organization, it ensures discipline,
punctuality, efficiency, accountability, honesty etc. These traits enhance the over all
usefulness of the employee and his productivity both for himself and the
organization. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) underlined the importance of
honesty and integrity by saying “Whoever does not have integrity (actually) does not
have faith and whosoever does not keep promises (or contracts) does not have any
religion”18.
While pointing out the signs/characteristics of a hypocrite person, the fourth one
has been mentioned by the holy prophet (peace be upon him) as:
15 Quraan, (28), 26. 16 Quraan (12), 55. 17 Quraan (2), 247. 18 Musnad Ahmad, Vol 3, p.135, 154.
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“….. one with whom something is kept as trust and he/she does not honour it”.19
In another verse, the criteria for a commander of the army have been mentioned as
better skills (on war strategies) and physical smartness20.
4.1.2 Avoiding Assigning Responsibilities to Nears and Dears
Out of his own relatives, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) did not assign any
state duty to any one of them except Ali (r.a) whose capability of administration as
well as integrity were beyond any question21. The first caliph Abu Bakr (r.a)
meticulously avoided posting any of his close relatives in the public service. The
second caliph Umar (r.a) was so strict in this aspect of the public administration
that he even denied jobs and positions to his relatives including his son Abdullah
Ben Umar (r.a) who were otherwise qualified and had the requisite skills and
integrity for appointment to various state positions22. While constituting a
committee of 6 companions for tackling the issue of election of his successor, he
excluded the 7th from the committee for the only reason that he happened to be
Umar’s cousin and brother-in-law. He posted only one of his relatives in tax
collection in the entire period of his caliphate of over ten years and he too was
removed from the job later under the charges of drinking23.
4.1.3 Three categories of persons
Muslim history contains an important document regarding the parameters of
selection of state employees and solving the problem of good governance. It is
narrated that at the time Umar Ben Abdul Aziz was re-enstate in the office of the
caliph, he sent a letter to a contemporary scholar Imam Hassan Basri requiring his
help & consultation in selection of the man-power for administration and running
of the state institutions. Imam Hassan Basri wrote that in his view the society
could be categorized into 3 broad sections:-
The 1st class consists of those persons who have got fed up with the games
of politics. They had resigned from the thicks & hardships of material life and
19 Saheeh Muslim (Karachi, Darul Ashaat, 2000), vol 2, chapter on ‘characteristics of hypocrite’ Narration No.8, p.18. 20 Quraan (2), 247. 21 Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem, ibid, p.52. 22 Muhammad Hussain Haykal, ibid. 599. 23 Ibid.
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have now reconciled to the remembrance of God only. This category is no longer
available for the services of the state and he (the ruler) is advised to leave such
persons in their places.
The 2nd class of people are those who are extremely desirous & ambitious for
having an opportunity of this type. Such people might knock at his (ruler) door day
in & day out expressing their keenness and availability for the services of the
public while, in fact, they would desire to fulfill their own selfish interests only.
The ruler is advised to keep such kind of people at a safe distance and avoid giving
them any appointment in the state services.
The 3rd class of persons is a strange mix. In this class, if an individual is
intelligent & skillful, he is dishonest to the core. If accidentally, he is honest, he is
dreadfully stupid & simpleton, who can hardly notice something beyond his nose.
These 2 competencies (intelligence & honesty) rarely go together. If he is fortunate
enough to find some individuals of this type, he should attemp to have them busy
in the governance of the state institutions. Such a class alone could serve his
purpose24.
4.1.4 Granting Adequate Freedom to State Functionaries (Employees)
Reposing confidence in the public (or state functionary) and avoiding suspicion by
the ruler has been discouraged by the holy prophet (peace be upon) in the
following saying:
“If the ruler is in the habit of suspecting public, it would encourage them on
dishonesty”25.
The First caliph Abu Bakr (r.a) duly clarified that the state should not only
appoint the right man for the right job but should also provide them adequate
professional freedom and delegation of authority so that they could do full justice
to their job with out any fear or favour26. For if the ruler or, for that matter, the
higher authority in an organization has the tendency to interfere constantly in the
work of his sub-ordinates, they would lose heart and remained suspended &
24 Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem,ibid.54. 25 Muhammad Asad: Principles of State and Government in Islam (California University, 1961), p.133. 26 Muhammad Hussain Haykal: Umar Farooq (Lahore, Ilm o Irfan publishers, 2004), p.600.
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undecided in their work27. The second caliph Umar (r.a) was extremely strict in
implementation of the principle of the right man for the right job and implemented
the above two provisions (that is, right man for the right job and adequate
professional freedom) so that the worker puts his heart and soul in the work 28.
4.1.5 Traces of Employment Agreement or Contract
One of the important established practices in modern commercial relationships is
that, for optimum achievement of the organizational goals, there should be an
employment agreement between the employer and the employees at the start of the
employment. Islamic theory and practice, more than anything, also provide for
such an agreement29. The theory in this regard is so clear & all embracing and the
practice thereupon so established that, if minutely examined, it becomes
abundantly clear that it contains all the essential elements of a modern
employment agreement- specification of job description in precise terms, working
hours, place of work, pay & allowances, number of holidays and leaves from duty,
period of employment and the right of the parties to the agreement to terminate the
employment etc30. The importance of the above elements in any employment
agreement is so obvious that it does not require any rational argument. If the above
aspects of the employment are not present or are not precisely and elaborately
mentioned in the agreement, it may lead to intractable disputes between the
employer and the employees resulting in avoidable losses to the individual
employees as well as organizations.
In terms of the relevant injunctions of Islam, such an agreement of
employment & labor is called “Ijaara”.31 In Islamic juristic terms, an agreement
deficient in these terms or an ambiguous one is invalid, void ab initio, and ,thus,
liable to be vacated .The holy Quraan mentions that when prophet Shoaib (peace
be upon him) desired to employ prophet Moses(peace be upon him) ,he said:
27 Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem, Ibid, p.53. 28 Ibid, p.54. 29 Ibid, p.25. 30 Ibid. 31 Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani, Commercial and Industrial Relationships in Islam (Karachi, Darul Ashaat, 2006),
p.74.
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“I wish to give you one of my daughters in marriage provided that you
serve me for eight years; and if you wish you may complete ten. I do not want to be
harsh to you; if God wills, you will find me a righteous man. Moses replied, ‘Be it
an agreement between me and you. Whichever of the two terms I complete, let
there be no injustice to me after that; and Allah is a witness to what we have
agreed upon”32
4. 1.6 Details regarding period of service and remuneration
Since the household of Shoaib (peace be upon him) did not have a male member to
do the outdoor works, the job description of grazing the goats was patently
apparent, between the lines, keeping in view Quraanic principle of omitting to
mention what is obvious from the context33, and thus it was well known to both the
parties. The place of work was also known and need not be mentioned. The period
of employment was precisely provided for in the offer. The remuneration (pay)
was also outlined. In a narration from the holy prophet (peace be upon him), it is
also mentioned that, inherent between the lines of the offer, was the fact that the
food to be provided to Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) was also the
responsibility of the employer.34.Thus, all the necessary aspects/terms of the
agreement were fully disclosed.
4.1.7 Full disclosure of necessary facts
Like employment, purchase & sale agreement also require precise mentioning of
all critical and significant matters other-wise it may lead to serious disputes.
Besides, such agreement may, due to lack of such specification, not only become
void and liable to be vacated and, consequently, prove to be futile but may also
result into losses to the parties involved in the from of litigation etc.
As regards the contracting parties, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“If they tell the truth and clarify (by disclosing all the relevant facts) then blessings
are poured in the transaction and if they tell lie and conceal (the relevant facts),
the blessings are taken away from the transaction”.35
32 Quraan (28), 27, 28. 33 Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tadabure Quraan (Lahore, Faraan Foundation, 1991), Vol 1, p. 37. 34 Sunan Ibne Maja, Darul Ashaat, Karachi, 1999, vol 3, Chapter “food is on the employer” p.178. 35 Saheeh Muslim, ibid, vol 3, Chapter on “transactions”, Narration No.2825, p.76.
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Thus, it is the moral obligation of both the parties to the agreement to fully
disclose and precisely mention such significant matters having the potential of
giving rise to disputes in the future or resulting in injustice to either of the parties
to the contact. Further, the holy Quraan and Sunnah of the prophet(peace be upon
him) encourage that such agreements should be put to writing because
employment agreement also involve future (debt) payment in that services are
rendered first and the payment ( as remuneration or salary) is made afterwards( at
the end of the week or month).Regarding debt, the holy Quraan emphasizes that its
necessary details should be documented in writing36 and such an agreement should
be witnessed by reliable persons37 so that due rights accruing from the agreement
in future can be ascertained ( in the court of law or out side the court) in case of
any likely dispute between the parties. Further, the witnesses should not hesitate
from or avoid testifying their witness when need be. And the agreement should be
for a definite fixed period.38
From the above, it is evident that if the above mentioned directions of the
Islamic Shariah are adhered to, many a disputes between the employer and the
employees can be avoided in the first place and, if they happen to arise, the same
can be settled amicably. Moreover, many of the contentious issues which are, per
force, taken to the courts or trade unions can be settled through mutual agreements
before hand.
4.1.8 One Person’s Right another Person’s Obligation
In the present times, generally, every individual seems to be pressing and
highlighting or propagating his rights. A myriad of associations & unions also do
the same. This tendency or advocacy, at times, reach undesirable proportions and
create negative traits in character of individuals and culture of the organization, or
for that matter, of the society at large39. A psyche of complaint or persecution –
mania is created among individuals. The employer complains that workers do not
36 Quraan, (2), 282 37 Quraan, (2),283 38 Ibid. 39 Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani: Features of Islamic Economy & Capitalism, ibid, p.32.
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perform their duty diligently. The workers allege that their due rights are not being
delivered. The main reason for such kind of mindset is that every party is least
concerned with fulfillment of his/her obligations & duties towards others and
would, rather, tend to inflate or exaggerate his/her rights. The balance and
moderation in knowing & advocating ones rights and realizing ones duties &
obligations is, thus, lost. The injunctions of Quraan & Sunnah tackle this weakness
in human nature very successfully and aptly40. The injunctions appreciate the fact
that the rights of one person or group are duties of the others concerned. Thus, in
the context of the employment agreement, the employer has the right that the fixed
amount of work or service is made available to him/it in time. It is the right of the
employee (and the duty of the employer) that due compensation of his services is
paid to him/her in time. Now if both the parties try to get his/her due right only but
chose to ignore his/her duty( or right of the other) the inescapable result would be
that championing the ‘right’ would become a mere point of ‘sloganeering’ and lip
service and then covert in attitude of complaint41. When an overwhelming majority
of population of a nation suffer from this mindset (as is the case with our society
right now), the right would not be available to any one. The obvious result would
be mutual recriminations, dissatisfaction and disorder in the society on a large
scale42. For breaking this vicious cycle, Islamic principle of extra-sensitivity to
one’s obligations comes to our rescue. Islam guides us that getting right is possible
only when performing duty ideally (Ihsaan) becomes the primary concern of every
individual of the society. This concern in Islam originates less from the utilitarian
concept of ‘good of majority’ or reciprocity or conditions and fear of enforcement
of penal side of the law, and more from the sense of responsibility towards
collectivity, fear of God and accountability on the Day of Judgment43. In such an
environment of extra-sensitivity towards one’s obligations, disputes between
employees and the employers can be avoided in the first place and justice would
be easy to get in the courts when disputes happen to come to them. This golden
40 Ibid, p.33. 41 Ibid. 42 Ibid. 43 Ibid, p.34.
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age was once witnessed in history as testified by one of the companions Hazrat
Huzaifa (r.a) who said
“I have been in an age when I did not feel hesitation or difficulty in entering in to
an agreement with any person. If he would be a Muslim, I would be convinced that
his faith will force him to give to me my due right. If he would be a Christian or a
Jew, even then, I would be convinced that his incharge or boss would endure
giving to me what is due to me”.44 .
In one of the verses, the holy Quraan says:
“Woe to those who give short weight, who, when they take by measure from
others, take it fully, and when they measure or weigh for them, they give them less
than what is due. Do they not think that they will be raised up again on a Great
Day?”45
In the quoted verses, ‘what is due’ and ‘trusts’ mean rights of people and the
addressees of the verse are those people who owe an obligation towards others and
not those who owe rights. In the verse, those not fulfilling the obligations have been
admonished. The addressees of the verse are thus, essentially, all human beings -be
they boss or sub-ordinate, employer or employee, entrepreneur or labor, customer or
trader, debtor or creditor46. The obligations of people are assigned trusts of Almighty
God. Fulfilling these obligations is moral and legal duty of the trustees even if they
are not in writing or evidenced by witnesses. Failing to fulfill this obligation towards
others has been threatened with stern chastisement on the Day of Judgment.
When we apply the injunctions, steeling time or showing laziness in the hours
of work on the part of the employee or labourer (for which he or she gets the
remuneration) is also immoral, illegal and forbidden47. Failures to fulfill obligations
of people are considered major sins in Islam and are considered to be non-
redeemable with out a sincere repentance to God. It is reported from the holy
prophet (peace be upon him) that:
44 Saheeh Muslim, ibid, Chapter on “fulfilling obligations”, vol 1, p.235. 45 Quraan, (88), 1-6. 46 Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani, ibid, p. 35. 47 Ibid.
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“God has said that on the Day of Judgment, He Himself will be a
complainant/plaintiff against the employer who received full duty/services from the
employee but did not pay (due) remuneration for the same”.48
Payment of remuneration in time has also been exhorted by the prophet (peace
be upon him) in a narration reported thus:
“Pay remuneration to the employee before drying up of his sweating”.49
The holy prophet (peace be upon him) has said that an employer can not be a
righteous person unless he takes pains in avoiding undue inconvenience to the
employee. It is further reported that:
“Your servants are (like) your brothers. God has put them under your sub-
ordination. Thus, whosoever has a servant under his sub-ordination, he should
feed him the same food as he takes himself and should provide him the same
clothing as he himself wears. He should not put him under the pressure of work
which he can not bear”50
4.1.9 Sufficient/Adequate Delegation of Authority
We note that the first caliph of Islam Abu Bakr (r.a) used to give sufficient
authority to the state functionaries or employees and would give them only broader
outlines of his policies51. There was thus sufficient delegation of authority. The
employees were free to decide the details of how they would implement the
policies and there was no interference in their day to day affairs52. It now depended
on the functionary as to how much efforts he makes to develop his potential and
career.
4.1.10 Adequate Salaries
The second caliph of Islam, Umar (r.a) would fix high salaries for public
functionaries so that they are not inclined towards corruption and misuse of
authority.53
48 Saheeh Bukhari (Lahore, Maktaba Rahmania, 1999), Narration No.2227, vol 2, p.275. 49 Sunan Ibne Maja, ibid, p.183. 50 Saheeh Bukhari, ibid, p.143. 51 Muhammad Hussain Haykal: Umar Farooq (Lahore, Ilm o Irfan Publishers, 2004), p.31. 52 Ibid. 53 Kitabul Kharaj, p.64 (quoted by Shibli Nomani: Alfarooq (Lahore, Maktaba Rahmania, 1990), p.193.
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4.1.11 Job Description
Soon after migration to Madinah, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) realized
the importance of outlining the rights and obligations of the citizens and got the
‘charter of Madinah’ enforced, which is considered to be the first ever written
constitution in human history and rightly called “Magna Charta” of Islam. The
agreement determined the rights and duties of the Muslims as well as the Jews
towards each other and towards the state. It was a kind of a broader outline of job
description54.
For employees appointed on important posts such as tax collection, the
second caliph of Islam, Umar would issue a declaration containing terms of
appointment, powers & authority and details of duties (job description)55. The
declaration would bear evidence of some witnesses also. The employee was bound
to make the declaration public in front of the people so that they know his powers
and duties and make him accountable in case of any violation of the terms of his
employment56. The caliph was so particular in letting the public know the duties
and powers of the state functionaries that he would repeatedly address people in
this regard57.
4.1.12 Assets Declaration
At the time of appointment, a statement of the functionary’s assets would be
prepared and kept as part of the record so that, in case of unusual accretion in the
employee’s assets, he may be confronted with the same and then made accountable
accordingly58. There are instances where the assets acquired beyond fair and
explainable means were deposited in the treasury59.
4.1.13 Performance Appraisal/Management
Umar (r.a) used to appraise and oversee the performance of his governors, military
commanders and tax collectors and require them for annual accountability before
the public at the time of pilgrimage. He would call for opinions or complaints of
54 Muhammad Hussain Haykal: The Life of Muhammad (Lahore, Idara Ilm o Irfan, 2004), p.190. 55 Shibli Nomani, ibid, p.194. 56 Ibid, p.194. 57 Ibid. 58 Ibid. 59 Ibid, p.196.
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the public at large against misuse of powers & authority on part the respective
governors of various provinces of the state and tax collectors60. He would also
defend his employees against frivolous complaints so that they work with out any
undue pressure and writ of the state is kept intact. He appointed only one of his
relatives as tax collector in the entire period of his caliphate of over ten years and
he too was removed from the job later under drinking charges61. For investigation
of veracity of complaints against state functionaries, Umar had established a
separate post on which the companion Muhammad Ben Muslima (r.a) was
appointed. This companion carried out investigations on the complaints against
important personalities including governors62.
4.1.14 Conducting Test & Soliciting Feed Regarding Prospective Employees
It is also reported that in appointment of officials of the provinces, proposals would
be sought from the provinces regarding their choices with a feedback of their
ability and integrity63. In important cases of appointment such as selection of the
Qazi (judge), he would sometimes conduct tests before making the appointment64.
He had ordained that the person who is not wealthy enough and respected should
not be made a judge because in such cases, the judge would be tempted to
corruption and unduly influenced by influential people65.
4.1.15 Avoiding Conflict of Interest by Public Functionaries
The judges would not be allowed to engage in trading or business66. This is the
current principle of avoiding conflict of interest and is the sound principle which
has been adopted in the developed countries after experiences of hundred of
years67.
60 Ibid. 61 Ibid, p.307. 62 Ibid, p.197. 63 Ibid, p.186. 64 Ibid, p.220. 65 Ibid. 66 Ibid. 67 Ibid, p.221.
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4.1.16 Reasonable increase in Salaries as a means of Retaining Employees
There would be a reasonable increase in salaries based on seniority and
performance68. This would enhance employees’ motivation, commitment, saving
of the public and state interest and also help in retaining of the productive
employees and reduce employees’ turnover.
4.1.17 Succession Planning
It is reported that when the holy prophet (peace be upon him) would leave the
capital city of Madina for military expedition, he would appoint his successor in
charge69 in Madina for defence of the city as well as attending to other matters of
the Muslim community. He made such appointments on 23 occasions70. The
number of appointees was 13 which mean that some of the companions were
appointed for more than once to hold such position71. The period of appointment
ranged from s days to 3 and half months. The post of successor in Madina was a
permanent one72.
4.1.18 Traces of Appointment in Various Positions
For performing of various functions, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) made
appointments of successors73 at Madina for Administration, Advisors74 for
consultation, scribes and writers75 for writing of the revelation & letters of the
prophet, Ambassadors & emissaries76, governors77, military commanders78,
officers of the market79 for monitoring prices, judges80, and Daees81 for
propagation of Islam, training and education. The principles of merit (that is
competence for the respective job & integrity) were considered so critical, cardinal
68 Ibid, 252. 69 Muhammad Yasin Mazhar Siddiqui: The System of Government under the Prophet (Urdu) (Lahore, Al
Faisal Publishers, 2009), p.17. 70 Ibid. 71 Ibid. 72 Ibid. 73 Ibid, p.14. 74 Ibid, p.18. 75 Ibid, p.21. 76 Ibid, p.23, 25. 77 Ibid, p.28. 78 Ibid, p.39. 79 Ibid, p.35. 80 Ibid. 81 Ibid, p.27.
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and essential that in some cases young persons were preferred over companions
who had joined the faith earlier and who had immense services to Islam at their
credit82. One of such examples is the appointment of Osama ben Zayd (r.a) in the
presence of the old companions83.
By strictly observing the principle of merit & right man for the right job,
giving importance to both integrity and ability (skills), treating his appointees
equitably, enforcing a system of strict accountability, granting adequate freedom
and salaries to state functionaries, among others, the second caliph Umar is known
as one of the most outstanding Islamic leaders. He not only enforced the system of
accountability on others, but he would be the first to offer himself for
accountability of the public.
4.1.19 Concluding Comments
Islamic principles of merit & right man for the right job, granting adequate freedom
to employees, emphasis on obligations more than rights, adequate salaries as a
means of retention of employees, assets declaration, objective performance
appraisal system, avoiding conflict of interests, succession planning are the
principles & practices valued by the modern HRM also. These can ensure justice,
accountability, employee motivation, loyalty, commitment, harmony and
organizational success.
82 Ibid, p.35. 83 Ibid.
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4.2 PLANNING AND ORGANIZING
4.2.1 Planning: Theory & Practice
Introduction: The prophet (peace be upon him) undertook planned actions and
considered every possible precaution & preparation before embarking upon any
important matter. He exhibited an ideal combination of planning (Tadbeer) and faith
in God(Tawakal)1.This is reflected from his migration to Madina-selection of night
time for the start of the journey, asking Ali(r.a) to lie on his bed in order to keep his
opponents confused & wondering, staying in the cave ‘Thaur’ for three days in order
to detract the opponents from a timely pursuit, arranging for the camel, money &
food in advance for the journey, 2hiring of a trained guide, adopting a short and
unfamiliar route for the journey and ,above all, observing a perfect secrecy of his
plans3.
4.2.2 Consideration for Counter-Planning
All this shows that the prophet (peace be upon him) not only made proper planning
and arranged resources for the same, but also gave due consideration to possible
counter-planning of his opponents (competitors) before taking any action. This is
also evident from his choosing site of the battle of Badr, preparing of the ditch for
the battle of Ahzaab and arranging of human & material resources before
confronting the enemy. For proper planning and its effective execution, he would
cause to collect all relevant information about his opponents4. Majority of the Saryas
(expeditions) conducted by groups of the companions were primarily meant to
collect intelligence about movements of the opponents, their plans and to serve as
deterrence for avoiding invasion of Madina by his enemies5.
Besides, the agreement of peace with the Quraysh served to isolate the Jews
because the Quraysh could not offer any help to them in case of war as per terms of
the agreement. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) now got free, by virtue of this
agreement, to divert & attend to the menace of the Jews involved in long drawn
1 Muhammad Asad: Principles of State and Government in Islam (California University, 1961), p.142.
2 Waheedud Din Khan, monthly Tazkeer (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer, October, 2008), p.20. 3 Waheedud Din Khan: Mutale a Sunnat (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer, 2002), p. 35. 4 Waheedud Din Khan: Mutale a Sunnat (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer, 2002), p. 36. 5 Waheedud Din Khan: Mutale a Sunnat, ibid.
134
conspiracies against the Muslims, in violation of the terms of the pact called “the
treaty of Madina”.
4.2.3 Maintaining Secrecy as part and requirement of effective Planning
At the time the holy prophet (peace be upon him) began preparations for the
campaign against Makkah, he kept the identification of the target so secret that even
Abu Bakr (r.a) would not know in advance where they would be heading. People
were unable to realize where they were going. It was only in the month of Ramadhan
of the 8th year after migration, after the Muslim army was actually given instructions
to march towards Makkah that people knew the direction of their journey. The
march was kept so secret & discrete that until the Muslim army reached Marr’uz-
Zahran (a place near Makkah), the Quraysh could not know the arrival of the
Muslim army near them. Before setting out for Makkah, the holy prophet (peace be
upon him) had directed his companions for restricting & restraining the informers &
the spies of the enemy until the Muslim army entered Makkah6.
4.2.4 Overawing the Enemy as part of the Planning and creating Deterrence
The prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) asked his uncle Abbass (r.a) to let Abu
Sufyan-one of the leaders of Quraysh- watch the march of Muslim army during the
conquest of Makkah. Abu Sufyan happened to watch the marching army while
standing in a narrow mountainous pass and could see rows after rows of the army.
The number of the army seemed to him beyond his estimate and judgment and he
expressed that no one can confront this army, exclaiming that he has never ever
observed any thing like this. The holy prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) thus
ensured to impress Abu Sufyan so that he avoids thinking of confronting this army7.
Consequently, Abu Sufyan himself asked the Makkahans to surrender the city to
Muslims. Incidents after the conquest of Makkah prove conclusively that such
extensive preparations were actually meant to frighten & deter the Makkhans into
6 Waheedud Din Khan: Mutale a Sunnat, ibid, p.36. 7 Ibid, p.36.
135
peaceful surrender with out any fighting and bloodshed rather than killing &
destroying the enemy8.
4.2.5 Bottom-Up Approach as an instrument of the long-term Planning
A nation, a social system or collectivity does not have an independent, distinct
separate existence; it existence depends upon the individuals that form these entities.
A collection of individual persons make up a nation, while their social and cultural
system originates from the way individuals act. For bringing out a reform in a nation
or society, the individuals making up that nation have to be worked upon for
reformation9. This is a bottom-up approach which is increasingly preferred by the
organizations and nations undergoing reform. This approach is preferred by Islam as
is evident from verse of the holy Quraan which states that “God does not change
that nation whose individuals do not change themselves”10. This is also evident from
the reform model of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) who focused primarily on
change in characters of the individuals rather than the political or national character
at large in the start. It is also borne out by a narration of the holy prophet (peace be
upon him) which states that rulers of a community are a reflection of the public or
the individuals forming that community11. This means that for a national reform,
change of the individuals through education and moral training is more meaningful
and sustainable in the long term compared to a change attempted from the top. This
view point is supported by looking at chronology of the revelation of the holy
Quraan. In the start of the prophetic mission, the revelation, in terms of its content,
focused primarily upon individuals’ purification of beliefs and actions rather than
dealing with social and collective matters. When this purification was attained it was
then followed by part of the reform relating to political, social and collective
matters12. Such a strategy ensured that a country inhabited by such rigid people
could be changed so drastically and radically in so little a time. The miraculous part
of the change is that it was brought about with out shedding any blood13.
8 Ibid, p.17. 9 Waheedud Din Khan, op cit,p. 37. 10 Quraan, (8) 53. and (13), 11. 11 Muhammad Asad: Principles of State and Government in Islam (California University, 1961), p.82. 12 Dr. Muhammad Hameedullah: The Muslim Conduct of State (Lahore, Al Faisal Publishers, 2005), p.28. 13 Ibid.
136
4.2.6 Accepting Unfavorable Terms to Avoid Conflict and Reap the “Peace
Dividends” as a means of Superb Planning
In the 6th year after migration to Madina, the agreement agreed to by the holy
prophet (peace be upon him) with his antagonists was arrived at by unilateral
acceptance of all the conditions desired by the other party14. In history it is known as
the ‘Hudaybia Agreement’.
Why did the holy prophet (peace be upon him) chose to agree to such a pact? He
did it because it was consciously conceived to be an instrument of a superb plan. It
was because, for him, the actual issue was not to make his antagonists accept his
demands. Instead, the objective was to open the door of opportunities15. As a result
of the agreement, the state of war prevailing in Arabia came to an end. And the ways
to opportunities became consequently clear. As a consequence, the holy prophet
(peace be upon him) & his companions were able to spread his mission throughout
Arabia and the entire Arab world was revolutionized. In terms of its final
consequences, the agreement was so successful that it was referred to in the holy
Quraan as a clear victory.
4.2.7 Finding Common Grounds To Win Over Opponents
Another principle which the holy prophet (peace be upon him) adopted as part of his
planning was finding common grounds when interacting with the other party. This
principle has been given in the holy Quraan in the following verse:
“Say: O People of the Book, come to a word (term) which is common between us and
you, that we shall worship none but God…”16
Highlighting the common grounds especially in the case of controversy and
conflict creates conditions for peaceful co-existence and mutual benefits of all17.
This principle of finding common grounds become more important when the society
is heterogeneous in structure; multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural etc.
Finding common grounds prevents the natural difference of religious beliefs &
14 Ibid, p.39. 15 Ibid, p.40. 16 Quraan, (3), 64. 17 Akbar S. Ahmad: Islam Today (London, New York I.B Tauris, 1999), p.67.
137
practices and clash of interests from slipping into straining of relations, use of force
and disorder in the society18. It proves as a catalyst for enhancing social cohesion,
solidarity, harmony co-operation, conditions of peace and development19. This part
of the Islamic planning was exhibited by the holy prophet (peace be upon him) in
agreement known as ‘Meethaq e Madina’ entered into with the Jews and idolaters of
Madina.
In the year 622 A.D, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) migrated to
Madina. In Madina at that time, idolaters and Jews existed side by side with the
Muslims. The Madina at that time had the status of a multi-religious society. In such
a situation, how were people to lead their lives peacefully. The holy prophet (peace
be upon him) discovered a successful formula. This formula was based on the
principle: ‘Follow one and respect all.’ In Madina in those days, Muslims were in a
majority. Hence, the newly formed state was presided over by the holy prophet
(peace be upon him). In his capacity of head of state, he issued a declaration, known
as the ‘declaration of Madina’ (Meethaq e Madina). It was mentioned in this
declaration that Muslims, idolaters and Jews would all enjoy the right to settle their
personal matters according to their own religions and cultures. So far as social
controversies are concerned, those would be settled in accordance with the Shariah
(Islamic Law) as laid down by the holy prophet (peace be upon him).
This is the only practical principle, based on which, peace can be established in
a multi-religious or multi-cultural society. This principle allows people the freedom
to follow traditions of their own culture and religion, but so far as social matters are
concerned, where opinion differ from one another, the dictates of the central
authority should be followed. That is, individuals should have total freedom within
the framework of the social system.
4.2.8 Setting the Right Direction is one of the critical Elements of Planning:
Setting the right direction for one’s efforts and use of resources is an essential part of
a good planning or plans. One thinker from the west has said: “You have removed
18 Ibid. 19 Ibid.
138
most of the road blocks to success when you have learnt the difference between
motion and direction”20.
For success, it is essential that, in our private as well as in our social lives, we
properly appraise and evaluate our possessions, strengths, problems & weaknesses
and then start our journey towards the set objectives. In such a case, sooner or later,
we will reach our goals.
Most often than not, individuals launch themselves on career paths and
missions, heedlessly opting for goals, with out affording much consideration to the
resources available, the real capabilities, the strengths and weaknesses of their
competitors, various opportunities available matching their resources & capabilities,
and whether they have any actual raw capability which can be actualized by
developing21. They are led astray, at times, by petty matters, baseless opinions and
over-whelming emotions, and, resultantly, race heedlessly into whatever first comes
their way. They either do not plan their actions or exhibit wrong planning22. When
the result is against their anticipations, guesstimations and expectations, they resort
to complain against all other people, regretting and prodding over mistakes &
failures, calling out that it was because of the prejudice and ‘conspiracies’ of all
other people that they have to face losses, hardships & frustrations. If they would
have thought more profoundly over the relevant issue beforehand, they must have
come to know that the real failure and also its blame would lie in their own
erroneous planning or the very lack of it or their utter directionlessness rather than
others23. If they would have themselves not chosen to start in the wrong directions,
other people would not have had the guts, strength and occasions to put stumbling
blocks for them & convert their successes in to fiascos.
Frustrated with the consequences of our ill-planed actions, we transfer the
blame to others for denying what we, wrongly, think is due to us. However, if we
intend & mean to search for the real causes of our failures and disappointments, we
have to focus more on our own selves rather than looking towards others with
20 Ibid. 21 Waheeud Din Khan: Kitab e Zindagi (Urdu) (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer, 1998), p.94. 22 Ibid. 23 Ibid.
139
complaints and mutual recriminations. It is clear that a feeling of persecution mania
would serve us no good purpose & benefit, and would rather make us our own
hardened enemies. If we try to actualize our own capabilities to the optimum only
then can we achieve successes24. Thus, it is very important to gauge before initiating
any action as to whether our efforts are expected to yield positive results. Our efforts
will prove futile with out correct direction.
Following the principle of gradualism, realizing the certainty of ‘peace
dividends’ in all situations, showing flexibility in readiness to compromise small
interests for larger goals, focusing on result-oriented decision making & actions,
observing steadfast forbearance in the face of persecution, avoiding premature &
unplanned actions and practicing of turning the enemies into friends- the holy
prophet (peace be upon him) exhibited a perfect model of adopting the correct
direction for whatever decisions he made and actions he took.
4.2.9 Major Features of Planning
Owing to the above mentioned elements of his planning and character, Dr. Michael
H. Hart, in his outstanding book, namely ‘The Hundred: A Ranking of the Most
Influential Persons in History’, found the holy prophet (peace be upon him) to be the
highest successful personality in human record. As a guide to humanity and a
successful person, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) is an ideal & a superb
model for all to follow. Some of the important characteristics of his planning are
outlined as under.
4.2.9.1 Beginning with the Possible:
At the time that the holy prophet (peace be upon him) was assigned the
mission of prophethood, Arabia was confronted with multitudes of challenges. The
Roman and Sassanid empires had caused political incursions in to Arabia by
threatening its sovereignty; the society was plagued by moral and social ills such as
usury, adultery, drinking & endless shedding of blood. In the holy shrine of Ka’ba
more than 360 idols were kept for worship.
24 Ibid.
Ibid, p.95.
140
It is, however, noteworthy that the 1st injunction in the holy Quraan sent to the
holy prophet (peace be upon him) was not about cleansing the holy Ka’ba of the
idols, or fighting wars with the Persians and Byzantines empires, or bringing the
criminals & wrongdoers to the book of Shariah25. Rather, the first direction in the
revelation was regarding Reading- Education, quite on the other hand26. This is an
obvious indication of the fact that the correct starting point for Muslim struggle
should be with in the scope & ambit of what is possible. In the age of the holy
prophet, the surrounding conditions in Arabia, no doubt, demanded political
stability, end of tribal anarchy & the implementation of law of Shariah, still, despite
all the urgency for, feasibility & desirability of such actions, all these were in reality
on the ground, not possible to put into action and achieve in the start. On the
contrary, a start based on communication of the basic tenets of Islam (Dawah),
coupled with education & training, was conceivably well with in realm of possible27.
Being divinely inspired and engaging always in peaceful activism, the holy prophet
(peace be upon him), therefore, guided us to adopt what is possible and shun the
impossible. This is exactly the implication of an English saying, ‘Politics is the art
of the possible’. The method of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) was also to
begin with the possible.
4.2.9.2 To see Advantages in Disadvantages:
When the holy prophet (peace be upon him) & his early companions started
spreading the mission of Islam at Makkah, it appeared that the response of the
addressees would be no more than resistance, confrontation and persecution of the
believers. In order to cope with this situation and to serve as solace and guidance to
the believers, a verse of the holy Quraan was revealed with the effect, “With every
hardship (is) ease, with every hardship (is) ease”28. The holy prophet (peace be upon
him) was inspired & guided by this conviction that he can manage identifying and
adopting an option of activism leading essentially to a series successes29. It is an
extremely significant trait of the holy prophet (peace be upon him)’s method to
25 Waheed dud Din Khan, Tazkeer, June, 2009 (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer), p.28. 26 Quraan, (96), 1. 27 Waheed dud Din Khan, ibid, p.29. 28 Quraan, (94), 5-6. 29 Muhammad Asad: Principles of State and Government in Islam (California University, 1961), p.24..
141
tackle any difficulties & hardships. This model of success establishes the principle
that God Almighty does not want this world to be full of unbearable hardships with
no respite or resolution of the problems. Almighty God through his faultless will
ordained that all problems and challenges have to be with in the realm of solving;
besides seeming setbacks which had to be a part & parcel of the God-created system.
Solution to problems remained, thus, only a matter of humankind having this
conviction to admit this reality and to make attempt for seeking suitable solutions to
the problems30.
An example of facilitation offsetting the hardships was the presence of Muslims
with unbelievers, 2 noteworthy instances being Umar and Abu Jahal, who inhabited
Makkah at the start of the prophetic mission. Thus, although it was not possible to
purify Kaba of the idols, it was still surely possible to tell the audience that
worshiping these false Gods and man-made deities was an evil. In the above context,
the hardships and persecution meted out to Muslims in the early stages of Islam
were, in reality, challenges that prompted &actualized the Muslim potential, finally
changing each Muslim, in the words of Margolith, in to a hero31.
The above trait of the life of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) indicates
that whenever one finds himself in hardships and difficulties he ought to get
convinced in the very start that, alongside the hardships & challenges, options for
their resolution are there. Rather than lamenting over inconveniences and hardships
seemingly insurmountable, they should be determined to grasp such advantages
which can set them on the path to success and development32.
The habit of seeing advantages in disadvantages is based on a sound rationale
and is very useful. When man is challenged by problems and hardships, then by
following this principle, his inner forces are prompted and ignited. His potentialities
get activated. His inborn & hidden powers come to play & he attempts at offsetting
and overcoming the setbacks and weaknesses. Filled with renewed resolve, will and
determination, he attends fully to the task of building his strength. An irresistible,
defeatless and invincible spirit arises with in him. At such time, no one can stop him
30 Waheed dud Din Khan, ibid. 31 Ibid, p.30. 32 Ibid.
142
reaching success. Having the strength of a river gushing into the sea, he overpowers
and overcomes any hurdle in untiring pursuance of his mission33.
4.2.9.3 Emigration as Changing the Place of Action:
At the start of the holy prophet (peace be upon him)’s mission in Makkah, his
peaceful activities gave rise to such antagonism in the minds of his enemies that they
resorted to this wicked option of eliminating him. During the said critical moment,
the holy prophet (peace be upon him) consciously opted for avoiding hostilities by
choosing to migrate from Makkah to Madina in a quiet manner.
The holy prophet (peace be upon him)’s migration was a means of planning
instead of an imposed flight form his place of birth. He adopted this course of action
consciously so as to change the place of his struggle34. Finding that Makkah was not
a favourable site for his peaceful struggle, he selected Madina as the new point for
continuing his activities35.
In the above example of the holy prophet, this rule was set that if an individual
or a collectivity of a community finds its immediate surrounding so hostile that
continuing of any struggle may result into serious loss or martyrdom from their
opponents, it is then appropriate for them to avoid actions or reactions of confronting
the opponents and shift to a more appropriate abode for continuing their mission36.
This strategy, on the one hand, ensured keeping their mission intact and provided, on
the other hand, the opportunity to gain internal strength, consolidate their position
and build the deterrence to bring all into the fold of Islam.
4.2.9.4 Having Trust in Human Nature:
The holy prophet (peace be upon him) & his companions were repeatedly persecuted
at the hands of the unbelievers at Makkah. They were made to bear the provocative
language, they found all types of hurdles and stumbling blocks put in their way and
even stones were thrown at them. In the meanwhile, the holy Quraan directed the
Muslims to return goodness for the evil of the opponent. Subsequently, the holy
33 Ibid. 34 Ishtiaq Hussain Quereshi: Islam; The Religion of Peace (Karachi, Royal Book Company, 1989), p. 107. 35 Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi, ibid. 36 Ibid.
143
Quraan further informed accordingly “you will find that your direst enemy has
become your dearest friend”37.
The above instructions contain a very useful principle that regardless of how
much an antagonist a human being may appear he, still, has a nature that is provided
by Almighty God and that loves the truth. With the passage of time, it becomes clear
that, behind the apparent veil of his antagonism, there lives a potential friend in
every man. If a man follows the truth genuinely, he should feel conviction that
sooner or later his enemy would be affected positively by his good treatment and
would cease to be his enemy any more38.
The guaranteed method to ensure an amicable behaviour from an ill-disposed
man is to exhibit good treatment in response to ill-treatment. A consistent good
character will divest the opponent of his enmity resulting into uncovering of the
internal friendly qualities hidden in his inborn nature. It is borne by record from
history that in the 1st stage of Islamic mission, many thousands people converted to
Islam as they were attracted to it through the character and morals of the early
companions following this principle39. For instance, a non-believer, noticing the
holy prophet (peace be upon him) to be alone, drew his sword to kill him but seeing
the holy prophet (peace be upon him)’s unflinching composure & courage in the
face of the eminent threat, overawed him so much that the sword fell from his hands.
Now it was the turn of the holy prophet to respond. However, rather than showing
retaliation, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) forgave him. This extra-ordinary
treatment to non other than the likely killer so impressed him, that the idolater
instantly became a Muslim40. Thus, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) would
adopt the principle of making a friend out of an enemy.
4.2.9.5 Making the Best of One’s Enemies:
In the Battle of Badr, some 70 persons of the enemy ranks were made captives. All
of them were educated. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) announced that any of
37 Quraan, (41), 34. 38 Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi, ibid.p.108. 39 Waheed dud Din Khan, ibid. p.30. 40 Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi, ibid.p.110.
144
these captives who would agree to teach 10 children of Madina how to read and
write would be allowed to go to their homes. Their education services would be
counted in lieu of ransom money. This was the 1st centre of learning in the Islamic
history in which all the pupils were Muslims and all of the instructors were from the
enemy side. Thus, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) used to adopt the principle
of turning the minus into plus.
4.2.9.6 The Power of Peace:
A significant lesson from the model of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) is that
impact of peaceful activism is stronger than the impact of use of force or violence.
The power that the holy prophet (peace be upon him) utilized through out his entire
life was that of peaceful activism instead of power of use of force41. For example,
his direst enemies who were instrumental in maltreating & torturing him & his
companions, persecuted & expelled him & his companions from their birth place,
imposed wars on the Muslims, and caused all kinds of harms on the Muslims, were
now presented before him after the conquest of Makkah. These men were, no doubt,
hardened criminals of wars and, obviously, could expect no better treatment than
death, as it was the common practice at that time. Yet the holy prophet (peace be
upon him) did not utter a single word of shame on them. Instead he said: “Go, you
all are free”.
This merciful and kind treatment to enemies standing on the doorsteps of death,
exhibited the prophetic preference for peaceful acts over violent ones. The outcome
of this extra-ordinary & highest moral behaviour was their instant becoming
Muslims42.
Peaceful activism has two main advantages over violent activism. It awakens the
conscience resulting into introspection and accountability of self among people. The
unexpected result of this is ‘converting the enemies into close friends, in terms of the
holy Quraan. On the contrary, the violent activism awakens the ego, resulting into
disruption of solidarity, harmony and social order. Another benefit of the peaceful
activism is that, by pursuing it, one is able to avoid wasting of resources and time.
41 Waheedud Din Khan: The Ideology of Peace (New Dehli, Goodwards Books, 2003), p.35. 42 Ibid.
145
Then the opportunities present in the given circumstances can be utilized to the full
possible limit as evidenced after the peace agreement at Hudaybia43
4.2.9.7 The Third Option:
In the last days of the life of the holy prophet (peace be upon him), a battle called
Ghazwa Mautah occurred between the Muslims and Romans in the area of what is
now known as Jordan. Twelve of the companions got martyred in just a few days.
At this juncture, Khaled Ibn Waleed (r.a), having been appointed as commander of
the Muslim army only recently, was told that the Roman army was 200 thousands,
and the Muslim army was a mere 3 thousands. Thinking that this non-commensurate
difference in number was an insurmountable hurdle to Muslim victory- Khaled
decided to withdraw his army from the battlefield.
On reaching of his army to Madina, some of the Muslims there gave them a taunting
welcome by calling out to them as ‘O deserters!’. On this, holy prophet (peace be
upon him) explained , ‘They are not deserters but –God willing-action takers44.
Through the above saying, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) aimed at
removing a confusion in the minds of those persons. According to them, only two
options were available then: the first was to fight with the Romans bravely, and the
second was to face a disgraceful retreat. As they deemed it more fit that the Muslims
should have opted for the 1st course of action, no matter that each and every one of
them got martyred at the end of the day.
In the above saying, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) pointed out to the
presence and availability of a 3rd course of action. And it was to isolate them from
the arena of action to an abode, where undisturbed by war, they could improve their
power and prepare intensively & comprehensively for a more effective campaign at
a later point in time45. The withdrawal by Khaled Ben Waleed (r.a) from Mautah
was not, obviously, a retreat, but, instead, sticking to and utilizing the still available
3rd option. It is a matter of historical record that after three years of such
preparation, the Muslim army went back and attacked the Romans, under the
43 Ibid, p.36. 44 Waheedud Din Khan: The Ideology of Peace, op cit, p.36. 45 Ibid.
146
command of Usama Ibn Zayd (r.a) and won an outstanding victory46. The holy
prophet (peace be upon him) thus trained the Muslims not to be dichotomous
thinkers.
4.2.9.8 Change in the Field of Action:
After the holy prophet (peace be upon him) migrated from Makkah to Madina, the
Makkahn leaders, still not satisfied, started an all out attack against him. Several
wars followed but with out a conclusive victory insight. Finally, the holy prophet
(peace be upon him) signed an agreement with the Makkahns at Hudaybiah. The
agreement, in fact, was a ten year peace truce that allowed the holy prophet (peace
be upon him) to bring a change in the arena of struggle & to focus fully on a long
and uninterrupted years of peaceful propagation of the mission of Islam47. Till that
time, the point of interaction between the believers & the non-believers was mainly
on the battlefield. With the peace agreement, the arena of competition and action
changed to ideological debate. Not long after this peace treaty was inked, the one-
time hardened foes started meeting one another on a bigger scale with out any
restriction. During this exchange, the ideological superiority of Islam so asserted and
manifested itself that a huge number of their erstwhile enemies started to convert to
Islam48. Consequently, Muslims continued to increase in numbers enhanced, thereby
decreasing the number of non-Muslims. As a result, the Muslims, by becoming in
majority, occupied a dominating position with out fighting- only by virtue of their
majority in numbers.
The triumph, in the above case, of the holy prophet (peace be upon him)’s
method of planning gives support to the soundness of the notion that if one is
frequently resisted in bringing his struggle to success, still it is only appropriate that
his energies and resources should be reutilized in another arena of activity where
more meaningful advantages & benefits can accrue. That is, to bring the contest in
one’s own preferable and favourable field49.
46 Ibid. 47 Ibid, p.37 48 Ibid. 49 Ibid.
147
4.2.9.9 The Principle of Gradualism:
A tradition related by Hazrat Ayesha (r.a) and collected by Imam Bukhari, says that
when the Quraanic revelation started, the first verses to be revealed were those that
told about the hell and heavens. Fifteen years later down the mission, after the hearts
of people had softened, then specific injunctions to restrain from adultery and
drinking were revealed in the holy Quraan. Hazrat Ayesha (r.a) makes this point
clear that if these injunctions had been sent at the start, the Arabs would surely have
strongly refused to leave adultery and drinking50.
The above narration indicates that Islamic law is constructed on the rule of
gradualism. Individuals’ hearts had to be changed firstly, their minds and good
natures must be appealed to initially, only then their willingness to obey would
become clear, and only then would the injunctions of the Shariah be put into
practice51. Implementing the Islamic law does not essentially require use of the whip
or the gun. No goodness can ever result from such implementation, especially on a
society which is not prepared. And it would surely not commensurate with the model
exhibited by the holy prophet (peace be upon him)52. Thus no achievement can be
made by exhibiting disregard for the principle of gradualism.
4.2.9.10 Pragmatism instead of Idealism:
According to the holy prophet (peace be upon him), idealism is to be struggled for,
no doubt, as for as one’s own opinions & actions are concerned, but he also
exhibited that while interacting with others, one has to adopt and choose
pragmatism. This is an important principle practiced, evolved and developed by the
holy prophet (peace be upon him) and his entire life testifies to the practice of this
principle with out any exception ever53.
There is a noteworthy example of utilization of and adherence to the principle in
the case of the peace agreement made by the Muslims and the Quraysh. After the
holy prophet (peace be upon him) wrote that: ‘This is from Muhammad, the
50 Saheeh Bukhari (Lahore, Maktaba Rahmania, 1999), vol 1, p.395.
51 Dr. Mahmood Ahmad Ghazi: Contemporary Age and Islamic Shariah (Urdu) (Islamabad, Islamic
Research Foundation, 2011), p.321.. 52 Muhammad Taqi Ameeni: Shariat Mein Halat wo Zamana Ki Riayat (Urdu)(Lahore, Idara Saqafat e
Islamia, 1994),p.45. 53 Waheedud Din Khan: Tazkeer (monthly), June, 2009 (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer), p.31.
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Messenger of God,’ the negotiator from the Quraysh expressed his observation that
they did not consider him as prophet in the first place, and required that the
sentence must be altered to mention Muhammad as the son of Abdullah only. The
scribe of the holy prophet (peace be upon him), Hazrat Ali (r.a) showed his
intention to reject the demand but the holy prophet (peace be upon him) knew that
if he persists with refusing to change the sentence, ‘Messenger of God’, the
agreement might not materialize54. The holy prophet, thus, got the words
‘Messenger of God’ omitted in the agreement, and the simple words ‘Muhammad,
son of Abdullah’ were written in its place.
The great success achieved by the holy prophet (peace be upon him) in Arabia
depended much on this approach of dealing with critical situations. People’s
opinions, interests, claims and behaviours may clash. It is for this reason that no
meaningful achievement can be accomplished in this world with out following the
principle of pragmatism in controversial situations55.
4.2.9.11 Involving Humanity at large:
Human Development in its entirety is at the core of Islamic injunctions. No
programme or model of human development can succeed with out involving,
positively, the humanity56. We find many instances of this practice in the history of
Islam and the life of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) which shows the
soundness of planning of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) positively involving
humanity.
The holy prophet (peace be upon him) passed his 1st 13 years of his mission in
Makkah. In Makkah, in the meanwhile, a tribal system prevailed. Organized State
structure and institutions, as we know them now, did not exist then. For social
survival, it was imperative for every one to have or seek safeguard of one or more of
the tribal leaders57. Hence, utilizing this custom, the holy prophet (peace be upon
him) sought safeguard of 2 of the tribal chieftains namely Abu Taleb and Mut’im
Ibn Adi, one after another, although both of them were non-Muslims.
54 Ibid. 55 Ibid. 56 Akbar S. Ahmad: Islam Today, (London, New York, I.B Tauris, 1999), p.18, 27. 57 Muhammad Yaseen Mazhar Siddiqui: Tareekh e Islam (Lahore, Royal Book House, 2002), p.33.
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After communicating his mission for 13 years in Makkah, the holy prophet
(peace be upon him) decided to migrate to Madina. This was a journey full of
extreme risks as his enemies had prescribed a head money of 100 camels to any one
who could bring them the head of the holy prophet (peace be upon him). Inspite of
this, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) took a person from the enemy camp to
serve as his guide in the journey, as this person had the reputation of being a man of
integrity in his field58. From the history of Islam, we know him as Abdullah Ben
Urayqet. Being a non-believer, he died a in Makkah as non-Muslim59.
While in Madina, a number of armed conflicts started between the holy
prophet (peace be upon him) and the enemies of Islam. One of the battle with the
enemies known as ‘Ghazwa Al Ahzaab’, was so destructive and threatening that the
holy Quraan mentions it as one of the most terrifying periods in the history of Islam.
Muslims were then feeling week & helpless against the enemies. What relaxed this
critical situation is the role of a middleman played by a Madinite60.
This person called on the holy prophet (peace be upon him) in the night when
Madina was under siege of the forces of the enemy. He informed that he had
converted to Islam in his heart, but has not made it public as yet and both the
Quraysh and jews repose trust in him. Appreciating that the said person stood in a
position to play the role of a peace-maker, due to the trust he had developed among
both, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) said, “You are the only one in this
position among us”61.
The person then started to act as negotiator between the 2 sides and narrations
tell us that it was primarily he who proved so instrumental in establishing peace at
this critical time between the 2 rival sides. It was, mainly, due to his efforts of
mediation that the Quraysh decided to lift the siege of Madina and go back to their
homes62.
58 Waheedud Din Khan: Tazkeer, ibid,, p.32. 59 Ibid. 60 Ibid, p.33. 61 Ibid. 62 Ibid.
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4.2.9.12 Using the Principle of Diversion:
The natural world has the characteristic of equilibrium & balances. For smooth
working, the human society should also achieve the trait of equilibrium. In the
nature, this balance & equilibrium is maintained by Almighty God in many ways63.
Among such methods is the principle of diversion; meaning, the channelization of a
power which is in excess of the required proportion in a desired direction to avoid its
ill effects64. Consider the case of rainfall. Substantial loss would be caused if all of
the rain is allowed to fall and then stand in the areas of human population and
cultivation. In these kind of situations, the nature provides the land and the human
beings with only an appropriate quantity of water for the land and the crops while
the excess amount of water is channeled in to streams and then in to rivers.
This Principle of Diversion is utilized by man in buildings of the dams. The
objective of the dam is to regulate and prevent free flow of water in a river. The
excess quantity of surplus water is let go in an other desired course. This prevents
the river to deluge the nearby locality. The excess water is then flown in to a large
pool or reservoir. Many machines are used in the process. As the quantity of steam
in a steam-engine, for example, goes beyond the prescribed proportion, it is caused
diverted and funneled off.
The above principle of diversion is very important for human societies also.
When human beings live and interact with one another, instances of complaints
and grievances are but natural. The complaints and grievances may result in social
tensions and conflicts if permitted to increase with the passage of time65. The
status of social order is then impossible to achieve.
This conflict and possible disorder in the society can be prevented & managed
only if one seeks an appropriate expression for his excessive emotions. True faith
in God and the hereafter tends to perform this kind of task. Subscribing to this law
of nature in social life, man should divert all of the negative traits of his emotions
towards God.
63 Waheedud Din Khan: Islam; The creator of Modern Age ( Darut Tazkeer, Lahore, 2002), p.13.. 64 Waheedud Din Khan, Tazkeer, op cit, p.34. 65 Ibid.
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The half brothers of holy prophet Joseph (peace be upon him) had separated
him from his father66. The same treatment was also meted out to Joseph’s full-
brother, Benjamin, later on. Being subjected to an intense emotional crisis by such
a treatment was very natural for the father of Joseph. Any attempt at making
Joseph’s half-brothers as the aim of his vengeful reaction would have brought his
family to serious disorders. Therefore, rather than reacting in flurry of emotions,
he turned it towards God Almighty although his anguish had been caused by men.
“I address my sorrow and sadness to God alone67” he said. Almost a similar event
happened in the reign of the 2nd caliph Umar (r.a). The caliph dismissed Khaled
Ibn Waleed (r.a) from the command of the army. It was a serious disgrace to a man
of Khaled’s stature as he was very popular in his army. But instead of planning a
mutiny -or a coup d’etat, in modern jargon- he chose to direct all his complaints
towards God. He responded to his removal from the command thus:
I do not fight for the cause of Umar
I fight for the cause of the Lord of Umar68
And he continued serving the cause of God in the army as an ordinary soldier.
For performing the function of diversion in human society, the faith in the day
of judgment is of immense importance69. In times of anguish and tribulation, the faith
helps the human being to turn to God for recompense. A believer in God never makes
other people the aim of his reactive emotions. On the contrary, he directs them
towards God. The flood of his emotions, which might cause significant loss to men,
falls in to a useful diversion tool, instead70.
4.2.9.13 Adopting the means of Wisdom:
The holy Quraan says, “Call (people) to the way of your Lord with wisdom, and with
beautiful preaching and argue with them in ways that are best”71, and “Repel evil with
goodness. Then he who hated you will become your friend”72.
66 Quraan, (12), 18. 67 Quraan (12), 85. 68 Muhammad Hussain Haykal: Umar Farooq (Urdu) (Lahore, Ilm o Irfan publishers, 2004), p.625. 69 Waheedud Din Khan, Tazkeer, op cit, p.34. 70 Ibid. 71 Quraan, (16), 125.
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The first verse provides guidance for dealing with three kinds of persons;73 the
intellectual, the common man and the quarrelsome. The first category of people are
those who tend to accept or reject any idea or proposition on the basis of logic,
rationality and intellectual conviction and not on the basis of mere dogma or belief.
They are, so to say, open to argumentation and free from bias & prejudice and
negative emotionalism. The impact of Quraanic line of argument which is in accord
with intellect and common sense is very appealing to them instead of emotional
appeal. The first part of the verse implies that such kind of people should be addressed
with Quraanic logic (wisdom)74. The second category of people is those positive
people who accept any idea or proposition on the basis of its apparent goodness and
they do not involve into intellectual argumentation. The second part of the verse says
that such people as have liking for goodness should be addressed with simple ideas
and acts of goodness by appealing to their good nature instead of complicated logical
argumentation75. The third category of people are those quarrelsome persons who
exhibit bias, prejudice or ill manners and are not open to argument and exhortation of
good deeds. The third part of the verse prescribes that when there comes an occasion
for interacting with such kind of people, one has to better avoid the same and end the
discussion at good note76.
Converting an enemy into a friend is an extraordinarily revolutionary concept &
practice and the practice of the principle by the holy prophet and the companions
yielded unimaginable results.
4.2.9.14 Other Instances of Planning:
4.2.9.14.1 Population Census Conducted:
The second caliph of Islam is reported to have conducted census of population77 in
Iraq for the purpose of determining the total revenue from Zakat, Jazya, development
work, defense and welfare etc.78
72 See reference No. 5 above. 73 Amin Ahsan Islahi: Dawat e Din Aur Uska Tareeqa Kar (Urdu)(Lahore, Faraan Foundation, 1984), p.65. 74 Ibid. 75 Ibid. 76 Ibid,p.66. 77 Muhammad Asad: Principles of State and Government in Islam (California University, 1961), p.142.
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4.2.9.14.2 Maps Drawn for Better War Strategy:
He would cause maps drawn for the purpose of planning better war strategies and
gathering important intelligence79.
4.2.9.14.3 Keeping Records
He had developed a system for keeping records of revenue, grants, salaries and details
of soldiers80.
4.2.9.14.4 Showing low profile in Migration:
The holy prophet (peace be upon him) directed that Muslims should leave Makkah for
Madina in one’s and two’s to avoid provocation of the enemies and their reaction and
hot pursuit81.
4.2.9.14.5 Test for determining the quantity for Rationing of Food:
For distribution of food and other items of daily use among the deserving people, the
second caliph of Islam first conducted some practical test as to the proper quantity of
food required for a person and then fixed the same82.
4.2.10 Concluding Comments:
The prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h) undertook planned actions and considered every
possible precaution and preparation before embarking upon important matters. He gave
due consideration to counter-planning from his adversaries. Maintaining secrecy,
overawing the enemy, creating deterrence, avoiding conflicts and sacrificing small
interest for long-term benefits were essential features of his planning. Finding common
grounds, using gradualism for effecting change and adopting the means of wisdom were
adopted to achieve the long -term success. The above mentioned features of Islamic
planning can be utilized to avoid conflicts and achieve long-term success in the
organizations.
78 Shibli Nomaani: Alfarooq (Lahore, Maktaba Rahmania, 1990), p.202, 277. 79 Ibid, p.181. 80 Ibid, p.277. 81 Muhammad Hussain Haykal: Umar Farooq( Ilm o Irfan publishers, Lahore, 2004), p.74. 82 Muhammad Asad: Principles of State and Government in Islam, ibid, p.143.
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4.3 TRAINING
4.3.1 Training; Theory & the Root:
The Arabic equivalent of training is “Tarbiat”. Literally, it means to increase, grow,
enhance and enrich etc83.Its Arabic root is “Rabb” which means nourishment,
providence and sustaining etc.Its objectives are to improve,develop,civilize,attain
highness and purification of human morality, intellect and body84. Practically, it
aims at building a comprehensive human personality with high spiritual, intellectual
and physical aspects/attributes enabling him to serve best the objectives of
organizations, social groups and the society at large85.Rabbaneen (and Murrabbeen)
are persons who impart knowledge & wisdom and train people86.
4.3.2 The Aims of Training:
The aim of training is to inculcate in the trainee, among others, positiveness,
determination, strong will power, perseverance and necessary skills to perform his
responsibilities in variety of roles and positions87.
4.3.3 Emphasis in the twin sources of Quraan and Sunnah:
The first word of the revelation of the holy Quraan was ‘Iqra’88 meaning ‘Read’.
Thus, according to Islam, knowledge is the starting point of every noble &
successful human endeavor. For knowing the significance of training and learning in
Islam, it is useful to understand the emphasis laid by the holy Quraan on acquisition
of knowledge and use of intellect. The holy Quraan again and again exhorts the man
to understand the universe and the verses of the Quraan .It says:
“… they have hearts but they do not think with them; they have eyes but they do not
see with them; they have years but they do not hear with them. They are like
animals; any, even worse, for they are the people who have become utterly
heedless”89
83 Mufti Sanaullah Mahmood, The way of Training of the holy prophet (Urdu) (Karachi, Darul Ashaat,
2005), p.68. 84 Ibid. 85 Ibid. 86 Ibne Taymmiyah, ‘Majmooa Fatawa Shaykul Islam’, Vol; 1,p.63 87 Op cit, p.69. 88 Quraan, (96),1. 89 Quraan, (7), 179.
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“(Men of understanding) meditate on the heavens and eart” 90
“Do they ponder on the Quraan?”91
This continuous note & recurrent theme is taken to the highest pitch wherein it
says:
“The vilest beasts in God’s sight are those deaf, dumb people who do not use
common sense”92
Islam helps the faculty of reason & intellect to flourish and exhorts the
human being to utilize their intellect properly. It exhorts the human being to
ponder over the creations and their purposes so as to understand things in their
proper perspective. The holy Quraan advises to say: ‘O, my Lord! Advance me in
knowledge”93. It clarifies that those having knowledge and those having no
knowledge are different in statuses94 ; those who do not utilize their intellect and
faculty of reason are below the level of human beings, rather, they are worse than
animals95; that the meaning and purpose of revelation becomes clear to those who
have knowledge96 and who have wisdom97; that whosoever has been gifted with
knowledge has been, in reality, bestowed with abundant goodness98; that the
fundamental qualification for being a leader are knowledge( skills and
competence) ,physical power and integrity99 and that it is, primarily, due to the
trait of knowledge that man gets superiority over angels and has been assigned the
status & responsibility of vicegerent of God in this world100.
Since God has endowed men with varying degrees of understanding, therefore,
those who are unable to grasp things themselves have been enjoined to ‘consult
some one who is well versed in the matter’101
90 Quraan, (3), 191. 91 Quraan, (4), 82. 92 Quraan, (8), 22. 93 Quraan, (20), 114. 94 Quraan, (39), 9. 95 Quraan, (7), 179. 96 Quraan, (6), 97. 97 Quraan, (6), 98. 98 Quraan, (2), 269. 99 Quraan, (2), 247. 100 Quraan, (2), 230. 101 Quraan, (16), 42.
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All the collections of narrations of Hadith have a chapter on knowledge102.
Saheeh Bukhari contains chapter a titled “The virtue of one who acquires Ilm
(learning) and imparts it to others”. One narration says that, ‘the ink of a scholar’s
pen is more precious than the blood of a martyr’103, with this rationale that when a
martyr performs the duty of defending the Muslim state and citizens, a scholar
moulds the characters of individuals & nations along positive lines. In yet another
tradition, the one having knowledge has been ascribed high status compared to the
one used to more worship104 The holy prophet (peace be upon him) said:
“He who leaves his home in search of knowledge walks in the path of God” 105.
“To seek knowledge is obligatory for every Muslim” 106.
“Acquire knowledge, because he who acquires it in the way of the Lord performs an
act of piety; he who disseminates it bestows alms and he who imparts it to others
performs an act of devotion to God” 107
.
4.3.4 The Traces of Training Practices of the Holy Prophet:
The prophet (peace be upon him) arranged training of the companions for
discovering and developing skills.Urwa ben Masood (r.a) and Ghaylaan bin
Sallamma (r.a) visited the place “ Jursh” to make weaponry and got training of
producing Dababa( Tank of that time),catapult and Zubur.108 The worship rituals in
Islam also contain an element of training apart from enhancing spiritual relationship
with the creator and strengthening faith109.
4.3.5 Importance of Knowledge and Good Deeds in Training:
The prophet (peace be upon him) laid emphasis on acquisition of knowledge and
good deeds at the same time. These two were/are considered complimentary because
action with out the requisite knowledge would be groping in the dark while
102 Mufti Sanaullah Mahmood, ibid, p.35. 103 Muhammad Asad: Principles of State and Government in Islam (California University, 1961), p.134. 104 Jama e Tirmazi, (Karachi, Darul Ashaat, Chapter on Knowledge), p.137. 105 Tirmazi (as reported by Khurshid Ahmad: Islam; Basic Principles and Characteristics (Islamabad,Dawa
Academy, 1999),p.12. 106 Ibn e Maja (as reported by Khurshid Ahmad), ibid. 107 Ibid. 108 Mufti Sanaullah Mahmood: The way of Training of the Holy Prophet (Urdu) (Karachi, Darul Ashaat,
2005), p.73. 109 Ibid, p.36.
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knowledge with out action (good deeds) is just a body of information.110 The prophet
(peace be upon him) exhorted to acquire knowledge even if one has to travel as far
as china.111 The knowledge available in china was, obviously, non-religious and
worldly. Further, the emphasis of the prophet (peace be upon him) on the acquisition
of worldly knowledge can also be gauged from another fact. As a result of the battle
of Badr, in which the Muslims became victorious, 70 of his foes were taken as
prisoners. All these prisoners were educated people. For benefiting from their
knowledge, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) announced that if each captive is
prepared to teach 10 children of Madinites in how to read & write, it would be
counted in lieu of his ransom and the captive would be set free. Many of the captives
got freedom by rendering the service of such teaching. In Islamic history, this was
the 1st centre of learning, initiated by the holy prophet (peace be upon him) himself.
The fact that all its trainers were non-believers, all were captives of war and could
create problems again for the Muslims after getting freedom, were not too
significant considerations in the way of utilizing their services. This practice of the
holy prophet (peace be upon him) showed that whatever the risk involved, education
was considered paramount & essential”112 The secretary of the holy prophet (peace
be upon him) namely Zayd Ben Thabet (r.a) initially did not know how to write &
read. He acquired the said knowledge from these captives and, later on, became the
secretary of the holy prophet (peace be upon him).113The said knowledge was also
non-religious and worldly but still considered useful (Ilme Nafe).
4.3.6 Islam is the Pioneer in encouraging Freedom for Research
Islam not only places immense emphasis on the necessity of knowledge but also
demonstrates how all the elements essential to help acquisition of knowledge have
been arranged by God Almighty114. And particularly the critical factor in this regard
is its encouraging the freedom to carry out inquiries, investigation & research. Islam
encouraged the emphasis & freedom on inquiry, thinking & research from the very
start of its mission. This fact is proved by an event which happened after the
110 Quraan, (62), 5. 111 Kitabul Ilm, p.234. 112 Maulana Waheedud Din Khan, Monthly Tazkeer (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer, February, 2007), p.15. 113 Maulana Waheedud Din Khan, ibid, p.16. 114 Muhammad Hameedullah: Muslim Conduct of State (Lahore, Al Faisal Publishers, 2005), p.30.
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prophet’s migration from to Madina. In Madina, he noticed some men pollinating
their date palms. As dates were not grown in Makkah, the holy prophet (peace be
upon him) had to naturally ask what these men were doing to the trees. When told as
to the reason of such an exercise, he thereupon forbade them to do this, and in the
next year the produce came out to be extremely poor compared to the last year.
When the holy prophet (peace be upon him) asked about the reason for the decline in
the yield, it was explained to him that good produce depended on pollination. On
this, he told the date-growers to resume their technique, admitting that they knew
more about ‘worldly matters’ than he did115.
4.3.7 Islam is the creator of Modern Age/Science:
The holy prophet (peace be upon him) would separate practical matters of life from
religious injunctions, thereby removing the obstacles in the route of carrying out
research in and on world of nature and derivation of findings and decisions based in
such research. The immense focus placed on exact knowledge awakened an
enormous urge for understanding the laws of nature and various sciences among the
Muslims of the 1st century. The process started in Makkah, it reached Madina &
Damascus, later making Baghdad as the centre. Finally, it reached Spain. Muslim
Spain progressed and grew, with extra-ordinary development in all academic and
scientific fields. This culture of scientific progress then entered Europe, finally
ushering in Modern, scientific era116.
4.3.8 Knowledge and Learning were the First Priority:
The holy Quraan mentions that those having knowledge are the ones who fear God
the most among the humans.117 The importance of knowledge and learning in Islam
can be gauged from the keenness of the companions for acquisition of the same. The
companions would gain knowledge about injunctions of the holy Quraan and then
imbibe the same in practice. They had fixed turns among themselves to be present
115 Saheeh Muslim (Karachi, Darul Ashaat), Chapter, 296, vol 3, p.598. 116 Waheedud Din Khan, Islam: The creator of Modern Age (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer, 2002), p.55. 117 Quraan, (35), 28, and (39), 9.
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with the holy prophet (peace be upon him) for the whole day long and then teach
(whatever they might have learnt) to the other companions118.
In the initial days of prophetic mission, the holy prophet of Islam (peace be
upon him) established a centre of learning called “Suffa”119. He sent companions
to other cities of the Arabian Peninsula for teaching the injunctions of Islam to the
newly converted Muslims120. The prophet (peace be upon him) trained the
companions in how to fulfill the obligation of enjoining good and preventing evil
in various positions and situations. These teachers were selected for their sincerity,
knowledge & wisdom, perseverance, tenderness and good manners.121
4.3.9 Training in Integration & Harmony through establishment of
Brotherhood and Charter of Madina:
For social & economic harmony and integration of individual virtues into
collectiveness & moral values, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) established
brotherhood (Muakhaat) among the believers. He entered into a treaty with the
Jews of Madina for ensuring peace and communal harmony. This treaty known as
“Meethaq e Madina”- the treaty of Madina- is rightly called the first written
constitution in the history of mankind122. The famous treaty of “Hudaybia” was
meant for enduring peace and increasing interaction with the opponents so that
people have the opportunity of getting the real message of Islam first hand and
then enhance the pace of conversion. All of these were also means of training the
companions in how to achieve larger objectives and long-term goals, seize
opportunities in adverse situations by offering short term concessions to his
opponents (in the case of peace agreement of Hudaybia), avoiding conflicts in the
first place (dispute on the fixation of the Black Stone, migration to Abyssinia &
Madina) and, if the same arise, resolving them amicably and avoiding unplanned
reactions to provocations.123 He also trained his companions in how to achieve
economic & social harmony, peace & integration and convert individual virtues
118 Shibli Nomaani: Alfarooq (Lahore, Maktaba Rahmania, 1990),p.52. 119 Muhammad Hameedullah: The Muslim Conduct of State (Lahore, Al Faisal Publishers, 2005), p.25. 120 Mufti Sanaullah Mahmood, ibid, p.62. 121 ibid, p.63. 122 Muhammad Hameedullah, ibid, p.21. 123 Waheedud Din Khan, Monthly Tazkeer (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer, October, 2008), p.15
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into collective values (as is evident from Meethaq e Madina with the Jews,
Muakhaat between the companions and peace agreement of Hudaybia with his
enemies).He also exhibited a marvelous combination of idealism with pragmatism
& practicalism. For example, one of the companions Muaaz (r.a) was advised to
propagate the message of Islam in a simple and easy way by avoiding
complications and making things easier for the people124. He was advised to
emphasize on glad tidings to people instead of creating fear and negative
impression of Islam.125 The holy prophet (peace be upon him) had a conscious
regard for a psychological requirement of his audience and addressees. This is
exhibited best in his choice between a difficult and easier option of doing a job or
deed. When he would be given an option in adopting between two lawful options,
he would opt for the easiest one.126 This practice is in accord with the time-tested
principle of gradualism and due consideration for human psyche of love & affinity
for simple and easy options in the nascent stage of a community’s formation and
development. Such a volitional and gradual enforcement of moral values through
education and training, and not through coercion or intimidation, is more
sustainable and everlasting127.
The negative feelings of disappointment, cynicism and pessimism in human
beings result in loss of confidence in one’s self and real faith in God. These also
prove instrumental in creation of ill-feelings about other human beings and a
psyche of complaints and persecution-mania. This feeling results in negative
attitude and behavior with others, reflecting in envy, jealousy, hatred, prejudice,
enmity and aggression128. To offset such feelings, Islam creates hope, optimism,
positiveness, moderation, patience & perseverance, sense of sacrifice, attitude of
forgiveness and spreading goodness irrespective of whether the same is
reciprocated or not . Developing such attributes in human character creates peace,
124 Saheeh Muslim (Karachi, Darul Ashaat, 2005), Narration No. 6& 7, p.24. 125 Saheeh Muslim, ibid, Chapter on Simplifying & Easing matters, Narration No.7, vol 3, p.24. 126 Ibid, Chapter No. 267, Narration No.1519, vol 3, p.59. 127 Waheedud Din Khan, ibid, p.16. 128 Waheedud Din Khan, Tazkeer, ibid, p.17.
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order, love, respect, affection, harmony, sense of togetherness and real sense of
happiness and human development.129
4.3.10 Sabr (Patience & Steadfastness) as an important instrument of
Training:
The companions, and through them the Muslims, are advised to remain steadfast in
the face of adversities, not to get disappointed and not to react to adverse actions
of the enemies impulsively but to respond with due planning and preparation. This
important trait was inculcated in the companions through adopting the habit of
what was referred to in the holy Quraan as “Sabr”130 (perseverance).Various
English words used to convey the real meaning and scope of the connotation
actually prove deficient in this regard. This word and its derivatives have been
used in the Quraan in more than 100 occasions to emphasize the importance &
utility of this trait of character and the certainty of success of those observing this
trait, especially in testing times131. This trait entails avoiding conflicts & misuse of
energies in less important pursuits, desisting from reacting to adverse actions
impulsively and with out due preparation & planning .This also entails biding time
for mobilization and training of the human resource, arranging alliances,
neutralizing negative of the enemies and responding at the right time.132 The
connotation has so wider a scope that it encompasses physical endurance,
intellectual strength and spiritual & moral development of the individual or group
for coping with adverse circumstances. This trait was visible in every companion
especially those early converts to Islam –the rightly guided four caliphs, the ten
companions having been foretold with the abode of heaven while they were still
alive, those having participated in the first three major battles, and those having
taken oath on death in what is called “ Beeat e Redhwaan”133.
129 Arshad Ahmad Baig, “Human Resource Development: Islamic viewpoint”. (Monthly Tarjumanul Quran,
December, 2007, Lahore), p.48. 130 Quraan, (2), 153. 131 Sajed Hameed: What is Sabr and how to achieve it? (Lahore, Almawrid, 2001), p.25. 132 Sajed Hameed, ibid. 133 Ibid.
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4.3.11 Importance of Physical Health in Islamic Training:
Healthy body is essential for a sharp & healthy intellect and wisdom with out
which the human being can not live a productive individual and collective life.
Due to this importance of physical health, among other reasons, the prophet (peace
be upon him) laid immense emphasis on taking care for maintenance of good
health and leading an active and productive life. He said that a (physically) strong
Muslim is better than a (physically) weak Muslim. He also said that majority of
people do not care much about two major blessings i.e their health and the spare
time available.134 For acquiring and maintaining good health, the holy prophet
(peace be upon him) exhorted the companions to take the following135 precautions,
among others:
1. Complete and Balanced diet
2. Physical Cleanliness
3. Physical Exercises
4. Prior Safeguards and Preventing of diseases
5. Appropriate Treatment for physical illness
6. Avoiding exaggeration( extremism) in worship rituals
7. Avoiding refusal to take proper food as a means of asceticism
A little explanation of the above points would not be out of place. The holy
prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged healthy eating habits and said that both
excess and lack of food harms the human body. The prophet (peace be upon him)
would encourage the companions to prefer walking on foot (instead of traveling on
camel or horse) for physical fitness.136 The worship rituals (such as prayer, fasting
and pilgrimage to Makkah) also contain some physical exercises. The holy prophet
(peace be upon him) encouraged physical race among the companions.137 He
would also himself participate in such an activity and would also give rewards for
134 Saheeh Bukhari (Lahore, Maktaba Rahmania), Vol 3, Narration No.6412, p.218. 135 Mufti Sanaullah Mahmood, ibid, p.269. 136 Jama e Tirmazi, (Karachi, Darul Ashaat, Karachi), Chapter on ‘Almanaqeb’, vol 2, p.527. 137 Masnad Ahamad, Vol 6, p.129 as quoted by Mufti Sanaullah ibid.
163
the best138. He would cause conduct race of horses and camels so as to know their
strengths and weaknesses and the level of their fitness for the purpose of defence
and preparedness.139 He encouraged and also conducted competitions of arrow-
throwing among the companions140 as it was one of the important means of
strength in wars of those times. Even today, the mosque near the southern gate of
the Central Mosque at Madina is known as “Masjed e Sabaq”141. Sabaq means
competition. He encouraged archery and asked a visiting group of the Bani
Fazzara tribe (Christian blacks) to conduct a show of archery in the central mosque
of Madina142.The show was also shown to Hazart Ayesha (r.a) from a distance. For
physical fitness as well as for self defence, he encouraged the companions to learn
how to swim. He encouraged physical exercises143.
4.3.12 Importance of Intellectual Health in Islamic Training:
Intellect is one of the three sources of guidance provided to human being i.e.
Revelation, guidance ordained in human nature and intellect. Quraan presents
revelation, guidance ordained in human nature and intellect as sources of guidance
and that they compliment each other rather than being contradictory144. Revelation
guides the intellect because the intellect has its own inherent limitations.
Disregarding or not appreciating these limitations is, in itself, against the
intellectual rationale145. Thus some aspects of truth are beyond the capabilities of
the intellect. Intellect, on the other hand, is a light through which one can
differentiate between good & bad, essential and useless. With out correct use of
intellect, one can not even appreciate and understand the very purpose and
meaning of the revelation146. That is why for understanding of Islamic belief
138 Muhammad Hameedullah : The Muslim Conduct of State (Lahore, Al Faisal Publishers, 2005), p.26 139 Saheeh Bukhari, ibid, Chapter ‘Al jehad wa sayyar’ vol 2, Narration No.132, p.94. 140 Saheeh Bukhari, ibid, Narration No. 124, p.126. 141 Muhammad Hameedullah: The Muslim Conduct of State, ibid. 142 Muhammad Hameedullah: ibid. 143 Ibid. 144 Dr. Fatima Ismaeel Misri: Quraan and Intellect (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer, 2007), p.7. 145 Muhammad Zubair Farooqi, Islam: Essence and Spirit (Dawa Academy, International Islamic University,
Islamabad, 2007) p.35. 146 Ibid, p.36.
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system, the primary addressee is the human intellect147. Given this importance of
the intellect, Islam has appreciated its existence and has laid due emphasis on its
utility and correct usage. The holy Quraan asks the human beings to take lessons
from the signs of God contained in the universe and in the human self through
proper use of the faculty of intellect148. It has appreciated those making a proper
use of their intellectual potential149. Islam has contributed to enhance the capability
of the intellect and to save it from misuse and misdirection .That is why during the
height of Muslim civilization, Muslims were the pioneers of Science &
Technology and discoveries of laws of nature & science. Behind such contribution
is Islam’s conscious attempt to encourage pondering over elements of the universe
such as the sun, the moon, the stars, the rivers, the mountains etc for discovering
signs of God and benefits for all the creations150. In so doing, Islam basically
changed the very perception of these things from being subject of worship,
sacredness and superstitions to the subject of pondering & discovery and that these
things have been created for the benefit of human beings and not vice versa151.
This change in the perception, along with the simple doctrine of monotheism and
equality of human beings, was catalyst in creating a culture of free thinking,
debating, questioning, positively criticizing, pondering, discovering, equality and
freedom of human beings from various man-created bonds and undesirable
restrictions.152 In this back ground, it is, therefore, no wander that the revelation
started with the word “read”153. Hazart Ayesha (r.a) says that successful is the man
who has been bestowed with the intellect. To give a positive and useful direction
to the human intellect, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) encouraged
pondering over the creations of God and His attributes for acquiring the correct
knowledge of God’s laws and the physical laws governing the universe154.
147 Fatima Ismaeel Misri, ibid, p.8. 148 Quraan, (3), 190. 149 Quraan, (3), 191. 150 Fatima Ismaeel Misri, ibid, p.93. 151 Maulana Waheedud Din Khan, Islam: The creator of Modern Age , ibid, p.57 152 Maulana Waheedud Din Khan, ibid. 153 Quraan, (96), 1. 154 Amin Ahsan Islahi: Fundamental Problems of Philosophy & Quraan (Urdu) (Lahore, Faraan Foundation,
1997),p.37.
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4.3.13 Proper Timing of Action is extremely important in Islamic Training
The holy prophet (peace be upon him) would persuade the companions for good
deeds in reasonable intervals of time so that they do not get bored or disinterested
from too much of untimely preaching.155 The companions would also avoid such
persuasion in a situation of lack of interest or keenness of the audience and
listeners. This precaution was meant to have a regard for a psychological reality.
People seriously consider a message only when it is delivered at the correct time
and the targeted recipient is in a positive frame of mind. Message conveyed at a
wrong timing either does not receive a serious consideration or gets summarily
rejected instantly no matter howsoever it may be a strong one156. Another
important feature of the prophet (peace be upon him) method of communication
was the brevity and preciseness of the intended message .He would avoid long
speeches with loads of details. Instead, the message would be couched in a precise
brief statement based on a fundamental principle of Islam which would enhance
the interest of the audience for (and in) more details of the principle. Thus, the
interest of the audience would be sustained in the topic till the end of the message
in a natural way.
4.3.14 Avoiding Useless Reprimand:
Another distinct feature of the prophet’s method of training was to avoid useless
reprimand and embarrassment of those having committed mistakes. He would not
reprimand those who would commit mistakes due to lack of knowledge or
understanding .He would rather explain the relevant matter patiently and tenderly
by giving due consideration to the weaknesses of the person concerned157. For
discouraging a vice or a bad habit, he would avoid mentioning the name of the
specific person and would, instead, generalize & highlight the negative impact of
the matter to inspire people for doing away with the vice and bad habit. This
method was adopted to avoid public disgrace or inflation of the ego of the person
concerned and was, instead, aimed at encouraging correction of one’s attitude and
155 Saheeh Bukhari, ibid, Chapter on Knowledge vol 1, Narration No.68, p.129 156 Waheedud Din Khan, op cit, p.15. 157 Ibid, p.16.
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mistakes through positive persuasion, by taking the concerned person into
confidence and by appealing to his good conscience158.
4.3.15 Due Regard for Pragmatism and Result-Orientation:
The training methodology of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) contained due
regard for pragmatism and result-orientation. This is borne out by a narration
reported from the holy prophet (peace be upon him). A man visited the holy
prophet (peace be upon him). He expressed that he needed to be guided. ‘Will you
heed the advice’, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) asked him. The man
affirmed to follow the same. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) told him:
“When you decide on some action, think of its consequences. If they are good, go
ahead with it: and if they are bad, refrain from it” 159
The saying of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) shows that all the intended
actions must be judged in accordance with its likely outcome. Before one initiates
an action, he must ponder well beforehand; if the apparent outcome seems
acceptable, he should continue with what has been chosen to be done, otherwise he
must review his option. This method of deciding about matters is in accord with
Islamic scheme of things and it was such a pragmatic approach that the holy
prophet (peace be upon him) taught his followers to practice and follow160.
4.3.16 Avoiding Conflict and Availing the present Opportunities:
The holy prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) trained his companions in how to
avoid conflict in contentious matters and utilize the available opportunities for full
advantage in the long term. The slogan “ignore the problems, avail of the
opportunities” express the spirit of this approach- an extremely wise way of
proceeding. This part of the prophetic training was based in the following early
verse of the holy Quraan:
“Every problem (or failure) is accompanied by ease (or success). Every problem
(or failure) is accompanied by ease (or success).161
158 Ibid. 159 Waheedud Din Khan, Monthly Tazkeer, ibid, February, 2008, p.25 160 Ibid, p.26. 161 Quraan, (94), 5-6.
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In this way the holy prophet (peace be upon him) was counseled that no
problem is such in the complete sense, but rather every problem is accompanied by
opportunities. Therefore, man should opt for the wisdom of avoiding problems (of
confrontation & conflict) and availing of opportunities. This method followed by
the holy prophet (peace be upon him) was a very sound course. It follows that in
every course of action we choose to adopt, we should begin with what is possible
today and not with what is ideal in the long run.
The mission of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) was to establish the
oneness of God and purification of human souls162. The greatest problem of the
time was that Makkah’s most sacred religious center Kaba housed 360 idols, all
belonging to different Arab tribes. These idols had been placed in the Kaba by the
Makkhan leaders so as to make Makkah the economic hub of the entire Arab
peninsula. The Kaba, having 360 idols with in its precincts was a problem; but
there was an opportunity hidden in this. Because of the presence of these idols not
only the Makkhans, but also people from different parts of Arabia all used to
gather there. The Kaba had become a natural meeting ground for people. The holy
prophet (peace be upon him), choosing to ignore the presence of the idols in the
Kaba, utilized this coming together of the people as an opportunity. The course he
adopted was to visit the Kaba daily, meet people and convey his message through
reciting to them verses from the holy Quraan163. In this way, by ignoring the
problem and focusing on the opportunities available, he continued to call upon
people to accept the concept of monotheism.
4.3.17 Building Human Personality along Positive Lines:
During the journey of emigration of the prophet of Islam from Makkah to Madina,
many such incidents took place which are indicative of the holy prophet’s
thinking. For instance, he met on his way two persons, who were brothers. The
holy prophet (peace be upon him) asked about their names. They told them that
their tribe had given them both the same name ‘Muhanaan’, meaning two
disgraceful or dishonorable persons. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) replied
162 Waheedud Din Khan, ibid, December, 2008, p.19. 163 Ibid.
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that they were two honourable persons (Mukremaan), rather than two
dishonourable ones164.
This shows the kind of principle on which the training methods of the holy
prophet (peace be upon him) were based. He wanted to build the human
personality on positive lines. In changing the names of these two men, he gave
them the necessary psychological encouragement to develop themselves according
to the lofty ideals of humanity. In a similar way, when in later times, during his
stay in Madina, a son was born to his daughter Fatima, who was married to the
companion Ali (r.a), the holy prophet (peace be upon him) asked Ali (r.a) what
name he had given to the child. Ali (r.a) told him that Harb was the name given to
the baby. Harb in Arabic means war. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) said
that it is not an appropriate name. He suggested, instead, the name of Hassan,
meaning beautiful. These incidents tell us that holy prophet (peace be upon him)
was entirely a peace-loving person rather than a war-monger. These also tell us
that he trained people to be always positive and avoid negative mindset and all
symbols of negativity165.
4.3.18 Maintaining Equilibrium and Avoiding Provocation:
For the first time in human history, the prophet of Islam exhibited a perfect and
complete model of peaceful activism. This model was effective because he was
always prepared to pay the price of exercising unilateral restraint and making
adjustment. There was no kind of injustice and maltreatment which was not done to
him but he managed to rise above them in all situations. By underplaying their
negative side, he could plan the course of his actions along positive and productive
lines. No negative and unpleasant event was to disturb his state and peace of mind.
Having a sublime mind and character, he had found some thing of such supreme
value in peace and love that all other things were of no importance to him. Any
164 Ibid, p.20. 165 Ibid, p.21.
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negative experience could be defused by him, there and then, to produce positive
thinking and action166.
4.3.19 Finding Common Grounds in case of Conflicts and Controversy:
For larger goals, Islam trains it followers to find common grounds in dealing with
opponents. This command is contained in the holy Quraan in the following verse:
“Say: O People of the Book, come to a word (term) which is common between us
and you, that we shall worship none but God……167.
The command relates to common grounds in religious as well as religious
matters. Highlighting the common grounds, especially in the case of controversy and
conflict, creates conditions for peaceful co-existence and mutual benefit of all. This
principle of finding common grounds becomes more important when the society is
heterogeneous in structure; multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural etc.
Finding common grounds prevents the difference of religious beliefs & practices and
clash of interests from slipping into straining of relations, use of force and disorder
in the society. It proves as a catalyst for enhancing solidarity, harmony co-operation,
conditions of peace and development168.
4.3.20 Following the Balanced & Integrative Approach of Islam in HR
Training Programs:
The holy Quran and Sunnah of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) encourages
following the middle path and a balanced approach to every thing- even in such good
deeds as worship and charity. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) also trained his
companions in adopting a balanced approach and integrative. Various elements of
this balanced & Integrative approach can be combined with modern training modules
and practices to prove effective in achieving the desired ends of various training
programmes meant for development of the Human Resource, enhancing motivation,
loyalty, commitment of the employees and efficiency & effectiveness of the
organizations in achievement of their goals and objectives.
166 Ibid, p.22. 167 Quraan, (3), 64. 168 Ibid, p.23.
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4.3.21 Concluding Comments:
Some educational and training programs lay more emphasis on physical &
intellectual development and skills but lack proper emphasis on moral and spiritual
development. They lack emphasis on faith and vales of nature while Islam lays
emphasis on building strong and stable characters169. Islamic training encompasses
all aspects of the human resources including physical, spiritual, intellectual, social
and psychological. It is rooted in wisdom, pragmatism and result-orientation. With it
integrated approach, Islamic training can help in creating balanced human resources.
169 Quraan (13), 29.
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Chapter Five
Islamic Human Resource Management Practices (continued)
5.1 CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
5.1.1 The Theoretical Base:
Introduction: Islam is essentially about peace and progress of the humanity at large
and the Muslim collectivity (Ummah)1. With the current expansion and growth of
Muslim communities worldwide, it is only plausible that conflict management is
used as an essentially needed tool to tackle the contemporary issues Muslims are
facing especially those involving present or future prospects of conflict. Islamic
intervention in conflict is premised in the objectives of reviving Islam’s pristine
message of justice, freedom, equality, forgiveness, patience, Ihsan, non-reciprocal
goodness, humility and welfare2.
5.1.2 Differences of opinion and understanding are Natural:
Since human beings have been created with different potentials, levels of intellect
etc for the purpose of testing them in this world, it is but natural that there will be
difference of opinion between individuals & groups in understanding, analysis of a
situation or matter they are facing. This difference of opinion, some times, gets
converted in to serious controversies, contentious matters, rivalries and, at times,
into conflicts. When conflicts are not managed and are let to grow out of proportion,
they result in straining of relations, use of force, killing, destruction, disorder and
loss of honors, property & lives. Apart from the reason of simple difference of
opinion & understanding, conflicts also result from acts of injustice, inflated ego or
pursuit of vested interest or selfish motives on the part of one or more parties in
disregard of interests of the other parties involved in the conflict. To reduce or
manage this difference of opinion and prevent contentious matters from becoming
basis of internal conflict, creating consensus for reaching a collective decision &
implementing the same to resolve conflicts depend, largely, on consensus in
understanding the disputes and unity in the society at large.
1 Waheedud Din Khan: The Ideology of Peace (New Dehli, Goodwards Books, 2004), p.67. 2 Akbar S. Ahmad: Islam under Siege (New York, London, I.B Tauris, 1999), p.15.
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One of the useful means for reducing or managing internal conflicts resulting
from simple difference of opinion is mutual dialogue, enhanced interaction &
communication between the parties to the conflict, enhancing the culture of research,
reducing incidents of injustice and making public all the important information
relating to the matter3.
5.1.3 The Present Day Tools of Conflict Management and their Demerits:
In the present day world, from the perspective of conflict management part of the
HRM, practically, there is nothing to stop especially the stronger one from creating
conditions of conflicts in the first place and then saving the conflict from growing
out of control as a means of resolution thereof. The only means available,
practically, in this regard are the concepts and forces of ‘mutual deterrence’ and
‘mutually assured destruction’4. But in absence of any credible mechanism of justice
and moral obligations for exercise of restraint in case of conflicts as we witness
today, these concepts can not and, actually, do not serve any purpose in avoiding and
resolution of conflicts peacefully and amicably. In this regard, Islamic concepts of
unconditional justice to all5, non-reciprocal forgiveness6, avoidance of conflict and
perseverance7, its concept of righteousness, the principle of ‘desire for others what
you desire for yourself’ &‘ repel evil with goodness’8 help a great deal towards
avoiding and resolution of conflicts .As an effective means of preventing conflicts
and in case the same become un-avoidable ,Islam encourages to ensure a credible
deterrence9 against party or parties hell-bent on aggression and injustice.
In modern day International relations and especially in HRM, conflict
management is only a policy as we hear that ‘honesty is the best policy’. This means
that one, especially, the stronger party can still have the option of creating conditions
of conflicts and then resolving the same through the use of intimidation ,coercion or
threat of use of force as if the conflict is an opportunity to further its interests.
Obviously, when the above mentioned tools of conflict management are pursued as
3 Waheedud Din Khan: The Ideology of Peace (New Dehli, Good wards Books, 2002), p.42. 4 Ibid, p.43. 5 Quraan, (6), 152. 6 Quraan, (41), 34. 7 Quraan, (30), 60. 8 See reference No.2 above. 9 Quraan, (8), 60.
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mere policy and as means of necessity rather than moral vales and binding
principles, the resulting conditions and character are what should be called mere
utilitarianism and hypocrisy10. This mindset is the main hurdle in resolution of the
present day conflicts. But in Islam, the tools mentioned hereinabove for resolution of
conflicts are values in themselves and are elements of morality rather than necessity.
5.1.4 Islamic Perspective of Conflict Management:
For a sustainable conflict management, from the perspective of a stronger party to
the conflict, what is required, in terms of Islamic values, is one’s readiness to meet
out justice and fair-play even to the weaker one or to the enemy.11 From the
perspective of the weaker party, on the other hand, what is required is avoidance of
conflict, even at the cost of some waiver or compromise of one’s rights for avoiding
a bigger loss or sacrifice or wastage of meager resources in avoidable conflicts.12
This avoidance of conflict is not an act of cowardice or opportunism and lack of
bravery as some groups in Muslims would instantly dub it so. It is not ‘no action’ or
sitting idle either. Rather, it is a considered response instead of an emotional
reaction. The attitude is meant to avoid knee-jerk reactions by a party in a state of
material or technological weaknesses compared to stronger antagonist(s) and avoid
more loss of honor, dignity, property, lives and the mission itself in the end. This
attitude of avoidance has been encouraged and praised in the holy Quraan through
use of the terms “Iraaz” and Sabr (connoting avoidance and patience &
perseverance)13.The opposite – reaction to conflict(s) with out due preparation, non-
readiness to compromise short term gains for long-term success or/and making the
dispute a matter of ego- despite obvious odds & unfavorable comparison of human
& material resources, technology, unity, training, alliances - has been condemned in
a narration reported from the prophet(peace be upon him).On one occasion, the holy
prophet(peace be upon him) expressed pity for the one who disgraces himself. One
of the companions asked “O prophet of God, who disgraces himself”. The holy
prophet (peace be upon him) replied “the one who dose not have the power (and
10 Ibid. 11 Quraan, (5), 8. 12 As in the case of agreement of Hudaybia in which, apparently, unfavorable terms were accepted by the
prophet (peace be upon him). 13 Waheedud Din Khan: The True Jihad (New Dehli, Goodwards Books, 1999), p.15.
174
resources) to fight an enemy but (owing to his impulsive nature) he still chooses to
fight him and gets disgraced by the stronger enemy”14.
5.1.5 Considering the Collective and Long-term Impacts of the Conflict:
Whether a reaction (or avoidance of the same) to a situation leading to conflict,
would be an act of bravery & honor or stupidity & silliness depends on the likely
consequences of the reaction for the community. An action by an individual having
limited adverse consequences for individuals and no adverse consequences for the
collectivity may be categorized as bravery. On the other hand, action(s) of
individuals or a group of the community having serious adverse consequences for
the community and leading to further weakening of it or resulting in loss of
collective honor & dignity, property, lives or loss to the very mission of the
community can be called silliness, suicide or anything but bravery15. This distinction
is supported by historical evidence. It is reported that when Hazrat Umar (r.a)
decided to start journey of migration to Madina, he picked up his sword, made
circumambulations of the of the sanctuary of Kaba and announced loudly that
whosoever wants to make his children orphans or his wife as widow, may dare to
stop him. On the other hand, while migrating to Madina, the prophet (peace be upon
him) not only kept his plan of migration secret but also adopted the unfamiliar route
and stayed in the cave at mount ‘Thaur’ for three days to avoid hot pursuit by the
antagonists. Why this difference of actions by the holy prophet (peace be upon him)
and the second caliph? The difference of the two actions can be explained by the
probable difference of consequences of the two actions for the community of
believers. In the case of Hazrat Umar (r.a), the consequences of any adverse reaction
by the antagonists to his challenge would have been obviously limited to himself or-
at the most -to his family. That is why he was neither challenged nor pursued. On the
other hand, the designs of the antagonists with regard to the person of the holy
prophet (peace be upon him) were clear and, had he not taken the above mentioned
precautions, the antagonists would have made a united attempt to put their designs
14 Ibid, p.16. 15 Muhammad Ammar Khan Nasir: Islamic Concept of Jihad (Al Sahriah, Gujranwala, Pakistan, 2011),
p.243.
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into practice. Such an eventuality would have serious adverse consequences for the
person of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) and, consequently, for the whole
community of believers & their mission. Both the prophet (peace be upon him) and
the second caliph of Islam knew this distinction very well16. Thus, avoidance of
conflict under unfavorable circumstances (and sometimes even at the cost of
compromise) is an important instrument of strategy rather than a weakness or
cowardice. It is realism in practice.
5.1.6 The Nature follows the Avoidance Principle:
The ‘avoidance’ principle is followed in nature. A plant in the tender & nascent
stage does not offer resistance to a strong wind just to avoid being broken. Instead, it
bends with the wind. Only when it grows strong, it remains straight in the face of
wind. This has a lesson for human beings17. That is, one has to make adjustment
with the circumstances and continue efforts for gaining strength in the future to
withstand the resistance of the opposite forces.
5.1.7 The Prophetic Model of Conflict Management:
This aspect of Islamic practice of avoidance is exhibited in the migration of the holy
prophet (peace be upon him) and his companions to Madina from their home town
Makkah after their early efforts of perseverance and exercise of restraint, despite
clear acts of provocation & persecution by their antagonists in Makkah, could not
evoke any positive response from the enemies.
This exercise of restraint and avoidance of conflict was again exhibited by
the holy prophet of Islam (peace be upon) almost unilaterally in what is known as
“the truce of Hudaybia”.The “Hudaybia principle” or the “ Hudaybia Model” is
extremely important and relevant particularly for the Muslims in managing many of
the conflicts they are currently facing18.
16 Waheedud Din Khan: The True Jihad, op cit, p.26. 17 Waheeud Din Khan: Kitab e Zindagi (Urdu), (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer, 1998), p.63.
18 Waheedud Din Khan: The Ideology of Peace, op cit, p.49.
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5.1.8 Long-term Dividends of the Prophetic Model:
This Islamic principle of avoidance of conflict and exercise of patience &
perseverance has long-terms dividends19. Apart from avoiding waste of available
resources in useless conflicts, the observance of perseverance and patience,
especially by the weaker party, will also give him/it an opportunity to bide time for
preparation and pooling human, material and moral resources to create credible
deterrence in future and be better able to thwart aggression and prevent conflict .This
deterrence was achieved after the migration and establishment of Islamic state at
Madina as the companions became a power to be reckoned with20.
This move of buying peace on the part of the holy prophet (peace be upon him)
at the cost of unfavorable terms of the treaty for achieving bigger goals was
unprecedented and a matchless act of foresight, leadership and statesmanship21. The
prophetic foresight clearly saw, beforehand, the peace dividends and the
overwhelming benefits inherent in the treaty which were not visible to the
companions initially. The holy Quraan did not take much to declare the treaty to be
“a clear victory” for the Muslims.
The consequences of the treaty, especially those originating from the apparent
unfavorable terms, were simply mind-boggling and unexpected for the enemies of
Islam. The treaty paved the way for reducing the communication gap between the
two parties and reduced feelings of extreme enmity, hatred & bias created by
negative propaganda against Islam & the holy prophet (peace be upon him), carried
out by leaders of Quraysh for over two decades and the wars imposed by the them22.
Continual raids and threats of warfare had prevented the Muslims from pursuing
constructive missionary work. The necessary corollary of the treaty - enhanced
interaction between the two parties, peaceful exchanges of views and utilization of
increased opportunities of spreading the message of Islam in the periphery of Arabia
as well as outside Arabian peninsula - helped in allaying the misperception of non-
Muslims about the teachings of Islam and also exposed the hypocrisy and moral
19 Waheedud Din Khan: The True Jihad, op cit, p.35. 20 Ibid. 21 Ibid, p.36. 22 Ibid.
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weakness of the Quraysh leadership23. As soon as the holy prophet (peace be upon
him) returned from Hudaybia, he intensified missionary work in and around Arabia,
the groundwork having been done before. Now that peace prevailed, the message of
Islam started spreading like wildfire. People in their thousands, tribe after tribe,
thronged to join the fold of Islam. Islam began spreading beyond the borders of
Arabia too. Safe from the idolaters of Makkah, the holy prophet (peace be upon him)
was able to take action against, and drive out the Jews of Khyber, who had missed
no opportunity of helping the enemies of Islam in clear violation of an earlier treaty
namely “ Meethaq e Madina”. He also turned his attention to building up the
strength of Islam in Madina. The culmination came with in only two years of the
treaty of Hudyabia: the Quraysh surrendered with out even putting up a fight. There
was no further barrier now to the holy prophet (peace be upon him)’s triumphant
entry into Makkah. It was the deliberate imposition of an apparent humiliating
retreat from Makkah which had paved the way for a great victory24.
5.1.9 Lessons for the Present from the Migration & Hudaybiah Model:
We can learn many lessons from the “Hudaybiah Model” for avoiding and resolving
conflicts. People nowadays tend to resort to arms on the slightest provocation from
their enemies. When the losses of meaningless wars are pointed out to them, they
justify themselves by saying that they were not the aggressors; the enemy had
wickedly involved them in the warfare. This justification is fallacious. What they do
not realize is that non-violence does not mean remaining peaceful so long as no one
is acting violently towards you; it is to refrain from violence even in the face of
violence and to refuse to be provoked even in the face of provocation. If injustice,
persecution, aggression and provocation of the enemies are sufficient reasons and
justification for reaction on the part of Muslims, these were present in the thirteen
years at Makkah before the migration25. Why God Almighty did then direct the
Muslims to “lay their hands off” and observe patience? Why did then the holy
prophet (peace be upon him) encourage the companions to 1st migrate to Abyssinia
23 Ibid, p.37. 24 Ibid. 25 Dr.Ishtiaq Hussain Qureshi: Islam; The religion of Peace (Karachi, Royal Book Company, 1989),p. 97
178
and then to Madina instead of challenging their enemies through a fight? Why did
the holy prophet (peace be upon him) then chose to leave his home city and migrate
to Madina? Why did he keep his migration journey/plan secret and why did he adopt
the unknown route for the journey and stay three days in the cave? And, above all,
why did he accept unfavorable terms of the treaty despite the fact that these enemies
had been defeated in the earlier wars imposed by them and not initiated by the
Muslims? All these questions lead to two inescapable conclusions. One that, as for
as possible, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) would avoid conflict and wastage
of human and other resources in useless wars. Secondly, he would not engage even
in a justified war (after it has become unavoidable) with out due preparation and
planning. From the above it is evident that, deeply rooted though the antagonism of
one’s foes may be, one should not let their antagonism become either a stimulus or
vindication of one’s actions. To fight one’s enemies, especially when one is
politically, economically, and militarily/technologically weak, is no way to succeed
in life26. Only by avoiding conflict, can one consolidate one’s strength by
overcoming these weaknesses. Then by the deterrence of this strength alone will one
be able to overpower one’s foes. To fight at the slightest provocation, and ignore the
need to quietly build up one’s own strength, is to condemn one’s self to destruction
and disgrace as predicted by the holy prophet (peace be upon him)27. Such conduct
can never lead to success in this world of God. The holy prophet (peace be upon
him) achieved success by pursuing a policy of non-confrontation: how, then, can his
followers succeed by pursuing a policy of confrontation especially in a state when
they are weak in all spheres of importance? How can they be called his followers
when they are blind to his conduct and examples?
5.1.10 Sabr (Patience & Steadfastness) lies at the core of the Islamic Model
Closely associated with the principle of avoidance is Islam’s emphasis on patience.
The holy Quraan repeatedly stresses the need to observe patience. For example it
26 Waheedud Din Khan: The True Jihad, op cit, p.37. 27 Ibid.
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says “Endure with fortitude with whatever befalls you”28. Another verse says” have
patience. God is with those that are patient’29 and “Perdition shall be the lot of man
except for those who believe, do good works and exhort one another to justice and
fortitude”30.
Similarly the traditions of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) laid great
emphasis on the importance of patience. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) on
one occasion directed “Listen and obey and be patient”. In another narration he said
“God has commanded man to be patient and forgiving”. The holy prophet (peace be
upon him) & his companions always observed patience inspite of being persecuted
at the hand of the enemy. At the height of their persecution, they were told to “lay
their hands off” instead of confronting the persecutors. In pursuance of these
instructions of avoidance and patience, they chose not to react to the atrocities for
thirteen years while in Makkah. When avoidance and patience did not reduce their
persecution at the hand of the enemies, the companions, under instructions from the
holy prophet (peace be upon him), first migrated to Abyssinia & thereafter to
Madina. Finally, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) also migrated to Madina.
These were, thus, series of acts of avoidance of conflict and observance of patience.
These conscious acts not only helped avoid conflict which would have proved fatal
to the cause of the Islam but also to the very survival of it. These acts of avoidance
and patience also gave the Muslims the opportunity to consolidate their position,
bide time for gaining material and moral strength and form significant alliances in
the new state at Madina. Thus, with in a short period in Madina, they became a
formidable force to be reckoned with and they acquired deterrence so much so that
they were able to defeat the enemies in the battle of Badr, a year after migration. It is
thus true that avoidance of conflict and perseverance are the basis of Islamic
activism. Thus, no can be virtuous with out observing patience.
28 Quraan, (31), 17. 29 Quraan, (8), 46. 30 Quraan, (103), 1-3.
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5.1.11 Entitlement for Divine Succour:
By the 5th year of the prophetic mission, the conditions at Makkah had become
intolerable for many of the Muslims, as persecution by the Quraysh intensified. At
this time, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) advised his companions to migrate
to Abyssinia. The following was part of the advice:
“Disperse in the land: surely God will gather you once again31”
The above advice of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) was extremely
meaningful. What the advice amounts to is an exhortation by the holy prophet
(peace be upon him) to his followers that they should avoid confronting the enemy
for the present, but rather remove themselves from the line of fire. God Almighty
would then provide them with the means to vanquish the enemy; He would gather
them together so that they could come into their own once again32.
Those who pass this test of patience & perseverance would surely receive the
succour from God. As the holy prophet (peace be upon him) said: “there is ease
with hardship”33. Patience is the ladder by which one ascends to the Lord’s favour
and succour. It is with patience that we should respond to the difficulties of life, for
it is on the filed of human patience that divine succour descends. Our ability to face
hardship is a great potent, for it means that we are leaving our cause to God
Almighty. That is a signal for swift ending of our plight and the conversion of our
hardship into ease as the holy Quraan guarantees34.
5.1.12 Need for Internal Re-construction, Stability and Strength
Concluding Comments: If the holy Quraan is consulted with regard to the issue of
conflict, we find two main principles: finding a common ground in social and
worldly matters35 and following the principle of pragmatism for settling the
contentious matters by avoiding its theoretical aspects as envisaged in the verse of
31 Muhammad Yaseen Mazhar Siddiqui: Tareekh e Islam (Karachi, Royal Book House, 2002), p.107. 32 Ibid. 33 Quraan, (94), 5. 34 Muhammad Yaseen Mazhar Siddiqui: Tareekh e Islam, ibid, p.108. 35 Quraan, (3), 64.
181
the holy Quran saying, “To you your religion and to me my religion”.36 These two
principles ensure peaceful and religious co-existence.
In this era, Muslims find themselves in a fairly delicate and complex position;
they are continuously provoked and sucked in to confronting the other nations and
being the target of aggression and injustice37. From the points outlined hereinabove,
however, it is clear beyond any shadow of doubt that they must avoid of all forms of
conflicts in all situations. Given their present position compared to the adversaries, it
is advisable for them, at this stage, to observe patience and not to react to
provocations. Far from reacting to provocation, they need to realize that adopting the
option of observing patience & avoidance and maintaining peace will give them the
urgently required period of peace for engaging in earnest self-reconstruction, reform
and national build up.
Observing patience and maintaining peace does not mean that one can not
continue struggle for his rights. Obviously there will be situations & time when not
fighting will tantamount to suicide and cowardice. However, the decision to adopt
one option or the other is obviously dependant on a set of circumstances38. Model of
the holy prophet (peace be upon him) in this respect shows that the Muslims should
not do anything in a reactionary mode or on impulse. They must not rush blindly
into critical decisions, having far reaching implications for the lives and properties
of the public and the nation at large, with out due consideration to what the situation
demands and what would be the long term consequences of any decision. Most
people are of the view that today politics entail endless conflict with the rival(s).
However, the model of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) shows that real politics
is to defeat the rivals through peace diplomacy rather than fighting, so that the rivals
lose the ability to offer a fight, in the first place. The entire human history is
evidence to the established principle that peace, and not conflict & war, is
sustainable here in this age. Acting against this principle is like making a collision
against a concrete wall.
36 Quraan, (109), 6. 37 Akbar S. Ahmad: Islam under Siege, I.B Tauris (New York, London, 1999), p.8.. 38 Ibid, p.134.
182
The Muslims in this age need to attend to and focus fully on a comprehensive
internal reform & reconstruction, as the 1st priority. For this reform and
reconstruction to actualize, as an essential first step, they have to realize that it is,
primarily, their own below par performance in all critical areas in the present
competitive world which is at the core of their hardships more than the bias
&oppression of their enemies. For real and meaningful success in this process of
self-actualization and reconstruction, therefore, they have to understand the
importance of observing patience & restraint, especially when there are planned
provocations form their enemies and competitors. However, this realization will bear
fruits and dividends only if it is accompanied by readiness on our part for ignoring
the negative aspects of the issues and seeking the available opportunities. Adopting
another option will surely lead them farther down that path to self-destruction which
they seem to have been undergoing through on for quite a long time39.
39 Waheedud Din Khan: Kitab e Zindagi, op cit, p.112.
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5.2 GRADUALISM
5.2.1 Theory and Practice:
Gradualism is important in many respects. It gives the person practicing it the
opportunity of utilizing the available resources presently for achieving now part of
long-term objectives instead of doing nothing in waiting for the ideal or starting the
end action with out proper foundations. With this method, he provides foundation
for the ideal and the long-term goals. The method of gradualism appreciates regard
for distinction between what is ideal which should be a target for achievement in the
long-run and what is practicable & achievable in the given circumstances right at
this stage. This also has a regard for a psychological trait of individuals, developed
due to conditioning over time -taking time to imbibe a message or philosophy. This
also reduces the chance of psychological opposition or resistance to the intended
change exhibited by people to the long-term objectives due to human tendency of
their attachment with the status quo developed over time1. Thus, if due regard is not
made for this principle in the plans for effecting a long-term change, one may
become liable to face resistance from the target addressees and go further away from
his long-term goals.
5.2.2 The Practice of the holy Prophet (peace be upon him):
The method adopted for bringing about the change by the holy prophet (peace be
upon him) is also in accord with the time-tested principle of gradualism and easy
options in the nascent stage of a community’s formation and collectivity. A
volitional and gradual enforcement of moral values is more sustainable and
everlasting2.
The holy prophet (peace be upon him) believed in gradualism and incremental
improvement3. He not only considered it more akin to human nature and psyche but
also more practicable as well as sustainable. As has been mentioned by Hazrat
Ayesha (r.a), had the holy prophet (peace be upon him) not adopted the approach of
1 Waheeud Din Khan: Kitab e Zindagi (Urdu) (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer, 1998), p.115. 2 Nejatullah Siddiqui: Maqasasd e Shariah (Islamabad, Islamic Research Foundation, 2009), p.85. 3 Ibid.
184
gradualism in bringing about long term change in morals and characters of his
addressees, people would not be willing to imbibe the change.4
That is why he did not change the structure of the Kabaa according to the
foundations of prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) by considering that his
addressees may not be willing to accept this change.5 His approach of gradualism is
also visible in his saying that “He whose two days are alike is a loser”6.
5.2.3 Relationship with Idealism:
Idealism serves the purpose of reminding to the individual the importance of the
bigger objectives and the long-term goals. It also serves to help him to be consistent
in actions for achievement of those ideals. But sometimes, over-emphasis on it,
especially in adverse circumstances and in disregard for what is practically
achievable in the given circumstances, this noble idealism becomes hurdle in
achievement of the short as well as the long-term goals7. In stead of pursuing the un-
achievable and get disappointed or act aggressively, it is thus wise to adjust with and
being prepared to accept what is now achievable or practicable or what is lesser evil.
This wisdom is embodied in the principle of gradualism. The second caliph of Islam
Hazrat Omar (r.a) is reported to have said that ‘more wiser is not the one who
distinguishes good from evil but is actually the one who knows as to which of the
evils is the lesser one.8 The proper course is, thus, to strike a balance between
idealism and realism- to practice gradualism. That is, not to forego what is possibly
available right now, and not to forego or forget what is to be achieved in the long-
term- the ideal. If one is prepared to accept what is practically achievable in the
circumstances, he reaps two benefits-evaporation of the conflict involved and getting
spare time and resources for exploring the opportunities to build on it the future9.
Patience & perseverance is essential part of practicing gradualism.
4 Saheeh Bukhari (Lahore, Maktaba Rahmania, 1999). 5 Ibid, Vol 3, Narration No.2112, p.948. 6 Saheeh Bukhari, ibid, vol 1,310. 7 Waheeud Din Khan: Kitab e Zindagi, op cit, p.116. 8 Al Baqrat Al Islamia, p.505. 9 Op cit, p.116.
185
5.2.4 Gradualism is related to Perseverance:
The principle of gradualism in Islam is related to the Islamic concepts of
perseverance and avoidance of conflict also. One of the early verses of the holy
Quraan says that “with difficulty (or failure) is easiness (or success).” 10The concept
given in the verse is of paramount significance for success in the long-term. A close
reading of the verse indicates that the verse does not say that easiness or success is
after or following the difficulty (or failure).Rather, it says that the same is available
alongside this difficulty. This has a hidden wisdom. This means that when one faces
challenges or difficulty in a situation or finds his options closed in one field, he
should not react and get involved in conflict(s), wasting whatever time and resources
available to him. He should not become idle or get disappointed or feel frustrated
either. Rather, he should search for another option (or opportunity) in another area or
field which, the verse implies, is surely available. But this foresight of seeking
opportunities in challenges requires patience, perseverance and the ability to select
the correct field or area for one’s efforts and adopt the principle of gradualism-
incremental improvement or progress towards one’s mission or long-term
objectives11.
5.2.5 Various Instances of the prophetic Actions:
An important aspect of the public mission of the holy prophet (peace be upon him)
was a practical and gradual handling of every thing he intended to do. While
applying ideal and moral yardsticks, he would always take into consideration ground
realities. He would take every precaution in introducing the social reforms with
incremental approach based on gradualism. In today’s terminology, the approach
may be termed as evolutionary instead of revolutionary12. This principle of
gradualism was practiced by the holy prophet (peace be upon him) as narrated by
Hazrat Ayesha (r.a) as under:
“In the holy Quraan, initially the detailed chapters describing heaven & hill were
revealed. When peoples’ hearts get inclined towards Islam, the chapters relating to
what is allowed & what is forbidden were revealed. If in the initial stage, drinking
10 Quraan, (94), 5. 11 Op cit,p.117 12 Ibid.
186
liquor would have been forbidden, people would have said we would not desist from
the same and if in the initial stage adultery would have been forbidden, people
would have said we will not leave adultery”13
In the 8th year after the migration, after the conquest of Makkah, the capital of
Arabia-Makkah- came under the total control of the holy prophet. Still he made no
attempt at implementing the Islamic laws in the house of God in Makkah
immediately; whatever he did was done gradually. The supremacy of Islam and the
Muslims had got established & well entrenched in Makkah when the days of Hajj of
8th year after migration came. However, the holy prophet allowed it to be performed
in accordance with the old pre-Islamic ways. In the following year, the 2nd Hajj of
the Islamic era was performed with the non-believers adopting their own ways and
the Muslims with their own. Only in the 3rd year, the holy prophet (peace be upon
him) directed that this time Hajj would be performed fully in accordance with
Islamic injunctions14. This Hajj got famous as “Hajjatul Weda” – the farewell
pilgrimage of the holy prophet (peace be upon him).
It was instinctively abhorrent to the holy prophet (peace be upon him) that the
polytheists may visit the sacred Mosque and do their rituals of Hajj in accordance
with their polytheist ways which included nudity. However, notwithstanding the
strength he had acquired & assumed, he avoided to make a hurried attempt to
enforce the Islamic injunctions. Instead, he himself avoided to goto Makkah for Hajj
for 2 years after the conquest. “I would no like to go on a Hajj while the polytheist
come there and perform the rites of Hajj while naked” he is reported having said on
the arrival of the season for pilgrimage15.
This indicates that how much was the holy prophet (peace be upon) conscious
of introducing the reforms gradually. After he had assumed wielding power, even
then, he made no attempt at Islamic enforcement in a hurried manner; instead he let
the matters take their normal way, going ahead step-by-step until the set objectives
were achieved.
13 Saheeh Bukhari, ibid, Chapter on the compilation of Quraan, p. 14 Muhammad Taqi Ameeni: Shariat Mein Halat wo Zamana Ki Riayat (Urdu) (Lahore, Idara Saqafat e
Islamia, 1994), p.89. 15 Ibid.
187
After the start of the prophetic mission, the holy prophet (peace be upon him)
lived in Makkah for 13 years. However, in the entire period, he did not remonstrate
even once against the continuous desecration of the holy Kabaa16. He was not in any
hurry, even after the conquest of Makkah, to end the meaningless and frivolous
traditions. Rather, he bided time of 2 years, notwithstanding, that he had the ability
to take instant action. He introduced his envisaged reforms only in the 3rd year. This
strategy based on incremental change was consciously adopted17.
Another example of the holy prophet (peace be upon him)’s regard for the
principle of gradualism is explained herein below. Being heirs to the religion of
Abraham (peace be upon him), the people of Makkah had distorted the true religion
of Abraham (peace be upon him) and taken different types of innovative acts. For
example, in the age of Abraham (peace be upon him), Hajj would be performed in
the lunar month of Dhul Hijjah. As the lunar year is 11 days shorter than the solar
year, the month of pilgrimage would come in different seasons with rotation. This
rotation of pilgrimage in various months of solar years was against the economic
interests of Quraysh. They would desire that, every year, Hajj falls in summer and
towards that end they invented a technique called ‘nasi’18. The conquest of Makkah
happened in the month of Ramadan in the 8th year after migration. The holy prophet
(peace be upon him) had now assumed full control over all of the Arabia. He could
have banned immediately all the innovations of the Quraysh. However, he took his
time and waited for two years19. He chose to participate in the Hajj only in the 3rd
year after the conquest. This was the year when pilgrimage was performed on the
correct date of Dhul Hijjah, according to the method set by Abraham (peace be upon
him).
There was a profound reason for the prophet (peace be upon him)’s delay in
effecting the said change. When human beings adhere to their religious practices for
years and decades, they start considering them as sacrosanct and then face immense
hardship in altering their thinking. In just 2 years, the pilgrimage would come on the
16 Waheedud Din Khan: A study of the Seerah (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer), p.35. 17 ibid. 18 Waheedud Din Khan: A study of the Seerah, op cit, p.67. 19 Ibid.
188
day wanted by the holy prophet (peace be upon), therefore he avoided to take any
premature initiative as would have created an issue of the problem.
5.2.6 Advantages of the Gradualism Principle
The method of moving gradually has many advantages not likely to be found in
other methods. It secures successes in achievement of larger objectives. Those
adopting this method do not go ahead until they are dead sure that they have
consolidated what they have previously achieved. They do not let themselves to be
overwhelmed by their own zeal only. Rather, they take extraneous factors in to
consideration and proceed in harmony with the requirements of the time20. Besides,
this approach does not involve the chance to incur loss. Person seeking to acquire
too much in little time finally realizes that he will have to overcome numerous
hurdles before achieving something meaningful. Any attempt aimed at overnight
revolution has to end up in immeasurable losses of life & properties 21- making
amends for such imprudence could take decades.
Ensuring inward strength in the initial stage for a long-term and sustainable
reformation & change is at the core of the principle of gradualism and the prophet’s
methodology of revolution. The Islamic struggle starts with personal purification –
intellectual, moral and spiritual- of the community. When Islamic morality and
values penetrate deep in to the core of minds & hearts of people, their primary
concern is then to get the pleasure & forgiveness of God Almighty. They instantly
start moulding their faith, beliefs, desires, wishes, intentions and actions- there entire
being- according to the over-riding concern to avoid displeasing God Almighty.
Before calling others to their faith, they are first good Muslims selves22. The holy
Quraan says:
“Say ‘I was commanded to be the first to submit to Him.”23
The initial verses that were revealed, dealt with individual purification & reform.
These were followed by verses concerning development and changes in the social
conditions of the people. By making a comparison between this order and the
20 Waheedud Din Khan: Kitab e Zindagi, op cit, p.118. 21 Ibid. 22 Amin Ahsan Islahi: Tazkia Nafs (Lahore, Faraan Foundation, 1985), p.61. 23 Quraan, (6), 15.
189
methodology adopted by the prophet of Islam, Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall in
his introduction to the translation of the holy Quraan observes:
“The inspiration of the prophet progressed from inward things to outward things”24
People, generally, think that attacks on the external world are the most
valuable tasks in human life. However, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) has left
an altogether different lesson for us that, instead, one must first strive for
strengthening himself internally. Those who consolidate gradually on what they are
doing slowly and steadily become an irresistible power when they interact with and
confront the outside forces25.
5.2.7 Gradualism and gaining inner/internal Strength:
How is inward strength achieved by individuals, societies and nations? According
to the holy Quraan, it can be achieved through strong faith, righteous deeds and
permanent perseverance. Such kinds of traits, coupled with the policies of
perseverance and avoidance of conflicts, help immensely in consolidating internal
strength. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) exhibited a complete model for
cultivating such traits in individuals26. He refined such traits to a level that no one
could withstand the powers of his character. When the holy prophet (peace be upon
him) & his trained companions interacted with the external world, almost all of the
then known world surrendered to their characters. People surrendered and submitted
to their inspired characters because the powers of their personalities emanated from
with in and outside27.
Those bestowed with inner strength are essentially winners in the final
analysis. They take into consideration the negative factors emanating from others
while making decisions. As the opposition of their antagonists intensifies, they stand
firm on truth and righteousness with more vigour and determination.
24 Pickthall, the Glorious Quraan Muhammad Marmaduke, London, 1938.
25 Waheeud Din Khan: Kitab e Zindagi, op cit, p.119.. 26 Amin Ahsan Islahi, op cit, p.69. 27 Ibid.
190
5.2.8 Strict Observance of Gradualism Principle:
Through out his entire public mission, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) was
extremely cautious in taking any decision until he was quiet certain that he owned
the essential resources. The mother of the Muslims Hazrat Aayesha (ra.) tells that
how, when the holy prophet (peace be upon him) had collected thirty eight
companions around him, Abu Bakr (r.a) asked him to allow them to make thier
mission public. Abu Bakr ( r.a) was of this view that the holy prophet (peace be
upon him) & the companions should come out in the open, and preach their faith in
public. But the holy prophet (peace be upon him) said to him: “No Abu Bakr, we are
too few’28. The same matter occurred in the 6th year of the holy prophet (peace be
upon him)’s mission, when Hazrat Umar (r.a) accepted Islam. He protested to the
holy prophet (peace be upon him) “Why should we keep our Islam a secret, when we
are right. And why should others be allowed to publicize their faith, when they are in
the wrong?” The holy prophet (peace be upon him) gave him the same response
which he had given to Abu Bakr (ra.) some years ago: “We are too few, Umar”.
Until the holy prophet (peace be upon him) lived in Makkah, he observed restraint29.
After the emigration and consolidation of the Muslims ranks, when the armed
Quraysh set out to attack Madina to finish the Muslims and Islam, then permission
was granted to the companions to confront the Quraysh30.
In the 9th year after migration, a delegation of non-Muslims arrived from Taaif
in Madina. They accepted to convert to Islam under some quite unacceptable pre-
conditions. One of the condition denied the right of passing of the Muslim army
through their area; they were not prepared to pay their land tax; they sought
exemption from participating in Jehad; they also claimed exemption from saying
prayers and refused to accept any ruler who not hailing from their tribe. The holy
prophet (peace be upon him) agreed to all the conditions. The Muslims were
wonder-struck by the acceptance of all these conditions and their faith by prophet
(peace be upon him) with such contradictory reservations. But the holy prophet
28 Muhammad Taqi Ameeni, op cit, p.110. 29 Ibid. 30 Ibid.
191
(peace be upon him) looked ahead in to the future and allayed their reservations by
saying:
“Once they have submitted to God, they will, after a while, give alms and strive in
the path of God”31.
5.2.9 Merit and applicability of Gradualism principle in HRM
Concluding Comments: The Islamic principle of gradualism helps in focusing on
utilization of the resources and opportunities presently available for achievement of
the ideal and long-term goals. Change effected gradually is sustainable and more
lasting. It helps in gaining inner strength and avoiding loss of resources in conflicts.
This Islamic principle can be useful in achievement of the long-term goals with
involvement in conflicts.
The starting and critical point for Muslims getting deterrence and attend to
reconstruction is the frank acceptance of their backwardness in moral character and
science & Technology. After focusing on these aspects, they will be in a position to
take their first genuine step towards strengthening themselves for competing with
the world in the comity of nations.
31 Sunan Abu Daud (Karachi, Darul Ashaat, 2005), vol 1, p.298.
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5.3 REWARD AND COMPENSATION
5.3.1 The Basis:
The creation plan of the Almighty God is based on one of criteria of compensation for
righteous actions & punishment for bad actions committed in the worldly life. This
concept is clear from the following verses of the holy Quraan:
“Those who have done excellent works will get excellent reward (in the hereafter) and
even more than their merits: neither gloom nor disgrace will cover their faces. They
deserve the Garden, wherein they will live for ever. And those who have earned evil deeds
shall have recompense according to the evil they earned: disgrace shall cover them, there
shall be no one to protect them from God: there faces will be covered with such gloom as
if the black veils of the night had fallen over them: they deserve Hell, wherein they shall
abide for ever”1.
“Surely the righteous shall be in bliss, and the wicked shall go to Hell”2.
Man’ life consists of 2 broader stages, one in the present life and the other in the
hereafter which is not visible from here. The real test for human beings is to prefer
striving for the hereafter as compared to this world. However, this priority for the life of
the hereafter can be exhibited only by those who can rein in their egoistic impulses & base
wishes. This test for human beings necessitates freedom of conscience. It is for this reason
that human beings have not been burdened under any restriction as is the case with the rest
of the creations and universe3. The humankind has been given the freedom to conform to
the scheme of God Almighty, or to act in deviation from it. The final destiny of each
human being will be determined according to his own actions in accordance with the well
known principle of reward and punishment.
5.3.2 Rationale of Reward
Reward in its various forms is the result of good work or good deeds. It creates inspiration
and motivation for deeds and actions which result in facilitation & help of individuals and
groups. On it depends the human struggle for development in this world and the desire for
1 Quraan, (10), 26, 27. 2 Quraan, (82), 13, 14. 3 Quraan, (76), 3.
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a better place in the life to come4. It drives the positive side of competition for excellence
in all fields of life. Closely linked to the concept of reward is the concept of test and trial.
Life is one long trial. The great paradox is that while some enjoy life, others undergo
suffering. In reality, however, all are the same, for their actions are being scrutinized.
Everyone is being examined; it is only the conditions under which this examination is
being conducted that vary. God wants to see how man utilizes the power and freedom
with which man has been bestowed. If he is realistic, he will submit to God. Otherwise,
deluded by his apparent freedom, he will continue in his rebellious way.
The manner in which people respond to various situations which confront them in
life will determine their eternal abode5. Those who create disorder, meet out injustice,
disgrace human beings, show arrogance & vanity, usurp peoples’ rights, exhibit cruelty,
prejudice & bias and oppress the weak will surely be punished in hell6. On the other hand,
paradise is for those who have power, but disclaim all pretence to it; who fear God though
they are in a position to do the opposite; who have the chance to attach importance to
themselves, but refrain form doing so, putting God first. They have opportunity to oppress
and exploit people, but fear of God and love of humanity prevent them from doing so. At
times, they feel tempted to indulge in anger, hate and revenge, but patience cools their
anger and forgiveness obliterates any hostility and vengeance (which stirs in their hearts).
Every thing man experiences in this world -be it power or weakness, wealth or
poverty- is a test & trial. Worldly triumph is no cause to rejoice; nor should worldly loss
cause one grief. Both the winners and losers are being tested to see how they behave in
their respective situations. It is on the basis of this behaviour that they will be judged fit
for either heaven or hell.
Essentially, the doctrine of Islam-submission- is based on the principles of :
1. Unity of command-single authority
2. Accountability
3. Code of conduct
The present world has been created for strenuous actions and tough competitions in all
walks of life. No noble status can be thought of with out proving one’s self better than
4 Derek Torrington, Laura Hall, Stephen Taylor, Human Resource Management (FT, Prentice Hall), p610. 5 Amin Ahsan Islahi, op cit p.110.. 6 Ibid.
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others in terms of one’s deeds and their implications for the society. Every successful
venture requires keen interest and tiring hard work from start through to the end.
Reward is a desirable outcome resulting from a desirable attitude7. The reason of
reward is to recognize the good performance, to encourage hard work, sincerity, to
motivate people for acquiring the right skills and behaviour8. In Islamic perspective, no
good work or deeds should go unrewarded positively9. Therefore, the compensation
should match with performance.
The second caliph of Islam would fix high salaries for public functionaries so that
they are not inclined towards corruption and misuse of authority10. This would serve as a
catalyst for enhancing motivation and commitment among employees for saving state
interests. There would be a reasonable increase in salaries based on seniority and
performance11. This was instrumental in retaining of employees and reduce turnover.
5.3.3 Merit of Islamic Concept of Reward in HRM
Concluding Comments: The concept of reward and punishment is not restricted to the
hereafter; it is also applicable to worldly matters. That is why it has been adopted not only
by the states and other forms of human collectivities but also by the organizations for
better management of the human resource and achievement of the organizational goals.
For effectiveness of the rules for reward and punishment, however, there has always been
felt the need to enhance effectiveness of the rules of reward & punishment through
voluntary compliance with these rules rather than enforcement through the coercive
mechanism. For this, training in moral vales is very important, that is why Islam
emphasizes the aspect of the spirit more than the form through urging people to adopt
attitude of fear of God (Taqwa), purification of the soul (Tazkiah) and -most important of
all- the concepts of perfection of one’s deeds & acts (Ihsaan) and doing non-reciprocal
goodness to people.
7 Derek Torrington, Laura Hall, Stephen Taylor, ibid. 8 Ibid. 9 Quraan, (18), 30. 10 Shibli Numaani, Alfarooq (Lahore, Maktaba Rahmania, 1990), p.194. 11 Ibid, p.252.
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5.4 LEADERSHIP
5.4.1 Leadership Defined:
Simply interpreted, leadership means getting things done from people out of their volition
or through using of authority when it is exercised in some hierarchy or influencing people
to follow. It may originate from some position, or individual learning, skills and wisdom.
It may have its base in a functional person or may be a reflection of behavioral pattern. Its
scope includes the role of persons’ capacity in achieving productive outcome from other
people1. Effective leadership can not exist with out complete participation, initiative & co-
operative assistance of the employee. Therefore, a person can not be a great leader with
out great followers2. Some others define leadership as the process of influencing a group
towards the achievement of goals3.
Some define leadership as the capacity of persuading other persons for
achievement of the defined objectives willingly with motivation. The above definition
indicates that leader is more than just a manager. W.G Bennis4 gives the following
differences between the characteristics of a leader and a manager:
S No. Manger’s Characteristics Leader’s Characteristics
1 Administering Innovating
2 Copy Original
3 Maintaining the status quo Developing something new
4 Focusing on the system and
structure
Focusing on People
5 Relying on Control Inspiring Trust
6 Tunnel viewing (limited) Long-term perspectives with
creative vision
7 Asking how & when (short
term results)
Asking What & Why( justification
and rationale )
1 Laurie J. Mullins, Management and Organizational Behavior, 4th Ed, Pitman Publishing London, 1996,
p.246. 2 Fred Luthans, Organizational Behavior, 10th Ed, (New York, Mc Graw Hill Irwin, 2005), p.546. 3 S.P.Robbins, Mary Coulter, Management, 7th Ed, (Pearson Education Inc, India, 2002), p.458. 4 Fred Luthans, Organizational Behavior, op cit.
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8 Eyeing the Bottom-lines Eyeing the Horizon
9 Imitating Originating and creating
10 Accepting the Status Quo Challenging the Status Quo
11 Classic nice soldiering Being independent
12 Doing things right Doing the right things
Any organization with good managers and poor leaders can maintain the status
quo, but can not attain higher levels of performances. The above shows that an individual
can be a leader with out being a manager and a manager with out being a leader. Apart
from influencing, leadership is also defined in term of processes of groups, personalities,
compliance, special behaviors, the ability to persuade, goals achievement, interaction, &
Role Differentiation, initiating structures,& combining of 2 or more of such
characteristics5.
5.4.2 Ingredients of Leadership:
Briefly stated, the basic ingredients of leadership are as under:
(1) Power: Power is the capacity of an individual or group towards inducing or
influencing the conviction or action of other person or group. There are five
bases of power, that is, legitimate power, co-ercive power, reward power, expert
power and the referent power6.
(2) Authority: It refers to the rights emanating from a managerial position
regarding giving of orders and expecting obeying of these orders. For facilitating
co-ordination, each managerial position, is assigned a position in the chain of
command and each manager is bestowed with some degree of authority for
meeting his or her responsibility7.
(3) Peoples’ Understanding: The 2nd ingredient of leadership is the basic ability of
persons to choose the right man for the right job. Like the difference between
persons having knowledge of theory & practices respectively, it is one thing to
understand motivation theory, types of motivation forces, and the characteristics
5 Ibid. 6 Hein Weirich, Harold Koontz, Management: A Global Perspective, 10th Ed, p.491. 7 Stephen P. Robins, op cit, p.417.
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of a system of motivation, but altogether another to have the ablility to apply this
understanding to peoples and situations8.
(4) Inspiring the Followers: The 3rd ingredient of leadership is the not-so-common
capacity of inspiring followers to apply their full abilities to the task or
assignment. While the utility or using of a motivator relates to a subordinate &
his needs, inspiration originates from the head of a group or a leader. Because of
the quality of inspiration, the leaders have the charms & appeals which yields
loyalty, commitment, and a strong will in the followers to promote the desires of
their leaders. The inspiration is beyond satisfying of the needs and is, in fact, the
trait created in the followers enabling them to give their fullest support to a
chosen champion9.
(5) Leader’s Style and Climate of Work: The 4th ingredient of leadership concerns
the style of the leaders and the environment they develop. The forces of
motivation impinges on expectancies, attached rewards, the levels of efforts
considered to be necessary, the tasks to be completed, & other critical aspects as
are part of the environment, as well as the culture of the organization.
Significance of the aforementioned aspects has given rise to variety of researches
on leadership’s behaviors & the development & evolution of a numbers of
theories.
(6) Consideration: Consideration refers to the leaders’ inherent trait in developing
the two way respect, trust & takes into consideration the concerns of all members
of the group- their needs & desires-for building confidence and loyalty. From the
Islamic perspective, both leaders & mangers are required in today’s
organizations.
(7) Recognition and Credit: Success of organization also requires that deserving
people are duly praised and appreciated. Granting due recognitions & credits
when they are due and letting people realize that they will be duly appreciated is
the quality of leadership. More often than not, managers fail to appreciate good
8 Ibid. 9 Ibid.
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work timely but are quick to criticize on mistakes. Appreciation and encouraging
remarks on good work done serves as a powerful motivator.
(8) Fair and Equitable Treatment: treating all people fairly and according to merit
is important trait of leadership. Fairness to all employees enhances motivation,
loyalty and commitment of the employees and their ownership of the leadership
decisions and organizational objectives.
5.4.3 Leadership in Islam:
Leadership in Islam is considered as Trust (Amanah) of God Almighty. It is like a
covenant and solemn pledge from a leader towards the followers that he will strive his
best in guiding them, protecting them & treating them fairly & justly. Thus, the
emphasis of leadership in Islam is on taking the authority as sacred trust and being a
will-wisher and helper of the followers.
In the Islamic perspective, every man is like a shepard of a flock of cattle, and acts
in the authority of a leader10. The concept of leadership is very significant in Islamic
teachings. Muslims have been directed to elect a leader & obey him. The holy prophet
directed:
“When three are on a journey, they should appoint one of them as their leader”11
According to the holy prophet (peace be upon him), Muslims ought to assign
responsibilities to a leader in a journey, choose a leader (imam) for leading the prayers
and elect a leader for regulating other collective activities. The husband acts as the
leader of the family in home. The wife acquires the role of a leader of the family
when her husband is not present12.
Leadership is the capability to look beyond visible & known limits, and to bring
solutions to the problems which can not be visualized by ordinary people. The leader
ought, therefore, to clarify & translate his vision for every one to understand and
follow.13 According to another definition, leadership is the process through which the
10 Saheeh Bukhari (Lahore, Maktaba Rahmania, 1999), Narration No.3733 11 Sunan Abu Daud (Karachi, Darul Ashaat, 2005), chapter 933, Narration No. 2602. 12 Rafik I .Beekun & Jamal Badawi: Leadership; An Islamic Perspective (Beltsville, Maryland, Amnana
Publications, (1999)), p.3. 13 Murad, Khurram (1996): Islamic Movement Theory and Practice, Young Muslims, UK, talk 9.
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leader achieves the voluntary compliance & participation of his followers with a view
to achieving goals of the organization.14The holy Quraan says:
“Let there be no compulsion in religion. Truth stands out clearly from error; whoever
rejects evil and believes in God has grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold that
never breaks and God hears and knows all things”15
The above quoted verse indicates that leadership is a social exchange process. As
the ideologue & visionary of the organization, the leader has to put across his vision in
a clear & convincing manner with out any ambiguity and loopholes. The followers, on
the other hand, have to own the same and be willing to put their hearts and souls in
realizing the vision. In this two way process, the leader acts as a visionary, a catalyst, a
coach, a mentor & a role model. He must remember that he can not expect others to
reform themselves through use of coercion or intimidation. They must desire to reform
voluntarily. God Almighty gives this dimension of volitional reform of individuals’
behavoiur such a great importance that it is emphasized in another verse implying that
there is no compulsion in religion16.
As a general rule, Islam does not encourage Muslims to seek any position of
authority. Striving for a place of authority may mean that the person is very much
interested in the position for advancing his own selfish ends or for some personal
aggrandizement.17 However, when a man finds a situation going towards a collective
crisis or disaster, and he has got the skills needed to assist others in such a situation, he
may try for a specific position with a view to providing the needed help. In fact, the
prophet Joseph (peace be upon him) sought such a status while making the following
request to the king:
“Set me over the houses of the land: I will indeed guard them as one that knows (their
importance)”18
It is noteworthy that Umar (r.a) used to pay state officials high salaries. By meting
out equitable justice to all the state employees and the public at large, he became
14 Schriescheim, C.A, Toliver, J.M, and Belhing, O.C.(1978): Leadership Theory, Some Implications for
Managers, Summer(26):35. 15 Quraan, (2), 256. 16 Quraan, (10), 99. 17 Saheeh Muslim, Darul Ashaat, Karachi, 2005, vol 3, p.785. 18 Quraan, (12), 55.
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famous as the most outstanding Islamic leader19. Islam tends to recognize the legality
& rationale of using coercive means of compliance for enforcing its collective
injunctions by the state organs: but, alongside, it makes this explicitly clear that the
follower public can refuse to obey the coercive means & instruments of a leader under
certain pressing conditions.
Ethical charismatic leaders utilize the means of power at their disposal for the
good of humanity, they learn from their critics, strive to transform their followers in to
leaders, and depend on an internal ethical & moral standard. The holy prophet (peace
be upon him) was an ethical charismatic leader. Urwa Ben Masud (r.a) was sent by the
Quraysh at the time of Hudaybia to the holy prophet (peace be upon him) to settle the
situation. When he returned he observed:
“I have to Chosroes in his kingdom, Caeser in his kingdom, and the Negus in his
kingdom, but never have I seen a king among a people like Muhammad among his
companions. I have seen a people who will never abandon him for any reason; so
form your opinion”20
5.4.4 Two Primary Roles of a leader in Islam:
In Islamic teachings, the leader serves as well as he guides his followers.
5.4.4.1 Servant-leader:
Leaders act as servants to their follower public. They seek their welfare & lead them
towards progress, development, protection and towards enjoining goodness. The holy
prophet (peace be upon him) says:
“The leaders of the people are their servants”21
“A ruler who has been entrusted with the affairs of the Muslims, but makes no
endevour (for their material and moral upliftment) and is not sincerely concerned (for
their welfare) will not enter Paradise”22
The second caliph of Islam Umar (r.a) once gave a long sermon from the pulpit, the
last sentences of which are thus:
19 Afzal Rahman: Muhammad as a Military Leader (Lahore, Islamic publications, 1990), p.83.. 20 Ibn e Ishaq, p.503, as reported by Afzal Rahman, (1990) in ‘Muhammad as a Military Leader’, (Lahore,
Islamic publications, p.67. 21 Jalalud Din Sayyuti, Al Jame Al Sagheer, Darul Qalam, 1966, p.175. 22 Saheeh Muslim (Karachi, Darul Ashaat, 2005), chapter 44, Narration No. 264, Vol 1, p.82.
189
“Muslims! I am not a king to make you slaves as I am my self a slave of God, although
I have been burdened with the responsibility of caliphate. I would be fortunate if I do
deeds which may enable you to sleep in your houses peacefully. And I would be
condemnable if I wish you to pay visits at my house door. I want to persuade you
through deeds rather than words”23.
5.4.4.2 Guardian-leader:
The example of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) emphasizes a 2nd important
responsibility of a Muslim leader: to save the collectivity and the public from tyranny
& oppression, to imbibe and impart a God-conscious and God-fearing attitude in the
followers and to promote justice, equity & transparency.
“All of you are guardians and are responsible for your wards. The ruler is a guardian
and the man is guardian of his family; the lady is a guardian and responsible for her
husband’s house and his offspring , and so all of you are guardians and responsible
for your wards”24
5.4.5 Taqwa, Ihsaan, Justice and Public Service are the main Ingredients in
Islam:
Leadership in Islam centers on serving the public25. For a leader in Islam, God-fearing
attitude (Taqwa) is a must. Taqwa is an all-entailing, internal sense of a man’s duty
towards God Almighty and the realization of his accountability towards Him & the
public26. It restrains a Muslim leader from acting immorally –while interacting with
the collectivity & community, the customer, the supplier, or with any body else. The
behaviour of such people has been admired in Quraan27. Beyond Taqwa, the require
attitude is Ihsaan28. Whereas Taqwa is the fear of God, Ihsaan is the abundance of
feelings of love for Him. The emotions of love for Him motivate the Muslims to strive
towards attainment of pleasures of God. In Islamic teachings, leaders must observe
the requirements of justice29. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) clarified that
under no circumstances, justice should be compromised by individual interests or any
23 Shibli Numaani: Alfarooq (Lahore, Maktaba Rahmania, 1990), p.108. 24 Saheeh Bukhari, ibid, vol 2, p. 128. 25 Quraan, (21), 73. 26 Quraan, (2), 2-5. 27 Quraan, (16), 90. 28 Quraan, (), 146-8. 29 Quraan, (4), 58.
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other consideration. The holy Quraan links the concept of trust (Amana) to
leadership.30 Thus any decision of the leader must be judged by this concept. Wasting
time or public assets or resource in the performance of one’s duties should be taken as
violation of this trust.
5.4.6 The Essential Traits of a Leader in Islam:
1. Honesty:31This is emphasized in the following narration reported by a companion:
“ I heard the messenger of God say: whoso from you is appointed by us to a position
of authority and he conceals from us a needle or something smaller than that, it would
be misappropriation ( of public money) and he will have to produce it on the day of
judgment”32
2. Trust and Credibility: “Another principle which should attract our attention is that
the leader (ruler) should never lose trust and credibility with the community or the
public. If he deceives and cheats the people and feeds them on falsehood and lies,
he loses his respect and credibility. In such a case, since they do not trust their
leaders they feel reluctant to make any sacrifice for the leader (ruler) or the
organization (state)”33. It is useful to refer to the meticulous care demonstrated by
the holy prophet (peace be upon him) during his last night stay in Makkah for
returning the moneys of the enemies.
3. Competence34
4. Having a vision35
5. Inspiration36
6. Strength of character37
7. Patience38
8. Humility39
9. Kindness and magnanimity. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) said:
30 Quraan, (12), 54. 31 Quraan, (28), 26. 32 Saheeh Muslim, ibid, Narration No.4514. 33 Afzal Rahman, ibid, p.63. 34 Quraan, (28), 14.. 35 Rafik I .Beekun & Jamal Badawi, op cit, p110. 36 Ibid. 37 Quraan, (28), 26. 38 Quraan, (2), 155. 39 Quraan, (25), 63.
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“Avert the infliction of prescribed penalties on Muslims as much as you can, and if
there is any way, let a man go for it is better for a leader to make a mistake in
forgiving than to make a mistake in punishing40”.
10. Modesty and Simplicity. This is exhibited by the holy prophet (peace be upon him)
and the four rightly guided caliphs41.
11. Responsibility: This is shown by the prophet (peace be upon him) & the four
rightly-guided caliphs by exhibiting their extreme concern for justice and care of
the public at large. The second caliph of Islam Umar (r.a) is reported to have said:
“Even if a dog dies of hunger at the bank of Nile, the ruler is responsible for it”42.
12. Good leaders are good followers43.
13. They mobilize, develop and organize followers with effective communication44.
14. They perform these functions with the following principles:
(i) Reaching out to everybody45.
(ii) Accepting the verbal commitment of others to Islam at face value46.
(iii) Welcome even sinners and try to improve and develop them47.
(iv) Repelling evil with goodness48.
(v) Use an incremental approach and principle of gradualism49.
(vi) Allocate assignments according to each person’s capability50.
(vii) Exhibit patience and humility51.
(viii) Exhibit forgiveness and mercy52.
(ix) Make decisions by seeking consultation53.
40 Jama e Tirmazi (Karachi, Darul Ashaat, 2005), Narration No.3570. 41 Azra Nasim Farooqui: Purification of Soul (Islamabad, Dawa Academy, International Islamic University,
2004), p.34. 42 Muhammad Hussain Haykal: Umar Farooq (Urdu) (Lahore, Ilm o Irfan publishers, 2004),p.626. 43 Rafik I .Beekun & Jamal Badawi, op cit. 44 Ibid. 45 Ibid. 46 Ibid, p.111. 47 Ibid. 48 Quraan, (41), 34. 49 Muhammad Taqi Ameeni: Shariat Mein Halat wo Zamana Ki Riayat (Urdu), Idara Saqafat e Islamia,
Lahore, 1994, p.89. 50 50 Saheeh Bukhari, Maktaba Rahmania, Lahore, 1999, vol 1, 673. 51 Quraan, (3), 146. 52 Quraan (42), 40. 53 Quraan (42), 38 and (3), 159.
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(x) Encourage teamwork54.
(xi) They develop followers by coaching, mentoring, supporting, delegating55.
5.4.7 Islamic Leaders create Dynamic Followers and also Leaders:
The second caliph of Islam in his reign of over 10 years did not command his army
physically even once, but owing to his dynamic leadership qualities, his army, though
engaged on several fronts, would feel his presence as if they were physically commanded
by him56. Through training and leading by example, he had made his followers
exemplary, having superb leadership qualities.57
He would observe the life style of an ordinary person. In the year of famine when his state
faced acute shortage of food, he took oath not to eat meat and ghee till the end of the famine
and would say: ‘How can I know the hardship of the public at large unless I also go through
the same conditions as are faced by people’58. He fulfilled his oath till the end of the
famine. He kept fasting, denied himself food and, in the process, got so weakened that
people started saying that if God Almighty does not end the famine, the caliph would die for
the sake of the people59. In the whole of the period of famine, he would not take meal in his
house but would rather take it with the people so as to observe equality and enhance
solidarity60. He would observe so strictness in taking something from the public treasury for
his personal needs that sometimes it would become very painful. Once he got sick and was
advised to take some honey which was not available in his home. On the pulpit of the
mosque, he sought approval from the people for its use which they gave61. He would be
stricter with his relatives compared to other people so that people do not find any excuse for
violation of rules62. He used to say that the responsibilities of the state functionaries are
more than the public and that if they are not properly controlled, then they are most likely to
54 Quraan (16), 68-69. 55 Rafik I .Beekun & Jamal Badawi, op cit, p.113. 56 Shibli Nomaani, Alfarooq (Lahore, Maktaba Rahmania, 1990), p.180, 257. 57 Ibid, p.260. 58 Muhammad Hussain Haykal: Umar Farooq (Lahore, Ilm o Irfan publishers, 2004), p.350. 59 Ibid, p.351. 60 Ibid. 61 Ibid.p.611. 62 Ibid, p.618.
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engage in atrocities and injustice63 and would used to say: “There is no deviation among the
public when their leaders tread on the right path”64.
5.4.8 Merit of Islamic concept of Leadership
Concluding Comments: One of the major crises that face Muslim societies is the
leadership crisis65. Muslim leaders have failed in providing & creating conditions for
flourishing of justice, fairness, accountability, balance (Ihsaan), learning (Ilm), trust and
Integrity (Amanah) in their societies66. They do not lead by example as they lack the vision
and character to do so. This concept of lack of leadership qualities among Muslims’
organizations & societies and the relevance of the Islamic leadership for motivating and
inspiring employees and public at large for achieving organizational goals is also verified
from results of analysis made on the responses to questionnaires in Section 6.1 of Chapter
Six.
63 Ibid. 64 Ibid.
65 Akbar S. Ahmad: Islam Today (London, New York, I.B Tauris, 1999), p.104. 66 Ibid, p.106.
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5.5 TEAM WORK
5.5.1 The Necessity:
Introduction: Sometimes it is not possible to achieve long term objectives with out the
help and involvement of fellow human beings. In such a situation, it is essential that one
develops the capability to inculcate the team spirit in all members of a group. Especially,
in environments of tough competitions, it is imperative for the leaders and mangers to
bring and inspire other competent persons together so as to add a significant contribution
& value to their output1.
5.5.2 Islam and Team Work:
The making of honey is a complicated and laborious work. A host of bees join together to
prepare & produce honey through consistent efforts2. This is because there is only a small
quantity of honey available in one flower. For producing sufficient quantity of honey, the
bees collect nectar from numerous kinds and numbers of flowers. In some cases, honey
bees travel as far as 300,000 miles so as to prepare just a meager one pound of honey. As
the life-span of a bee does not exceed a few months, no single bee can prepare this
quantity in its entire life, not even if it utilizes every moments of its life collecting nectar
from flowers3.
For overcoming this problem, they have discovered a solution. They perform this
task through co-ordinated and collective actions as they can not do it alone. As a single
bee can not travel the requisite long distances or suck the variety of flowers required to
prepare a significant quantity of honey, they have overcome this difficulty by working
collectively in teams and groups.
Why the bees have adopted such a long and complicated way of preparing honey?
Why God Almighty did not place sufficient reserve of honey in the earth in the same
manner as He has stored abundant petrol & water underground? He could do it indeed, but
He has ordained matters in the way they are, for the reason that the human beings may
think and ponder for learning myriad lessons from the sign of God’s creations4. This
shows the importance and usefulness of team work.
1 Nick Wilton, An Introduction to Human Resource Management (Sidney, SAGE Publications,, 2010), 345. 2 Waheeud Din Khan: Kitab e Zindagi (Urdu) (Lahore, Darut Tazkeer, 1998), p.112. 3 Ibid. 4 Ibid.
195
The holy Quran contains this illuminating insight into the life and work of bees to
highlight the importance of team work and reward for and blessing in a joint struggle:
“Your lord inspired the bee to build its home in the mountains, in the trees, and in the
hives which men make for it. Then to drink nectar from every kind of fruit and follow the
paths made smooth by the Lord. From its belly comes out a drink of many hues wherein is
healing for men. Surely in this there is a sign for those who ponder”5.
The way of the honey bees shows the importance of discipline, division of labour,
unity, solidarity, team work, hard work, organization, co-ordination, harmony, and sense
of sacrifice, co-operative spirit and a sense of purpose6. For efficient and effective conduct
of societal norms & ethos, humankind needs to model their social livings along almost the
same patterns that the bees follow, although according to distinct set of circumstances.
The holy Quraan refers to this consistent and organized action as a method designed by
divine guidance. The prophetic emphasis on appointment of a leader among more than
two persons also underline the importance of team work. The holy prophet (peace be upon
him) directed:
“When three are on a journey, they should appoint one of them as their leader”.7
According to the holy prophet (peace be upon him), Muslims should choose a
leader in a journey, elect a leader (imam) for leading the prayers, and also chose a leader
for other collective responsibilities. In home, the husband acts as the leader of the family.
The wife acquires the status of a leader in the house in case the husband is not present
there8. This tradition also emphasizes the importance and usefulness of creating and
maintaining team work.
There are certain functions in life which can be performed in less time alone.
However, there are other functions which can not be performed by one person all alone.
The only method for performing these functions is by replicating the technique of the
bees- that of joint efforts or through the team work. But joint efforts can succeed only by
readiness of the team members for sacrificing their interests and egos for larger goals of
the team. Members of the group must exhibit patience to one an other, placing the needs
5 Quraan, (16), 68,69. 6 Waheeud Din Khan: Kitab e Zindagi, op cit. 7 Sunan Abu Daud (Karachi, Darul Ashaat, 2005), chapter 933, Narration No. 2602. 8 Rafik I .Beekun & Jamal Badawi: Leadership; An Islamic Perspective (Beltsville, Maryland, Amnana
Publications, 1999), p.3.
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of the organization and their colleagues before their own, thinking of the good of others
and organization. It is through the spirit of sacrifice and good grace of the individuals that
there can be such a thing called the ‘team work’9. For the team to achieve the assigned
tasks, there is a need for inculcating in the people the desire and ability to work in a spirit
of unity despite differences among team members. The determination of sacrificing one’s
personal preferences & interests for long term progress of the organizations needs to be
encouraged. Both the employees & management are to work together with full harmony10.
No disruption of the unity and discipline should be allowed to happen at any phase of the
task achievement. Group harmony is a value which should be an essential element of the
entire core of organizational culture & working procedures11. Not for individual glory or
personal advertisement. For a meaningful teamwork, unity & harmony among the
members of the team is essential. Now there would always be differences between human
beings-the members of the team. Even if the team members are united, it does not mean
that there are no differences at all. In fact, unity results from integration and harmony, not
with out differences but with differences12.
Islam’s preference for team work is also indicated from its emphasis on maintaining
unity and avoiding conflicts13.
The companions of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) evinced an exemplary unity
that enabled them to bring about a great revolution through out the world. However, their
unity was not of the sort that recognized no differences. There were, indeed, considerable
differences among them, both on religious and worldly matters. But inspite of all such
personal differences, they were united on the central cause of promoting and
communicating Islam14.
5.5.3 Importance of Solidarity and Sense of Sacrifice for Effective Team Work:
“Unity in diversity”, the watchword of national integration, implies in practice the
greatest sacrifice a human being can make. This sacrifice requires the vast generosity that
includes individual tolerating loss for the good of his organization and the team members.
9 Mike Millmore, Strategic Human Resource Management; Contemporary Issues (Financial Times, Prentice
Hall, 2007), p.534. 10 Ibid. 11 Ibid. 12 Waheeud Din Khan: Kitab e Zindagi, op cit, p.124. 13 Quraan, (3), 103. 14 Prof. Rasheed Ahmad: Political Ideas of Muslims (Lahore, Idara Saqafat e Islamia, 2008), p.49.
197
It calls for the courage to recognize the excellence of others, despite personal differences.
It demands that one be selfless enough to bow to men of higher qualities and capabilities,
and that one be exalted enough in character to submit to the opinion of others. Voluntary
self-sacrifice goes hand in hand with good-heartedness. It means offering the best seat to
another, standing aside while others forge ahead, and remaining in obscurity so that others
may stand in the limelight. Such individual sacrifice is the bedrock of collective unity and
team spirit. The most frequent reason for the lack of unity in a team, or social organization
for that matter, is the lack of a great common purpose among the team members. The
moment a great goal emerges before them, they will themselves withdraw from their petty
disputes and will thus achieve greatness of an overarching unity15.
Humility is the foundation of unity. If each member of a group or a team or the society
at large gives priority to the interests of others, then there will be lesser occasions of
frictions and serious disagreements because the lack of unity, more often than not,
originates from the attitude of putting one’s self foremost over others and desire that he &
his preferences must be accorded priority and primacy, irrespective of the prevailing
conditions. If people stop considering themselves superiors, most of the quarrels will
vanish instantly16. This trait of humility & sense of sacrifice for maintenance of unity and
discipline was exhibited by the companions, especially the four rightly guided caliphs. It
is also noteworthy that when one of the renowned general of Islam, Khaled Ben Waleed
(r.a) was removed from command of the Muslim army by the second caliph, although not
on the basis of misuse of authority or corruption, but to serve as a general lesson of
strength of Islam rather than individual persons, Khalid did obey the orders
wholeheartedly and served as an ordinary soldier under the new commander.17
When people interact closely with one another, clashes of view points or interests
would happen to surface in an organization or a society. With this, the complex of one’s
being superior than others may appear. In such a situation, every body starts feeling sure
that his view point is perfect, that his rights prevails over other’s, and that his interests
ought to be saved come what may. Such kinds of considerations separate people from
15 Rehan Ahmad Yusufi, Ishraq (monthly), September, 2011(Karachi, Inzaar Publications), p.23. 16 Waheeud Din Khan: Kitab e Zindagi, op cit, p.126.. 17 Muhammad Hussain Haykal: Umar Farooq (Urdu) (Lahore, Ilm o Irfan publishers, 2004), p.456.
198
each other. This gives rise to the lack of harmony in the group and friction would surely
increase if all the members of group show adamancy with their standpoint. However, if
either of the two parties in a conflict shows restraint & exhibits humility and is prepared to
stand down, then conflict is sure to end immediately, and harmony would appear. Unity
exists and thrives only by burying individual disagreements through recognition of other
peoples’ rights, to disagree and, when agreement is not possible, by taking matters to this
logical solution of agreeing to disagree as a gesture of goodwill.
Concluding Comments: The world is in dire need of an amicable formula for the
achievement of communal & sectarian harmony today. Islamic solution to the problem is
more realistic because it accommodates differences of ideologies. After realizing such
differences, Islam supports the policy of tolerance and mutual respect for one another in
every day interactions. This is the same principle which has been referred to in the English
saying ‘let us agree to disagree’18. The Islamic injunctions for maintaining unity and
solidarity, despite natural differences, can go a long way in reducing conflicts with in the
organization and the society at large.
18 Waheeud Din Khan: Kitab e Zindagi, op cit, p.128.
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5.6 HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT:
5.6.1 Human Resource Development; Theory & Practice:
Human Resource Development is a well known term today. The subject is an
essential part in the discipline of Business Administration. In both corporate sector
as well as missionary institutions, the function is performed in an organized
manner and on regular basis1. Achieving the vision of the organizations through
utilization of human resource in a specific fashion and developing it has become an
art in its own right. Large organizations have separate departments for human
resource development. Training programs adopted by organizations for achieving
organizational goals and targets are, in essence, Human Resource Development
functions. Experts of various disciplines –Economics, Education, Psychology,
Industry, Administration etc -define Human Resource Development (HRD)
differently in their own styles2.
In contrast to Financial and material resources, human resources of an
organization are the people who man and run the organization. It means efficiency
of the organization relating to its people and resources such as analysis, training,
compensation and recruitment etc. Human Resource is the only individual or
servant of the organization. Generally, Human Resource Development is defined
as follows:
Human Resource Development means enhancing the personal and
organizational capabilities, Knowledge, skills and abilities of the employees.
This encompasses training of the employees, succession planning, identifying the
key employees and their education.3
The aim of Human Resource Development is to create high quality employees
and to maintain them so that the organization and its employees can achieve their
common objectives of serving their customers4.
As regards Human Resource Development, the Human Development Index
issued by the United Nations is considered to be authentic and relevant. The Index
includes education, standard of living, average age and productive healthy life.
Several organizations are striving for eradicating poverty under the name of
1 George W. Bohlander, &Scot Snell, Human Resource Mangment (London, Cenage Learning, 2010),
p.3. 2 Ibid. 3 Nick Wilton; An Introduction to Human Resource Mangment (Sidney, SAGE Publications, 2010),
p.12. 4 Ibid.
200
Human Development. Some of the organizations are creating awareness in this
regard5.
Human Resource Management and its related responsibilities & functions
such as recruitment of employees, efficiency & productivity, motivation,
training, problems, and enhancement of capability are also included in its ambit.
From the above definitions, the following aspects relating to HRD come to
the fore:
o Personal growth & development of the employees
o Training of the employees
o Planning of employees’ future
o Capacity building of the employees
o Development of the organizations
The purpose of all of the above aims is to enable the organizations to
achieve its goals through development of the human resource. These aims may or
may not serve public utility. With increase in focus on material ends & trends,
and the cut -throat competitive environment in commercial entities, the element
of giving importance to moral values in acquisition of financial and material
resources is on the decline6. In the above back drop, whatever schemes of
education and training of human resource development are adopted now-a-days,
the primary objective is to create such people which prove beneficial to the
commercial expansion of the organization. Thus, of late, the real objective of
human resource development has, practically, become maximization of profit. In
this age of communication technology, marketing has become almost a discipline
of science. And, generally, bereft of moral values, this science is using all
advertisement techniques at its disposal for commercial expansion and financial
profiteering only. These advertisement campaigns are instrumental in creating a
psychological and cosmetic demand which negatively affect the interest of
common man7. Thus, if the contribution of a human resource towards financial
growth of the organization only is given overwhelming importance in the
training modules & curriculum of the Human Resource Development programs
5 George W. Bohlander, &Scot Snell, op cit, p.345. 6 Arshad Ahmad Baig, “Human Resource Development: Islamic viewpoint”, monthly Tarjumanul
Quraan, December, 2007(Lahore, 2007), p.33.
7 Ibid.
201
or performance review of the employees, this mindset and paradigm becomes
unjust and, inherently, defective, though, on the face of it, it may seem to be
perfectly all right in the light of the commercial philosophy in vogue8.
The rapidly growing concept of Human Resource Development has a special
aspect to be underlined. The choice of the words in various terms has its own
psychology and philosophy. When we use the term “Human Resource
Development” we, consider the man to be more of a resource, primarily, who
would be developed for achieving fixed goals of the organization. Thus, the
critical ends are the organizational objectives for which the man is employed.
Prima facie, there is nothing bad in this .However, when this term is used in
commercial realm, it has far reaching adverse consequences. The man here is not
identified as human being (and that too the best of all the creations) but a mere
resource and means for achieving the commercial ends9.
If this term is being used, the development of human resource should,
essentially, be premised on the status of man as the best of the creations. That is, if
it is a resource, then the goals of the organization should match with this exalted
human status and, consequently, result in higher objectives of the organization.
Let us explain this in a little detail.
The principles of development of human being working anywhere and in
whatever status are the same. Thus, the human element of the being is very
important for understanding & actualization of its potential and character so that
all human potentials & weaknesses, aspirations & emotions and nature & instincts
come to the fore and the task of preparing the human beings for certain objectives,
developing and growing them becomes easy and possible. In this way, the human
being will be able to play his useful and due role in any walk of life in any place
and any status10.
Let us view Human Resource Development from another angle. This is an
Islamic perspective. We know that when one intends to upgrade a machine, one
needs to get fully acquainted with its structure. Thus, for understanding the pre-
requisites of human development, we attempt to understand it first. As a Muslim,
we believe that:
8 Ibid. 9 Azra Nasim Farooqui: Purification of Soul (Islamabad, Dawa Academy, International Islamic
University, 2004), p.9. 10 Arshad Ahamd Baig, op cit, 34.
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o Man is the best and the noblest of the creations.11
o Man has been accorded dignity and honour on earth12
o Man is a combination of body and spirit.13
o Man is accountable for all of his actions on the Day of Judgment.14
o Man has been given freedom of choice and action.15
o Man has been bestowed with the responsibility of a vicegerent on earth.16
o Man has been bestowed with the faculties of listening, seeing and thinking
making him liable to accountability.17
o Man has been given all the potential for exploration of the universe.18
o Man has been provided with the divine guidance for correct use of this
potential.19
From the above, it is evident that for development and growth of human
being, the following factors are critical
1. Man’s physical requirements
2. Man’s spiritual elevation and elation
3. Man’s development in all aspects so that he discharges assigned
responsibilities fully and
4. Enabling him to find ways and means for development of human
resource in the light of divine guidance combined with intellect and
store of human experience gained over ages
5.6.2 Development of Personality:
For development & growth, individual & collective well being & success, Islam
has created a balance in the personality of human being. It provides guidance for
satisfaction and fulfillment of material and bodily requirements as well as
spiritual evolution. It aims at elevating basic human morality (with out which no
worldly development is possible) to its perfection. Alongside, it deems
soundness & correctness of belief and faith systems to be essential. Human being
11 Quraan, (95), 4. 12 Quraan, (17), 70. 13 Quraan, (15), 29. 14 Quraan, (21), 23. 15 Quraan, (76), 3. 16 Quraan, (2), 30. 17 Quraan, (17), 36. 18 Quraan, (2), 31. 19 Quraan, (2), 38.
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has been bestowed with positive & negative capabilities which are essential for
freedom of choice and action.20 Therefore in Human Resource Development, for
development of individual ,his personality & character building, these factors
need to be given due consideration. At this stage, it will be useful to study the
word “Human” and its various characteristics as used in the holy Quraan. Quraan
has used this word at some 64 places. It is important to note that at such places
the recurrent theme of the holy Quraan is the description of negative attributes of
human being and their correction. For example, human being
o is created weak by nature21
o is filled with despair22
o is very ungrateful23
o is very unjust24
o is very hasty and impatient25
o is very arrogant26
o is by nature very contentious27
o denies the truth28
o is ignorant29
o is very forgetful30
o becomes boastful and stiff-necked when bestowed with blessing31
o thinks and does evil32
o offers excuses33
o is a perverse disbeliever34
o is easily beguiled35
o is in the habit of complaints of ill treatment36
20 Quraan, (91), 8. 21 Quraan, (4), 28. 22 Quraan, (11), 9 and (41), 49. 23 Quraan, (17), 67, (43), 15 and (22), 9. Also see reference No.11 above. 24 Quraan, (14), 34. 25 Quraan, (17), 11and (21), 37. 26 Quraan, (17), 83. 27 Quraan, (18), 54 and (36), 77. 28 Quraan, (22), 66. 29 Quraan, (33), 72. 30 Quraan, (39), 8. 31 Quraan, (39), 49 and (41), 51. 32 Quraan, (75), 5. 33 Quraan, (75), 14. 34 Quraan, (80), 17. 35 Quraan, (82), 6.
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o is created for test and the concomitant hardships37
o is rebellious38
Thus, whenever any scheme of human resource development is to be
designed and implemented, it has, essentially, to incorporate provisions & tasks
for overcoming and offsetting the above mentioned negative characteristics of
human resource. Since man is a creation and his Creator is the Omniscient and
Omnipotent God, thus, He (God) can provide the best means and tools for his
(human) development. Any scheme/plan of human resources development
aggravating further, directly or indirectly, the above mentioned negative traits of
human beings can be anything but Human Resource Development worth the
name, nor can it create significant positive and meaningful impact on the
organization or in society39 . It is to be noted that the basic framework of Human
Resource Development in vogue in the world is, inherently, isolationist & one-
eyed because it does not cater to nor does it encompass all the critical aspects of
the human personality. This statement is borne out by the fact that in the highly
developed societies in terms of the higher Human Development Index (HDI)
fixed, the rate of suicide is the highest. In the OECD countries, which are termed
developed, this rate is rapidly increasing .And all this is no wonder. Here human
dissatisfaction and restlessness has reached a point where the practice of
psychiatrists is very flourishing and has become so costly40.
5.6.3 The Aspect of Purification:
For understanding of the human resource development, study of the Quraanic
verses relating to purification of human being is deemed very useful. In these
verses, God almighty has explained the very purpose of creation of the universe
and sending His Messengers to human beings. This theme occurs in four places in
the holy Quraan.
36 Quraan, (89), 16. 37 Quraan, (90), 4. 38 Quraan, (96), 6. 39 Arshad Ahamd Baig, op cit, 34. 40 Ibid, p.35.
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“Lord, raise up from among them a Messenger who shall recite Thy
revelations (signs) to them and teach them the Book and the Wisdom and purify
them: Thou art All-Powerful and All-Wise.”.41
Alongside, the holy Quraan has also drawn attention towards the real standard and
criteria of success of human beings which needs to be kept in view.
“Truly successful was he who purified his self and a failure he who
suppressed it.”42
The real purpose and the right place of the Human Resource Development is
what has been outlined above. The purpose of recitation of the revelations,
teaching of the Book and Wisdom is also the same. The concept of purification
(Tazkia) is worth explaining here. Human development and growth is in fact
purification and development of the body, soul and intellect. The meaning and
scope of purification has been described in narrations of the holy prophet (peace
be upon him) as under:
o Balancing human lives
o Purifying and cleaning
o Enhancing and elevating
o Cleansing from incorrect thoughts and precepts
o Purifying from vain desires
o Purifying from apparent and hidden dirtiness etc43
For example, a plant nurtured by a gardener and the one growing wildly
will essentially be different in qualities and growth. In the case of plant taken
care of by the gardener, there will be cleansing from the unwanted parts, proper
tendering and nurturing. The requisite things will be made/left available in the
desired levels whereas the undesirable branches, leaves, stems etc will be cut off.
Exactly in the same manner, human purification is achieved by relieving him
from undesirable characteristics & creating the desirable ones and by freeing him
from moral ills and bestowing him with good manners. This should be the real
spirit behind development of human resources.
In the evolution and development of human being, a multitude of elements
and factors play their due role; thinking & imagination, intention & will,
41 Quraan, (2), 129. 42 Quraan, (91), 9-10. 43 Amin Ahsan Islahi, Tazkia Nafs (Lahore, Faraan Foundation, 2011), p.46.
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perception & creation, making use of the five sensory powers, body & spirit,
dress & fashion, knowledge & arts, physical actions, memory & idealization,
relations, emotions and expertise. These are discussed under the following
headings:
5.6.4 Physical Dimension:
Physical development of human being is a wider and comprehensive concept and
it is not restricted to the apparent physical features. It includes in its ambit the
physical ability & power, potential, energy, aspirations and psychological
commitment for doing a task in a better fashion. In physical development, health
of body and mind are focused. We also see vastness in the defining of health as
adopted by the International Health Organization:
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and
not merely the absence of disease or infirmity44”
Islam dislikes physical weakness. It likes hard work and toughness. Laziness,
easy going and avoiding challenging tasks are termed undesirable.
5.6.5 Moral Dimension:
Before explaining the moral development, it is useful to point out that there is
difference between moral development and spiritual development. The concept
of moral development is based on the cosmopolitan principles of good and bad
which has been ordained in the nature of man45 and is well known to all
humankind. For example, telling the truth or lie, defrauding, integrity, cleanliness
and standing in a row etc are moral traits. Thus, in moral development such
general rules of do’s and don’ts are focused which are understood by every man
having protected his nature. Moral development in any society-whether a Muslim
or Non-Muslim- will be the similar. However, two things have to borne in mind
in this regard.
Firstly, the value system in Islam is permanent, absolute and
unchangeable, not affected by changes in time and space. In other systems,
however, it is relative & conditional which can change with changes in time and
space. Secondly, some of the definitions and explanations of terms in vogue
44 George W. Bohlander, &Scot Snell, op cit,p. 413. 45 See reference No. 9 above.
207
today are incomplete and defective when viewed on the touchstone of Islamic
values. Take for example the case of purification. Islam’s concept of purification
is higher and includes but is not limited to cleanliness of body, dress, food and
environment etc. Islam lays so much emphasis on development of morality that
goodness of manners has been mentioned to be the primary purpose of the
missions of the holy prophet (peace be upon him).The holy prophet (peace be
upon him) has given a complete list of do’s and don’ts, of practice which in its
letter and spirit can guarantee development and success of individuals,
households, organizations, societies and nations at large. These moral qualities
are present in the form of National culture and collective morality more in those
European Nations and institutions which are ahead in the race of development.
Thus, a comprehensive list of good and bad traits in this regard needs to be
drawn so that due emphasis is laid on these traits in the Human Resource
Development function of the organizations46.
5.6.6 Social Dimension:
It is next to impossible for a human being to live in isolation. He is part of the
social groups. He is part of a large whole. He has got an individual identity but
this identity is part of a collectivity .Thus, it is inherent in human nature to live
together. Relations, contacts, exchanges, mixing, arguing are all part of his
nature. Since he does not like to live in a jungle, there is no escaping from these
joint activities. Socialization, thus, plays a key role in forming and determining
the personality of human being. It is, therefore, important to consider the
framework of socialization of the individual and how much importance he can
give to others. Also, how much is he conscious of competing with others? Is he
proactive or less bothered in relations with others? If the socialization of an
individual is on appropriate lines, he can have positive and balanced relations
with all kinds of people and in all roles47. Many of the people prefer socialization
while many avoid the same and are introvert. The most important aspect in this
regard is what is the kind of social relationship? Thus, having relationship with
many is not so important .Rather, what is more important is the quality and the
46 Ibid. 47 Michael Armstrong, A Hand Book of Human Resource Management Practice, Kogan Page
Publishers, Kualalumpur( Malay Ed), 1999,p.678
208
depth of that relationship. That is, both the extent and the content of the
relationship are desired at the same time.
Islam has emphasized much on treating others with good manners and
showing magnanimity. Thus, shouldering active responsibilities in home,
fulfillment of rights of neighbours, knitting relations, relations with boss on the
basis of integrity, due consideration to the way-farers, contacts with patients,
regards for those under debts, helping the handicapped, the poor & the needy,
affection to the kids, respect for the elders- to name a few- are our basic vales
which should be part of the social development curriculum and training
programs48.
5.6.7 The Spiritual Dimension:
The crux of the spiritual aspect is the consciousness of the Creator and the binding
obligations (upon the human being) emanating from that consciousness. The
correct understanding of attributes of God and His creations & laws and adopting
good deeds is the primary purpose of spiritual development. A human being may
exhibit moral vales in some of his actions but this part of his character may not
last long if his morality is not based on the correct understanding of God and His
laws. Even if it remains for long, its benefit will be restricted to this world only.
Thus, the real purpose of the Human Resource Development is -and should be- to
create this consciousness and understanding of God49.
Since human being comprises of a body and a soul, he, therefore, needs
spiritual growth in addition to fulfillment of his physical requirements and health.
Spiritual development is engrained in his nature. For this spiritual development,
he often resorts to various experimentations. Since these spiritual
experimentations are man-made instead of divine, these, essentially, culminate in
inhuman and extreme actions such as gaining spirituality through hurting of ones’
self intentionally, letting earthworms,scorpians and snakes to surround ones’
body, standing on one foot for hours, avoiding use of water and cleanliness etc.
There are other people also who attempt to seek spiritual satisfaction through
irrational use of their mental and will power. Thus, spiritual growth (whether its
48 Prof. Khursheed Ahamd: Islam; Basic Principles and Characteristics, Dawa Academy, Islamabad,
p.11. 49 Ibid.
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correct or incorrect forms & contents) is under pursuit of human beings. Out of all
the methods in vogue, only that method of spiritual development is correct, in
accord with human psyche and useful in the final analysis, which is based on
divine guidance. All other methods of spiritual development are incomplete &
defective and result in intellectual disorders50.
5.6.8 Intellectual Dimension:
Intellectual growth of an individual enabling him to use his five senses better is
very important. The dilemma, however, is that in our age, the testing and
measurement of intellectual development is done under such terms and in such
jargons which have more to do with material gains and very little to a positive
change in the character of individuals.
There is no denying the fact that memory, data, thought, information,
concept, idea, insight and wisdom have different meanings, implications and
utility .However, the end product of all these should be to create good and
balanced persons. Despite all these very high sounding terms and jargons, the
Human Resource Development programs do not create good persons in totality. It
lays very little emphasis on character and competence required for discharging
obligations as vicegerent on earth. It is a point for serious consideration that
despite information explosion in this age of Information Technology, no process
of real change is in sight. Intellectual growth must, necessarily, result in wisdom
which can find reality in analytical and logical argumentation, observational and
intellectual actions51. We have been taught with this prayer “O God! Open for me
all the secrets & facts of all the matters”. Only this is the wisdom and this is at the
core of Human Resource Development.52
5.6.9 Critical Aspects and Factors:
In the foregoing paragraphs, an attempt to understand various aspects of Human
Development has been made. In the following lines, the triangle of skills,
concepts and vales will be discussed in detail.
50 Amin Ahsan Islahi: Tazkia Nafs (Lahore, Faraan Foundation, 1985), p.196 51 Arshad Ahamd Baig, op cit, 36.
52 Quraan, (2), 269.
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The primary emphasis in the definitions as well as practices of the present
day Human Resource Development is primarily on the skills. Among the skills
also, the focus is on particular skills -that is skills contributing to material benefit
and maximization of profit. Thus, the acquisition of all the skills are meant for
material development no matter its impact on the individual and mankind may be
disastrous. As regards concepts, in the same too, inferior levels consisting of mere
usage of terminologies and superficial understanding of information are achieved.
In this also, the main objective is furtherance of material progress and commercial
expansion. The most important element in the triangle are the values providing the
foundation. It needs to be emphasized that the skills should be subject to higher
values. If this order is reversed, there will be social disorder and imbalance. What
should be the extent & content of values in Human Resource Development and
how much should these be basic, clear and conspicuous are not generally included
in the curriculum and training programs undertaken under the HRM or HRD .If an
employee of a Bank himself is invoved in a Bank dacoitee, it is entirely a problem
of character and lack of integrity rather than skills. It is said about Pakistani
Nation that for doing a task in a correct fashion, they have to do it three times.
Why we don’t build a road properly the first time? Are we deficient in
capabilities? Do we lack skills? Or our character makes us deliver below
standard? It needs to be reiterated that the desire for acquiring higher skills and
capabilities itself emanate from higher character. The importance of values and
character in Human Resource Development is again reaffirmed here53.
Unluckily, the organizations upholding religious thoughts and the
missionary institutions in our country attempt to develop individual in such a way
that, somehow, he acquires partial understanding of his Creator but is unable to
perform and compete proactively in the worldly matters. The main reason behind
this is their over-emphasis on partial and piecemeal methods of human
development. The results of these attempts are then, inescapably, partial and
piecemeal success. For performing his role in the vicegerency of earth, the
religious individual, generally, lacks the requisite will power, capability, intellect,
competence, skills and attitude. On the other hand, commercial organizations,
primarily, peruse only financial benefits & business expansion and the
53 Haroon Yahya: What Happens if Fear of God does not exist, ibid, p.20.
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development of human resource is also premised in the same framework.
Resultantly, the individual becomes successful in material terms but feels free
from the thought of the hereafter. The real objective of Human Resource
Development is, thus, the creation of balanced characters. For this, we have to
keep in view all the aspects of development of human personality. This concept of
human development is what is ordained by the religion of Islam54.
In the context of Islamic teachings, the following points need to be kept
in mind by the employers and those responsible for management of employees so
as to serve the purpose of creating balanced human characters and developing
human resource in a comprehensive manner with all aspects. The human resource
manager needs to focus on these and develop the same in his management team.
These should be part of the training curriculum and also reflected in the
organizations’ policy. These should find an important place in the organizations’
core values. These points cater to and cover all aspects of growth and
development of human resource:55
o Providing guidance for a correct & balanced thought
o Directing beliefs & concepts towards God
o Correcting intention and will in accord with moral values
o Enabling individuals to make a distinction between good & bad and right
& wrong
o Developing culture & capacity of observation, learning, thinking,
positively questioning, criticizing
o Enhancing analytical capacity of individuals
o Creating capacity of how to realize and solve problems
o Training in acquisition of wisdom and foresight
o Training in how to perform ones’ duties best
o Creating an urge for perfection in actions & practices
o Discovering, actualizing and utilizing true potential of individuals
o Developing all capabilities of individuals
o Basing all relationships on integrity and brotherhood among individuals
o Developing selfless and sincere attitudes
o Developing culture of greetings, especially the Islamic ones
54 Arshad Ahamd Baig, op cit, 37. 55 Ibid, p.38.
212
o Developing culture of meeting & leaving with smiling faces and good
wishes
o Developing culture of respect for elders & seniors and affection for
youngers & juniors
o Maintaining mild tones and softness in manners and interactions
o Maintaining productive and positive relationships among employees
o Encouraging participation in moments of happiness and grief
o Encouraging Participation in and serving in community works
o Creating and maintaining cleanliness and clean environment
o Taking care of individuals’ health
o Arranging properly for treatment, food and accommodation of employees
o Arranging for fresh air, proper light and other security requirements
o Giving a positive direction to fear, anger ,avarice, jealousy, hatred, pride &
arrogance, inferiority & superiority complexes,
emotionalism,sadism,pessimism.self-centeredness,persecution-mania and
extremism in the employees
o Attempting to achieve mental peace, satisfaction ,contentment, cordiality,
concentration in thoughts and actions of the employees
o Keeping balance & match between powers and responsibilities of the
employees
o Keeping emotional balance in the employees
o Promoting truthfulness, uprightness and integrity in interactions and
relations among employees
o Enhancing focus towards God ,His laws and the life hereafter
o Enhancing sense & consciousness of accountability for all of actions on
the day of judgment
o Maintaining remembrance of God in all matters
Concluding Comments: The real objective of Human Resource Development
is to develop the individual through education and training in such a way that
he proves to be a successful man in this world and becomes entitled to the
heaven in the hereafter. Since every person is like a Sheppard (in various
spheres) and accountable for all those under his supervision, there is no
escaping for the human resource manager and the organizations to focus on
the above mentioned responsibilities.
213
5.7. Criticism on Modern HRM theory & Practices
5.7.1 Challenges to the Modern HRM theory & practices
Although increasing globalization and modern technology have bridged certain gaps
by reducing distances and bringing the external world closer together, yet current
HRM theory and practices are characterized by the following challenges and ethical
problems:
1. Focusing more on material progress and profit maximization.
2. Isolationist approach by treating human capital as mere resource
3. Problems in tackling diversity in the absence of absolute moral values which
result in lack of harmony and mutual trust and harassment
4. Occurrences of conflicts and unionism due to more focus on rights than
obligations
5. Absence of principles of non-reciprocal goodness and unconditional justice
resulting in ethical issues of discrimination, favouritism, biases, unfair
treatment in selection, promotions, compensation, training, rewards and
performance appraisals.
6. Focusing more on Human Resource Management rather than on Human
Resource Development
5.7.2 Lack of emphasis on Integrity and Ethical Values
Theoretically, integrity is the main issue in HRM (Huselid 1995). However,
academic community confirms that it has been markedly absent in the
contemporary Human Resource Management (Leggie, 1995a, 1996b, Woodall
1996). Presently, more emphasis is laid on certain other aspects of the prospective
employees in the process of selection but the aspect of integrity is only given
nominal importance56. As a result of this oversight and lack of emphasis on it, many
of the organizations suffer from corruption, inefficiency, favoritism, lack of
discipline, lack of moral accountability despite the fact that many of the
organizations’ employees may be having excellent skills and qualifications57. This
malady is quite evident in govt organizations especially educational institutions and
media in Pakistan.
56 Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani: Features of Islamic Economy & Capitalism (Karachi, Idara Al Maaref, 2007),
p.23. 57 Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani, ibid, p.24.
214
Ethical practices are not completely applied as they are identified as not
practical and not profitable for the organizations (Apel, 1989). Utilitarian ethical
framework of HRM concerned more with outcomes or ends based in profit
maximization is practically in vogue. These problems arising from application of
western practices in HRM cause gaps and resultant stress and anxiety in employees
and conflicts in organizations.
With increase in focus on material ends & trends, and the cut -throat
competitive environment in commercial entities, the element of giving importance
to moral values in acquisition of financial and material resources is on the decline58.
Whatever schemes of training of human resource development are adopted now-a-
days, the primary objective is to create such people which prove beneficial to the
commercial expansion of the organization. Thus, of late, the real objective of
human resource development has, practically, become maximization of profit. In
this age of communication technology, marketing has become almost a discipline of
science. And, generally, bereft of moral values, this science is using all
advertisement techniques at its disposal for commercial expansion and financial
profiteering only. These advertisement campaigns are instrumental in creating a
psychological and cosmetic demand which negatively affect the interest of common
man59. Thus, if the contribution of a human resource towards financial growth of
the organization only is given overwhelming importance in the training modules &
curriculum of the Human Resource Development programs or performance review
of the employees, this mindset and paradigm becomes unjust and, inherently,
defective, though, on the face of it, it may seem to be perfectly all right in the light
of the commercial philosophy in vogue60.
The basic framework of Human Resource Development in vogue in the world
is, inherently, isolationist & one-eyed because it does not cater to nor does it
encompass all the critical aspects of the human personality. This statement is borne
out by the fact that in the highly developed societies in terms of the higher Human
Development Index (HDI) fixed, the rate of suicide is the highest. In the OECD
countries, which are termed developed, this rate is rapidly increasing .And all this is
58 Arshad Ahmad Baig, “Human Resource Development: Islamic viewpoint”, monthly Tarjumanul
Quraan, December, 2007(Lahore, 2007), p.33.
59 Ibid. 60 Ibid.
215
no wonder. Here human dissatisfaction and restlessness has reached a point where
the practice of psychiatrists is very flourishing and has become so costly61.
5.7.3 Usefulness of Islamic Values in HRM
The interference of Islamic values in HRM practices can significantly help in
overcoming these problems and challenges and enhance employees’ motivation &
productivity and organizational success. Paucity of literature in Islamic HRM cause
increasing interest to explore its application while the gaps of understanding and
applying the Islamic principles in managing human resource have caused the widely
adoption of Western practices in daily business activities in Muslim countries.
Junaidah (2009), Branine (2010), Budhwar et al (2006) and Tayeb (1997)
recognised the importance of managing human resource on Islamic lines but
admitted that very limited empirical studies have been conducted in the filed.
Kamel Mellahi et al (2010) recommended much more research on Islamic HRM to
gain the understanding the roles of Islam and its utility in managing organizations
effectively. The present study is aimed at filling the said gaps.
5.8 Merit and Applicability of Islamic HRM in Religious Institutions
Unluckily, the organizations upholding religious thoughts and the missionary
institutions in our country attempt to develop individual in such a way that,
somehow, he acquires partial understanding of his Creator but is unable to perform
and compete proactively in the worldly matters. The main reason behind this is their
over-emphasis on partial and piecemeal methods of human development. The
results of these attempts are then, inescapably, partial and piecemeal success. For
performing his role in the vicegerency of earth, the religious individual, generally,
lacks the requisite will power, capability, intellect, competence, skills and attitude.
On the other hand, commercial organizations, primarily, peruse only financial
benefits & business expansion and the development of human resource is also
premised in the same framework. Resultantly, the individual becomes successful in
material terms but feels free from the thought of the hereafter. The real objective of
Human Resource Development is, thus, the creation of balanced characters. For
this, we have to keep in view all the aspects of development of human personality.
This concept of human development is what is ordained by the religion of Islam62.
61 Ibid, p.35. 62 Arshad Ahamd Baig, op cit, 37.
216
5.8.1 Problems of Religious Schools and Students
The religious institutions/schools in Pakistan in particular and in the Muslim world
in general face many challenges both in the realm of national and international and
collective as well as individual levels. On the collective national level, these
include lack of adequate financing & modern means of education in applied and
social sciences, art & literature and the consequent lack of career opportunities in
national institutions and organizations, institutional problems in the methods of
teaching & training in vogue, internal and external conflicts and lack of
institutional development. These problems result in increasing sectarianism and
worsening of relationship between various schools of thought and also with the
state institutions and tendency of use of violent means against other sects and also
against the state for achievement of their perceived objectives.
On individual levels, these problems reflect lack of human rights in these
institutions, abuses of raw HR talent by physical & psychological harassment &
corporal punishment and mental torture, lack of personality development and
confidence among the students resulting into negative attitudes and aggression
against the society and state institutions and their increasing tendency to effect
social change and resolve conflicts through violent means. These problems not
only hamper positive growth of these institutions and their students for playing a
productive role in the society but also create widening gaps between these
intuitions and the society at large thus increasing administrative and economics
woes of the country. The result is unhealthy relationship between these religious
institutions and other sectors of the society and increasing frustration, aggression
and development of extremism within the institutions as well as the society and
reflected in the ongoing disturbance of peace and order, development and national
welfare and loss of human lives.
5.8.2 Relevance of the Islamic Perspective of HRM
For tackling these problems, the Islamic concepts of non-reciprocal goodness to
all, unconditional justice even to one’s enemies, its mechanism of bringing about
change through gradualism and peaceful activism, principle of following merit
and right man for the right job, its concept of power & authority as trust of the
public, emphasis on obligation than right, self-accountability on the part of leaders
at all levels, its distinct kind of leadership based in concepts of service and
guardianship of the public rather than being their ruler, virtues of forgiveness,
217
kindness and patience are relevant and significant. These elements of the Islamic
HRM can help a great deal in tackling the above mentioned challenges of
individual and collective nature. Following these Islamic principles and practices
can enhance harmony, love, affection, trust & mutual co-operation, peace and
development of both the human resources (in terms of their skills, knowledge and
attitudes) and the religious organizations along positive and peaceful lines. These
can enhance motivation, commitment, voluntary contribution, and productivity of
the students of the religious institutions within these institutions on the one hand.
On the other, these can help a great deal in reducing the gap between these
institutions and other sectors of the society by reducing conflicts, negative
mindset towards society resulting in aggression and extremist actions for effecting
social change, thereby paving the way for social and national harmony and
development.
5.9 Merit & Applicability of Islamic HRM principles in Western
Countries
5.9.1 Practice of values common between Islam and the West
The second caliph of Islam, Omar undertook many administrative reforms and
closely oversaw public policy, establishing an advanced administrative system for
the newly conquered lands with new ministries and bureaucracies, as well as
conducting a census of all the Muslim territories. He was so particular about
justice that he himself went to the court as a party in a dispute for
institutionalizing the equality of all before the law. He emphasized that a judge
can not do justice with his position unless he treats a caliph and an ordinary
person equally. He was so particular in letting the public know the powers and
duties of the state functionaries that he would repeatedly address people in this
regard63.
He would appraise and oversee the conduct and performance of his
governors, military commanders and tax collectors by calling them for annual
accountability before the public mostly at the time of pilgrimage. He would also
invite public opinions and grievances against them64. In important cases of
appointment such as selection of Qaazi (judge), he would sometimes conduct tests
63 Shibli Nomaani: Alfarooq (Urdu) (Maktaba Rahmania, Lahore, 1990), p.221. 64 Muhammad Hussain Haykal: Umar Farooq ( Ilm o Irfan Publishers, Lahore, 2004),p.611.
218
before making the appointment. He avoided appointment of his relatives as state
functionaries. He had ordained that a person who is not wealthy enough and
respected should not be made a judge because, in such a case, the judge would be
tempted to corruption and undue influence from influential people65. He had
forbidden the judges to engage in trade or business to avoid conflict of interest66.
This is the sound principle of avoiding conflict of interest which has been adopted
in the developed countries after centuries of experiences. He would consider
himself/ the ruler responsible for any maltreatment on the part of state functionary
and would say that mere selection of the best suited person would not absolve the
ruler of his responsibility towards the public unless he also ensures that the
functionary has acted as required67. Accountability of those in authority and
justice had primacy over all other considerations.
There are adequate examples of the caliph’s decisions in important matters
after consultation and difference of opinions. It is also reported that in
appointment of officials in the provinces, he would seek proposals from the
provinces regarding their choices with a feedback on the ability and integrity of
the proposed persons. There are several instances to indicate that ordinary people
would dare to question the decisions and opinions of the caliph or even an item of
his personal life on the touchstone of propriety, integrity and accountability to the
public68. Even womenfolk were free to exercise their right of criticism. And the
caliph would not only bear such criticism but would rather welcome and
appreciate the same by saying “they (the public) would be of no good if they do
not point out such things and we (the rulers) would be of no use if we do not listen
to and accept criticism”69. No one among the four rightly guided caliphs even
thought of curbing fundamental rights and freedoms70.
The holy prophet (p.b.u.h) and the rightly guided caliphs followed the
principle of merit and right man for the right job71. Further, the state has also to
give to the state functionaries adequate professional freedom and authority so that
they do not feel handicapped in doing justice with their jobs. It is note worthy that
65 Ibid, p.612. 66 Ibid. 67 Ibid, p.622. 68 Shibli Nomaani, ibid, p.186. 69 Ibid, p.188. 70 Syed Abul Ala Maududi: Khilafat Wa Malookiat (Edara Tarjuman ul Quraan, Lahore, 1979), p.109. 71 Muhammad Asad: Principles of State and Government in Islam (California University, 1961),p.82.
219
Omar (r.a) used to pay to the state functionaries very high salaries. This was to
serve as motivation to state officials to exhibit integrity and protect the interest of
the state as well as the public. He had also introduced a kind of assets declaration
at the start of employment of state official so that evaluation of integrity of the
employee is properly made72. He became one of the most outstanding Islamic
leaders in human history by treating his state functionaries equitably, apart from
other measures. He not only enforced the system of accountability on others, but
he would be the first to offer himself for accountability of the public73. He
established such a system of accountability and vigilance that state functionaries
would feel that the caliph is with them even in the far off provinces74.
5.9.2 Practice of ‘Omar Laws’ in the West
The Islamic principles and practices in realm of Accountability of the state
functionaries, merit & right man for the right job, public welfare, justice and
equality before the law etc are practiced, although very partially, in some Western
countries such as U.K, Canada and Scandinavian countries with the Islamic origin
of what is known there to be “Omar laws”. Child benefits up to the age of 16 and
old age pension called “Bidrag” are specific examples of Islamic principles
practiced in Sweden called “Omar Laws” there as part of the state welfare system
based on justice, equality and public welfare. When the Swedish king Charles XII
was in self exile in Turkey after the war of Poltava in Russia, he learnt about the
second caliph of Islam, Omar and his concept of Qaziul Quzzat (the judge of the
judges) developed further in the Islamic law of the Ottoman Turks. When King
Charles XII returned to Sweden in 1713, he created the office of Supreme
Ombudsman to make government administration and state functionaries more
accountable for their decisions and acts75. In 1719, the Supreme Ombudsman was
given the title of “Chancellor of Justice”. This office still exists and today the
chancellor of justice acts as the government’s ombudsman. In 1766, it was made an
elected office.
72 Muhammad Hussain Haykal: Umar Farooq ( Ilm o Irfan Publishers, Lahore, 2004),p.32. 73 ibid, p.33. 74 Ibid. 75 http://the news.com.pk/Todays-the News-11-120376.
220
5.9.3 Merit and Applicability of Islamic principles & practices in
Western countries
Western countries already practice principles of justice, equality before the law,
accountability and integrity, merit and right man for the right job, freedom of
expression, respect for human rights and fundamental rights are the ones which are
successful in nurturing sustainable development and public welfare and provide their
public with necessities of life. Consequently, the human resources/employees in their
business organizations as well as public institutions are not only better in terms of
their skills, knowledge and attitudes and thus more productive for the organizations.
Thus, there is more scope for following of the Islamic principles of unconditional
justice, merit and right man for the right job, accountability and integrity, respect for
human rights, avoiding conflict of interest, transparency and its distinct leadership
style based in service and guardianship of public rather than rulership in the West.
Islam’s notion of a balance and integration of various aspects-the individual &
collective, the physical & spiritual, this world & the hereafter, its principles of
peaceful activism & conflict management, its notion of authority & power as trust can
provide a corrective check to the individualism, materialism and profit maximization
that characterize much of contemporary human resource management theory &
practices offering instead compassion, harmony, voluntary motivation, job
satisfaction and achievement of organizational goals.
The Islamic principles & practices can help tackle the challenges of
globalization, rapid changes in technology, diversity problems as the management
and leadership paradigm in the West are in a flux and ethics and morality are
exhibiting a visible comeback76. Besides, the bestsellers in the domain of leadership
and management increasingly focus on integrity, sincerity and trustworthiness more
than anything else and the usefulness and superiority of leadership paradigm based on
ethical and moral principles are finally emerging- a position that Islam entails from its
very inception77. As legislation and procedures are increasingly proving inadequate to
ward off every farm of malpractice, a self-induced Islamic ethics is naturally much
after sought to more than supplement the deficiency in the West78.
76 Rafik I Bekun and Jamal Badavi: Leadership; an Islamic perspective (Ammanah Publications,
Beltsville, Maryland, 1999), p.130. 77 Ibid, p.4. 78 Ibid.
221
Chapter Six
Features of the Islamic HRM Model
6.1 Analysis of Data Collected
6.1.1 Data Collected
6.1.1.1 Data Collected Regarding Existing Levels of Islamic Practices:
A total of 240 questionnaires were distributed to 120 persons i.e. two each to one person.
However, only 72 questionnaires were returned by 36 respondents. Out of 72, 68
questionnaires returned by 34 persons were usable. This amounts to 28.33 % rate of
response. The break of respondents in terms of their designation/position is as under:
Table I (Positions of Respondents)
S.No. Designation/position Frequency Percentage
(100%)
1 Deans/
D.Gs/Professors/members
08 23.53
2 Directors/Associate
professors/trustees
06 17.64
3 Additional
Directors/Assistant
Professors/Additional
commissioners
07 20.59
4 Mangers/Deputy
Managers
4 11.77
5 Others 9 26.47
Total 34 100%
Majority of the respondents are male (88.23%) as indicated in the table below:
Table II (Gender Break up of Respondents)
S.No. Gender Frequency Percentage
1 Male 30 88.23
2 Female 04 11.77
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Total 34 100%
Majority of the respondents are in age range of 51-58 as indicated in the table below:
Table III (Age Ranges of the Respondents)
S.No. Age range Frequency Percentage
1 51-58 16 47.06
2 41-50 08 23.53
3 31-40 06 17.64
4 21-30 04 11.77
Total 34 100%
Majority of the respondents are resident of Islamabad & Peshawar being 22
(64.74%). Most of the respondents are government sector employees as indicated in
table below:
Table IV (Sectoral Break Up of the Respondents)
S.No. Sector Frequency Percentage
1 Government 20 58.83
2 N.G.Os 08 23.53
3 Private 06 17.64
4 Total 34 100%
(1) When the existing levels of practices of Islamic theory & practices in
organizations, as reflected from responses to Questionnaire-I, are tabulated in five
ranges with their frequencies, the following picture emerges:
Table V (Existing Levels of Islamic HRM Practices)
Particular Zero practice 1-25% 26-50% 51-75% 75-100%
Justice & fairness 0 07 22 05 0
Accountability,
integrity &
honesty
0 11 17 06 0
Merit, right man
for the right job
0 09 18 07 0
Observing Sabr
and Iraaz to avoid
conflicts
0 13 16 05 0
Consultation 0 12 16 06 0
Unity, solidarity,
fraternity,
togetherness and
brotherhood
0 08 12 14 0
Islamic concept &
methods of
0 10 16 08 0
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training
Leadership
qualities of Islam
04 16 08 06 0
Effectiveness of
organizations
0 13 14 07 0
Total 04 99 139 64 0
An overwhelming number of responses fall in the two ranges of 01-25 and 26-50 of
table V i.e 238 out of 306 which comes to 77.78 % of the total while a considerable
percentage of 45.42 % falls in the range 26-50. It is thus useful, for the purpose of
analysis, to further bifurcate the responses in the above ranges into those from Islamic
organizations and those from general ones as indicated in table VI below:
Table VI (Break up in Islamic & Others)
Nature of
respondent’s
organization
Frequency
in zero
practice
Frequency
in range
01-25
Frequency
in range
26-50
Frequency
in range
51-75
Total/Percentage
(100%)
Islamic
organizations
0 48
48.49%
85
61.15%
45
70.31 %
178
58.17% over all
Others 04
100%
51
51.51%
54
38.85%
19
29.69%
128
41.83% over all
Total 04 99 139 64 100%
In terms of the over all effectiveness of the two types of organizations, further break
up among the above ranges is as under:
Table VII (Organizational Effectiveness)
Nature of
organization
Frequency in
range 01-25
Frequency in
range 26-50
Frequency in
range 51-75
Percentage
(100%)
Islamic 05
38.46%
09
64.28%
05
71.42%
19
55.88% over all
Other general 08
61.54%
05
35.72%
02
28.58%
15
44.12 over all
13 14 07 100%
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6.1.1.2 Data Collected regarding Potential Impact in the Organizations:
When the extent of effectiveness of Islamic principles on various HRM functions,
as reflected from responses to Questionnaire –II, are tabulated with their
frequencies in the five ranges, the following picture emerges:
Table VIII (Impact of Islamic principles)
Islamic practice Zero
impact
1-25%
impact
26-50%
impact
51-75%
impact
75-100%
impact
Ihsaan, justice and
Amanah in reducing
level of absenteeism,
late coming and lack of
commitment
0 02 03 07 22
Ihsaan, justice and
Amanah in enhancing
motivation, loyalty,
efficiency and
productivity of
employees
0 04 03 04 23
Justice, Amanah,
integrity and
accountability in
ensuring right man for
the right job
0 04 04 06 20
Sabr and Iraaz in
prevention of conflicts
between employees and
in the organization
0 08 06 08 12
Sabr and Iraaz in
reducing of existing
conflicts between
employees and in the
organization
0 10 05 07 12
Consultation in
improving perception
of organizational
justice
0 08 06 08 12
Consultation in
enhancing motivation,
loyalty among
employees
0 09 06 05 14
Effectiveness of
Education and training
in acquiring of the
requisite skills,
0 10 05 04 15
225
knowledge and attitude
through HRD
Impact of leadership in
organizing, controlling
and motivating
employees
0 09 06 06 13
Total
Percentage
0
0
64
21.62%
44
14.87%
55
18.58%
133
44.93%
When the responses regarding comparative impact of Islamic and conventional
HRM on the levels of voluntary compliance, motivation, loyalty, discipline,
punctuality, efficiency, solidarity among employees and over all Human Resource
Development, are tabulated in the five ranges, the following picture emerges:
Table IX (Comparison)
Islamic practice versus
conventional HRM
practice
Zero
impact
1-25%
impact
26-50%
impact
51-75%
impact
75-
100%
impact
Impact of Islamic
morality versus rules
of enforcement in
conventional HRM in
voluntary compliance
- - 06 12 16
Islamic principles
versus conventional
practices in enhancing
feelings of solidarity,
fraternity
- - 04 11 19
Islamic Education and
training versus
conventional training
in achievements of the
requisite skills,
knowledge and attitude
- - 07 08 19
Islamic practices of
leadership versus
conventional practices
in ensuring employees’
motivation and
commitment
- - 05 08 21
Impact of bottom- up
approach versus top-
down approach in
tackling the problem of
04 07 06 17
226
lack of integrity among
employees
Role of lack of
integrity as the primary
reason for failure of
organizations
- - 06 09 19
Research items and their variables have been shown in the table X, while the
frequency demographic and respondents characteristics are summarized in table XI below.
Table X (Research Drivers and their variables developed for effective HRM)
Management
Driver
Research
Variable
Measurement
Justice V1 Justice is done in Selection
V2 Justice is done in Training Performance Appraisal
V3 Justice is done in Promotion and Compensation
Fairness &
Transparency
V4 Increases employees motivation
V5 Enhances achievement of organization goals
V6 Reduce conflicts among employees
Integrity &
Honesty
V7 Is practiced in decisions
V8 Is part of processes, SOPs and culture of organization
V9 Is practiced by the Management
Consultation V10 Is practiced in my organization
V11 Is practiced by employees
V12 Is practiced by the Management
Table XI (Descriptive analysis of the frequency demographics based on
Variables regarding Islamic HRM drivers)
Driver Variable Frequency Percentage Measurement of Central
Tendency
Mean Median ST
Deviation
Justice V1 33 97.1 3.57 4.00 1.108
V2 32 94.1 3.73 4.00 1.155
V3 33 97.1 3.43 3.00 0.934
Fairness &
Transparency
V4 31 91.2 3.85 4.00 0.857
V5 31 91.2 3.65 4.00 0.999
V6 31 91.2 3.57 4.00 1.006
Integrity &
Honesty
V7 32 94.1 3.55 4.00 1.101
227
V8 32 94.1 3.03 3.00 1.133
V9 31 91.2 3.86 4.00 0.956
Consultation V10 30 88.2 3.37 4.00 1.059
V11 30 88.2 2.77 2.50 1.233
V12 30 88.2 3.18 3.00 1.156
6.1.2 Findings from the Data Collected:
6.1.2.1 Levels of practice of Islamic HRM principles in Organizations:
From the above table V, it is evident that:
1. Over all, the practice of Islamic theory & practices in organizations is moderate
represented by total of 139 (45.13%) falling in the range of 26-50%. It can be said
that, on average, the practice in majority of organizations is only moderate.
2. In the above range of 26-50 %, the maximum practice is in respect of justice
which is 22 (64.71%) followed by merit & right man for the right job and
accountability and integrity at 18 (52.94%) and 17 (50.00%) respectively.
Combined with score of 07 in range 1-25%, the total score for justice in the two
ranges comes to 29 (85.30%). This means that justice is the second principle which
is practiced most in the organizations after the principle/practice of Islamic unity,
solidarity, fraternity and brotherhood feelings. The minimum is in respect of
exhibiting of leadership qualities at 08 (23.53%). Fourteen (41.18%) respondents
in the said range opine that Pakistani organizations are effective in their
performance achievement. This combined with score of 13 in range 1-25%, comes
to 27 (79.41%), in the lower two ranges, which means that Pakistani organizations,
generally, are less effective in terms of achievement of their goals, service
delivery, performance, progress, customer satisfaction etc.
3. In the range of 51-57%, the total score is 64 which is 20.92 % of the total in all
ranges. The maximum practice in the range is 14 (41.18 %) in respect of unity,
solidarity, fraternity, brotherhood feelings. Combined with a score of 12 in range
26-50, the total comes to 26 (76.47%). This means that the Islamic practice which
is practiced the most in Pakistani organizations is unity, solidarity, fraternity and
brotherhood feeling among the employees.
228
4. In the range of 1-25%, the total score is 99 (32.35%) which is the second highest
after range 26-50%.
5. Four respondents are of this opinion that Islamic leadership qualities are not
practiced at all in Pakistani organizations. This combined with 16 in range 1-25
come to 20 which is 58.82 % of the total respondents. This means that Islamic
leadership principles are practiced the least in the Pakistani organizations. This
lack of practice of leadership qualities is partly responsible for the slow pace of
development of institutions, lack of merit, accountability, integrity in the country
and the resultant high levels of poverty & illiteracy, low G.D.P growth over the
years, huge occurrence of misuse of powers & authority and the loss of political
and economic sovereignty to foreign powers and non-state actors.
6. Patience and avoidance for avoiding conflicts aggregating at 29 (85.29%) in the
two ranges of 1-25 and 26-50 is the second trait which is practiced the least after
leadership qualities. This also explains, at least partly, as to why is Pakistani
society embroiled in myriad of internal and external conflicts, sapping the
energies, resources and talents of the Pakistani society and keeping it detracted
from the path of peace, progress and respect in the comity of nations which it
otherwise deserves.
7. There is not a single trait of Islamic HRM which could be practiced in the range of
75-100%. This, combined with other factors, especially the meager practice of
leadership qualities, partly explains why the effectiveness of Pakistanis
organization is below par and expectations. This again re-confirms the fact that
Islamic principles of HRM are practiced to a moderate extent only. An
overwhelming number of responses fall in the two ranges of 26-50 and 51-75 of
table V i.e 203 out of 306 which comes to 66.3 %.
From tables VI and VII above, it is clear that:
1. The over all practice of Islamic HRM theory and practices are adopted most in
Islamic Institutions (58.17%) as compared to others (41.83) % in other
organizations and institutions. But this rough percentage is not fully revealing and
is instead misleading if viewed in isolation. The fact that these principles are
practiced to a great extent in Islamic principles is indicated by the increasing
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percentage of respondents when we move from range 1-25 to 51-75 in Table VI
from 48.49% to 70.31% while in case of other organizations, the percentage
decreases from 51.51% in range 01-25 to 29.69% in range 51-75 verifying the
trend of these practices in the two kinds of organizations.
2. The over all effectiveness of Islamic organizations & institutions is higher
(55.88%) compared to others (44.12%). More significantly, the increasing trend of
percentage from range 01-25 to 51-75 of Table VII i.e 38.46% to 71.42% in case
of Islamic and decreasing trend from 61.54% to 28.58% in case of others shows
that primarily Islamic Organizations, practicing Islamic HRM theory & practices
to a greater extent, are far more effective in terms of achievement of their goals etc
compared to other organizations where adoption of these principles & practices is
only moderate. This also shows that Islamic HRM theory & practices have a
positive relationship with organizational performance and effectiveness. This
proves one of the hypotheses. It is, perhaps, due to better knowledge of the Islamic
values among the position holders/employees, better training and research
facilities and culture, availability of better leadership qualities in the incumbents in
these organizations and better standards of integrity and norms of merit,
accountability and over all culture of these Islamic institutions compared to other
general.
3. The moderate extent of practice of Islamic principles shows that majority of the
organizations do not implement Islamic HRM principles fully. This is perhaps
because of the fact that they do not have adequate knowledge of the essentials
about the Islamic principles & practical tools or that conventional HRM techniques
& tools have more dominance in the organizations. Over all, however, the impacts
of these principles & practices on the employees’ motivation, loyalty and
organizational output are considerable and quite high compared to the extent of
implementation there. This also indicates that Islamic HRM Principles & Practices
are more effective compared to the conventional practices in effecting higher
organizational performances.
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6.1.3.1 Impact of Islamic HRM theory & Practice on Organizations:
From the above table VII, it is evident that:
1. The impact of concepts & practices of Ihsaan, justice and Amanah in reducing
the levels of absenteeism, late coming and lack of commitment among
employees are almost to full extent as the combined score in the two upper
ranges of 26-75 and 76-100 is 29 which is %, while the impact of these traits
in enhancing employees’ motivation, loyalty, efficiency and productivity are
also almost to full extent as the combined score in the two ranges is 27 (%).
2. The second principle which has highest significance is the impact of justice,
Amanah and integrity in ensuring choosing of the right man for the right place
as reflected from a combined score of 26 (%) in the two upper ranges.
3. Over all, the impact of Islamic HRM practices on various critical aspects of
the organization and employees is to a greater extent as the score in the upper
range of 76-100 is 44.93% followed by 18.58 % in the second highest range.
The combined score in two upper ranges is 63.53% which is considerable.
4. The impact of Sabr and Iraaz in preventing conflict from creation and in
reducing the level of existing conflicts is considerable as reflected by
combined scores of 20 (%) and 19 (%) respectively in two upper ranges.
5. The impact of consultation in improving perception of organizational justice
and in enhancing employees motivation and loyalty is also considerable as
reflected from combined scores of 20 (%) and 19 (%) respectively in the two
upper ranges.
6. The impact of Islamic education and training in acquiring the requisite skills,
knowledge and attitude through developing the HR is considerable as reflected
by combined score of 19 (%) in the two upper ranges.
7. The impact of Islamic leadership in better organizing, controlling and
motivating employees is considerable as shown by combined score of 19 (%)
in the two upper ranges.
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6.1.3.2 Comparison between Conventional and Islamic HRM Practices:
From table IX above, it is evident that:
1. As regards Islamic morality, the score in the upper two ranges of 51-57 and 76-100
is 28 which is 82.4% which shows that the impact of Islamic morality on voluntary
compliance of the employees is far greater than conventional emphasis on
enforcement.
2. As regards role of Islamic Principles in enhancing solidarity, fraternity and unity
among employees, the combined score in the two ranges is 30 which is 88.3%
which indicates that Islamic principles are far more effective in enhancing
solidarity, unity and fraternity among employees compared to the conventional
practices.
3. The impact of Islamic mode of education and training is also significantly better in
achievement of the requisite skills, knowledge and attitude compared to the
conventional practices of training as the combined score in the two upper ranges
only is 17 which is 50%.
4. The impact of Islamic leadership principles & practices in ensuring/enhancing
employees motivation and commitment is almost to full extent as represented by a
score 29 in the two ranges which comes to 85.5 which means that Islamic
leadership principles & practices are far more effective compared to the
conventional practices.
5. The impact of bottom-up approach preferred by the Islamic principles is also far
more effective in tackling the problems of lack of integrity in the organization
compared to the top-bottom approach generally (although not always) practiced in
the conventional HRM.
6. The role of the problem of lack of culture of integrity in the organizations as the
primary reason for failure of the organizations is also duly highlighted as
represented by a combined score of 28 (82.4%) in the two ranges. This also proves
the correctness of Islamic emphasis on the aspect of integrity.
7. From Tables X and XI, it is evident that:
(i) Regarding Islamic value of Justice, V1 was noted to have mean score
3.57, median of 4.00 and standard deviation 1.108. V2 noted a mean score 3.73,
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median of 4.00 and standard deviation 1.155. V3 variable came out with a mean
score 3.43, median 3.00 and standard deviation 0.934. The driver of Islamic justice
remains to be a significant dimension in the employee motivation, loyalty,
commitment and organizational effectiveness.
(ii) Regarding Fairness & Transparency, V4 had a mean score: 3.85 and,
median of 4.00 and standard deviation of 0.857. V5 was noted to have a mean score
3.65, median of 4.00 and standard deviation of 0.999. V6 was observed to have a
mean score 3.57, median of 4.00 and standard deviation 1.006. This implies that
application of Islamic principles of Fairness & Transparency enhances employees’
motivation, loyalty, commitment and organizational productivity.
(iii) For Integrity & Accountability, V7 has median score of 3.55, median of
4.00 and the standard deviation of 1.101. V8 noticed a mean score 3.03, median of
3.00 and standard deviation 1.133. V9 had a mean score 3.86, median of 4.00 and
standard deviation 0.956. It is thus found that adopting Islamic concepts of Integrity
& Accountability enhances employee’s motivation, loyalty, commitment and
organizational productivity.
(iv) For Islamic Consultation, this variable V10 had a mean score of 3.37,
median of 4.000 and standard deviation of 1.059. V11 had a mean score of 2.77,
median of 2.50 and standard deviation 1.233. V12 had a mean score 3.18, median
of 3.00 and standard deviation1.156. The analysis shows that the impact of Islamic
value of consultation had a significant positive impact on employee’s motivation,
loyalty, commitment and organizational productivity.
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6.2 SWOT ANALYSIS:
6.2.1 Strengths and Weaknesses of the Islamic Model:
Based on the detailed theoretical discussion in chapter three and appraisal of the
Islamic practices in regards of the basic Human Resource functions as detailed in
chapter four, combined with the analysis on the questionnaires hereinabove, the
following strengths and weaknesses of the Islamic HRM model are identified:
STRENGHTS:
Substantial positive role/potential of the Islamic principles & practices of
Ihsaan, Ad’l and Amanah in ensuring and enhancing motivation, loyalty and
commitment of the employees and optimum achievement of the organizational
objectives.
Significant impact of Islamic principles & practices of Ihsaan, justice, Taqwa
and Tazkiah in ensuring the practice and perception of organizational justice.
Substantial role/potential of the Islamic principles & practices of Ihsaan,
justice, Amanah, emphasis on integrity, accountability, right man for the right
job in ensuring choosing of the right man for the right jobs on the basis of
merit with the twin considerations of competence and integrity.
Substantial positive role/potential of the Islamic principle & practice of
consultation in ensuring and enhancing motivation, loyalty and commitment of
the employees and optimum achievement of the organizational objectives.
Substantial positive role/potential of the Islamic principle & practice of peace
in ensuring order, unity, solidarity, feelings of fraternity and brotherhood in the
organization and in its growth.
Substantial positive role/potential of the Islamic principles & practices of Sabr
and Iraaz in preventing conflicts and reducing the levels of the existing
conflicts, enhancing organizational effectiveness.
Significant impact of Islamic principle & practice of gradualism & pragmatism
in ensuring internal strength & order, consolidating the present achievements
and aiming at the larger objectives through creation of deterrence.
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Substantial positive role/potential of the Islamic principles & practices of
equality of mankind, human beings as brothers in preventing/reducing conflicts
and enhancing unity, solidarity among employees and achievement of
organizational effectiveness.
Substantial positive role/potential of the Islamic principles & practices of
education and training in acquisition of the requisite skills, knowledge and
attitude sought by conventional HRM.
Substantial positive role/potential of the integrative approach of Islamic
principles & practices- balance between individual & collective interest,
physical & spiritual/moral, worldly & the hereafter- in developing and
maintaining human resource, having all the essential characteristics.
Substantial positive role/potential of unique model/paradigm of Islamic
leadership with essence as service to and guardianship of the public in
enhancing voluntary compliance with rules, motivation, loyalty, trust and
commitment of the employees towards the organization.
Substantial positive role/potential of the over all superior philosophy of Islam
due to the simplicity and rationality of its beliefs and core values in enhancing
integrity and efficiency.
Substantial positive role/potential and relevance of the Islamic models of
migration, Muakhaat, Hudaybiah, Methaq e Madina in preventing/reducing
conflicts and enhancing social order and unity in organizations and societies at
large.
WEAKNESSES:
Lack of proper understanding of the core Islamic values of Adl, Ihsaan,
Amanah, peace, integrity & accountability, Sabr, Iraaz, Tazkiah, Taqwa etc.
Lack of appreciation of the positive role/potential of the above core values
in enhancing motivation, loyalty, commitment of the employees, organizational
justice and growth of the organization itself.
General decline in moral values in Muslims and the resultant failure of the
organizations manned/managed by such persons.
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General lack of leadership qualities of Islam among Muslim
rulers/administrators / HR managers and the resultant lack of trust, credibility
among the public, besides misuse of authority and the consequent below par
performance of the Muslim organizations and societies in socio-economic
development.
Lack of sufficient research and development of technology in Muslim
societies.
Higher levels of illiteracy and poverty in Muslim societies.
Lack of unity and co-operation among Muslim countries to tape the
potential of available resources.
Negative propaganda of the U.S led West against the holy prophet (peace
be upon him), Islam and Muslims attempting to discredit what good is practiced
in Muslim societies.
The above threats offer the following challenges to the Islamic principles in
general and the Islamic HRM In particular.
CHALLENGES:
Illiteracy and Poverty in Muslim societies
Muslim Leadership crisis
Lack of socio-economic development
Lack of research and institutions of higher learning
Backwardness in technology further deepening the vicious circle
Moral crisis in Muslim societies
Lack of unity and co-operation among Muslim nations
Hegimonistic designs of the foreign powers especially, the super powers.
Brain drain of human resources of the Muslim countries
If properly tackled by Muslim leaders and the public at large, the above noted
challenges can be converted into the following opportunities.
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OPPURTUNTIES:
Utilization of the principles of Ihsaan, Ad’l, Taqwa, Tazkiah, Amanah can help in
developing comprehensive characters in Muslim organizations and societies which
may exhibit voluntary compliance with laws and be more motivated, loyal and
committed to both the organizations as well as the nation at large.
Practicing the principles of integrity and accountability can solve the current
problems of lack of integrity, being the primary cause of failures of the
organizations as has been found from the quantitative analysis.
Practicing the principle of consultation can increase the current level of ownership
of the decisions of the management and enhance motivation, loyalty and efficiency
as shown by the analysis.
Practicing the principles of Sabr and Iraaz can help a lot in preventing/reducing the
internal and external conflicts Muslims are experiencing.
Practicing the ideology of peace both with in and outside powers can help
immensely in creating environment of internal and external peace which seems so
elusive right now. This can let us focus on development of our education, health,
research faculties and industrial & technological development.
Enhancing the current levels of trade, economic and technological co-operation
among Muslim nations of the world can help all of them solve problems of trade
deficits, balance of payments, debt burdens and help in harnessing the efforts of
socio-economic development.
Practicing the Islamic principles of training and education can help a great deal in
acquiring the requisite skills, knowledge and attitude for optimum efficiency of the
employees and organizations.
Utilizing the integrative approach of the Islamic values can help enormously in
creating balanced and productive human resources in Muslim societies.
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6.3 Over All Findings
The study brings forth important aspects of human resource management and
development with the following conclusions and findings:
6.3.1 The model of Human Resource Management in Islam has its base in the Islamic
value of unity (Tauheed) of God, unity of nature and the unity of mankind. This
concept gives birth to the aspect of human equality, brotherhood and fraternity
and nullifies all kinds of discrimination. Islam clarifies that all the creations of
God are for the purpose of testing man here in this world for determining who
adopts moral attitude to deserve a better abode in the Hereafter. In Islam, the
objectives of beliefs and set of practices are meant to ensure purification of the
human soul (Tazkia) from base desires and unwanted traits. The purification of
the soul is linked to love of God and fear of Him for the accountability of man
on the Day of Judgment for all of his actions. The purified soul then adopts
moral values and good behaviour with human beings. Moral character and good
conduct (and not the worldly possessions) has been made the criteria of
superiority in Islam.
6.3.2 The Islamic Model of Human Resource Management has at its core the
concept of Ihsaan (perfection in actions and non-reciprocal goodness) and Ad’l
(unconditional justice). The moral values which are based on Ihsaan &
unconditional justice, and immensely emphasized in Islam, are forgiveness,
patience & perseverance, kindness, mercy, compassion, humility, gratefulness
to God & the human beings, integrity & honesty, sacrifice and -above all-
fixation of one’s interest in the Hereafter. Adopting these traits ensures peace,
unity and order in the organizations and society at large.
6.3.3 The emphasis of Islam on adopting merit in selection of persons for various
positions, assigning duties to only those who deserve and the practice of the
holy prophet (peace be upon him) on the principle of ‘right man for the right
job’ ensures the modern day requirement of organizational and social justice.
Following the above aspects of Islam, combined with its unique stand on
unconditional justice, can help a great deal in tackling the employees’
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perception of fair and transparent treatment in organization and enhance unity,
solidarity among as well as motivation and loyalty of the employees towards
the organization. Adopting the same can also enhance performance of the
employees as well as effectiveness of the organization. Following the same can
help a lot in enhancing fairness and justice in Human Resource functions such
as selection, performance appraisals and compensation. Islam’s approach on
and regard for merit is so unmistaken that it is quite in line modern thinking on
the issue.
6.3.4 Peace, being the religion of the universe, lies at the core of Islam. The Arabic
root of Islam is ‘Silm’ which means peace. Its appreciation for policy of
reconciliation and condemnation of disorder means that it wants to maintain
peace at all costs. For maintenance of peace, Islam prescribes, among others,
observance of patience which is an all encompassing and comprehensive
strategy rather than passive inactiveness. Given the number of casualties and
the extent of territory having come under the rightly guided caliphs of Islam,
the change effected by Islam can be called a bloodless revolution. The policy
of peaceful activism propounded by the Quraan and practiced by the holy
prophet (peace be upon him) not only proved supreme and the best strategy
in the times of the companions but also proved to be the best option in
Islamic and human history. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) discovered
& developed peace both as the best ideology as well as methodology- the
best practice which were productive of the most effective strategy in all
matters; whether they were related to Human Resources Management
(HRM), Human Resources Development (HRD) , Planning, Training or
Conflict Management.
6.3.5 Islamic theory and practice provides an excellent working model for conflict
management. The application of Islam’s principles & practices in conflict
management is premised in the larger goals of reviving the pristine message
of Islam regarding justice, freedom, equality, forgiveness, patience, Ihsaan &
non-reciprocal goodness. In this regard, Islamic concepts of unconditional
justice to all, non-reciprocal forgiveness, avoidance of conflict and
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perseverance, its concept of righteousness, the principle of ‘desire for others
what you desire for yourself’ &‘ repel evil with goodness’ help a great deal
towards avoiding and resolution of conflicts .As an effective means of
preventing conflicts and in case the same become un-avoidable, Islam
encourages to ensure a credible deterrence against party or parties hell-bent
on aggression and injustice.
6.3.6 For a sustainable conflict management, from the perspective of a stronger
party to the conflict, what is required, in terms of Islamic values, is one’s
readiness to meet out justice and fair-play even to the weaker one or to the
enemy. From the perspective of the weaker party, on the other hand, what is
required is avoidance of conflict, even at the cost of some waiver or
compromise of one’s rights for avoiding a bigger loss or sacrifice or wastage
of meager resources in avoidable conflicts. This avoidance of conflict is a
considered response instead of an emotional reaction. The attitude is meant
to avoid knee-jerk reactions by a party in a state of material or technological
weaknesses compared to stronger antagonist(s) and avoid more loss of honor,
dignity, property, lives and the mission itself in the end. This attitude of
avoidance has been encouraged and praised in the holy Quraan through use
of the terms “Iraaz” and Sabr (connoting avoidance and patience &
perseverance).The opposite – reaction to conflict(s) with out due preparation,
non-readiness to compromise short term gains for long-term success or/and
making the dispute a matter of ego- despite obvious odds & unfavorable
comparison of human & material resources, technology, unity, training,
alliances - has been condemned in a narration of the prophet (peace be upon
him). This aspect of Islamic practice of avoidance is exhibited in the
migration of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) & his companions to
Madina from their home town Makkah and again in signing of the “Treaty of
Hudaybia”. The “Hudaybia principle” or the “Hudaybia Model” is extremely
important and relevant to all conflicts across the globe particularly for the
Muslims in managing many of the conflicts they are currently facing.
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6.3.7 This move of buying peace on the part of the holy prophet (peace be upon
him) even at the cost of unfavorable terms in the treaty for achieving bigger
goals was unprecedented and a matchless act of foresight, leadership and
statesmanship. The prophetic foresight clearly saw, beforehand, the peace
dividends and the overwhelming benefits inherent in the treaty which were
not visible to the companions initially. The holy Quraan did not take much to
declare the treaty to be “a clear victory” for the Muslims.
6.3.8 If the holy Quraan is consulted with regard to the issue of conflict, we find
two main principles: finding a common ground in social and worldly matters
and following the principle of pragmatism for settling the contentious matters
by avoiding its theoretical aspects as envisaged in the verse of the holy
Quraan saying, “To you your religion and to me my religion”. These two
principles ensure peaceful religious and cultural co-existence.
6.3.9 In this era, Muslims find themselves in a fairly delicate and complex
position; they are continuously provoked and sucked in to confronting the
other nations and being the target of aggression and injustice. From the
points outlined hereinabove, however, it is clear that they must avoid of all
forms of conflicts in all situations. Given their present position compared to
the adversaries, it is advisable for them, at this stage, to observe patience and
not to react to provocations. Far from reacting to provocation, they need to
realize that adopting the option of observing patience & avoidance and
maintaining peace will give them the urgently required period of peace for
engaging in earnest self-reconstruction, reform and national build up.
6.3.10 Model of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) in this regard shows that we
must avoid doing any thing impulsively. We must avoid rushing mindlessly
in to critical decisions, having far reaching implications for the lives and
properties of the public and the nation at large, with out due consideration to
what the situation demands and what would be the long term consequences
of any decision. Most people are of the view that today politics entail endless
conflict with the rival(s). However, the model of the holy prophet (peace be
upon him) shows that real politics is to defeat the rivals through peace
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diplomacy rather than fighting, so that the rivals lose the ability to offer a
fight, in the first place.
6.3.11 The Muslims in this age need to attend to and focus fully on a comprehensive
internal reform & reconstruction, as the 1st priority. For this reform and
reconstruction to actualize, as an essential first step, they have to realize that
it is, primarily, their own below par performance in all critical areas in the
present competitive world which is at the core of their hardships more than
the bias &oppression of their enemies. For real and meaningful success in
this process of self-actualization and reconstruction, therefore, they have to
understand the importance of observing patience & restraint, especially when
there are planned provocations form their enemies and competitors.
However, this realization will bear fruits and dividends only if it is
accompanied by readiness on our part for ignoring the negative aspects of the
issues and seeking the available opportunities. Adopting another option will
surely lead them farther down that path to self-destruction which they seem
to have been undergoing through on for quite a long time.
6.3.12 The method adopted for bringing about the change by the holy prophet
(peace be upon him) is also in accord with the time-tested principle of
gradualism and due consideration of human psyche of love & affinity for
simple and easy options in the nascent stage of a community’s formation and
collectivity. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) believed in gradualism
and incremental improvement. He not only considered it more akin to human
nature and psyche but also more practicable as well as sustainable.
6.3.13 The starting and critical point for Muslims getting deterrence and attend to
reconstruction is the frank acceptance of their backwardness in moral
character and science & Technology. After focusing on these aspects, they
will be in a position to take their first genuine step towards strengthening
themselves for competing with the world in the comity of nations.
6.3.14 The balance and moderation in knowing & advocating ones rights and
realizing ones duties & obligations is, more often than not, lost. The
injunctions of Quraan & Sunnah tackle this weakness in human nature very
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successfully and aptly. The injunctions appreciate the fact that the rights of
one person or group are duties of the others concerned. Irrespective of the
nature of contract or agreement, one party’s right is in fact the
obligation/duty of the other party. Now if both the parties try to get his/her
due right only but chose to ignore his/her duty( or right of the other) the
inescapable result would be that championing the ‘right’ would become a
mere point of ‘sloganeering’ and lip service and then covert in attitude of
complaint. When an overwhelming majority of population of a nation suffer
from this mindset (as is the case with our society right now), the right would
not be available to any one. The obvious result would be mutual
recriminations, dissatisfaction and disorder in the society on a large scale.
The society will be embroiled in a vicious cycle. For breaking this vicious
cycle, Islamic principle of extra-sensitivity to one’s obligations comes to our
rescue. Islam guides us that getting right is possible only when performing
duty ideally (Ihsaan) becomes the primary concern of every individual of the
society. This concern in Islam originates more from the sense of
responsibility towards collectivity, fear of God and accountability on the Day
of Judgment. Thus, according to Islam, creating awareness and a strong
moral base in the society is more sustainable and lasting compared to the
tools of enforcement through protests and litigation in the courts for
achievement of rights. In such an environment of extra-sensitivity towards
one’s obligations, disputes between employees and the employers can be
avoided in the first place and justice would be easy to get in the courts when
disputes happen to come to them.
6.3.15 Islam’s emphasis on integrity helps in overcoming the problem of misuse of
authority and corruption. It can be used to ensure discipline, commitment and
fairness in performance of one’s duties.
6.3.16 Islam lays great emphasis on acquisition of knowledge and education. It
brings to home the importance of acquiring technical skills required for a
particular job or position.
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6.3.17 Islamic theory and practice shows remarkable planning. The prophet (peace
be upon him) took planned actions and considered every possible precaution
& preparation before embarking upon any important matter. He exhibited an
ideal combination of planning (Tadbeer) and faith in God (Tawakal). He not
only made proper planning and arranged resources for the same, but also
gave due consideration to possible counter-planning of his opponents
(competitors) before taking any action. . For proper planning and its effective
execution, he would cause to collect all relevant information about his
opponents. Majority of the Saryas (expeditions) conducted by groups of the
companions were primarily meant to collect intelligence about movements of
the opponents, their plans and to serve as deterrence for avoiding invasion of
Madina by his enemies. The agreement of ‘Hudaybia’ was an example of
outstanding planning meant to avoid useless conflict, bide time for
mobilization of human & material resources for larger goals, break the
communication gap between Muslims & their antagonists and reap the ‘the
dividends of peace’. The holy prophet (peace be upon him) observed unusual
secrecy in keep preparation for advancing on Makkah.
6.3.18 If a nation or a society is the target of any meaningful change, this change
should be through reform in the individual people making that nation or
society. This is a bottom-up approach which is increasingly preferred by the
organizations and nations undergoing reform. This approach is preferred by
Islam as is evident from verse of the holy Quraan which states that “God
does not change that nation whose individuals do not change themselves”.
This is also evident from the reform model of the holy prophet (peace be
upon him) who focused primarily on change of characters of the individuals
rather than the political or national character at large in the start. It is also
borne out by a narration of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) which
states that the rulers of a community are a reflection of the public or the
individuals forming that community. This means that for a national reform,
change of the individuals through education and moral training is more
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meaningful and sustainable in the long term compared to a change attempted
from the top.
6.3.19 A detailed scrutiny of the life of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) tells
us that he discovered and developed peace both as a complete ideology and
as a methodology – the best practice- which were productive of the most
effective strategy in all matters. The revolution brought about by him was a
practical one based on the ideology of peace. He not only projected the
ideology of peace, but was also able to develop methodology of peaceful
activism. This peaceful strategy owed its success largely to the holy prophet
(peace be upon him) having established peace treaties with all the tribes of
Arabia. Thus, as an instrument of planning, it was made binding upon all the
tribes to follow the path of peace on their own accord. This was altogether a
new method- in effect treaty diplomacy. It was as a result of such strategy
that a country populated by such rigid people could be revolutionized with in
such a short period of time. The miracle was that it was a bloodless
revolution.
6.3.20 When we study the life of the holy prophet (peace be upon him), we find that
a controversial matter arose between the holy prophet (peace be upon him) &
his opponents which was very similar in kind to the conflicts having
involved present day Muslims across the world with non-Muslims. At that
time, in the 6th year after migration to Madina, the agreement agreed to by
the holy prophet (peace be upon him) with his antagonists was arrived at by
unilateral acceptance of all the conditions desired by the other party. In
history it is known as the ‘Hudaybia Agreement’. Why did the holy prophet
(peace be upon him) chose to agree to such a pact? He did it because it was
consciously conceived to be an instrument of a superb plan. He agreed to
sign it because, to him, the actual issue was not to make his antagonists
accept his demands. Instead, the objective was to open the doors of
opportunities. As a result of the agreement, the clouds of war prevailing in
Arabia ended. And the ways to opportunities became consequently clear. As
a consequence, the holy prophet (peace be upon him) & his companions were
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now able to propagate his mission in the entire Arabia and the whole of the
Arab world was radically changed. In terms of its actual consequences, the
pact proved so effective in results that it was mentioned in the holy Quraan
as a clear victory.
6.3.21 According to the holy Quraan, every foe is a potential ally. Islamic
injunctions thus require that the way to turn the potential into the actual
friend is persuasion, peaceful efforts and dialogue, rather than confrontation
and war, which is surely to destroy the available opportunities.
6.3.22 Another principle which the holy prophet (peace be upon him) adopted as
part of his planning was finding common grounds while dealing with the
other party. This principle of finding common grounds becomes more
important when the society is heterogeneous in structure; multi-ethnic, multi-
religious and multi-cultural etc. Finding common grounds prevents the
natural difference of religious beliefs & practices and clash of interests from
slipping into straining of relations, use of force and disorder in the society. It
proves as a catalyst for enhancing social cohesion, solidarity, harmony co-
operation, conditions of peace and development. This part of the Islamic
planning was exhibited by the holy prophet (peace be upon him) in the
agreement known as ‘Meethaq e Madina’ entered into with the Jews and
idolaters of Madina.
6.3.23 Islam tackles the problem of diversity very aptly through principles of
peaceful co-existence and freedom for every one and finding the common
ground with the other party.
6.3.24 Islam lays emphasis on use of intellect for taking moral lessons from signs in
the creation of universe, in history of mankind and in his own self by
referring to the words Tadabur, Tazzakur, Taaqul and Taffakur. The
spirituality prescribed by Islam results into social activism rather than
passive inactiveness and a life of seclusion. This is wedding intellect to the
divine revelation as propounded by Dr. Muhammad Iqbal (1876-1938),
Pakistan’s ideologue and a philosopher of the highest caliber.
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6.3.25 Following the principle of gradualism, realizing the certainty of ‘peace
dividends’ in all situations, showing flexibility in readiness to compromise
small interests for larger goals, focusing on result-oriented decision making
& actions, observing steadfast forbearance in the face of persecution,
avoiding premature & unplanned actions and practicing of turning the
enemies into friends- the holy prophet (peace be upon him) exhibited a
perfect model of adopting the correct direction for whatever decisions he
made and actions he took.
6.3.26 As a guide to humanity and being a successful planner & trainer, he
exhibited as an outstanding model for other people to follow. Some of the
important characteristics of his planning and training are outlined as under:
a. Beginning with the possible
b. To see Advantages in Disadvantages
c. Emigration: Changing the Place of Action
d. Having Trust in Human Nature
e. Making the Best of One’s Enemies
f. The Power of Peace
g. The Third Option
h. A Change in the Filed of Action
i. The Principle of Gradualism
j. Pragmatism instead of Idealism
k. Involving Humanity at large
l. Using the Principle of
m. Adopting the means of Wisdom
6.3.27 Human Resources Development rather than Human Resources
Management: In modern HRM, the primary objective is to enable the
organizations to achieve its goals through development of the human resource.
These goals may or may not serve public utility. With increase in focus on material
ends & trends, and the cut -throat competitive environment in commercial entities,
the element of giving importance to moral values in acquisition of financial and
material resources is on the decline. In the above back drop, whatever schemes of
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education and training of human resource development are adopted now-a-days,
the primary objective is to create such people which prove beneficial to the
commercial expansion of the organization. Thus, of late, the real objective of
human resource development has, practically, become maximization of profit. This
paradigm becomes inherently unjust and exploitative of the human resource. It is
to be noted that the basic framework of Human Resource Development in vogue in
the world is, inherently, isolationist & one-eyed because it does not cater to nor
does it encompass all the critical aspects of the human personality.
(i) Islamic values demand that the development of human resource should,
essentially, be premised on the status of man as the best of the creations. That is, if
it is a resource, then the goals of the organization should match with this exalted
human status and, consequently, result in higher objectives of the organization.
For development & growth, individual & collective well being & success, Islam
has created a balance in the personality of human being. It provides guidance for
satisfaction and fulfillment of material and bodily requirements as well as spiritual
evolution. It aims at elevating basic human morality (with out which no worldly
development is possible) to its perfection. Alongside, it deems soundness &
correctness of belief and faith systems to be essential. Human development and
growth is in fact purification and development of the body, soul and intellect. The
meaning and scope of purification has been described in narrations of the holy
prophet (peace be upon him) as under:
o Balancing human lives
o Purifying and cleaning
o Enhancing and elevating
o Cleansing from incorrect thoughts and precepts
o Purifying from vain desires
o Purifying from apparent and hidden dirtiness etc
(ii) Islamic HRM aims at developing balanced personalities by giving
importance to his various dimensions-physical, intellectual, moral, spiritual and
social. In the Islamic HRM model, the skills are subject to higher values. If this
order is reversed, there will be social disorder and imbalance. What should be the
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extent & content of values in Human Resource Development and how much
should these be basic, clear and conspicuous are not generally included in the
curriculum and training programs undertaken under the HRM or HRD.
(iii) Unluckily, the organizations upholding religious thoughts and the
missionary institutions in our country attempt to develop individual in such a way
that, somehow, he acquires partial understanding of his Creator but is unable to
perform and compete proactively in the worldly matters. The main reason behind
this is their over-emphasis on partial and piecemeal methods of human
development. The results of these attempts are then, inescapably, partial and
piecemeal success. For performing his role in the vicegerency of earth, the
religious individual, generally, lacks the requisite will power, capability, intellect,
competence, skills and attitude. On the other hand, commercial organizations,
primarily, peruse only financial benefits & business expansion and the
development of human resource is also premised in the same framework.
Resultantly, the individual becomes successful in material terms but feels free
from the thought of the hereafter. The real objective of Human Resource
Development is, thus, the creation of balanced characters. For this, we have to
keep in view all the aspects of development of human personality. This concept of
human development is what is ordained by the religion of Islam.
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Conclusions
The Islamic HRM model is based on moral values. At the center of the values
lie the belief in the unity of God, the unity of nature and the unity of Mankind.
This belief gives to the human beings the status of brothers among themselves.
The Islamic model is oriented to the life of hereafter and the moral
responsibility of man on the Day of Judgment before God Almighty for all of
his actions.
At the core of Islamic values lie the principles & practices of Ihsaan (non-
reciprocal goodness), unconditional justice to all, the importance of
consultation, peaceful activism, patience & perseverance, compassion,
tenderness, humility, facilitation , forgiveness, merit & the principle of right
man for the right job, integrity & trustworthiness, accountability, and
objective, transparent and effective performance appraisal system. Adopting
these principles by individuals and organizations can enhance the levels of
employees’ motivation, commitment, mutual trust, efficiency, harmony, co-
operation and enhance organizational productivity and effectiveness.
The Islamic approach aims at creating and maintaining balance between the
physical, intellectual, moral, spiritual and social aspects of human beings and
aims at creating a comprehensive human personality beneficial for the
organization and the society at large.
The concept of Tazkia (purification of soul) from all negative traits is very
important in the programs of training meant for human development and skills.
The important aspects of Taqwa (fear of God) and love of Him in Islam
supports the other parts of the model in that on one hand it create love and
goodwill for the human beings and fear in mistreating them or in doing
injustice with them.
Islam’s emphasis on forgiveness, patience & perseverance, kindness, mercy,
compassion, humility, gratefulness to God & the human beings, integrity &
honesty, sacrifice helps in creating feelings of love and good will for the
human beings.
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Integrity, honesty and fairness are essential elements of the model.
Incorporating the same in the core values of organization both on the part of
management and the employees can help in reducing the incidents of misuse of
authority and corruption in the organizations and society at large.
Islam’s emphasis on selecting right man for the right job, merit and treating
responsibility as a trust can ensure to fulfill employees expectation of justice,
fair and transparent treatment to all with out discrimination.
Emphasis on merit, consultation and justice ensure to achieve the motivation,
loyalty of the employees to the organizational goals and enhance the
effectiveness and productivity of the employees as well as the organization.
Its theory and practice of gradualism helps to create awareness among the
Muslims to focus on the internal reconstruction and strength of the community
(Ummah) through the culture of knowledge, training in moral values, adopting
pragmatic approach in utilizing the presently available opportunities for
creating the deterrence to thwart aggression and achievement of a respectable
position in the comity of nations.
Islam’s emphasis on observing patience and restraint inherent in its notions of
‘Sabr’ and ‘Iraz’ can help the Muslims to resolve many of the conflicts they
have been involved in. The “Hudaybia Model” and the principle of changing
the place of action exhibited in the migration to Madina can help a lot in this
respect.
The precedent of “Methaq e Madina” helps in tackling the problems posed by
the modern issues of diversity especially in organizations having employees
belonging to different religions, ethnicities and cultures and also in such
societies. This can also help in creating and maintaining sectarian and ethnic
harmony in Muslim societies as almost all of them are multi-ethnic and multi-
religious.
The Islamic concepts of non-reciprocal goodness to all, unconditional justice
even to one’s enemies, its mechanism of bringing about change through
gradualism and peaceful activism, principle of following merit and right man
for the right job, its concept of power & authority as trust of the public,
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emphasis on obligation than right, self-accountability on the part of leaders at
all levels, its distinct kind of leadership based in concepts of service and
guardianship of the public rather than being their ruler, virtues of forgiveness,
kindness and patience are relevant and significant. These elements of the
Islamic HRM can help a great deal in tackling the above mentioned challenges
of individual and collective nature. Following these Islamic principles and
practices can enhance harmony, love, affection, trust & mutual co-operation,
peace and development of both the human resources (in terms of their skills,
knowledge and attitudes) and the religious organizations along positive and
peaceful lines. These can enhance motivation, commitment, voluntary
contribution, and productivity of the students of the religious institutions
within these institutions on the one hand. On the other, these can help a great
deal in reducing the gap between these institutions and other sectors of the
society by reducing conflicts, negative mindset towards society resulting in
aggression and extremist actions for effecting social change, thereby paving
the way for social and national harmony and development.
At the core of Islamic values lie the principles & practices of Ihsaan (non-
reciprocal goodness), unconditional justice to all, the importance of
consultation, peaceful activism, patience & perseverance, compassion,
tenderness, humility, facilitation , forgiveness, merit & the principle of right
man for the right job, integrity & trustworthiness, accountability, and
objective, transparent and effective performance appraisal system. Adopting
these principles by individuals and organizations can enhance the levels of
employees’ motivation, commitment, mutual trust, efficiency, harmony, co-
operation and enhance organizational productivity and effectiveness.
Justice is prerequisite for a peaceful society. It is the necessary ingredient for
organizational and social development. Organizational justice and the
employees’ perception about fair and transparent treatment in their
organization are very important for unity, solidarity, motivation, and loyalty of
the employees in the organizations.. It has a positive relationship with
performance, efficiency and effectiveness of the employees as well as the
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organization and, thus, has positive effects on managing human resource.
Justice enhances unity, solidarity and team spirit. More attention should,
therefore, be given to strict observance of justice in human resource functions
such as selection, performance appraisal and compensation which if not done
will always result in perception of injustice among the employees. Practicing
Islamic approach of unconditional justice to all (even the enemies) ensures
organizational justice. Islam not only emphasizes organizational justice but
also requires that procedural justice in decision making in the organization
should also be adhered to. In Islam, choosing the right person effects loyalty to
the organization. Favoritism tends to create mistrust and disloyalty. Islam opts
for selection of the best person for the job. What is required is that Islamic
perspective of justice should be embedded in HRM activities starting from
selection to career development in organizations, especially the Islamic ones.
Ihsaan-unconditional goodness- lies at the core of Islamic HRM theory &
practices. It entails avoiding double standards, high sense of sacrifice for
others, forgiveness, positiveness, liking for others what one likes for one’s self
and repelling evil with goodness. Adopting the principle ensures making
friends out of enemies, avoidance of conflicts and helps immensely in ensuring
employees’ motivation, loyalty, co-operation, commitment, productivity and
organizational success.
Islamic principles of consultation, freedom of expression, equality before the
law and following the majority principle in case of difference of opinions and
lack of consensus, can go a long way in creating harmony, unity, solidarity,
love and brotherhood not only among employees of the organization but can
also prove useful in the hands of the Human Resource managers in dealing
with problems of diversity, perception of justice and conflict resolution. The
relevance of the Islamic principle of consultation is further discussed in chapter
five with reference to quantification of its impact on above mentioned traits of
HR.
Patience is one the loftiest virtues in Islam. It is also the pre-requisite for social
change and reform. Observing patience saves from emotional reaction and
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enables us to respond properly to a challenge. It saves us from pre-mature and
counter-productive decisions and actions. It entitles one to divine succor,
helping the person in various forms and ways. Observing patience is must for
maintaining peace and order. It creates solidarity, harmony, co-operation, trust
and mutual respect in organizations and in the society at large. Peaceful
Activism is the biggest Jihad and success goes with it. Thus, the Islamic
concept of patience and peaceful activism can help enhance harmony, mutual
respect, trust and peace among employees as well as in the organizations.
The Islamic principles of accountability of those in authority, the principles of
avoiding conflict of interest, avoiding appointment of one’s nears and dears in
important positions, the concept of the ruler as the servant and guardian of the
public rather being their ruler, regular and objective performance appraisals
and primacy of justice and accountability over all other considerations
whatsoever, can help a great deal in enhancing efficiency and productivity of
both the employees as well as the organizations. It can also enhance the
perception of justice with in organizations and enhance the levels of employee
motivation, ownership, commitment and voluntary contribution towards
achievement of the organizational goals.
Some educational and training programs lay more emphasis on physical &
intellectual development and skills but lack proper emphasis on moral and
spiritual development. They lack emphasis on faith and vales of nature while
Islam lays emphasis on building strong and stable characters. Islamic training
encompasses all aspects of the human resources including physical, spiritual,
intellectual, social and psychological. It is rooted in wisdom, pragmatism and
result-orientation. With it integrated approach, Islamic training can help in
creating balanced human resources.
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CHAPTER SEVEN
7. RECOMMENDATIONS
7.1 The model of Human Resource Management in Islam has its base in the
Islamic value of unity of God, unity of nature and the unity of mankind. This
concept gives birth to the aspect of human equality, brotherhood and fraternity
and nullifies all kinds of discrimination. In Islam, the objectives of beliefs and
set of practices are meant to ensure purification of the human soul (Tazkia)
from base desires and unwanted traits. The purification of the soul is linked to
love of God and fear of Him for the accountability of man on the Day of
Judgment for all of his actions. The purified soul then adopts moral values and
good behaviour with human beings. These aspects of the Islamic HRM Model
can go a long way in enhancing discipline, integrity, unity, harmony,
solidarity, loyalty among the employees and the effectiveness of the policies
of the organization as well as achievement of its goals. These aspects need to
be included in the HRM curriculum, training programs & modules and in the
core values of the organizations.
7.2 The Islamic Model of Human Resource Management has, at its core, the
concept of Ihsaan (perfection in actions and non-reciprocal goodness) and
Ad’l (unconditional justice). The moral values base on these concepts, and
immensely emphasized in Islam, are forgiveness, patience & perseverance,
kindness, mercy, compassion, humility, gratefulness to God & the human
beings, integrity & honesty, sacrifice and -above all- fixation of one’s interest
in the Hereafter. These values are not specific to Islam but common to all
religions, although adequately emphasized by Islam only. Adopting these
traits ensures peace, unity and order in the organizations and society at large.
For effective performance of various HRM functions and achievement of the
organizational goals, it is proposed that these values should be made part of
HRM curriculum & programs and training modules.
7.3 The emphasis of Islam on adopting merit in selection of persons for various
positions, on assigning duties to only those who deserve and the practice of
the holy prophet (peace be upon him) on the principle of ‘right man for the
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right job’, ensure the modern day requirement of organizational and social
justice. Combined with its unique stand on unconditional justice and Ihsaan,
these instructions can help a great deal in tackling the employees’ concerns
with regard to fair and transparent treatment in organization and thus enhance
unity, solidarity among as well as motivation and loyalty of the employees
towards the organization. Adopting the same can also enhance performance of
the employees as well as effectiveness of the organization. Following the same
can help a lot in enhancing fairness and effectiveness to HRM functions such
as selection, performance appraisals and compensation. It is proposed that this
emphasis should not only be highlighted in the society but also made part of
the cultures of the organizations.
7.4 The policy of peaceful activism propounded by the holy Quraan and practiced
by the holy prophet (peace be upon him) not only proved supreme and the best
strategy in the times of the companions but also proved to be the only best
option at critical junctures in Islamic and human history. The holy prophet
(peace be upon him) discovered and developed peace both as the best ideology
as well as methodology- the best practice which were productive of the most
effective strategy in all matters; whether they were related to Human
Resources Management (HRM), Human Resources Development (HRD) ,
Planning, Training or Conflict Management. This strategy showed wanders in
the early history of Muslims. However, this model of peaceful activism has
been lost in and overshadowed by political struggles in the names ‘struggles
for rights’ and the sacred notion of ‘Jihad’. There is a dire need to revive the
strategy among Muslims in particular for resolution of various conflicts they
are currently afflicted with.
7.5 It is proposed that Islamic principle of finding a common ground in social and
worldly matters and following the principle of pragmatism for settling the
contentious matters, by avoiding its theoretical aspects, need to be inculcated
in Muslim societies and organizations for ensuring communal harmony and
peaceful religious & cultural co-existence among various schools of thought
and followers of different religions to end the menace of sectarianism and
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politico-religious extremism afflicting almost all Muslim societies across the
globe .
7.6 The holy prophet (peace be upon him) believed in and vigorously practiced
the principles of gradualism and incremental improvement. He not only
considered it more akin to human nature and psyche but also more practicable
as well as sustainable. The importance of the principle and its inherent
dividends need to be highlighted in Muslim organizations and societies so that
whatever challenges now faced by them are converted into advantages rather
than points & excuses for unplanned reactions and the consequent loss of the
long term goals of development and progress. Given their present position
compared to the adversaries, it is advisable for them to observe patience, avoid
conflicts & engage in the earnest internal self-reconstruction as a matter of the
first priority. The Muslims in this age need to attend to and focus fully on a
comprehensive internal reform & reconstruction, as the 1st priority. For this
reform and reconstruction to actualize, as an essential first step, they have to
realize that it is, primarily, their own below par performance in all critical
areas in the present competitive world which is at the core of their hardships
more than the bias &oppression of their enemies. For real and meaningful
success in this process of self-actualization and reconstruction, therefore, they
have to understand the importance of observing patience & restraint,
especially when there are planned provocations form their enemies and
competitors. However, this realization will bear fruits and dividends only if it
is accompanied by readiness on our part for ignoring the negative aspects of
the issues and seeking the available opportunities. Adopting another option
will surely lead them farther down that path to self-destruction which they
seem to have been undergoing through for quite a long time.
7.7 The balance and moderation in knowing & advocating ones rights and
realizing ones duties & obligations is, more often than not, lost especially in
Muslim societies. Here all the parties, with very few exceptions, try to get
his/her due right only but chose to ignore his/her duty( or right of the other)
and the inescapable result is the mere championing of ‘right’, point of
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‘sloganeering’ and lip service and the attitude of complaints. When an
overwhelming majority of Muslim population suffer, as they presently do,
from this psyche, all complain of the denial of their rights. The obvious results
are mutual recriminations, dissatisfaction and disorder in the society on a large
scale. The societies are embroiled in a vicious cycle. The injunctions of
Quraan & Sunnah tackle this weakness in human nature very successfully and
aptly. For breaking this vicious cycle, Islamic principle of extra-sensitivity to
one’s obligations comes to our rescue. Islam guides us that getting right is
possible only when performing duty ideally (Ihsaan) becomes the primary
concern of every individual of the society. This concern in Islam originates
more from the sense of responsibility towards collectivity, fear of God and
accountability on the Day of Judgment. Thus, according to Islam, creating
awareness and a strong moral base in the society is more sustainable and
lasting compared to the tools of enforcement through protests and litigation in
the courts for achievement of rights. In such an environment of extra-
sensitivity towards one’s obligations, disputes between employees and the
employers can be avoided in the first place and justice would be easy to get in
the courts when disputes happen to come to them. This extra-sensitivity to
one’s obligation as propounded by Islam and once practiced by the
companions of the holy prophet (peace be upon him) need to be revived in
Muslim organizations and societies so as to serve a practical model for the
Non-Muslims.
7.8 Islam’s emphasis on a comprehensive concept and practice of integrity and
power as a trust helps in overcoming the problem of misuse of authority and
corruption. It can be used to ensure discipline, commitment and fairness in
performance of one’s duties. This emphasis needs to be highlighted to
overcome the problems of misuse of authority and corruption presently
rampant in Muslim societies.
7.9 Islam’s keen interest on acquisition of knowledge and education brings to
home the importance of acquiring technical skills required for a particular job
or position and progress. This interest needs to be highlighted as well as
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promoted through evolving effective education systems and moral training
programs in Muslim societies to bridge the gap in knowledge, Science &
Technology, research viza viz the west for regaining the past glory and a high
status in the comity of nations.
7.10 For any change in the status of a nation or society, it should be
through reform in individual characters constituting the nation or society. This
is a bottom-up approach which is increasingly preferred by the organizations
and nations undergoing reform. This approach is preferred by Islam as is
evident from the holy Quraan and practice of the holy prophet (peace be upon
him) who focused primarily on change of characters of the individuals rather
than the political or national character at large in the start of his mission. This
means that for a national reform, change of the individuals through education
and moral training is more meaningful and sustainable in the long term
compared to a change attempted from the top. This approach needs to be
adopted for reform in the institutions, organizations and the Muslim nations at
large. The model also serves the purpose of HRM.
7.11 We should consider our enemy as our potential friend in terms of
the above verse of the holy Quraan. Islamic injunctions thus require that the
way to turn the potential into the actual friend is persuasion, peaceful efforts
and dialogue, rather than confrontation and war, which is surely to destroy the
available opportunities. This principle of Islam needs to be highlighted in the
HRM programs, training modules of the organizations. This also needs to be
employed for resolving disputes and avoiding conflicts among Muslim
societies in particular.
7.12 Another principle which the holy prophet (peace be upon him)
adopted as part of his planning was finding common grounds while dealing
with the other party. This principle of finding common grounds becomes more
important when the society is heterogeneous in structure; multi-ethnic, multi-
religious and multi-cultural as ours are. Finding common grounds prevents the
natural difference of religious beliefs & practices and clash of interests from
slipping into straining of relations, use of force and disorder in the society. It
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proves as a catalyst for enhancing social cohesion, solidarity, harmony co-
operation, conditions of peace and development. This principle needs to be
highlighted in Muslim organizations and societies for ensuring unity, harmony
and peace.
7.13 The principles of Islamic planning based in injunctions of the holy
Quraan and practiced by the holy prophet (peace be upon him) -such as
beginning with the possible, seeing advantages in disadvantages, changing the
place of action when warranted, having trust in human nature, making the best
of one’s enemies, the power of peace, opting for the third option when
feasible, gradualism, involving humanity at large, pragmatism instead of
idealism, diversion principle, change in the field of action and adopting the
means of wisdom- can not only contribute to the cause of various modern
HRM Practices in vogue but also towards devising better strategies and plans
for achievement of the organizations long term goals. They can also contribute
immensely in taking out the Muslims from the internal and external conflicts
they are faced with.
7.14 Islam emphasis on use of intellect for taking moral lessons from
signs in the creation of universe, in history of mankind and in his own self by
referring to the words Tadabur, Tazzakur, Taaqul and Taffakur is very
effective in creating the right kind of spirituality originating from combining
the three sources of knowledge based in nature, human intellect and divine
revelation. The spirituality weds together the attributes of love of God, and
humanity at large and, thus, results into social activism rather than passive
inactiveness and a life of seclusion. The result is a sublime human character.
This is wedding intellect to the divine revelation as propounded by Dr.
Muhammad Iqbal (1876-1938), Pakistan’s ideologue and a philosopher of the
highest caliber. This spirituality needs to be highlighted in the Muslim
societies at large and included in the curriculum of education and training
programs meant for reform and moral change for the better.
7.15 Following the principle of gradualism, realizing the certainty of
‘peace dividends’ in all situations, showing flexibility in readiness to
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compromise small interests for larger goals, focusing on result-oriented
decision making & actions, observing steadfast forbearance in the face of
persecution, avoiding premature & unplanned actions and practicing of
turning the enemies into friends- the holy prophet (peace be upon him)
exhibited a perfect model of adopting the correct direction for whatever
decisions he made and actions he took.
7.16 The most important role of leader in Islam, that is the role of leader
as a coach, is often neglected in Islamic organizations. The leaders of these
Organizations fails to realize that progress of the organization depends
significantly on the effectiveness of the methods of recruiting, training,
motivating and developing volunteers.
7.17 In the context of Islamic teachings, the following points need to be
kept in mind by the employers and those responsible for management of
employees so as to serve the purpose of creating balanced human characters
and developing human resource in a comprehensive manner with all aspects.
The human resource manager needs to focus on these and develop the same in
his management team. These should be part of the training curriculum and
also reflected in the organizations’ policy. These should find an important
place in the organizations’ core values. These points cater to and cover all
aspects of growth and development of human resource:
o Providing guidance for a correct & balanced thought
o Directing beliefs & concepts towards God
o Correcting intention and will in accord with moral values
o Enabling individuals to make a distinction between good & bad and right &
wrong
o Developing culture & capacity of observation, learning, thinking, positively
questioning, criticizing
o Enhancing analytical capacity of individuals
o Creating capacity of how to realize and solve problems
o Training in acquisition of wisdom and foresight
o Training in how to perform ones’ duties best
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o Creating an urge for perfection in actions & practices
o Discovering, actualizing and utilizing true potential of individuals
o Developing all capabilities of individuals
o Basing all relationships on integrity and brotherhood among individuals
o Developing selfless and sincere attitudes
o Developing culture of greetings, especially the Islamic ones
o Developing culture of meeting & leaving with smiling faces and good wishes
o Developing culture of respect for elders & seniors and affection for youngers
& juniors
o Maintaining mild tones and softness in manners and interactions
o Maintaining productive and positive relationships among employees
o Encouraging participation in moments of happiness and grief
o Encouraging Participation in and serving in community works
o Creating and maintaining cleanliness and clean environment
o Taking care of individuals’ health
o Arranging properly for treatment, food and accommodation of employees
o Arranging for fresh air, proper light and other security requirements
o Giving a positive direction to fear, anger ,avarice, jealousy, hatred, pride &
arrogance, inferiority & superiority complexes,
emotionalism,sadism,pessimism.self-centeredness,persecution-mania and
extremism in the employees
o Attempting to achieve mental peace, satisfaction ,contentment, cordiality,
concentration in thoughts and actions of the employees
o Keeping balance & match between powers and responsibilities of the
employees
o Keeping emotional balance in the employees
o Promoting truthfulness, uprightedness and integrity in interactions and
relations among employees
o Enhancing focus towards God ,His laws and the life hereafter
o Enhancing sense & consciousness of accountability for all of actions on the
day of judgment
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o Maintaining remembrance of God in all matters.
7.18 The real objective of Human Resource Development is to develop
the individual through education and training in such a way that he proves to be a
successful man in this world and becomes entitled to the heaven in the hereafter.
Since every person is like a Sheppard (in various spheres) and accountable for all
those under his supervision, there is no escaping for the human resource manager
and the organizations to focus on the above mentioned responsibilities. In this era,
Muslims find themselves in a fairly delicate and complex position; they are
continuously provoked and sucked in to confronting the other nations and being
the target of aggression and injustice. From the points outlined hereinabove, it is
clear beyond any shadow of doubt that they must avoid of all forms of conflicts in
all situations. Given their present position compared to the adversaries, it is
advisable for them, at this stage, to observe patience and not to react to
provocations. Far from reacting to provocation, they need to realize that adopting
the option of observing patience & avoidance and maintaining peace will give
them the urgently required period of peace for engaging in earnest self-
reconstruction, reform and national build up.
7.19 Muslims in this age need to attend to and focus fully on a comprehensive
internal reform & reconstruction, as the 1st priority. For this reform and
reconstruction to actualize, as an essential first step, they have to realize that it is,
primarily, their own below par performance in all critical areas in the present
competitive world which is at the core of their hardships more than the bias
&oppression of their enemies. For real and meaningful success in this process of
self-actualization and reconstruction, therefore, they have to understand the
importance of observing patience & restraint, especially when there are planned
provocations form their enemies and competitors. However, this realization will
bear fruits and dividends only if it is accompanied by readiness on our part for
ignoring the negative aspects of the issues and seeking the available
opportunities. Adopting another option will surely lead them farther down that
path to self-destruction which they seem to have been undergoing through on for
quite a long time.
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7.20 One of the major crises that face Muslim societies is the leadership crisis.
Muslim leaders have failed in providing & creating conditions for flourishing of
justice, fairness, accountability, balance (Ihsaan), learning (Ilm), trust and
Integrity (Amanah) in their societies. They do not lead by example as they lack
the vision and character to do so. This lack of leadership qualities among
Muslims’ organizations & societies makes the relevance and usefulness of the
Islamic leadership for motivating and inspiring employees and public at large for
achieving organizational goals very apt.
7.21 Applicability of Islamic HRM in the West: Countries which practice
principles of justice, equality before the law, accountability and integrity, merit
and right man for the right job, freedom of expression, respect for human rights
and fundamental rights are the ones which are successful in nurturing sustainable
development and public welfare and provide their public with necessities of life.
Western countries already practice these golden principles and practices more
than the Muslim countries. Consequently, the human resources/employees in their
business organizations as well as public institutions are not only better in terms of
their skills, knowledge and attitudes and thus more productive for the
organizations but also provide competitive advantage to their organizations
compared to those in the third world countries and Muslim countries. Thus, there
is more scope for following of the Islamic principles of unconditional justice,
merit and right man for the right job, accountability and integrity, respect for
human rights, avoiding conflict of interest, transparency and its distinct leadership
style based in service and guardianship of public rather than rulership in the West.
Islam’s notion of a balance and integration of various aspects-the individual &
collective, the physical & spiritual, this world & the hereafter, its principles of
peaceful activism & conflict management, its notion of authority & power as trust
can provide a corrective check to the individualism, materialism and profit
maximization that characterize much of contemporary human resource
management theory & practices offering instead compassion, harmony, voluntary
motivation, job satisfaction and achievement of organizational goals. The Islamic
principles & practices can help tackle the challenges of globalization, rapid
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changes in technology, diversity problems as the management and leadership
paradigm in the West are in a flux and ethics and morality are exhibiting a visible
comeback. Besides, the bestsellers in the domain of leadership and management
increasingly focus on integrity, sincerity and trustworthiness more than anything
else and the usefulness and superiority of leadership paradigm based on ethical
and moral principles are finally emerging- a position that Islam entails from its
very inception. As legislation and procedures are increasingly proving inadequate
to ward off every farm of malpractice, a self-induced Islamic ethics is naturally
much after sought to more than supplement the deficiency in the West.
7.22 Merits of Islamic HRM in Religious Institutions:
(i) Unluckily, the organizations upholding religious thoughts and the
missionary institutions in our country attempt to develop individual in such a way
that, somehow, he acquires partial understanding of his Creator but is unable to
perform and compete proactively in the worldly matters. The main reason behind
this is their over-emphasis on partial and piecemeal methods of human
development. The results of these attempts are then, inescapably, partial and
piecemeal success. For performing his role in the vicegerency of earth, the
religious individual, generally, lacks the requisite will power, capability, intellect,
competence, skills and attitude. On the other hand, commercial organizations,
primarily, peruse only financial benefits & business expansion and the
development of human resource is also premised in the same framework.
Resultantly, the individual becomes successful in material terms but feels free
from the thought of the hereafter. The real objective of Human Resource
Development is, thus, the creation of balanced characters. For this, we have to
keep in view all the aspects of development of human personality. This concept of
human development is what is ordained by the religion of Islam.
(ii) The religious institutions/schools in Pakistan in particular and in the
Muslim world in general face many challenges both in the realm of national and
international and collective as well as individual levels. On the collective national
level, these include lack of adequate financing & modern means of education in
applied and social sciences, art & literature and the consequent lack of career
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opportunities in national institutions and organizations, institutional problems in
the methods of teaching & training in vogue, internal and external conflicts and
lack of institutional development. These problems result in increasing sectarianism
and worsening of relationship between various schools of thought and also with
the state institutions and tendency of use of violent means against other sects and
also against the state for achievement of their perceived objectives.
(iii) On individual levels, these problems reflect lack of human rights in these
institutions, abuses of raw HR talent by physical & psychological harassment &
corporal punishment and mental torture, lack of personality development and
confidence among the students resulting into negative attitudes and aggression
against the society and state institutions and their increasing tendency to effect
social change and resolve conflicts through violent means. These problems not
only hamper positive growth of these institutions and their students for playing a
productive role in the society but also create widening gaps between these
intuitions and the society at large thus increasing administrative and economics
woes of the country. The result is unhealthy relationship between these religious
institutions and other sectors of the society and increasing frustration, aggression
and development of extremism within the institutions as well as the society and
reflected in the ongoing disturbance of peace and order, development and national
welfare and loss of human lives.
(iv) For tackling the above mentioned problems, the Islamic concepts of non-
reciprocal goodness to all, unconditional justice even to one’s enemies, its
mechanism of bringing about change through gradualism and peaceful activism,
principle of following merit and right man for the right job, its concept of power &
authority as trust of the public, emphasis on obligation than right, self-
accountability on the part of leaders at all levels, its distinct kind of leadership
based in concepts of service and guardianship of the public rather than being their
ruler, virtues of forgiveness, kindness and patience are relevant and significant.
These elements of the Islamic HRM can help a great deal in tackling the above
mentioned challenges of individual and collective nature. Following these Islamic
principles and practices can enhance harmony, love, affection, trust & mutual co-
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operation, peace and development of both the human resources (in terms of their
skills, knowledge and attitudes) and the religious organizations along positive and
peaceful lines. These can enhance motivation, commitment, voluntary
contribution, and productivity of the students of the religious institutions within
these institutions on the one hand. On the other, these can help a great deal in
reducing the gap between these institutions and other sectors of the society by
reducing conflicts, negative mindset towards society resulting in aggression and
extremist actions for effecting social change, thereby paving the way for social and
national harmony and development.
6.11 Limitations:
The findings & conclusions of the paper detailed hereinabove above, especially its
quantitative part, are meant only to be suggestive and, therefore, need to be
interpreted by taking into considerations limitations mentioned below. First, the
generalization of the findings of this paper can be questioned because of the
limitations on size of the samples used. As indicated in the tables above, there are
total of 34 respondents, majority of whom belong to the four major Islamic
organizations/ Institutions. Secondly, the numbers of respondents from each
Islamic organization differ. The quota sampling procedures could be utilized in
future researches on the topic. This brings us to the 2nd of the limitations of this
research paper, the non-response bias. There could be possibility of different
responses from the non-responsive respondents regarding the variables in question.
For future research, therefore, it would be useful to examine the impact of Islamic
HRM on work outcomes other than the subject of the study. In the context of
Islamic HRM, additional research with large samples will be necessary to validate.
Additional research is required to generalize these findings to the HR managers
employed specially in the Govt institutions and the private sector. It would also be
worthwhile to conduct a full research on comparative study & analysis on all HRM
practices and their utilization in the Islamic organizations and the non-Islamic
organizations and examine their comparative impacts.
