Today, the Muslim nations stand on a common ground, sensing that the tide of time is about to change, and they firmly believe in their eventual return to leadership among nations, although they currently find themselves at the bottom of the ladder.
The Quran has outlined a methodology for the leadership of nations based on truth and has provided pathways that must be followed. The unity of people around the message had reasons as elucidated by the verses of the Noble Book. Allah says: "So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you" (Quran, Al-Imran: 159). Thus, what brought people together around the call was not only the truth it contained but also the ethical conduct of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), as he was the foundation of people's gathering and acceptance of his message.
The Quran starts its clear verses by reminding that Allah is the Most Merciful, and the value of mercy is something Muslims have emphasized throughout history. They have inherited the tradition that when a student meets their teacher for the first time, the first thing they hear from the teacher is: "Those who are merciful will be shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Be merciful on the earth, and you will be shown mercy from Who is above the heavens." (1). This tradition emphasizes compassion before teaching and learning.
Islam Empowered Ethics of the State, As Leaders Prioritized Values Over All Spoils
Brotherhood Marks the Beginning
One of the first acts the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) performed upon his migration was the establishment of brotherhood between the Muhajireen (migrants) and the Ansar (helpers). Brotherhood encapsulates all the values and ethics, such as compassion, generosity, and empathy. When Abdullah ibn Salam, a Jewish scholar, came to verify the situation, he said: "When I saw the face of the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him), I knew that it was not the face of a liar. The first thing he said was: ‘O people! Spread peace, feed the hungry, pray at night when people are asleep, and you will enter Paradise in peace.’” (2) With these ethics, the society of Medina began to flourish.
Supreme Values and State Ethics
In a gathering that included the honourable companion Amr ibn al-Aas, Al-Mustawrid al-Qurashi said: “I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying: The Last Hour would come (when) the Romans would form a majority amongst people.” 'Amr said to him (Mustaurid Qurashi): “See what you are saying?” He said: “I say what I heard from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ).” Thereupon he said: “If you say that, it is a fact for they have four qualities. They have the patience to undergo a trial and immediately restore themselves to sanity after trouble and attack again after flight. They (have the quality) of being good to the destitute and the orphans, to the weak and, fifthly, the good quality in them is that they put resistance against the oppression of kings.” (3)
Civilization, when it abandons its values and embraces corruption, transforms into a barren desert
Amr mentioned forbearance, patience, compassion for the poor, weak, and orphans, and justice, which are great values that ensured exceptional longevity for those who embraced them.
Islam empowered the ethics of the state, as leaders prioritized values over all gains, for gains meant nothing compared to the loss of ethics. Abu Ubaidah returned what he took from the Christian people of Homs in exchange for peace and protection because he did not fulfil his promise to them. (4)
Thus, the ethics of the state, stemming from Islamic values, governed the actions of the leaders. Loyalty to the adversary was a foundational principle that could not be circumvented.
The state did not forsake the value of justice, even if its establishment meant apostasy, leading to the perpetrator facing the prescribed punishment. Jableh ibn Al-Ayham struck a man in the sanctuary, breaking his nose. The man sought retribution, which Umar ibn al-Khattab, the Caliph, obliged, even though Jableh was a leader among his people. He was very angry. Unable to bear the consequences, Jableh renounced Islam.
Umar could have pardoned the man, preserving his status within Islam. However, the loss of one man was not worth compromising a higher value that Islam urged.
Monotheism is the basis of ethics
The foundation of ethics is rooted in the concept of monotheism. Ethics among the Arabs during the Jahiliyyah era improved with monotheism. The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him said: "I was sent only to complete the noble morals" (5). Through monotheism, he extracted noble traits from their souls, making them a unique generation in their actions, conquests, and impact on the earth.
Any system aspiring to leadership must prioritize ethics and the nurturing of souls
The Prophet Muhammad praised the Ash'arites, saying: "When the Ash'ariyun run short of food in the Jihad or when they are at home in Al-Madinah, they collect all the provisions they have in a sheet and then divide it equally among themselves. They are of me and I am of them." (6) The Prophet praised them for their mutual compassion and for their preference of those who possess over those who do not. This trait they exhibited aligned with what they became through monotheism and Islam.
Quranic Stories of values and ethics abandoners
The Qur'an mentions the fate of corrupt civilizations, such as the people of 'Ad, Thamud, and Pharaoh, all of whom were astonishing in their civilizations but lacked moral values. Consequently, “o your Lord poured upon them a scourge of punishment.”, (Al-Fajr: 13). Thus, the ancient civilization turns into a barren desert, as its owners abandon values and follow corruption.
Anyone observing what the Pharaohs left behind would be astonished by their civilization, which eventually disappeared, serving as a historical lesson about those who rose without righteousness and spread corruption on earth.
An Inevitable Necessity
It's imperative that any system aspiring to build and lead society must prioritize ethics and the nurturing of souls. Allah describes the Prophet and his companions with the finest moral qualities, which facilitated their mission on earth. They were compassionate among themselves, and their acts of compassion preceded discussions of worship, emphasizing the intertwining of both aspects. This was among the blessings bestowed by Allah upon His servants when He said: "Certainly did Allah confer [great] favour upon the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from themselves, reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom." (Qur'an, Ali 'Imran: 164) So their purification preceded their education in the Book and wisdom.
No matter the enmity, justice is essential, and regardless of the nobility of the argument, mercy is necessary
And thus, the paths of reformers and soul revivers are outlined, that purification is not optional in calling for Islam, but a cornerstone of its pillars and an essential element.
The great calls that establish what benefits people do not succeed except by empowering values, and no matter how lofty the ideas and clear the argument, morality remains the foundation in empowering the call. Any call that contradicts morals is like foam that disappears quickly.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, sent Abdullah ibn Rawaha to Khaybar to Khaybar to distribute the produce between him and the Jews. They gathered for him jewellery from their women, and they said to him: "This is for you, and lighten the burden on us, and be generous in the division." So he said to them: "O Jews, by Allah, you are among the most disliked people to Allah to me, and that does not make me overlook my duty towards you. As for what you offered as a bribe, it is rejected, and we do not consume it." They said: "By this, the heavens and the earth are sustained."(7)
No matter how intense the enmity, justice is indispensable, and no matter how noble the argument, mercy is necessary, and no matter how clear the truth, gentleness in presenting it is essential.
Thus, calls based on higher values are like rain falling on the earth, bringing forth greenery from every barren land.Top of Form
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(1) Authentic, narrated by al-Tirmidhi.
(2) Authentic, narrated by Ibn Majah.
(3) Narrated by Muslim.
(4) Al-Ikhtisar (2/253).
(5) Al-Muwatta.
(6) Agreed upon.
(7) Narrated in Al-Muwatta.
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