It is well-known that a very small
percentage of mankind go on to become leaders who rule over their
masses. Yet, those who do, exercise considerable influence (good or bad)
during their tenures. This story of Dhul Qarnain that Allah has
narrated in the Quran serves to be a beacon for anyone who occupies, or
intends to ascend to, a position of authority and leadership over a
large number of people.
There are scores of articles and blot posts
on the Internet that list and describe desirable leadership qualities
for the benefit of the innumerable, young, ardent and wannabe
ladder-climbers out there, which list the prerequisite innate as well as
acquired traits of successful leaders.
Life coaches, authors, motivational speakers
and corporate trainers have made lucrative careers out of giving
conferences on sustainable leadership, and “how to become successful
managers/CEO’s” et al. No surprise that self-help books on this topic
penned by so-called gurus abound online and in print, many of them going
on to become bestsellers.
The greatest book of all, the Quran, also
throws light upon just what it practically means to be a leader, by
narrating this story of Dhul Qarnain in Surah Al-Kahf, without
mentioning any of his traits in the form of a list that we can all
immediately start to incorporate into ourselves, but rather, by
describing his actions and behaviors during his successful conquests; in
particular, how he dealt with the people he came to rule over.
These people included those he had never
even met before, nor (as in one particular case), whose language he even
understood; people whose towns he traveled hundreds of miles to reach
and eventually preside over.
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