Little did I know what I wrote a couple weeks ago about ‘What the ustaz/ustazah tells us’ needs a sort of sequel.

I wrote that a majority of the congregation during Friday prayers will have their eyes shut especially after a hearty lunch. The point I am making in this article is how many will remember what the imam said at last Friday’s sermon compared to this week’s. Here, I am comparing the Friday sermons in Kuala Lumpur on March 18 and 25, 2016 and what we can learn from it.

The title of the former is ‘The measure of loyalty’ while the latter is ‘The blood and sweat of sacrifice’.

In summary, the former talks about obeying the leader in affairs and matters of kindness is an obligation. Citizens who are obedient and loyal would always respect, honour and pray for the well-being of their leaders and Islam forbids discrediting or belittling each other as well as outwardly displaying disobedience, to humiliate or to insult and taunt each other.

The imam did say “...loyalty to a just and fair ruler or leader is essential, ... The decree to be loyal to the country’s leaders do not come from the leaders themselves, but from Allah SWT. Therefore, if the citizens are disloyal towards the leaders, that means they have been disloyal to Allah SWT.

“Rasulullah SAW said, ‘Indeed, there will exist a leader after me. Therefore, do not insult him, for those who insult him, it is akin to giving up the reins of Islam from your own neck’.

“Islam has complete rules and guidelines that govern the responsibilities of the government and leaders as well as responsibilities and obligations of citizens. If both parties fulfill their respective responsibilities properly, it increases the safety and peace of the country. The combination of a fair and just government with loyal citizens will trigger a balance in society and will be enjoyed by all.”

I wish to add a few relevant verses that apply to people who lead.

Allah doth command you to render back your Trusts to those to whom They are due; and when ye judge between man and man, that ye judge with justice: Verily How excellent is the teaching which He giveth you! for Allah is He who heareth and seeth all things. (An Nisa’ 4:58)

O ye who believe! obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you. if ye differ In anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if ye do believe In Allah and the Last Day: that is best, and Most suitable for final determination. (An Nisa’ 4:59)

Surah Al Ahzab reminds us of blindly following our superiors and dignitaries.

The Day when their faces are flipped into the Fire, they will say, “If only we had obeyed God and obeyed the Messenger.” (Al Ahzab 33:66). And they will say, “Lord, we have obeyed our superiors and our dignitaries, but they led us away from the way.” (Al Ahzab 33:67).

“O you who believe! Be conscious of God, and speak in a straightforward manner”. (Al Ahzab 33:70)

In Islam, political decisions and other actions of the leader, authority or government must be accountable to Allah and the people. Rasulullah SAW said: “Beware. every one of you is a shepherd and every one is answerable with regard to his flock. The Caliph is a shepherd over the people and shall be questioned about his subjects (as to how he conducted their affairs).

“A man is a guardian over the members of his family and shall be questioned about them (as to how he looked after their physical and moral well-being). A woman is a guardian over the household of her husband and his children and shall be questioned about them (as to how she managed the household and brought up the children). Beware, every one of you is a guardian and every one of you shall be questioned with regard to his trust.”

Authority must be executed fairly

Every Muslim is a khalifah of Allah and an equal participant in organisation. Everyone is allowed to enjoy equal opportunities. The executive or leader is answerable to Allah, and to the people who have elected him.

Authority must be executed fairly and must not be abused.

The best system or organisation cannot succeed if it does not rest upon the firm foundation of good conduct or if its officials or leaders are not men of high character, honest and not God-fearing.

Prophet Muhammad SAW remarked: “He who witnesses any vice should change it.” In another occasion, he noted that, “A word of justice uttered before an unjust ruler is the greatest of jihad.”

During the US presidential election between Nixon and Kennedy, as Kennedy was a Catholic, doubts were raised over his loyalty to the role of president. If US interests demand one thing and the pope (or Kennedy’s own faith) another, what will Kennedy do? Will he play the role of president hundred percent? Or will he compromise it by his fealty for the pope?

His simple answer, “Should the two loyalties, the pope and the presidential office conflict, he would give up the latter but remain a simple Catholic.” (Time, Sept 26, 1960).

Principles have priority over persons. Persons may be sacrificed for the sake of principles, not principles for the sake of persons.

Until this day he has left an indelible mark.

I want to highlight something about transactional leaders. They approach followers with an eye to exchanging one thing for another (eg, jobs for votes, board positions for donations, etc). Whereas, transformational leaders recognise the needs of potential followers and seek to fulfil their higher-order needs. They strive to engage the follower’s full person in order to engender mutual inspiration and elevation.

The transformational dimension is very much a part of the Islamic paradigm of leadership, which stresses the reciprocal enrichment of the leaders and the followers.

Rasulullah SAW said: “If Allah puts anyone in the position of authority over the Muslims’ affairs and he secludes himself (from them), not fulfilling their needs, wants, and poverty, Allah will keep Himself away from him, not fulfilling his need, want, and poverty. Obedience (to somebody) is required when he enjoins what is good.”

The imam at the Friday sermon may have forgotten the story of Moses who is loved and respected; he is both a Prophet and a Messenger. God mentions him more than 120 times, and his story ranges across several chapters. It is the longest and most detailed story of a prophet in the Quran and is discussed in elaborate detail.

Then, after them, We sent Moses and Aaron with Our proofs to Pharaoh and his dignitaries. But they acted arrogantly. They were sinful people. (Yunus 10:75). But none believed in Moses except some children of his people, for fear that Pharaoh and his chiefs would persecute them. Pharaoh was high and mighty in the land. He was a tyrant. (Yunus 10:83).

People continuously require reminders

In summary, the Friday sermon on March 25, 2016 says it is human nature to be forgetful and careless. Therefore, people continuously require reminders, supervision and control.

There must be a mechanism in relation to supervision of the community and by the authorities. In our country, it is the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM), which is authorised and empowered to oversee the integrity, security and peace of the country.

We Malaysians are supposed to be assured of peace and security while we perform our daily activities. Although there are still issues of crime and disorder that concerns us, PDRM should be ever-vigilant in keeping them under control and focus on the traget group and core responsibilities.

Many a times we have heard the police are trying to protect certain group of people and doing selective prosecution. This should not be the case.

We pray that Allah SWT shall continue to assist and lighten the burden of PDRM in their fight against the ever-present evil and wrongdoing in this country. As long as the task of upholding the right and preventing the wrong is undertaken with dedication and integrity.

“... And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear Allah SWT; indeed, Allah SWT is severe in penalty.” (Surah Al-Maidah 5:2)

We as citizens need to provide full cooperation to the police force in efforts to reduce the crime rate in the country. We appreciate and acknowledge the blood, sweat and sacrifice of the police in maintaining security and safety of the citizens and the country, even at the expense of their lives.

Similarly, we as citizens need to provide full cooperation to the government of the day in efforts to combat mismanagement, wastages of public funds and social injustices.

“O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice as witnesses to Allah SWT even against yourselves or your parents or your kin and whether it be (against) the rich or the poor: for Allah SWT can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts) lest you swerve and if you distort (justice) or decline to do justice, verily Allah SWT is well-acquainted with all that you do”. (An-Nisa’ 4:135)

Wallahu a’lam (And Allah knows best).