1985-July-19

Muslim Journal

Muhammad Speaks - The Problem Of Responsibility

Imam W. Deen Muhammad

Let us come to another problem. Another problem that we have is rushing into positions of responsibility by persons who have to prove something to themselves. They use the community for personal experience. They say, "Oh, 1 have been hungering for a long time for a situation that would give me authority, a situation that would put me over other people. I have to prove to myself that I can command other people, that I am a leader."

And these people rush into these positions of authority, and they don't know that they are really followers. Allah has not created any leader that wasn't a follower before he was a leader, and has to remain a follower after he is a leader.

Allah says in the Qur'an "And nothing approaches Allah in any state except as a servant." Nobody can have a relationship with Allah unless they first accept to be a servant. These people who have been starved for the opportunity to be seen, or to push somebody around, or to show off their talents, they are not aware, they are not in the right spirit. They should be in the spirit of a servant first. The spirit of a servant should be the first thing we see on his face.

When we see him, we should see a man walking in humility, walking in humbleness, walking with a heavy spirit on him..."Oh, God, 1 cannot manage everything for myself. Now I have to come before men and speak. Some of them might have more to say than me. 1 have to come before women and speak, and I might not know a thing about womanhood- Oh Allah, they are blowing the trumpet for my entrance, please help me."

The leader that we want is-first the leader that recognizes his limitations. Let him first recognize his limitations, and call on Allah in humility, and in fear. Praise be to Allah.