India and Malaysia Risk Voters’ Wrath by Raising Fuel Prices

nytimes.com

By THOMAS FULLER and HEATHER TIMMONS

Published: June 5, 2008

 

BANGKOK — With no end in sight to high world oil prices, India and Malaysia on Wednesday became the latest Asian countries to risk the wrath of voters by raising the price of subsidized fuel, a highly unpopular measure that could further weaken the governments of both countries made fragile by recent electoral setbacks.

The moves follow similar price increases in Indonesia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and are recognition by governments that they can no longer shelter their populations from the spike in energy prices.

In India the increase was quickly condemned by political parties from all sides: the Communist Party promised a week of demonstrations, including blockades of roads and trains that were due to start Wednesday, while the conservative Bharatiya Janata Party said its members would also take to the streets. Raising fuel prices was the equivalent of “economic terrorism,” said Rajiv Pratap Rudy, a B.J.P. spokesman, who added that the move would drive the “last nail in the coffin for the common man.”

Among economists and policy makers, the decision was described as painful but necessary. Fuel subsidies in Malaysia alone would have amounted to $17 billion this year, four times more than the combined amount the government pays for national defense, education and health care.

Malaysia is raising gasoline prices by 40 percent and plans on further increases in the future, according to Shahrir Abdul Samad, the domestic trade and consumer affairs minister.

Gasoline prices vary across India, but the announcement Wednesday amounted to an increase of around 10 percent for gasoline and diesel.

Consumers will pay about 50 rupees a liter for gasoline, or about $4.45 a gallon, well above the average $3.79 a gallon average that drivers in the United States are paying, according to the most recent figures from the Department of Energy.

The fuel price increase is expected to drive inflation up in India from 8.1 percent to as high as 10 percent, when knock-on effects are felt in manufacturing and other industries.

Chandra Prakash, a gas-pump repairman in Delhi, said that because of the price increases, he might be forced to abandon his scooter altogether and start walking from job to job. Already, he said, he is barely surviving. “It is difficult to cut back expenses anymore,” he said, adding that it was the government’s job to “keep prices in check.”

The Indian minister of petroleum, Murli Deora, said Tuesday that the price increases were an “absolute necessity” due to the increase in world oil prices. But the price increase could further weaken the Congress Party government, which has been losing ground in state elections in recent months. Most recently, the state of Karnataka voted for the B.J.P. in May.

In Malaysia, the governing coalition of Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi was weakened after losing in 5 of the country’s 13 states in March elections, and Abdullah has been pressured by some senior members of his party to step down. Yet if he can hold his coalition together, cutting subsidies may benefit Abdullah and his allies in the long run.

“They will have a lot more cash to play with,” said Ibrahim Suffian, director of the Merdeka Center, an independent polling agency. The government will able to use the savings for social programs and infrastructure, moves that would please both voters and members of the governing party, the United Malays National Organization, which has been able to remain united in the past by doling out contracts.

To cushion the blow for consumers, the Malaysian government plans to offer a yearly cash rebate to owners of small cars and motorcycles. Cars with engines smaller than two liters will receive an annual payout of $200. Motorcycle owners will be given about one-fifth that amount, according to the Malaysian news Web site, Malaysiakini.

Anwar Ibrahim, the head of the largest opposition party and a former finance minister, said he feared that the billions of dollars the government will save by cutting subsidies would be wasted.

In the past, he said, Malaysia’s oil revenues were “disbursed for megaprojects and projects that benefit the rich and the cronies.”

“People can be persuaded to accept the gradual reduction of subsidies,” he said by telephone from his home in Kuala Lumpur. “But not when the funds are not disbursed in a transparent manner.”

Gas costs about $2.20 a gallon in Malaysia, among the cheapest prices in Asia. The government in recent days has sought to clamp down on drivers from neighboring Thailand and Singapore from crossing the border to fill their tanks. Late Wednesday, after the measure was announced, long lines could be seen forming at gas stations around Kuala Lumpur as drivers tried to beat the midnight deadline for the new prices.

Removing subsidies is likely to hit some Malaysians hard because the price of transport, food and electricity are all expected to rise. Malaysia relies heavily on subsidized natural gas to generate electricity.

Prime Minister Abdullah said the price increases would propel the country’s inflation rate to as high as 5 percent this year, from just 2 percent last year.

The national oil company, Petronas, has subsidized the natural gas at a cumulative loss since 1997 of more than $19 billion. Much of the gas was from Malaysian offshore wells, but some was bought from Vietnam and Indonesia at market prices and then sold locally for one-quarter of that price, according to Hassan Marican, president and chief executive of Petronas.

Malaysia has been a net exporter of oil in recent decades and more than one- third of the government’s budget is derived from oil revenues but the country’s demand for energy will outstrip its supply as soon as two years from now, according to Petronas calculations.

The removal of subsidies may reduce Malaysia’s demand for energy and thus extend its reserves. Globally, the scaling back of subsidies in Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and a handful of other developing countries is too small to have a significant impact on world prices, Goldman Sachs, the investment bank, said in a report released Monday. The report did not take into account the price increase in India.

Thomas Fuller reported from Bangkok and Heather Timmons from New Delhi. Hari Kumar contributed reporting from New Delhi.

 

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama At Final Primary Night

Congratulations to Senator Barack Obama and his campaign team as well his entire fans around the world.

Obama is the first African-American Presidential Nominee for the Democratic Party in 200 years since the end of the slave trade. He fought a brilliant campaign to defeat the early favourite, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. Change will come to America and change is also coming to the world.

Obama’s success is indeed a reminder that in an open and upward mobile society, everything is possible. For the Senator from Illinois, he is living the American Dream. He will now face the Arizona Senator John McCain of the Republican Party in the November 2008 US Presidential Elections.

His speech is gracious, unifying and measured, despite the hard fought and at times trenchant primaries. This is politics at its best. The text of his speech in St. Paul is as follows:

[Via AP]– Tues, June 3, 2008, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

 

Tonight, after fifty-four hard-fought contests, our primary season has finally come to an end.

Sixteen months have passed since we first stood together on the steps of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Illinois. Thousands of miles have been travelled. Millions of voices have been heard. And because of what you said — because you decided that change must come to Washington; because you believed that this year must be different than all the rest; because you chose to listen not to your doubts or your fears but to your greatest hopes and highest aspirations, tonight we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another — a journey that will bring a new and better day to America. Tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States.

I want to thank every American who stood with us over the course of this campaign — through the good days and the bad; from the snows of Cedar Rapids to the sunshine of Sioux Falls. And tonight I also want to thank the men and woman who took this journey with me as fellow candidates for President.

At this defining moment for our nation, we should be proud that our party put forth one of the most talented, qualified field of individuals ever to run for this office. I have not just competed with them as rivals, I have learned from them as friends, as public servants, and as patriots who love America and are willing to work tirelessly to make this country better. They are leaders of this party, and leaders that America will turn to for years to come.

That is particularly true for the candidate who has travelled further on this journey than anyone else. Senator Hillary Clinton has made history in this campaign not just because she’s a woman who has done what no woman has done before, but because she’s a leader who inspires millions of Americans with her strength, her courage, and her commitment to the causes that brought us here tonight.

We’ve certainly had our differences over the last sixteen months. But as someone who’s shared a stage with her many times, I can tell you that what gets Hillary Clinton up in the morning — even in the face of tough odds — is exactly what sent her and Bill Clinton to sign up for their first campaign in Texas all those years ago; what sent her to work at the Children’s Defence Fund and made her fight for health care as First Lady; what led her to the United States Senate and fuelled her barrier-breaking campaign for the presidency — an unyielding desire to improve the lives of ordinary Americans, no matter how difficult the fight may be. And you can rest assured that when we finally win the battle for universal health care in this country, she will be central to that victory. When we transform our energy policy and lift our children out of poverty, it will be because she worked to help make it happen. Our party and our country are better off because of her, and I am a better candidate for having had the honour to compete with Hillary Rodham Clinton.

There are those who say that this primary has somehow left us weaker and more divided. Well I say that because of this primary, there are millions of Americans who have cast their ballot for the very first time. There are Independents and Republicans who understand that this election isn’t just about the party in charge of Washington, it’s about the need to change Washington. There are young people, and African-Americans, and Latinos, and women of all ages who have voted in numbers that have broken records and inspired a nation.

All of you chose to support a candidate you believe in deeply. But at the end of the day, we aren’t the reason you came out and waited in lines that stretched block after block to make your voice heard. You didn’t do that because of me or Senator Clinton or anyone else. You did it because you know in your hearts that at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — we cannot afford to keep doing what we’ve been doing. We owe our children a better future. We owe our country a better future. And for all those who dream of that future tonight, I say — let us begin the work together. Let us unite in common effort to chart a new course for America.

In just a few short months, the Republican Party will arrive in St. Paul with a very different agenda. They will come here to nominate John McCain, a man who has served this country heroically. I honour that service, and I respect his many accomplishments, even if he chooses to deny mine. My differences with him are not personal; they are with the policies he has proposed in this campaign.

Because while John McCain can legitimately tout moments of independence from his party in the past, such independence has not been the hallmark of his presidential campaign.

It’s not change when John McCain decided to stand with George Bush ninety-five percent of the time, as he did in the Senate last year.

It’s not change when he offers four more years of Bush economic policies that have failed to create well-paying jobs, or insure our workers, or help Americans afford the skyrocketing cost of college — policies that have lowered the real incomes of the average American family, widened the gap between Wall Street and Main Street, and left our children with a mountain of debt.

And it’s not change when he promises to continue a policy in Iraq that asks everything of our brave men and women in uniform and nothing of Iraqi politicians — a policy where all we look for are reasons to stay in Iraq, while we spend billions of dollars a month on a war that isn’t making the American people any safer.

So I’ll say this — there are many words to describe John McCain’s attempt to pass off his embrace of George Bush’s policies as bipartisan and new. But change is not one of them.

Change is a foreign policy that doesn’t begin and end with a war that should’ve never been authorized and never been waged. I won’t stand here and pretend that there are many good options left in Iraq, but what’s not an option is leaving our troops in that country for the next hundred years — especially at a time when our military is overstretched, our nation is isolated, and nearly every other threat to America is being ignored.

We must be as careful getting out of Iraq as we were careless getting in – but start leaving we must. It’s time for Iraqis to take responsibility for their future. It’s time to rebuild our military and give our veterans the care they need and the benefits they deserve when they come home. It’s time to refocus our efforts on al Qaeda’s leadership and Afghanistan, and rally the world against the common threats of the 21st century — terrorism and nuclear weapons; climate change and poverty; genocide and disease. That’s what change is.

Change is realizing that meeting today’s threats requires not just our firepower, but the power of our diplomacy — tough, direct diplomacy where the President of the United States isn’t afraid to let any petty dictator know where America stands and what we stand for. We must once again have the courage and conviction to lead the free world. That is the legacy of Roosevelt, and Truman, and Kennedy. That’s what the American people want. That’s what change is.

Change is building an economy that rewards not just wealth, but the work and workers who created it. It’s understanding that the struggles facing working families can’t be solved by spending billions of dollars on more tax breaks for big corporations and wealthy CEOs, but by giving a the middle-class a tax break, and investing in our crumbling infrastructure, and transforming how we use energy, and improving our schools, and renewing our commitment to science and innovation. Its understanding that fiscal responsibility and shared prosperity can go hand-in-hand, as they did when Bill Clinton was President.

John McCain has spent a lot of time talking about trips to Iraq in the last few weeks, but maybe if he spent some time taking trips to the cities and towns that have been hardest hit by this economy — cities in Michigan, and Ohio, and right here in Minnesota — he’d understand the kind of change that people are looking for.

Maybe if he went to Iowa and met the student who works the night shift after a full day of class and still can’t pay the medical bills for a sister who’s ill, he’d understand that she can’t afford four more years of a health care plan that only takes care of the healthy and wealthy. She needs us to pass health care plan that guarantees insurance to every American who wants it and brings down premiums for every family who needs it. That’s the change we need.

Maybe if he went to Pennsylvania and met the man who lost his job but can’t even afford the gas to drive around and look for a new one, he’d understand that we can’t afford four more years of our addiction to oil from dictators. That man needs us to pass an energy policy that works with automakers to raise fuel standards, and makes corporations pay for their pollution, and oil companies invest their record profits in a clean energy future — an energy policy that will create millions of new jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced. That’s the change we need.

And maybe if he spent some time in the schools of South Carolina or St. Paul or where he spoke tonight in New Orleans, he’d understand that we can’t afford to leave the money behind for No Child Left Behind; that we owe it to our children to invest in early childhood education; to recruit an army of new teachers and give them better pay and more support; to finally decide that in this global economy, the chance to get a college education should not be a privilege for the wealthy few, but the birthright of every American. That’s the change we need in America. That’s why I’m running for President.

The other side will come here in September and offer a very different set of policies and positions, and that is a debate I look forward to. It is a debate the American people deserve. But what you don’t deserve is another election that’s governed by fear, and innuendo, and division. What you won’t hear from this campaign or this party is the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge, and patriotism as a bludgeon — that sees our opponents not as competitors to challenge, but enemies to demonize. Because we may call ourselves Democrats and Republicans, but we are Americans first. We are always Americans first.

Despite what the good Senator from Arizona said tonight, I have seen people of differing views and opinions find common cause many times during my two decades in public life, and I have brought many together myself. I’ve walked arm-in-arm with community leaders on the South Side of Chicago and watched tensions fade as black, white, and Latino fought together for good jobs and good schools. I’ve sat across the table from law enforcement and civil rights advocates to reform a criminal justice system that sent thirteen innocent people to death row. And I’ve worked with friends in the other party to provide more children with health insurance and more working families with a tax break; to curb the spread of nuclear weapons and ensure that the American people know where their tax dollars are being spent; and to reduce the influence of lobbyists who have all too often set the agenda in Washington.

In our country, I have found that this cooperation happens not because we agree on everything, but because behind all the labels and false divisions and categories that define us; beyond all the petty bickering and point-scoring in Washington, Americans are a decent, generous, compassionate people, united by common challenges and common hopes. And every so often, there are moments which call on that fundamental goodness to make this country great again.

So it was for that band of patriots who declared in a Philadelphia hall the formation of a more perfect union; and for all those who gave on the fields of Gettysburg and Antietam their last full measure of devotion to save that same union.

So it was for the Greatest Generation that conquered fear itself, and liberated a continent from tyranny, and made this country home to untold opportunity and prosperity.

So it was for the workers who stood out on the picket lines; the women who shattered glass ceilings; the children who braved a Selma bridge for freedom’s cause.

So it has been for every generation that faced down the greatest challenges and the most improbable odds to leave their children a world that’s better, and kinder, and more just.

And so it must be for us.

America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past. Our time to bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face. Our time to offer a new direction for the country we love.

The journey will be difficult. The road will be long. I face this challenge with profound humility, and knowledge of my own limitations. But I also face it with limitless faith in the capacity of the American people. Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on Earth. This was the moment — this was the time — when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves, and our highest ideals.

Thank you, God blesses you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

Building An Effective Relationships

In the Name of Allah,  the Most Gracious,  Most Merciful.

All the praise and thanks are due to Allah SWT, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

It is important in our daily life to build effective relationships with all the people around us.  Following are the most important principles that should be followed when building relationships with people are:

•      At the outset it is pertinent to correct your relationship with Allah the Almighty and Allah will then correct the relationship between yourself and others.

•      Studies have proved that every individual has his own unique pattern of understanding and that patterns are usually one of the following:

·          A visual pattern, i.e. one looks at the world and deals with it from a physical point of view.

•      A hearing pattern, i.e. one looks at the world and deals with it based on the words that one hears (one better understands by hearing).

•      An emotion-based pattern, i.e. one looks at the world through one’s emotions and inner feelings.

If you succeed in understanding how a particular individual perceives things (i.e., which pattern one emphasizes), then you can more easily achieve harmony and understanding between the two of you, as well as achieve confidence in your relationship.

•      Put yourself in the place of others and let them hear from you what you like to hear from them, and behave with them the way you like them to behave with you.

•      Always keep smiling, especially during difficult situations and incidents.

•      Keep your calm and self control when provoked.

•      Always be sensitive to feelings of others, their rights and their needs.

•      Be a Good Listener. Listening is an art. It is to listen patiently and never interrupt the speaker, as the Prophet SAW never interrupted a speaker until he ended his speech. In addition, he who fights for this merit gains others love and admiration, whilst on the contrary is the one who chatters and interrupts the other. Atta’ RA tells us about how he behaves concerning this merit and says, “When someone speaks to me, I listen to him as if it is the first time I have heard this subject, though I have heard it thousands of times before.”

•      Choose your right words carefully, especially during the first encounter. Be cheerful when speaking and beware of dull facial expressions and tough looks even if your words are very nice.

•      Choose the right atmosphere. When the atmosphere is not appropriate to talk about a particular subject, then it is better to end the talk about that subject in a courteous way and postpone it to a more appropriate time.

•      Adorn your conversation with humour and proverbs without making this overwhelming in your talk, and tell only the truth. This will induce an interactive discussion.

•      Offer gifts even if small ones and rush to help others even if in little ways, because these are means of winning hearts and of building relationships. It is related in Adab Al-Mufrad of Al-Bukhari that the Prophet may peace and blessing be upon him, said: “Give gifts as it will create love amongst you.”

•      Extend the Salam (Islamic greeting) and reply to a greeting with a better one. This is a key to winning others’ hearts, so be eager to own this key.

•     Keep your promises and be truthful in your talk. This will make others love you even when you cannot accomplish what they want.

•     Be generous within your means. Even whatever little that you may give will put you in a high position in the hearts of people. No one can win the hearts of others while he is described as stingy and not generous.

•      Be simple and spontaneous in dealing with others. Being organized in your life will make you win others’ respect, even that of your enemies.

•      Be presentable: clean in your body, mouth and clothing, be stylish without exaggeration, and put on a nice fragrance; all these will make others that are dealing with you more comfortable, instead of making them avoid you.

These principles can be applied under all circumstances and in all roles – at work, at home, with our husband or our wife, our father, our sons, our friends, or with strangers.

®Islam.com

Qualities of an Exemplary Leader

By Imam Zaid Shakir 

“Owing to Mercy from God, you were gentle in dealing with them [your companions]. Were you harsh [and crude], hard of heart; they would have fled from you. Therefore, pardon their abuses, seek [God’s] forgiveness for them, and consult them in the affair. Once you have resolved on a course of action [be decisive] and trust in God. Surely, God loves those who trust in Him.” [Al-‘Imran, 3:159]

This verse contains a wealth of instruction to guide those who are leaders, and as Muslims we should all be leaders. The Prophet mentioned, “All of you are shepherds, and each of you will be asked concerning his flock.” [Al-Bukhari No.893] Let us examine some of the implications of the verse relevant to leadership.

Owing to Mercy from God… God is reminding His prophet, peace upon him, that the mercy he displays, in fact all of the virtues or favours that he enjoys are all from God. This is a critical point for any leader to realize, because of the propensity of those in positions of leadership to assume that they are in those positions because of something they have done. While it is certainly true that in many instances, hard work and perseverance have assisted a particular individual in his or her rise to the top, even the possession of those qualities is due to God.

Acknowledging this at the very beginning of our affair is one of the keys to real power as it helps to render us humble, and humility before people unlock for that person the power of God. The Prophet Muhammad, peace upon him, mentioned in that regard, “No one humbles themselves for the sake of God except that God elevates him.” [Al-Tirmidzi, No.2029]

Those who doubt the efficacy of such an approach-forgetting this was the way of our Prophet Muhammad, peace and mercy of God upon him-should consider the insights offered by Jim Collins in his book, Good to Great. He mentions what he calls Type 5 Leaders. They are those exceptional leaders who lead companies in their transition from being good to great. [Jim Collins, Good to Great (New York: Harper Collins, 2001), 17-40] They combine personal humility, which is essential for gentleness in one’s dealings, with intense will. This unique combination of virtues is the essence of the message this verse is presenting to us, as we shall see.

Recognizing that everything comes from God is also one of the keys to gaining an increase in good things, for we cannot give thanks for a blessing we do not recognize. In recognizing God for blessing us with the qualities that may have helped us to become capable leaders, we are able to thank Him for those blessings. Hence, we are subject to a rule He has established to govern our etiquettes in responding to a blessing, if you give thanks [for my blessings] I will increase you in them… [Ibrahim, 14:7]

Recognizing that everything comes from God also helps us to realize our limitations. We come to understand that we must work hard to accomplish our goals. However, at the end of the day, we do not control the outcomes of our strivings. As soon as we can accept that fact we instantly gain peace of mind, for we do not Endeavour to burden ourselves with things beyond our control. Furthermore, when in positions of leadership, we are less likely to look for oftentimes innocent parties to blame for failures that occur. This helps to create a healthier and more productive work environment for everyone.

…you were gentle in dealing with them [your companions]. “Gentleness does not exist in anything except that it beautifies it, and it is not removed from anything except that it defiles it.” [Abu Dawud, No.2477] In many instances when we are in a leadership position we try to impose our authority on others. In some instances this only engenders stubborn rebellion and opposition. In others it brings about grudging compliance. Neither situation is healthy. Gentleness, on the other hand encourages willing compliance.

Were you harsh [and crude], hard of heart; they would have fled from you. Here God is telling His prophet, peace upon him, that despite your charisma, your concern for the believers and all of your other positive characteristics, were you harsh and hard-hearted, your companions would have left you. Therefore, you must avoid those characteristics. This is a lesson for us in terms of how we should approach leadership and positions of authority.

 People who are harsh in their leadership styles oftentimes demand respect. They should be mindful of the fact that respect that is demanded is seldom lasting, and it is never sincere. People who are gentle in the appropriate situations, compassionate, empathetic and magnanimous command respect. Respect that is commanded is sincere and lasting.

Leaders who are fair and gentle attract talented individuals, while those that are harsh are usually intimidated and threatened by talented people and generally repulse them. Their insecurity is sensed by talented people who are secure within themselves. This leads to them shying away from harsh individuals. This in turn leads to a corrupt or incompetent inner circle developing around leaders who demand respect through harsh treatment and crude mannerisms. The Prophet Muhammad, peace upon him, mentioned that when God desires good for a leader He gives him a good circle of advisers. The opposite is also true. [Al-Bukhari, No.198]

In the long run, magnanimity will always trump tyranny. Tyranny may achieve temporary victories, but the fruit of those victories is bitter and the season of its harvest is very short. This is true in interpersonal relations as well as in relations between nations. We have to strive to be people who at every level are committed to being open-hearted and magnanimous in our character.

Therefore, pardon their abuses… We should be quick to pardon others, where our rights are involved, or where the transgressions we observe arise from ignorance. One of the greatest lessons we enforce upon ourselves when we are quick to pardon is that perfection is God’s alone. Recognizing that, we do not expect perfection from ourselves, nor do we expect it from others. We do strive for perfection and constant improvement. However, we realize that perfection is simply not our lot in life. When our parents, spouses, children, employees, co-workers, and others understand that they have room for error in their dealing with us they are more relaxed and therefore less likely to err. This is a simple yet unappreciated truth.

Also, we have to understand that when we are merciful and forgiving, we invite God’s mercy and forgiveness into our life. God mentions in the Qur’an, O believers! Verily, among your spouses and children are those that are enemies unto you. If you pardon them, overlook their faults and seek forgiveness for them; then you should know that God is Oft Forgiving and Most Merciful [to you]. [Taghabun, 64:14]

Our Prophet reminded us, “The merciful people are those God will show mercy to…” [Al-Tirmidzi, No.1924] This tradition involves a promise and a principle. It is especially relevant for leaders, for those leaders, who show no mercy, will be shown no mercy-neither by God, nor by those they oppress if they ever gain the upper hand over them. One rare exception is the mercy our Prophet Muhammad, peace upon him, showed to the members of his tribe, Quraish, once he was given authority over them.

Seek God’s forgiveness for them… When we seek God’s forgiveness for someone we are acknowledging that there is only so much we can do for them. After that we are implicitly saying that we are deputing their affair to God, who can do so much more for them. We are also letting them know that we are concerned for their ultimate wellbeing and salvation.

When this message is conveyed to our subordinates we will find them most happy and committed, ready to serve, for they understand that we do not just see them as an asset to be exploited, rather we see them as a servant of God who we can help along on the road to salvation.

And consult them in the affair. Mutual consultation is one of the pillars of social relations in Islam. As the saying goes, “Two heads are better than one.” The more people we can involve in a project or decision, the more thorough our approach to that project or decision will be. Islam has high respect for the idea of due diligence in public decision-making methodology. We should deliberate and consult before making what will sometimes be far-reaching decisions. One of the reasons for our contemporary weakness is that we have gotten away from this idea.

Here the Prophet, peace upon him, who is divinely guided in religious affairs, in the broadest sense of religion, is encouraged to consult his companions because he is laying the foundation for effective rule and leadership to guide those succeeding him. However, we will only be the beneficiaries of the wisdom he bequeathed to us if we implement those teachings in our lives. This area of endeavour is no exception.

We should also understand that a team will always accomplish more than a single individual. These instructions will help us to build strong teams. We should also understand that “good” can always be “better.” One of the first things mentioned by Abu Bakar, may God be pleased with him, upon assuming the Caliphate, was, “If I do well help me to do better.” Abu Bakar, may God be pleased with him, was sending out two messages. The first was that I can always do better but only with your help. The second was an invitation to get involved. Good leadership does not wait for involvement to happen, it actively encourages it.

Once you have resolved on a course of action [be decisive]… Once a course of action has been chosen it must be accompanied by decisiveness. Great leaders are decisive, after due diligence has been exercised. The greatest of all leaders, the five great prophets, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad are described as Ulul ‘Azim the possessors of decisive resolve. No one will follow an indecisive leader. Decisiveness is a function of will. This is the second quality mentioned by Collins in, Good to Great.

In confronting the challenges before us as Muslims in this country we should understand that resolve is one of the qualities we will need to have. God mentions in the Qur’an, You will surely be tested in your wealth and your lives and you will hear from those given the scripture before you and from the idolaters much abuse. If you patiently persevere and remain mindful of God, [you should know] that is a manifestation of resolve. [Al-‘Imran, 3:186]

As we listen to the defamation of our religion and the slander of our Prophet, peace upon him, we should not allow that to dishearten us or turn us away from the good works we are doing. We should persevere, we should forge on, and we should realize that we are not violating any laws nor transgressing against any of the principles upon which this nation was founded-even thought the nation itself oftentimes does not honour those principles.

And trust in God… God never disappoints. When we trust in Him, we will never be disappointed. People will eventually disappoint us, in real or perceived ways. Although those disappointments usually do not result in any permanent damage to our relationships they can be frustrating. When we place our trust in God we remove this great cause of our frustrations.

When we trust in God, we also are less demanding of people. This is one of the ways to encourage others to do more for us in a spirit of wilful volunteerism. What is given voluntarily is given sincerely. Sincerity is a quality that helps bring blessings to our actions. Ultimately, the value of our actions is associated to the blessings they contain, and not their abundance.

God loves those who trust in Him. If God is for us no one can be against us. As leaders we want God on our side. This is one of the keys in moving from good to great, for when we ally ourselves with God we ally ourselves with the source of all strength and power. Trusting in God is just one of the things we can do to invite His love. He mentions in the Qur’an, Verily, God loves those who do good. [Al-Baqarah, 2:195] Surely, God loves those who turn to Him in repentance. (2:222) …and God loves those who purify themselves. [Al-Baqarah, 2:222] God loves those conscious of him. [Al-‘Imran, 3:76] God loves those who manifest excellence in their faith. [Al-‘Imran, 3:134] God love those who are patient. [Al-‘Imran, 3:146] Verily, God loves those who rely on him. [Al-‘Imran, 3:159] God loves those who are just. [Al-Maidah, 5:42)

Hence, trusting in God, being good and excellent in all of our affairs for His sake, turning to him in repentance, being conscious of Him, purifying ourselves, patiently persevering and being just, these are all qualities and actions that invite God’s love into our lives.

When we are beloved to God then, as He mentions in a sacred tradition (Hadith Qudsi), “I become the hearing with which he hears, the sight with which he sees, the hand with which he grasps and the feet that convey him. [In this state] if he were to ask anything of Me, I would grant it. And were he to seek my protection, I would protect him.” [Al-Bukhari, No.6502] This does not mean that God becomes a part of us. However, it does mean that He will bless us to use all of our faculties in ways that are pleasing to Him.

What could be better or more beneficial for us than this?

® NID