The Prophetic Legacy V.0

RECONSTRUCTING THE PROPHETIC MODEL: A MODEL OF BUILDING A MOVEMENT, REMAKING A COMMUNITY, & CHANGING THE WORLD INTRODUCTION Our goal is to remake our community by committing it to the divine cause/mission and turning it into a mass movement that effectively mobilize, streamline, and integrate the efforts and resources of all its members and institutions/organizations towards a better Americ. This goal should be pursued following the prophetic model, which is an incredibly effective model of remaking an irrelevant community into a leading movement that changed the world in the span of one generation. Therefore, an important aspect of the change that we need and seek is to revive the prophet’s legacy (reconstruct the prophetic model), based on an in-depth study that goes beyond the incidents to dig out patterns, strategies, and lessons on the rise and fall of communities and nations. The current situation of American Muslims (and of Muslims everywhere) is due in part to their inability and/or unwillingness to properly understand and fully leverage not only the Quran but also the legacy of the prophet. In addition to the outright neglect, the majority of Muslims understand both sources only in a very superficial/shallow, partial, rigid, out-of-context (irrelevant), or even distorted way. It is my understanding that not only the Quran is a timeless/perfect guidance but also the prophetic legacy is a timeless/perfect model, and that the prime duty of Muslims at all times and in all circumstances is to embody/exemplify and promote/advocate the guidance by replicating the model in a way that is relevant to their time and conditions. This in turn requires a broad and in-depth understanding of both the sources of guidance and the reality, to be able to do what the prophet did best: effectively and consistently engaging his environment in all circumstances. Other than the absence of the infallible and unmatched personality of the prophet, the differences between the prophet’s task and ours should not affect the replicability of the model. And if any, those differences are mostly to our advantage. The whole Quran and the complete sunnah are in our hands, and instead of building a community from idol-worshippers in a hostile environment, our task is to remake what is already a Muslim community and in a free country and a largely Christian society. Therefore, we are spared the two main obstacles that the prophet dealt with: idol-worshipping and (religious) persecution. Moreover, in terms of numbers, resources, facilities, and access to knowledge and to people, we have a huge advantage. Some misconceptions about the seera are worth correcting:

-

The Seera was not a sequence of unrelated and haphazard incidents. Rather, it was a systematic implementation of a great vision/mission and a methodical process of building a great movement that changed the world.

-

It is true that the seera included several battles, which marked important turning points. But the seera is not about battles. And these battles were conducted in self-defense or fair retaliation, resulted from the continuous engagement of an ever-wider circle to deliver the message, and were conducted to achieve what the prophet asked for from the outset: freedom*(khallu), and its natural consequences: peace*(layatumminna) and justice* (liyaquma).

-

The prophet was not only a messenger and teacher/mentor, but also the founder and leader of the greatest movement in history. Therefore, in studying and reviving his legacy, it is unfair to focus only on what he said and did to embody and convey the revelations (individual sunan, hadiths), but also on what he and his companions did to promote, advocate, and establish Islam: building and expanding a movement and proactively, effectively, and consistently engaging an ever-wider circle.

-

The seera was not meant to be a one-time exceptional/matchless event, but a timeless replicable model of building a movement to fulfill the divine mission, and a model of – individual and collective – implementation, promotion, and advocacy of Islam.

-

The incredible success of the prophetic model is not due to miracles or specific circumstances that were exclusive to the prophet and his companions, who were not supermen. Instead, the prophet and his companions effectively worked the divine rules that govern the universe and met the requirements for Allah’s guidance and support, which made all the difference. But the same guidance and support are always readily available/accessible for those who meet the requirements: complete devotion and utmost strive/sacrifice.

These misconceptions and others are deeply rooted in the minds and psyche of Muslims. If we don’t challenge and correct them, the vast majority of Muslims will remain – openly or implicitly – under the impression that the legacy of the prophet is simply not revivable. At best they may enjoy it as a movie/documentary or a book, and may be superficially and momentarily inspired by some sayings, some people, and some events in that legacy. There were very few attempts to study the seera in a holistic way and as a replicable model. This is a humble attempt to study the seera as a model that we should, we can, and inshaa Allah we will replicate to remake our community into a genuine and relevant American Islamic Movement that shall fulfill the divine mission

(champion Allah’s cause), and make an increasingly significant contribution to a better America.

THE STORY AND THE STRATEGY: Upon the commissioning of Mohammad (pbuh) as the final and universal messenger, the divine message and covenant were entrusted to him and to his followers after him till the end of times to invite people to worship none but Allah and honor their covenant with Him. As soon as he was instructed to proclaim the message*, the prophet did not conduct himself as a messenger/preacher only but also as a leader/founder of a reform/change movement. Indeed, the prophet was not preaching a faith and a way of life, but was recruiting people to a movement whose main ingredients/components are unity of purpose/mission and unity of leadership. In other words, the prophet while focusing on tawheed, was inviting people to embrace his mission, join his movement/community, and to follow him both in exemplifying and proclaiming the message, both individually and collectively. Indeed the prophet presented/proposed Islam as one package: a mission (to embrace), a movement (to join), and a leadership (to follow). And most of the times, people on the spot accepted the whole package or rejected it after one meeting/exchange with the prophet. In his first day ‘on the job’ and in a very indicative/significant move for those who want to follow his footsteps and reconstruct his model, the prophet wasted no time before reaching out to his family and closest friend to secure his ‘base’ and bring them on board. The next day, and in another very indicative/significant move that constitutes a key factor in the success of reconstructing the prophetic model, Abu Bakr al-Siddiq proceeded to recruit five members who will turn out to be instrumental leaders of the movement, in addition to securing his own base. In couple of days, the nucleus/seed of the movement was formed, and its main characteristics included: -

Great gender, ethnic, tribal, and age diversity in spite of the small number of pioneers.

-

Focus on youth

-

Targeting individuals who, despite their shirk, were known for their distinguished character.

The society was dominated by shirk, and the message was a call for tawheed: to acknowledge the oneness of Allah, and express this acknowledgment in worshipping none but Allah. But because there were only two camps, and because the Dawa

was selective, the call of tawheed was an automatic/implicit recruitment to join the newly born movement/community who was established to carry out the commandments of Allah. Therefore, from day one, embracing Islam meant striving to surrender to and execute the Will of Allah. By declaring the pledge of tawheed, one vows to fulfill the purpose of creation (worshipping none but Allah) and the designated role of man on earth (custody/guardianship), which translates into unwavering obedience and a far-reaching sense of responsibility. Therefore, the declaration of faith becomes a pledge to strive to be an incarnation and an instrument of the Will of Allah. Because prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the final and universal messenger, his followers are expected to carry on – individually and collectively – with the mission of their prophet till the end of time. This mission, which is a continuation of the custody of earth (khilafa) was spelled out to comprise Dawa and Islah (enjoining that which is good and prohibiting that which is evil), which is exactly the mission of the prophets. Dawa and Islah to fulfill the role of vicegerent constitute the external front of the eternal struggle between good and evil, while worship and tazkiya (selfdevelopment and self-purification) to fulfill the purpose of creation (worship) constitute the internal front. Therefore, sealing the prophethood with a final and universal messenger, implies that the enforcement of the sacred trust and the fulfillment of the prophets’ mission of guiding people to Allah and leading them in the eternal struggle between good and evil are to be entrusted/assigned to the Muslim community as a whole and to every member of it till the end of time. Being a Muslim means entering the sacred trust by declaring the pledge of tawheed, which in turn implies: -

Embracing/espousing the mission of the prophets which consists of Dawa and Islah, fulfilling that mission in one’s immediate environment, and engaging in the external struggle against injustice and corruption/mischief.

-

Worshipping and obeying Allah SWT, and engaging in an internal struggle of tazkiya (self-purification and self-development) to incarnate/exemplify/embody the divine guidance, achieve one’s potential and fulfill the exclusive purpose of creation by turning all life into worship, obedience, and righteousness.

-

Joining the community of believers (or coming together to establish a community of believers) that will strive collectively to incarnate/exemplify/embody the divine guidance, fulfill the mission of Dawa and Islah, and engage in the external struggle in the society at large.

Partly because their command of the Arabic language, and partly because of the clear contrast between the two camps, in the early days of Islam, embracing Islam

implied commitment to the cause, and membership in the movement. Every Muslim felt responsible for, committed to, and actively engaged in the advancement of the cause and the wellbeing and growth of the movement. Another fundamental aspect that was understood by every Muslim, which will be confirmed by subsequent incidents during the life of the prophet and after his death, was the dual role of the prophet: the fact the prophet was not only a messenger who receives and convey/preach revelation, but also the leader of the movement. It is these concepts of mission/cause, movement, and recognized leadership (and discipline) that ensured the cohesion of the group. And it is the proper/effective engagement of the society/environment (in addition to the perseverance and solidarity of the members) that ensured the growth, and even the survival of such a small group in such a hostile environment and against all odds. Without such factors, which in turn earned them Allah’s guidance and help/support, that core group would have easily been marginalized or even annihilated. It is this understanding/version of Islam and this model that transformed a small number of idol-worshipping, illiterate, and poor Bedouins belonging to a bunch of tribes engaged in all forms of oppression and corruption, and in endless infighting for petty issues/reasons; It transformed those people, who were lacking any materialistic strength/power, into a mission-driven model community that was able to change the world in the span of one generation. The prophet (pbuh) and his small core group, were subjected to all form of oppression by the establishment of Mecca, including propaganda, harassment, torture, and boycott. Through his incredibly effective leadership, the prophet leveraged his knowledge of the society and the flexibility of the divine guidance to effectively engage the society to ensure the survival and growth of his community/movement, even as he was nurturing and blending/fusing the members of the group. Survival, cohesion, personal development, and growth/expansion – all through (civic) engagement was a fundamental characteristic of the prophetic dual approach/model of (personal and group) development and civic engagement. Simplicity, practicality/pragmatism, common sense, flexibility, creativity, long-term and contingency planning, restlessness, discipline, and persistent growth constituted other important characteristics of the proactive prophetic approach. The prophet effectively leveraged all the opportunities that the tribal system in Mecca offers. He took advantage of the protection of his non-Muslim uncle who was a respected leader in Mecca, and the solidarity of his non-Muslim kinsmen who joined him and his followers when they were subjected to the boycott/sanctions. The divinely inspired call for self-restraint and perseverance in the face of the excessive harassment and brutal torture, which ran against the prevailing culture of the time, was instrumental in the survival of the community of believers, as it drew people’s sympathy and respect, and denied the establishment the excuse/justification to eradicate the newly-born community. In spite of their unthinkable enmity/hostility, the prophet never stopped engaging the leadership in

Mecca, partly because when it comes to Dawa, he didn’t give up on anybody, but also chances are that through this continuous but non-confrontational engagement, he wanted to tam their enmity/hostility and make the new phenomenon a fait accompli. He took full advantage of the Hajj season to reach out to and convey his message to everyone who would listen from the leaders and members of the tribes who come to Mecca for Hajj. He sent a group of his followers to Avicenna, more than likely as a contingency plan to ensure the survival of his message and movement, should the establishment manage to finish his group off in Mecca. The move was also a masterpiece maneuver to take the struggle with the establishment of Mecca to a different level, disrupt their malicious plans, and push them closer to give up on the possibility of finishing off his message and his movement. It was a risky move, because Quraish had a reasonable shot at reclaiming the asylees from Avicenna, but the risk was a calculated one because the prophet knew that Avicenna was ruled by a just king, which also shows how aware of his environment the prophet was. This move and others showed how focused, creative, proactive, and daring/audacious the prophet was in achieving his strategic Meccan goal of making his message and his movement a fait accompli and invincible (immune to extermination). When his main strategic goal in Mecca was achieved, but growth was completely stifled and the establishment became much more vicious especially after the death of his uncle, the prophet started looking for an alternative base for his message and his movement. He went secretly to Taaef, one of the main towns and home of the second most powerful Arabian tribe (thakeef) and of one of the most revered idol/god in the Arabian Peninsula. In all these relevant aspects, the status of Taaef/thakeef was second only to Quraish/Mecca. He presented his proposal to the leaders of Taaef/thakeef, but the reaction could hardly be worse, and his attempt/journey failed miserably. The prophet was chased, stoned, and hurt/injured badly, by the people of Taaef who were instigated by their leaders. The prophet managed to escape with his companion, but described this incident as the worst moment of his life. However, in the middle of the agony, we can detect at least three factors that were critical to the success of the prophetic mission, movement, and model: -

Unshakable devotion to Allah illustrated in the famous supplication that he made, and in which he sought refuge and help from Allah and stated that as long as Allah is not angry with him, nothing matters

-

Unwavering steadfastness and commitment to the cause illustrated in his Dawa to the slave who was sent by his masters – out of piety – with some grapes, and who ended up embracing Islam.

-

Boundless compassion and optimism illustrated in declining the offer by the angel of the mountains to squash in the disbelievers, and instead prayed to Allah to guide them and hoped that at least their offspring may be Muslims.

Indeed, his prophecy was fulfilled as many of the people and leaders of Quraish and Taef, and their offspring became not only average Muslims, but leaders and champions of the cause of Islam. When he came back from Taeef, the prophet had to enter Mecca under the protection of one of its prominent leaders. This practice, known as al-jiwaar, was part of the prevailing system in Mecca, and the prophet took full advantage of it. The search for an alternative base was not limited to the trip to Taaef. The prophet has also approached several tribes and their leaders during the Hajj season, until he encountered 6 pilgrims from Medina, who even though were not leaders of their tribe, yet their positive response opened the door for migration to Medina. And in couple of years, the Medina will be carefully and successfully prepared to be the base of the prophet’s movement/community, which actually became a constitutional-based state built on the concept of citizenship, a system of governance that was unprecedented in the history of mankind. Indeed, as part of his outreach to pilgrims, the prophet succeeded in recruiting a group of 6 individuals from Yathrib, something that was inadvertently assisted by the Jewish intimidation/bullying of the people of Yathrib. This event proves that opportunities may come from unexpected sources, but only for those who are looking for them. This turning point resulted in 2 covenants/pledges in the next 2 consecutive Hajj seasons, with 12 and 75 individuals, respectively. The first pledge comprised of tawheed, manners, and obedience of the prophet, while the second pledge included full commitment to the cause of Islam and full support and protection of the prophet. Prophet Muhammad handpicked Mossaab to go with the 12 people and basically prepare Yathrib to become a suitable base for the prophet and his movement. In one year, Mossaab managed to introduce Islam to every house in Yathrib, and delivered the 75 individuals who concluded with the prophet the second pledge of al-Akaba, which paved the way for the migration of the Meccan Muslims and the transfer of the prophet base to Yathrib. Even though the prophet, who was the last to migrate accompanied by Abu Bakr, had only short preparation time, the prophet’s trip to Yathrib was very meticulously planned. Nothing was haphazard in the efforts of the prophet to fulfill the mission and build, protect, and expand the movement. He seamlessly combined proactive and systematic planning with total trust in Allah (SWT). In Medina, the prophet and his followers faced a new but similar challenge, and pursued a new but similar strategic goal: securing the newly-formed fragile state against serious internal and external threats, and propagate/disseminate the message to an ever-wider/broader/expansive audience, which required a very delicate balance between strength/vigilance to discourage and resist any internal or external conspiracy against the fragile state, and peace/stability to facilitate the propagation of the message.

Upon his arrival to Yathrib, which will take the name of Medina*, and without any delay or break, the prophet proceeded with his strategy of securing/strengthening the base and engaging/scouting the surrounding/neighboring environment. He applied it almost simultaneously to different levels of operations and with a lot of vigilance, shrewdness/astuteness, and focus/discipline. All along, the field/environment of each level constitutes the base for the next level: -

Level one: the community of believers is the base and the Medina (and its surroundings) is the field/environment

-

Level two: the Medina (and its surroundings) is the base and the Arabian Peninsula is the field/environment

-

Level three: the Arabian Peninsula constitutes the base and the whole region/world is the field/environment

The prophet was well aware that these 3 levels were very intertwined, and therefore any move in any field/level may have tremendous immediate or long-term implications on the situation in other fields and on future plans. In all these 3 levels, and until the conquest of Mecca, or at least until the treaty of Hudaybiyya, the focus was on Mecca/Quraish, which with its status and power/strength constituted the main threat to the Medina, and the main impediment/hurdle for the spread of Islam both in the Arabian Peninsula and beyond. Therefore, throughout the first 8 years in Medina (and especially the first 6 years), Quraish was always the focus of the prophet and a major factor in his plans, even while he was dealing with the daunting challenges and threats – within and around the Medina – associated with founding a new state in a largely hostile or at least very unfavorable environment. The focus on Quraish was not driven by any desire for forced conversion (which is not allowed in Islam) or revenge*, but because Quraish was the main obstacle that is precluding the fulfillment of the prophet’s mandate of universally conveying Allah’s final message and establish a community of justice. Indeed, with the opposition of Quraish, it was impossible for the message to spread significantly in the Arabian Peninsula and beyond. The prophet dealt with this humongous obstacle/threat of Quraish in an amazingly creative, proactive, vigilant, and effective way. The first phase of consolidating the community of believers (the base) was achieved with 3 simultaneous strategic moves: -

Merging the two Muslim tribes of the Medina, and putting behind any hard feelings from their long history of bloody infighting before Islam.

-

Merging the two branches of the community of believers: the emigrants from Mecca (Muhajireen) and the residents of the Medina (Ansar)

-

Building the masjid, which was much more than a place of worship. Rather, it was the hub of the community and the HQ of the movement/community which has been built in Mecca and Medina over the last 13 years, and which is now becoming a newly-born state.

This track was further pursued afterwards by other strategic moves to ensure the independence of the community and its economic security and development. The prophet invited his followers to buy a well and to establish their own market, when the trade in Medina was monopolized by one market belonging to one of the constituent groups of Medina. Engaging the bigger circle (the Medina) and securing it as a base for the next level of engagement was achieved by an unprecedented/historic move that consists of writing a constitution that granted all citizens/residents of Medina the fundamental liberties and equal rights to all citizens, and regulated the relationships between the different constituents of the Medina. Meanwhile, the prophet and his followers never stopped developing their community and civically engage their fellow citizens, with whom Muslims closely intermingled. Also, part of his coherent strategy the prophet concluded a number of treaties and alliances with some major tribes around Medina, like Juhayna, which was based on the western front of the Medina, on the strategic trade route between Meccan and Damascus. All these steps were taken within 6 months after the migration of the prophet, and triggered a new set of challenges/threats, which were met with the same high level of vigilance, shrewdness, and discipline. Indeed, the prophet and his community continued their thorough mapping and vigilant monitoring of their environment to secure both the internal and external fronts. And within one year from the time they were given the permission to fight those who fight them, the prophet sent 8 expeditions (he participated in four of them) to proactively foil/thwart the numerous conspiracies/plots by the belligerent tribes surrounding the Medina (some of them were thugs) who may have been lured to attack the Medina and this newly-born fragile state, while it is still in transition. Those deterrent expeditions were instrumental in preventing a potential fatal vicious cycle of internal and external threats that would have surely been triggered by any perception of weakness. This second phase of securing the Medina and its surroundings was not over, when the prophet decided to setoff the third phase by engaging Quraish, even while still securing and engaging the first and second bases. This proactive leadership style, which leaves no doubt about the existence and clarity of long-term plans and goals in the mind of the prophet – can easily be detected throughout the life of the prophet. Compare this to the prevailing attitude of Muslims nowadays, characterized by low ambitions and lack of motivation to grow, succeed, and excel;

all out of lack of self-confidence and renunciation of the responsibility for the results. The prophet engaged Quraish/Mecca through several attempts to intercept their trade caravans, which was less than fair retaliation for what Quraish did to Muslims over 13 years and what it took from them (of wealth and property) by forcing them to leave Mecca. After several missed attempts and a successful one (in Nakhla), the prophet himself led his people in an expedition to intercept a loaded trade caravan that belongs to Quraish in its way back to Mecca from Damascus. The purpose was for the Muslims who were forced to migrate from Mecca to recover/recuperate some of their wealth and property that was taken from them. This move triggered the mobilization of the Meccan army. The caravan managed to escape, but the two armies met in the valley of Badr, and the Meccan army insisted to fight. The Army of Quraish consisted of about 1000 soldiers and was well equipped compared to the Muslim army that consisted of about 300 people who did not come to fight and was poorly equipped. The Muslim resounding victory had substantially shaken the status quo and balance of power in the whole Arabian Peninsula, with some significant fallouts in the Medina itself, namely the appearance of the category of hypocrites in Medina, and the friction with one of the Jewish tribes in Medina. The victory in Badr led the first group towards deception and the second towards defiance, and the prophet had to deal with these two new challenges wisely, but swiftly and decisively, in a way that does not significantly disturb the fulfillment of his mission and the execution of his long-term plans. He overlooked the move of the first group who now claim to be Muslims, and there was no basis to challenge their claim, but drove away the second one for collectively breaking the treaty and conspiring to betray the state. In the weeks leading to the Battle of Badr, which took place in Ramadan of the second year, Allah prepared the Muslim community to this jump to the next level by prescribing on Muslims prayers and Zakat (the details of them)*, and the fasting of Ramadan. He also prescribed on them to fight back on self-defense, and shifted their Qibla (prayer direction) from Jerusalem to Mecca. These are very intensive but needed training and preparation for people who will soon put their lives on the line for Allah and His cause. The immigrants (muhajireen) were to face their own tribesman something that is both very testing for them as humans and very abhorred in the prevailing tribal culture. The supporters (ansaar) were to put themselves in harm’s way for something that was not included in the pledge they made to the prophet, which included only defending him in Medina. The Ansaar showed unwavering support to the prophet’s decision, and the battle ended in a triumphant victory for Muslims and humiliating defeat for Quraish, in spite of the disparity of the balance of power.

The day/night before the fighting started, one of the companion, al-Hubab ibn alMundhir, proposed to the prophet to change the positioning of the Muslim army, and the prophet readily responded. But before making the proposal, the companion asked the prophet whether the choice was a military tactic or a divine inspiration. This simple incident says a lot about the kind of training and empowerment that the prophet used with his companions: he taught them not to hesitate to express their opinions and criticism, and offer their expertise even when dealing with the prophet. The incident also revealed that the companions understood from the outset the dual aspects of the prophet’s personality: Allah’s messenger and the community leader. And the companion wanted to know in which capacity the prophet was acting. They revered him and obeyed him in both capacities. But in the first one without questioning, and in the second one they knew that they have the right and the obligation to provide their perspective and enrich and contribute to the decision. As usual, Quran (specifically surat al-Anfal) was revealed to empower Muslims with the proper interpretation of the incident (what happened) and with the lessons from it. Chief among those lessons were that victory comes only from Allah, and Muslims should be completely devoted to Allah in all circumstances, and therefore should not dispute about the spoils of war even in their conditions of extreme poverty. The prophet knew that Badr, in which Quraish lost some of its most prominent leaders, was just the beginning of the engagement with Quraish, and that Quraish will not rest before trying to revenge its humiliating defeat by the weaker and smaller Medina and what they considered as renegades/defectors. Therefore, he was not carried away by the victory in Badr, but rather maintained the same level of vigilance and did not open any new fronts. Within one year, Quraish mobilized an army of about 3000 soldiers and was on its way to attack the Medina. Objective: revenge and annihilation. The prophet gathered people for consultation, and after discussing two military strategies*, the prophet decided not to wait for the army of Quraish in Medina, but rather to go out to face them. 1000 individuals joined the prophet, 300 of them (the hypocrites) retreated and returned to Medina. The rest faced off with the army of Quraish of about 3000 soldiers near the mountain of Uhud,….miles from Medina. The prophet organized and mobilized his army which quickly overwhelmed their enemies, who started to run away from the battlefield. But the Muslim victory was spoiled by the snipers’ premature desertion of their strategic positions in the mountain to get their share of the spoils of war, thus violating the unmistakable and firm commands/directives of the prophet to stay in their positions until he gives them permission no matter what happens in the battlefield. One of Quraish generals, Khaled ibn-al-Waleed, spotted the opening and was able to turn Quraish humiliating defeat into a stunning/crushing victory that resulted in the loss of many companions (including

Hamza and Mossaab) and a severe injury to the prophet, and came so close to the assassination of the prophet and the annihilation of Muslims. Again Quran was revealed to help Muslims comprehend what happened and why, learn their lessons, and recover quickly. Actual incidents and tests and the Quranic commentaries on them constituted, with the prophet’s example and teachings, the main and the most effective tool/mean of nurturing/developing the companions, and ingraining in them concepts, principles, and character. Uhud ingrained critical requirements for victory and effective leadership. Quran made it clear that the leader’s compassion towards his people should not be affected by their mistakes, no matter how big those mistakes are, and the leader must continue to consult his people irrespective of the outcome. However, both the way consultation was conducted and the Quran directives made it clear that consultation does not mean twisting the arm of the leader and should not turn into an open-ended argumentation and paralysis. Moreover, Uhud made it clear that victory is not guaranteed for Muslims, because they are Muslims, as many of them apparently thought. Rather, victory and defeat are subject to unbiased rules, and Allah’s help is conditional. Indeed, the Quranic commentary on Uhud cites two key reasons for the defeat in Uhud: First, not all the army had complete selflessness and devotion to Allah (), and second, the lack of discipline illustrated in the violation of the prophet’s instructions (). The Quran also commented on the chaos/confusion and retreat that resulted from the rumor about the prophet’s death during the battle, by stating clearly that the prophet is mortal, and Muslims fight for a cause not for the prophet. The prophet and his soldiers who did not escape managed to retreat to the mountain, and in the process fought very hard with the enemies who tried to prevent them from retreating to the mountain and therefore tried to finish them off. Even before Quraish departed victorious and the Muslims started to pick up the pieces, the prophet started to control the damage and retrieve his community from the internal and external fallouts of the defeat. Even while still in the battlefield, the prophet made couple of very genius/brilliant moves. In the first one, he asked the companions not to answer the calls of the leader of Quraish, Abu Sufyan, who was inquiring on the lives of the top Muslim leaders, the prophet, Abu Bakr, and Omar. The move was meant to persuade Quraish to depart thinking that they accomplished their goal. In the second one, the prophet asked his people to answer Abu Sufyan who was bragging of their idols and his assertion that Uhud was a revenge for Badr, by asserting that in spite of their defeat Muslims worship Allah, and their martyrs are in heaven, and Quraish dead soldiers are in Hellfire, a move that was meant to boost the morale of Muslims. The next day and with a dual master stroke the prophet succeeded to protect his community, protect/boost their morale, and deter his enemy. He called on his wounded and shocked people to

chase Quraish, and sent a false intelligence to Quraish to scare/deter them from going back to finish the Muslims, an idea that Quraish started to seriously contemplate. This recovery/resurgence process of boosting the morale of Muslims and deterrence of the enemies will continue for more than a year till the battle of Ahzaab, which was a turning point in the seerah, as it marked both the peak and the end of the possibility of annihilation of the prophet’s community and his newly-born state. But the year between Uhud and Ahzaab witnessed the revival of the temptation of the Arab tribes to attack the prophet’s community and state. Two plots/conspiracies were preempted; two others claimed the lives of 80 companions (10 & 70; more than the number of Uhud’s martyrs); and an attempt on the life of prophet by one of the Medina remaining 3 Jewish tribes which was foiled and resulted in the evacuation of the tribe of bani al-Nadheer, a tough but merciful decision that the prophet had to take to draw the line and prevent any domino effect. In a typical pattern of engagement triggering new/bigger challenges, the leaders of bani al-Nadheer together with those of another Jewish tribe based in the Medina suburb of Khaibar initiated a campaign to mobilize all the enemies of the prophet, including Quraish, in a huge coalition to uproot the whole Islamic phenomenon. A well-equipped army of 10,000 soldiers was now marching towards the Medina, and was more than enough to wipe out the Medina and its 3,000 Muslims. Salman, a companion from Persia, proposed a brilliant idea that was used in Persia, and which consisted of digging a trench to protect the Medina from the invading army of confederates. The prophet quickly adopted the idea, and started with his companions the digging of 12 km long by 5 m wide and 5 m deep trench (300,000 cubic meter), a humongous project that was astonishingly completed in two weeks. The confederates army besieged the Medina for a month, during which the situation of Muslims were substantially worsened by the betrayal of the Jewish tribe of bani Quraidha, which would have created a backdoor opening for the confederates to achieve their goal. Again, with another master stroke*, the prophet was able to disrupt this alliance, before the confederates were forced to depart by a severe wind storm. The Quran describes accurately the siege and the storm in the following verses of surat al-Ahzaab “ “. Al-ahzaab, like Badr and the first phase of Uhud , unequivocally confirmed the golden rule that says that only when Muslims are devoted to Allah and His cause, and do their utmost (spare no efforts), can they count on Allah’s Guidance and Support/Help () ().

Realizing that al-Ahzaab marked the fruition of the 18-year long strategy of protecting the community from annihilation, while trying to strengthen it and expand it as much as possible, the prophet said “from now on, we go to them but they will not attack us”. But because of the continuing standoff between the Medina and Mecca, the atmosphere in the Arabian Peninsula is still charged, and was not suitable for the propagation of Dawa neither in the Arabian Peninsula nor beyond. In other words, Quraish was no longer a threat but continued to be an obstacle. Therefore, the prophet continued to creatively and persistently engage Quraish to eliminate/neutralize the obstacle of Quraish, with minimum cost/sacrifices, and establish the peace/stability and justice that constitute an the thrust of his mission, and that are needed for the propagation of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula and beyond. The year after al-Ahzaab, the 6th year after hijrah, the prophet led 1400 of his people in a Umra trip to Mecca, something that the prevailing norms/laws granted for everybody. Quraish was cornered and scrambled to deal with this challenge. The whole incident resulted in the treaty of Hudaybiya*, that even though seemed to be unfair (or even humiliating) to Muslims and did not reflect the new balance of power, achieved the objective of the prophet: peace and stability in the Arabian Peninsula that facilitates the propagation of the message of Islam and take the pressure/intimidation off the people and tribes who would like to embrace Islam and join the prophet. The treaty of Hudaybiya was accompanied by two noticeable incidents: the discussion between the prophet and Umar, and the pledge that the prophet took from the companions. Umar was enraged/infuriated by the terms of the treaty and the fact that the prophet accepted to defer the performance of umra to the following year. The prophet answered few questions that Umar posed and the two agreed on the diagnosis. However, the prophet tacitly taught Umar that even after diagnosing the situation, a leader should consider and keep all his options open, and should not be blinded by ideologies or anger/emotions. Rather, the leader should be at the same time principled and pragmatic, and should go for the best option that leads to maximum benefits with minimum sacrifices/price, without compromising any principle. The second incident occurred after the prophet sent Uthman as his emissary to Mecca, and a rumor circulated that Uthman may have been killed. This meant that the peaceful trip of Umra, may now turn into a battle without proper preparation. The prophet took a pledge from all his companions to persevere till the end in case war erupts. Before the ink of the agreement may have dried out, and before the second stage of his strategy even ended, the prophet started the third stage of engaging the region beyond the Arabian Peninsula by sending seven messengers/emissaries to leaders of the world inviting them to Islam. They included the leaders of Rome,

Persia, Avicenna, Egypt, Damascus, Bahrain, and Yamama. He also sent 15 ‘missionaries’ to the northern side of the Arabian Peninsula, the ‘buffer zone’ with the Roman Empire, and the home of several Arab tribes, most of which were Christians and under the patronage of the Roman Empire. This reaffirmed some key elements in the prophetic model/strategy: constantly engaging a wider circle, working simultaneously on multiple fronts, and ensuring smooth transitions by overlapping phases. But realizing that the first phase is over, as Quraish was no longer a threat and the annihilation of Muslims became close to impossible, the prophet summoned (to Medina) his people from Avicenna, first because there was no longer need for back up, and second to pave the way for delivering the message to Avicenna without embarrassing those who took refuge in it, and more than likely were not active in Dawa. And within a month from the truce of Hudaybiya, the prophet also proceeded to fully secure the Medina by clearing the last pocket of foes, who were staged in Khaibar (… from Medina), who actively participated in the buildup of the army of the confederates (al-Ahzaab), and who were now hosting the evacuated tribe of bani al-Nadheer, their partners in the conspiracy of the confederates. Interestingly, the arrival of the Muslim refugees from Avicenna coincided with the clearance of the last pocket of foes. In the two years after hudaybiya, many more people in Arabian Peninsula embraced Islam and joined the prophet than in the previous 19 years. But immediately after the Hudaybiya, the prophet started to confront the challenge posed by the Roman Empire and their client-tribes in the north, especially after killing one of the 7 emissaries of the prophet and robbing another, which was an abhorred act of aggression by the prevailing norms/laws. They also killed the 15 ‘missionaries’ that the prophet sent to the area, and both the northern tribes and the Roman Empire began to persecute (and even kill) every person who embraces Islam. These tribes became now a serious dual threat to the propagation of the message of the prophet and to his state’s trade with the north, plus they initiated a number of aggressions (remember Quraish is based in south side of the Peninsula, and Medina is midway between north and south). Therefore a proper response was called for. The prophet put together and sent an army of 3,000 soldiers, the largest up to that point, which after a march of 1,000 km towards present-day Jordan, found itself face to face with an army of 200,000 Roman and Arab soldiers in what will be known as the battle of Mu’uta. Even though they were stunned, Muslims have no option but to fight. And after two days of fierce fighting, the Muslim army, led by Khaled ibn al-Waleed and through a brilliant military strategy, was able to push the enemy back and to withdraw successfully, with minimal losses. It is worth noting that Khaled was a Muslim for 3 months only, and took over the leadership of the army after the death of the leader and his two successive backups, all appointed by the prophet, which speaks volume about the prophetic model when it comes to

inclusiveness, empowerment, and swift integration of people and leveraging of their talents/skills. The Roman Empire, which was heavily involved in the battle and its soldiers constituted half of the army, was at the time one of the two superpowers of the world, and only few years ago defeated its rival, the Persian Empire. Given this status of the Roman Empire, the battle of Mu’uta not only achieved its goals in the north, but also resonated loudly in Medina, in Mecca, and in the whole Arabian Peninsula. It paved the way for the conversion to Islam of more reluctant tribes, and made the conquest of Mecca, one year later, both swift and peaceful. Indeed, in the following year, 8 A.H., Quraish broke the treaty by attacking a nonMuslim tribe that had a mutual-defense alliance with the prophet. This incident led to the conquest of Mecca by the prophet, a conquest that not only Quraish was too overwhelmed to resist it, but also the prophet took all precautions to make it a peaceful one. Moreover, the prophet granted a blanket amnesty to the people of Quraish, who for more than two decades made his life and the life of his companions hell, and attempted several times to take his life and to annihilate his community. Not only people were not forced to convert to Islam, but they were pardoned for their unspeakable crimes, which speaks volume about the mission, the character, and the priorities of the prophet. His focus was always on delivering the message, establishing peace and justice, and creating the environment that will allow/enable people to receive it and freely choose to accept it or reject it. Under his rule, freedom and justice prevailed, fundamental liberties and equal-rights were guaranteed for all citizens, and autonomy was granted to all communities. There was no compulsion in religion, no religious persecution, no discrimination, and no (colonial) exploitation. Ten thousands Muslims participated in the successful and peaceful conquest of Mecca, which triggered preparation for war against the prophet by the prominent tribes of neighboring Taaef. The prophet cleverly augmented his army by 2,000 from the new converts of Mecca, marched to the enemy to preempt the attack, defeated them in the valley of Hunayn, and besieged them in Taaef, thus ending the last pocket of oppression and corruption in the Arabian Peninsula. The prophet was very generous with the new converts of Mecca and distributed among them most of the colossal spoils of war. This move, like the acceptance of the outcome of the Hudaybiya, was beyond the grasp of the simple-minded companions, and the revelation of the prophet’s rationale behind them would have defeated the purpose. Both moves triggered some resentment, which the prophet managed very wisely. The battle of Hunayn proceeded in an opposite manner to the battle of Uhud. Muslims were overconfident and sure of victory, this time not because their faith but because of their power. But once again they were taught from another angle that victory comes only from Allah, and it is guaranteed neither by faith nor by power. In the first phase, they were defeated and chased by the enemy, before a small group,

who persevered around the prophet, was able to regroup the whole army and win the battle. This incident, combined with Badr, Uhud, and al-Ahzaab, left no doubt in the mind of Muslims that victory comes only from Allah and is subject to unbiased rules, and that for Muslims to qualify to the victory from Allah, they must be always completely devoted and dependent on Him, and they should strive to excel and exhaust all the means to champion the cause of Allah. If these two conditions are fulfilled, Muslims may count on the guidance and help from Allah, which will make all the difference, and more than offset any deficiencies. On the other hand, any deficiency in these two fundamental requirements, may not be compensated by anything else and more than likely would deny Muslims Allah’s guidance and support. Muslims will then be on their own, and the outcome will be decided by numbers, strategies, and balance of power. The consecutive and swift successes of Mu’uta, Mecca, and Hunayn brought the prophet’s state to a different status, and made him expect/foresee a reaction by the northern ‘neighbor’, the Roman Empire. He even informed and prepared his companions for a potential attack by the Romans, which indicates how vigilant and proactive the prophet was. Indeed, less than 2 years after Mu’uta and one year after the conquest of Mecca, the Roman Empire and their northern vassal tribes gathered a huge army (in present-day Jordan) to march to the Medina, which was about 700 Km away. Faced with a similar situation as in Uhud and al-Ahzaab, the prophet decided to march to the Roman army, rather than wait for them in Medina, in spite of the apparent advantage of the latter option. This decision, which was based on a number of valid reasons, was probably one of the toughest decisions that the prophet made, and the 700 km trip in the desert during the burning summer was one of the toughest tasks that his followers undertook. Not only they were to make this daunting trip in the desert during the summer and with poor transportation and provision, but also the timing was just before the harvest season, and that meant a lot for a population consisting mostly of small farmers. Things were further complicated by the disheartening propaganda and the malicious maneuvers of the hypocrites of the Medina. Yet, the preparation for the trip, and the trip itself was a blessing for the internal development of the Muslim community, as it sorted out the population of the Medina, and brought Muslims to a much higher level in terms of sacrifices, perseverance, and discipline. This pattern encapsulates the process behind the astonishing success of the prophet’s movement: -

Engaging a wider circle (moving to the next level) will either result in external successes and new challenges, or in a setback and new lessons.

-

Internal trials that sort out and solidify the ranks, bring new lessons, and prepare them for the next level and challenges.

And often times, as in this case, the same event achieve both purposes. Indeed, and probably because Muslims successfully passed the test of the daunting trip, Allah granted them victory without even fighting, as the Romans decided to flee rather than fight. The prophet camped in Tabuk for 20 days, and concluded a number of treaties with surrounding tribes, before returning to Medina. Tabuk established the prophet’s state as the sole authority in the whole Arabian Peninsula, and in the following year*, delegations from across the Peninsula poured to Medina, either to join the prophet or to conclude a treaty with him. The seerah was concluded with the farewell pilgrimage, which was attended by 120,000 people, and in which the prophet made a famous speech. Few months later, the prophet became ill and passed away after fulfilling his mission during 23 years of tireless work on all fronts. THE PROPHETIC MODEL OF LEADERSHIP/GOVERNANCE: The most striking characteristics/features of the Muslim community and the Muslim Ummah is its irrelevance, which is largely due to its fragmentation and disengagement. But all of this is just the symptom of a deeper and bigger problem: the lack of a (rallying) cause, an (effective) leadership, and of course an (integrated) vision. In its early days, Islam, transformed – in a short period of time – a very fragmented and irrelevant tribal society of poor and illiterate idol worshippers who were constantly fighting each other and fighting for survival – transformed them into a model community/nation and a great civilization that, for centuries advanced/championed the cause of peace and justice in the world. At the roots of that great transformation, that included both fusion and mobilization of people – was a cause and a leadership. Quran makes it clear that Muslims take their special status and become distinguished and relevant when they fulfill their divine mission. And they succeed when they become united, which in turns requires them to obey Allah and follow their leader. “kuntum khaira” “wa ateeu” One of the key aspects of the personality/life of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) that Muslims today don’t appreciate while the companions, despite their simplicity, understood very well is his dual role: a messenger and a leader. And the companions revered and obeyed the prophet in both capacities, except that when he was acting as a leader, not only did he consult with them, but also they believed that it is both their right and duty to counsel him. That’s why in preparation for the battle of Badr, al-Hubab ibn al-Mundhir, asked the prophet whether the location he chose for the Muslims was a divine inspiration/revelation or a military tactic/strategy. In other words, was he acting as a messenger or as a leader. And when he was told that it was the latter, al-Hubab, who was a skillful military leader, did not hesitate to propose an alternative location, and the prophet ordered the Muslims to relocate.

Other than conveying and embodying/exemplifying the revelation, most of what the prophet did was in his capacity as a leader not as an infallible prophet. That’s why he consulted extensively with the companions (he would not consult on matters that are commanded by Allah). And that’s why there were some decisions/moves that were not successful, and some were corrected by Quran. Examples of the first category include his attempt in Taa’ef, the location he has chosen in Badr, and his decision (twice) to send companions to teach people Islam (10 and 70), which turned out to be a trap and all companions were killed. Examples of the second category include being busy with the leaders of Quraish at the expense of his blind companion and his decision about the prisoners of the battle of Badr. It defeats the whole purpose of sending a human being to be a role model if his followers could not emulate his behavior (essentially his embodiment of the divine guidance) or could not replicate his model, which consists essentially of fulfilling the divine mission and building and leading the community of believers. The emphasis in Quran on obeying the prophet(s) is related mostly to his role as a leader. Obeying him and following his example as a messenger (in his delivery and implementation of the revelation) do not need to be emphasized besides the obedience to Allah. In more than 40 verses/places, Quran call believers to obey the prophet, mostly as a direct call/appeal from the prophet(s) and mostly in conjunction with the call to worship and obey Allah, which constitute the thrust of their message. Some verses call for obedience of the prophet(s) separately, and indicate that prophets were sent but to be obeyed. More than 10 verses carry clear warnings against disobeying the prophet. What the companions understood very well and many Muslims nowadays fail to appreciate is that after the death of prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the final and universal messenger, his mission was passed on to his followers/heirs, and other than receiving and conveying revelation, all his privileges as a leader was passed on to his successor, the leader of Muslims at any level and in all circumstances, whether Muslims constitute an empire, a state, a minority/community, or when 3 of them are in a journey/trip*. In all these circumstances, Muslims must have a leader, must obey/revere him (as long as he does not order a sin), and must always counsel and help him, and must correct him when necessary. They should never undermine him or allow him to be undermined because that’s a recipe for chaos, power struggle, and ultimately failure. Muslims would rather gracefully replace their leader, if there is a legitimate ground, before they undermine him or allow him to be undermined. In many verses and in many hadiths, the Quran and the prophet (pbuh) explicitly command the believers to obey those who are in charge. That was also one of the last commandments of the prophet (pbuh) during his farewell sermon. As if to emphasize that obeying the prophet was meant in his capacity as a leader and therefore was passed on to his successors, Allah SWT ordered “ “. Obedience of Allah, of the messenger/leader, and of his successors are religious obligations. The Quran unequivocally linked the obedience to the prophet with the obedience to Allah “ “. And the prophet (pbuh) explicitly linked the obedience to the leader with the obedience to the prophet “ “. However, unlike the prophet, who is selected/appointed by Allah (SWT), any leader after him should be selected (and when necessary replaced) by the members of the community/movement. Another fundamental difference is that Like obedience to parents, compliance with the leadership of the

movement/community is conditioned by the non-violation of clear-cut teachings of Islam, That’s what Abu Bakr indicated in his first speech after being elected as a khalifa/leader “obey me as long as I am obeying Allah”. However, the leadership has the right to adopt Islamic choices in which there is a difference of opinion between the legitimate scholars. The prophetic model of leadership is built on 3 fundamental pillars and the delicate balance between them: undisputed leadership (Imara), extensive consultation, and unwavering compliance. An integral/essential part of the model was a deeply-rooted and widespread leader-servant culture/mindset/attitude that fostered a perfect and effective balance/combination of leadership/Imara, consultation/shura, and compliance/Taa’a, without the resort for complicated systems or collective leadership. All three concepts were practiced as acts of worship. Leadership was encouraged and revered, but not allowed to become dictatorship. Consultation was widely practiced, but was neither rigid nor paralyzing. And compliance was the perfect middle ground between lack of discipline and blind acquiescence. Indeed, even though most companions were accomplished leaders who do not hesitate to express their opinion and counsel/advise their selected leader in any context, they were extraordinarily/faithfully disciplined and compliant in executing decisions and directives of their leader. This model was profoundly understood and diligently practiced during the life of the prophet (pbuh) and after his death, particularly during the tenures/terms of Abu Bakr and Omar. No wonder why not only the two terms, but also the three transitions went very smooth. For most of the period of the rightly guided khalifs, the prophetic leadership model was reasonably implemented, and its main tenets include: -

Individual leadership with a clear mandate/authority: A leader is one way or another chosen (or freely approved) by people to lead, which essentially means to make decisions.

-

Members discipline/compliance with the leader: Members pledge to comply with the leader’s decisions, and to do everything they can (resources, expertise, ideas, feedback, counsel/advice) to help him make the best decision, and ensure the successful execution of the leader’s decisions.

-

Consultation as a right and obligation/duty: Both the leader and the members pledge to consult and cooperate to serve the cause and uphold the law to the best of their abilities.

I believe that only three essential tenets need to be added to that model to account for all the complexity of life without altering the balance between the three pillars of the model: Imara, shura, and Taa’a: -

Institutionalizing the process of shura by having members elect a board of advisors to the leader, so that the process becomes more systematic and more effective.

-

Institutionalizing the process of selecting the leader and the advisors, through a system that sets clear objective requirements and ensures educated and transparent selection procedure.

-

A mechanism (say 2/3 majority of advisors and/or referendum) should be put in place to give the advisors (and the members indirectly or directly) the power to overrule the leader, and to remove/replace him, when there are solid legitimate basis. The impeachment grounds and procedure should also be clearly specified to minimize subjectivity and abuse.

The bottom line is that no room should be left for chaos, power struggle, paralysis, or undermining of leadership. The decision to go out and meet – instead of waiting for – the Quraysh army that was in its way to attack the Medina was an excellent illustration of the prophetic leadership model. Unlike what many people think, the prophet, who acted as a leader, did not go with the opinion of the majority, and his role was definitely not to moderate the discussion and count the votes. He consulted and made his decision to go out. Just notice that such a critical decision with enormous implications was not given to committees and studied/analyzed for ever. The companions felt that they may have pushed the prophet, so when he came out after wearing his uniform, they told him to decide what he sees appropriate (but that’s exactly what he already did). In one of the rare occasions when the prophet was clearly angry, his answer was very decisive indicating that the time for consultation is over (thus closing any door for endless argumentation and paralysis), and that the time is now for execution. There is no point to open a subject after it was decided especially when there were neither new data/information or new options that were not already considered. The profound understanding by the companions of the dual roles of the prophet and his leadership model allowed them to continue with the model as is after the death of prophet Muhammad (pbuh). All the privileges of prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as a leader were passed on to his successor. When it comes to leadership privileges, the only difference is that the compliance with the prophet’s successor is conditional on non-violation of clear-cut Islamic rulings (as Abu Bakr clearly stated in his first speech as khalifa), which was not an issue with the infallible prophet. In counseling their leader after Muhammad (pbuh), the companions no longer needed to ask the question that al-Hubab asked in Badr. They know that their leader was always exercising his best judgment and was not receiving any divine inspiration. The decision of Abu Bakr to put out the mutiny of the those who refused to pay zakat was a textbook example of the implementation of the prophetic leadership model. And during the time of the rightly guided khalifs, the model was spontaneously and diligently implemented at all levels of governance (central, regional/local). This leadership model was an essential pillar/element of the prevalent paradigm that guided and governed the mission-driven community of believers in the early days of Islam. This paradigm that consists of a divine mission and a divinely-inspired prophetic model, which in turn consists of a: -

A united, engaged, committed, and disciplined community who is striving to embody and advocate the teachings/values of Islam

-

Empowered/undisputed leader who is selected, counseled, revered, and supported by the members of the community

The leader and the community were in constant mutual consultation and cooperation to please Allah SWT by meeting His expectations and championing His cause. This is the model that was best described by Omar ibn al-Khattab who said “there can be no Islam without a Jamaa (a united and committed community), and there can be no Jamaa without undisputed leadership (Imara) and compliant members”. It is amazing how this short statement sums up (encapsulates) the history of Islam and the current situation of Muslims, including American Muslims. The statement also clearly indicates where we should start to reverse the situation and remake our scattered community into a relevant movement. My first reaction was that I wished that Omar added the

word mission in his statement, but then I remembered that for him Islam was a mission, and from the outset he and the companions embraced Islam, not only as a religion and a way of life, but also as their life mission. In another concise statement, Omar ibn al-Khattab made it clear that it is an obligation on the believers to counsel their leader who must be receptive”. However, the prophet indicated and history confirmed that the unraveling/untying of this paradigm will start with the leadership/governance model. He said in a hadith: " ‫يييييي ييي ييييييي يييي يييي ي ييييي يييييي يييي يييي ييييي ييييي‬ ‫" ييييي ي يييييي يييي ييييي يييييي يييييي‬

And because this paradigm is what bound the community together and made it engaged and relevant, once that paradigm was shaken, Muslims suffered tremendously, and began their journey of slow decline which lasted for centuries before the total collapse of the 20th century when not only the leadership model but also the mission started to be abandoned, and Islam itself began to be neglected and questioned. No wonder why Muslims became very fragmented, very disengaged/acquiescent, and largely irrelevant. To be sure, Muslims continued for centuries to be more or less united, continued to champion the mission of Islam, and their civilization continued to prosper/flourish, which more or less masked their vulnerability that resulted from the frailty of their ‘immune system’. It is the fading of the sense of mission and the weakness of this culture of empowerment that celebrate leadership, consultation/counseling, and compliance/discipline that have always been behind the division, disengagement, and weakness of Muslim societies, even when their state(s) were prevalent. Without a rallying/unifying cause/mission and without undisputed (but consultative) leadership (Imara), Muslims were neither motivated nor capable of uniting. And when they did, it was mostly by force. No wonder why ever since the end of rightly guided khilafa, Muslims swung between acquiescence to a strong dictator/regime and mutiny/insurgency against a weak one. As a result, while Muslims continued for centuries to make great strides in science and civilization, the Islamic history was plagued with riots and power struggles. The disruption of the Islamic paradigm, and more specifically the disruption of the prophetic leadership/governance model and its delicate balance, started towards the end of the era of hadhrat Uthman (and more specifically his assassination), which paved the way for all kinds of extremes: endless fitnah and power struggle, oppression/dictatorship, submission, and disengagement which plagued the Muslim societies throughout most of the history of Islam. It is true that the governance system/structure did not keep up with the rapid and explosive expansion of the Muslim community into a vast empire, and Muslims began to be spoiled by wealth (luxury, materialism). As a result, the governance system/structure was too dependent on the leader’s personality, particularly Omar whose death left a big vacuum. However, any upgrade of the governance system/structure should maintain the delicate balance of the prophetic leadership model between Imara (individual and undisputed leadership), consultation (as right an obligation), and compliance. However, the starting point in the disruption of the model and its balance was: tolerating the undermining of the leader, in which many innocent people may have been involved but more than likely it did not start as an innocent reform initiative.

The undermining built up into assassination, which opened a can of worms and dealt a major blow to Muslims and to the cause of Islam, from which we are yet to recover. Within 6 months from the assassination of Othman, two Muslim armies were fighting each other in the battle of the Camel, which claimed the lives of 10,000 Muslims, 5,000 from each army. Muslims lost 11,500 in the two simultaneous great battles of al-Qadisiyya (8,500) and al-Yarmouk (3,000) to defeat/crush the two superpowers of the world: the Persian Empire and the Roman Empire. And 7 months later (slightly more than a year after the assassination of Othmna), two Muslims armies of 120,000 and 90,000 soldiers were fighting each other in the battle of Siffin, which claimed the lives of 70,000 Muslims. Tolerating the undermining of the leader resulted in his assassination which triggered a civil war that, within one year – claimed the lives of 80,000 Muslims, which was then a huge number. The rift between Sunni and Shiite was just one of the everlasting outcome of that chain reaction. And ever since that turning point, Muslims continue to struggle to restore the right leadership/governance model. The syndrome of chaos/fitnah and power struggle pushed leaders to become dictators, and pushed the Muslim populace (including scholars) to acquiesce to a system of hereditary dictatorship, and to whoever is in power irrespective of how he took over, how competent he is, and how sound is his governance/leadership. Often times, the dictatorship was benign, especially if it is not challenged, and the scholars and ‘civil society’ managed to retain significant freedom/autonomy and therefore deny the regime absolute authority and prevented from becoming a totalitarian regime. Indeed, people had substantial intellectual and financial freedom/autonomy, as illustrated by the proliferation of scholarship and endowments. Other reasons that helped this compromise to work reasonably include: -

Usually, from early childhood, the successor was diligently prepared for the job, and often the preparation included Islamic knowledge and political skills.

-

Many leaders were abiding by Islam (at least in public), were enforcing the Islamic law, and continued the Muslim conquests which preserved the basis of their legitimacy.

-

Both because of the societal autonomy and as part of leader self-gratification, sciences and civilization continued to make great strides.

As long as the leader is reasonable, strong, and secure, life under his rule was bearable and more or less stable, and there was no flagrant injustices. However, fundamental rights were gradually becoming favors and the society was rapidly loosing its oversight power. The compromise was too shaky/vulnerable, and power struggle both within the ruling family and outside became a chronic disease, and there was no system in place to regulate such power struggle or keep it in check (manageable). While suppressing their resentment, resentful people work secretly to undermine the state (not differentiating between government and state), and both chaotic and orchestrated mutinies/rebellions erupt whenever an opportunity presents itself or the leader/government shows signs of weakness. Mutinies/rebellions that are not ‘successfully’ suppressed result in a civil war, a split, or a

coup d’état that brings to power a new family/tribe or segment of the society, and the new era usually starts with the cleansing/uprooting of the remnants of the previous regime. This unstable paradigm with its shaky compromise between government and the people, more or less endured for about 12 centuries, until it collapsed completely with the end of the Othman khilafa. That put an end to the third phase and ushered in the fourth phase of the prophecy of Muhammad (pbuh) []. This long phase, that started with the undermining (and the tolerance thereof) of Othman and his subsequent assassination, was plagued with chronic/endless power struggle that always results either in endured/renewed dictatorship or chaos. The decline that started with the disruption of the prophetic leadership/governance model ultimately led to the collapse of the whole paradigm that brought the ummah/community to existence, unified it, and made it relevant. Without a rallying cause and a unified leadership, Muslims became both fragmented and disengaged. It wasn’t long before the Muslims’ state of affairs began to mirror the pre-Islamic tribal era. The leadership/governance element of the prophetic model was shaken with the undermining and assassination of Othman, and the shaky compromise that replaced it collapsed with the collapse of the Othman Khilafa. And with it the whole Islamic paradigm that is centered around the divine mission, the prophetic model, and the unity of the community collapsed. The community/nation largely lost both its sense of mission and its unity, and therefore lost both its strength and its relevance. Not only did Muslims largely abandoned their mission and lost their unity, but they also failed to leverage Islam’s built-in flexibility and timelessness to keep up with the continuous changes and the new challenges. As a result, their faith became dormant and detached from life, and Muslims lost not only their strength but also their relevance. The chain reactions of decline did not end there. When the frozen, rigid, twisted, and superficial understandings of Islam failed to provide viable answers and solutions, Muslims (especially their elite who were overwhelmed by the Western Civilization) began first to look for alternative sources of guidance, and even to blame Islam for their failure. As a result of abandoning the divine mission and the prophetic model, and losing their unity Muslims became not only irrelevant but also vulnerable, and they entered phase four (police states; totalitarian regimes) of the prophecy of Muhammad (pbuh) as described above, and they began to fulfill another prophecy of Muhammad (pbuh) in which he said “ “. Indeed, the Muslim world was divided among colonial powers which occupied it and ruthlessly ruled it and exploited it directly or indirectly through puppet dictatorships, a situation that more or less endured up to this point, despite the official independence of most Muslims countries.. The prevailing leadership/governance model in our community was good only for managing status quo. It fostered chronic cynicism and power struggle, stifled progress, and spoiled relationships. The multilayered system of collective leadership was too complicated/bureaucratic for a movement/community and too simplistic for a state. It stifled leadership and therefore substantially slowed-down the decision-making process and hindered the ability to swiftly resolve conflicts. The model resulted in diffused/diluted responsibility and disputed leadership/authority, and fostered a chronic power struggle, which had only two possible options:

-

Chaos and paralysis with many cases ending in courts.

-

Dictatorship – built in the system or implicit/implied, and established by the founder(s) of the organization or the ‘winner(s)’ of the power struggle.

In both cases, the people’s response was either apathy and/or further split/fragmentation. Even when those extreme scenarios were successfully avoided and some sort of stability was achieved, in reality it was still a better-managed stagnation/status quo that is disguised in horizontal expansion of activities/services and buildings, but no real growth, empowerment, mobilization, or relevance. No wonder why for the longest time, the community were stagnant or moving in circles, lacking reasonable stability and continuity, and unable to sustain the buildup that allows for breakthroughs and for smooth transitions from one phase to another. Most of the time, the community (Islamic Center, School) were either in or in-between crises, because leaders don’t have either the vision or the mandate to move forward or to swiftly resolve conflict, and therefore spend the bulk of their time maintaining or polishing the status quo (activities, bureaucracy, facility, false unity), struggling to keep things going and keep people together. Today, in our community, the concept of leadership became so diluted that it became meaningless. The job of everybody is the job of nobody. Being a leader means nothing in terms of responsibility or authority, or may imply responsibility without authority, which leaves the leader with four options: accept one of the two choices (give in), or give up, or fight for authority; all bad choices for the leader and for the organization. The result is stagnation, low ceiling, circular motion, and alternation of power struggle and power vacuum. The only way one can exercise true leadership, challenge the status quo, and get anything done – beyond the routine – is by working around the system, which only heightens the power struggle. Either the person (or group) who dared to stretch the system ‘wins’ the struggle and often become a dictator, or he is punished by the system and the status quo is restored. But never the grid-locked system itself is fixed to restore the magic prophetic formula that cherish and seamlessly balance (individual) leadership, (extensive) consultation, and (unwavering) compliance/discipline. Moreover, almost all Muslim organizations are governed by an unspoken formula that is substantially different than what is written. The unspoken formula is usually the momentary or permanent outcome of the power struggle. Even sports teams and music bands (let alone corporations, non-profit organizations, and political parties) are much better organized than our community, have a better leadership model (much closer to the prophetic model), have more discipline, and their leaders have more mandate and respect. And if they don’t, they fail miserably, even though their task is limited (game, song). This is because anything that requires integration and synchronization requires undisputed leadership. In the case of the movement/community, the task is much more momentous and multi-faceted, the challenges are much greater, the stakes are much higher, and the environment that we must engage is much more complex and is very fast-paced. Definitely, the success of the movement/community requires a level of agility, decisiveness, swiftness, and discipline that can come only from the prophetic model of leadership.

To be sure, there were few exceptions of successful Muslim organizations that had the right start and adopted the right governing/leadership model. However, either their mission/cause/niche was too limited, or their discourse was too alienating, or they simply didn’t try/intend to galvanize/mobilize and lead the community. And as a result, they too reached a ceiling in terms of growth, impact on the community, and relevance to the society. Currently, not only most Muslim organizations are stagnant and detached from the masses, but also most national organizations are not rooted in the community and most local organizations are detached from one another. One exception but inherent limitations No wonder why our community is very fragmented, very disengaged, and largely stagnant and irrelevant. This unfortunate state of affairs is not promising a bright future, may be reversed/fixed only through a genuine, relevant, and inclusive American Islamic Movement that embraces the divine mission, the prophetic model, and a genuine American Muslim identity and take on the challenge of making Islam and Muslims increasingly relevant in America. Our community may not be galvanized or unified except through a process of remaking it into a movement (a mission-driven community) around the divine mission and according to the prophetic model which includes a methodology of understanding and living Islam, personal development, community building and governance, and civic engagement. That's why there is a dire/urgent need for a genuine and relevant American Islamic movement, to move to the next level a community that has a great mission, great potential, and great opportunities, and faces daunting challenges but has been stuck in transition.

KEY TENETS AND ELEMENTS OF SUCCESS: THE KEY/SECRET PACKAGE:

As mentioned above, the prophetic model of building a movement to fulfill the mission was very systematic and incredibly effective, in spite of its amazing simplicity. One may easily detect a number of tenets/factors in the model and in the strategy that made the difference. However, the key/secret was the astonishing level of devotion to Allah and the amazing reverence to the prophet (both as a messenger and as a leader). This resulted in an unwavering/unequivocal obedience to Allah and His messenger (). And the whole thing started with a proper and in-depth understanding of the declaration of faith and its implications, which completely transformed the companions, fused their life with Allah’s cause, and turned their life into a continuous and utmost strive to exemplify Allah’s guidance () and champion His cause (). They established a solid connection between attaining heaven and the good pleasure of Allah, striving to meet His expectations, and strictly complying with the prophet’s leadership. This unity of purpose and unity of leadership fused the companion’ hearts and minds, and produced a true unity/brotherhood, which completed the requirements for a successful movement. They understood very well that the declaration of faith which made them Muslims meant/implied embracing a (life) goal/purpose (heaven and the good pleasure of Allah), espousing a (life) cause (meeting His expectations through utmost strive to embody and advocate His guidance/will), joining the movement/community, and complying with its leadership. Following are some other factors that were behind the incredible success: -

Utmost strive to meet Allah’s expectations which earned them Allah’s guidance and support, which, in turn, made all the difference. Indeed, the prophet and his companions spared no efforts to incarnate/embody and advocate/champion the divine guidance. They fully embraced/espoused the divine cause, and though it was very challenging/demanding/ trying/exigent, their appreciation of its nobility and relevance and the greatness of the potential rewards, made the cause worth all the sacrifices. This, in turn, resulted in an extraordinary passion/zeal/ardor, phenomenal compassion towards people, and astonishing/incredible rage towards oppression and corruption.

-

A clear mission/vision/goal, a clear methodology that leads to the goal, a shared and in-depth understanding at least by the core group, and a systematic, disciplined, and continuous/persistent execution/work.

-

Unequivocal devotion to Allah and commitment to the cause, that resulted in the fusion of the individual life with the mission and the movement, and in inexhaustible sacrifices by people who spared nothing to fulfill the divinely assigned mission.

-

Unprecedented level of brotherhood and solidarity/unity, as illustrated after the hijra (migration) and in many other incidents.

-

The belief in the greatness of the mission, the pride in being selected for the mission, and unwavering hope/trust in Allah’s support/help, guidance, and protection.

-

A deeply-rooted and widespread leader-servant culture/mindset/attitude that fostered a perfect and effective balance/combination of leadership/Imara, consultation/shura, and compliance/Taa’a, without the resort for complicated systems or collective leadership. All three concepts were practiced as acts of worship. Leadership was encouraged and revered, but not allowed to become dictatorship. Consultation was widely practiced, but was neither rigid nor paralyzing. And compliance was the perfect middle ground between lack of discipline and blind acquiescence. Indeed, even though most companions were accomplished leaders who do not hesitate to express their opinion and counsel/advise their selected leader in any context, they were extraordinarily/faithfully disciplined and compliant in executing decisions and directives. This culture was like the immune system of the community, and the loss of this delicate balance towards the end of Uthman era (may Allah be pleased with him) paved the way for all kinds of extremes: endless fitnah and power struggle, oppression/dictatorship, submission, and disengagement which plagued the Muslim societies throughout most of the history of Islam. It is the fading of the sense of mission and the weakness of this culture of empowerment that celebrate leadership, consultation/counseling, and compliance/discipline that have always been behind the division, disengagement, and weakness of Muslim societies, even when their state(s) were prevalent. Without a rallying cause and without the belief in the obligation of unity and without the culture that fosters unity, Muslims lost both the incentives and the means for unity. When Muslims were united, it was mostly by force. And Muslims (including first generation American Muslims) lived for so long under oppression (forced disengagement) and forced division, and have been for so long largely defeated and irrelevant that they got used to this state of affairs. They lost confidence in themselves and in their ability to unite or to make a difference. Our upbringing and the

prevailing conditions in the Muslim world have had its toll on our psychology and our thought process.

-

An extraordinary steadfastness/perseverance and optimism in the face of all rejection, setbacks, torture, defeat, threats, and disproportionate forces, which were driven by a firm belief in the divine nature (and nobility) of their mission* and in the dire need of people for it, and complete trust in Allah and His Help. Nothing discouraged the prophet (pbuh) and his companions from reaching out and preaching*, and expanding the movement*.

-

The incredible simplicity, efficiency, and synergy that resulted in the following:

o

People embrace Islam as a faith, a way of life, and a mission, and join the movement; all at once. They instantly blend into the movement.

o

People’s (leadership) skills and expertise are leveraged and infused in the movement as soon as they become Muslims.

o

Also, as soon as they become Muslims, they become active in promoting Islam among their people and helping the movement expand.

-

The diversity: in a very tribal paternal cast, where slavery and burial of baby girls were the norm, the first nucleus of the prophet movement included people from both genders, different tribes, different ages, different ethnicities, and different ‘classes’.

-

The inclusiveness: all kinds of people were accepted the way they are and at their level of comfort. The only requirement for someone to be part of the movement was faith/Iman, reasonable commitment, and compliance with the leadership directives. That’s why members of the movement were at different levels of commitment, and different members excelled in different areas (worship, scholarship, political or military leadership, spending/charity).

-

The youth being the backbone of the movement, and their exclusive characteristics of strong conviction, commitment/devotion, enthusiasm, and willingness to sacrifice made a big difference.

-

The movement was indigenous (not alien/foreign) and relevant both in Mecca and in Medina, and had a positive impact and was a blessing on the individuals who joined it and the communities it interacted with.

-

The cohesion and discipline of the group, and the coherence and clarity of the message were very instrumental in the expansion of the movement and in engaging (dealing with) its environment.

A number of characteristics may be detected in the prophetic strategy, which consists primarily of securing (the base) and constantly engaging (a wider circle). Following are some of those characteristics: Eyes on the prize: The prophet never allowed anything to distract him or hinder his march towards Allah, which goes through the fulfillment of his mission: the universal and eternal dissemination of Allah’s final message to humanity. In other words, the prophet’s focus was on delivering his message to everyone he could reach as long as he is alive, and to ensure that his followers will carry on his mission till the end of times. Towards this goal, he did not waste a minute and did not leave a stone unturned to deliver the message and build a movement/community that will preserve and propagate the message/guidance. Rather, he effectively leveraged everything that can help and overcame every obstacle in his way. Synchronized/simultaneous multi-level operation/execution: As indicated above, it is clear that the prophet was well aware that the implementation of his grand strategy goes through phases, he never allowed himself to be swamped in a particular phase or to loose sight of future ones. Instead, the needs/requirements of future phases always factored in his decisions. In today’s terms, the prophet was proactive and seamlessly balanced short-term demands with long-term preparations/groundwork. Continuity to produce synergy (build-up till breakthrough): The prophet understood very well that a key requirement for the success of his strategy is the smooth transition from one phase to another. Therefore, there was always a clear overlap between consecutive phases, during which one phase starts withering and the next one is forcefully launched (there was always a next phase in

the prophetic model). However, till the last moment of his life, and while his focus was always on a particular front, he continued to keep an eye and work on other fronts as well. Vigilance: A remarkable understanding, monitoring, and engaging of the environment proactively, effectively, creatively, and persistently both in Mecca and in Medina. And a remarkable motivation for reaching out and delivering the message, and looking for and seizing opportunities. Decisiveness/Discipline: When studying the model of the prophet, one is impressed and puzzled by the leadership style of the prophet and the decision-making process that guided the movement since its inception till the death of the prophet and beyond. Very tough and taxing decisions were taken very swiftly and executed very meticulously. This system, which leverages all the ‘benefits’ of both democracy and dictatorship without their disadvantages* (side effects) was upheld after the death of the prophet, which clearly indicates that it was not exclusive to him and that the companions abided by this system not because he was a prophet but because he was their leader. It is a very delicate balance that was carefully maintained between consultation, decisiveness, and swift and disciplined action that prevented dictatorship, paralysis, and chaos, and allowed integration/synchronization of plans and smooth overlap/transition of phases. Remarkable pragmatism strictly bound by flawless/faultless ethics/principles: Like other delicate and seemingly paradoxical balances, to achieve his short-term and long-term goals, the prophet kept all his options open and opted for the one that achieve the maximum progress/benefit with the minimum cost/sacrifices without compromising any principle. The ends were vigorously pursued by all legitimate/lawful means. This seamless combination between idealism (without naivety) and pragmatism (without deceit) was another critical and apparently paradoxical element in the prophetic strategy. Impacting and leading by example: In addition to the certainty of faith, their passion, and their compassion, the message of the prophet and his followers drew its strength/power both from its divinity and from its perfect compatibility with their actions/deeds. That’s what eased the delivery of the message and amplified its impact. The delivery of the message was helped by the prophet’s and his followers’ mastery of the language of the recipients. Therefore, the effective dissemination of the message of Islam requires people who firmly believe in it, strive to practice it to perfection, and

deliver it with passion, compassion, and in a language/manner that resonate with people. As a result, both mentoring and preaching did not need more than interaction/outreach and succinct/concise statements. Individual enterprise and team spirit: The collective action of the companions reflects an incredible team spirit. Indeed, in their solidarity and their discipline, they were like one body in which all individual members were dissipated. On the other hand, in their individual action, each one was conducting himself as if he is worrying only about his status with Allah, and as if he is exclusively responsible for the fate of the mission and the movement. Similar delicate balances were maintained between ultimate spirituality and utmost exertion (), and meticulous planning and complete reliance on Allah. CONCLUSION: The thrust of our cause is to meet Allah’s expectations by incarnating/exemplifying and advocating His Will/Guidance. But that’s what the prophet was sent to do and actually did perfectly. Therefore, our goal should be to emulate the prophet’s life and reconstruct/recreate his model, especially that this model was divinely inspired, was implemented under Allah’s watchful Eye, and was incredibly effective/successful in the most unfavorable circumstances. Our main challenge is therefore to ensure the relevance of our faith and our community through the proper understanding, implementation, and preaching of the divine guidance, and the proper understanding and reconstruction of the prophetic model/legacy. Not only that the change that we need and seek in our community necessitates the proper reconstruction of the prophetic model, but also there is no reason why we cannot do it effectively. Indeed, the American Muslim community is well positioned to succeed in the reconstruction of the prophetic model, especially that we are spared the main obstacles that the prophet and his followers spent the bulk of their efforts to cope with: a state-religion of idol-worshipping and religious persecution. On the contrary, our constitution-based government that guarantees freedom and equal rights to all citizens is what the prophet and his followers fought hard and paid dearly to establish and protect/maintain for about two decades. I contend that ever since the struggle for independence, all the efforts and sacrifices that were for put the cause of freedom and justice, were, from our perspective, critical steps in the reconstruction of the prophetic model – even if they were not intended as such. This is because the prophet goal was to ensure that his universal message reaches everywhere and people will be free to accept it or reject it. In today’s terms/language, his goal was to establish and protect freedom of speech and freedom of religion. The proper understanding of the prophetic model/legacy implies that he – and his followers who find themselves in similar circumstances – would have been at the forefront of those struggles, including (slavery, discrimination, voting, equal pay, minimum wage,…).

And because the constitution – specifically the bill of rights – guarantees much more than the freedom of speech and religion, the prophet would not have asked for more than what we have. And the proper understanding of the prophetic model/legacy implies that, in trying to reconstruct it, we should concentrate on: -

Civic engagement to uphold the constitution, continue the struggle for/towards a more perfect union, and ensure that the laws and policies are compatible with the constitution and with the country’s founding values, which are perfectly compatible with the universal Islamic values.

-

Using all available means (of communication) to reach out to our fellow citizens to ensure that they all receive, through our example and our compassionate preaching, Allah’s final and universal message, to positively influence their lives and their choices, to mutually understand/respect one another, and to work/cooperate with them for the greater/common/public good.

Towards this end, we should concentrate on getting ourselves – and all American Muslims – to -

Mobilizing/inspiring and empowering all American Muslims to espouse and fulfill the divine mission, reconstruct the prophetic model in – and effectively engage – their immediate environment/circle (family, neighborhood, workplace, friends), and contribute to the change that is needed in the society and in the community.

-

Mobilizing and organizing/streamlining the human and financial resources of all American Muslims to fulfill the divine mission and reconstruct the prophetic model in the society at large (city, state, country), and build the needed talents, institutions, facilities, and alliances.

-

Inspiring and empowering all American Muslims to aim high, engage in effective personal development to exemplify the teachings of Islam and fulfill their potential