According to the verse of the Holy Quran (2:38), people are the Khalifa (vicegerent) of Allah on this earth. Since all sorts of qualities belong to Allah (SWT), and He makes man as His vicegerent, He must give some of His qualities to them to do their tasks perfectly.
These qualities help people become good quality individuals in this world who can ensure quality management in TQ-oriented organizations.
From the first man, Hazrat Adam (AS), to Hazrat Muhammad (SAAS), a good number of messengers had come into this world by the will of Allah (SWT), all of whom had a lot of qualities to lead their people, community, country, and the world as a whole. Allah has said in the Holy Qur’an that there are many best qualities for us in the life of the Prophet (SAAS).
A lot of attributes of executives, administrators, and leaders could be derived from the teachings of the Qur’an and the Sunnah.
17 The indications of the Qur’an and the Sunnah to build good quality people TQ are summarized below:
Intention or Objective (Niyah)
There is no act that could be accomplished without a clear intention or objective. In the Sunnah, it is told, “the result of every action depends on the intention of the doer.”
The Muslims have to have a mission statement or set objectives of the organization in order to set direction, targets, or measures of performance. This has become the fundamental principle of Islam, whereby the intention inherent in any action determines whether it is good or blameworthy.
Islam always encourages people to do any act on the basis of good intention. This type of people can help the organizations to perform all the tasks according to their mission and vision, and the organizations can easily maintain their ethics and values in their operations.
Trustworthiness (Amanah)
Anyone holding a post of executive, administrator, leader, or worker is holding a public trust. Therefore, he is accountable for this duty.
The Qur’an says that, “Allah doth command you to render back your trusts to those to whom they are due; and when ye judge between man and man, that ye judge with justice; verily how excellent is the teaching which he giveth you; for Allah is who heareth and seeth all things.”
Trustworthiness is an Islamic value that should be realized in an Islamic administration. Implementing this Islamic value in administration indicates making every staff a trustworthy person. The Qur’an has commanded that a Muslim should be a trustworthy person:
“If any of you deposits a thing on trust with another, the trustee should (faithfully) discharge his trust, and let him fear his lord.”
The prophet says that there is no faith (iman) for a person who is untrustworthy.
Sincerity (Ikhlas)
Any executive or administrator should execute his responsibility sincerely whenever it is entrusted to him. The Qur’an teaches us that a person must do his work sincerely as when he worships his God.
“Say; verily, I am commanded to serve Allah with sincere devotion.” Say; “It is Allah I serve, with my sincere (and exclusive) devotion.”
“Say; Will ye dispute with us about Allah, seeing that He is our Lord and your Lord; that we are responsible for our doings and ye for yours; and that we are sincere (in our faith) in Him.”
Accountability (Hisbah)
As an executive or administrator, or leader, or worker, one is responsible for any action that has been taken under one’s supervision. He is responsible for his decisions and actions.
As the Qur’an says: “Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good, see it. And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil, shall see it.”
“Nor can a bearer of burdens bear another’s burden.”
“That man can have nothing but what he strives for. That (the first of) his striving will soon come in sight. There will be reward complete.”
Dedication (Sidk)
To become a worker, a person must be able to dedicate himself to his job. The tradition of the Prophet has stated that,
“Allah loves any person who has devoted towards one particular job until he is able to master the works”.
Gratefulness (Shukr)
A good product cannot result from a half-hearted worker. A worker would not work whole-heartedly unless he is satisfied with his job.
But satisfaction is something subjective and relative. Thus Islam teaches the principle of gratefulness, the spirit of which can be derived from the Qur’an.
“O ye who believe, eat of the good things that we have provided for you and be grateful to Allah it is Him ye Worship.”
“He said: This is by the grace of my Lord to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful and if any is grateful, truly his gratefulness is (a gain) for his own soul; but if any is ungrateful, truly my Lord is free of all needs, supreme in honor.”
“And remember! Your Lord caused to be declared (publicly): ‘If ye are grateful, I will add more (favors) unto you: But if ye show ingratitude, truly my punishment is terrible indeed.”
Moderation (Tawassut)
Islam is against extremism. All decisions and actions should be taken on the basis of moderation. As the Qur’an says:
“Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly but hold a just (balance) between those (extremes).”
“Thus have we made of you an ummah justly balanced, that ye might be witness over the nations and messenger a witness over yourselves.”
The essence of Islam is to avoid all extravagance on both sides.
Consistency (Mudawamah)
The tradition of the Prophet (SAAS) has taught a Muslim to be consistent in his works. Allah loves one who is delighted in his work. It is through His way that a person can become a skilled worker. In the Qur’an, Allah says, “O you who have believed, persevere and endure and remain stationed and fear Allah that you may be successful.”
In the hadith, it is said, “You do all of your works in such a way that you will leave in this world forever.”
Cleanliness (Taharah)
Cleanliness is a part of faith. Every Muslim should be outwardly and inwardly clean. As the Qur’an says:
“Say: ‘Not equal are things that are bad and things that are good, even though the abundance of the bad may dazzle thee. So fear Allah, O ye who understand, that (so) ye may prosper.”
The administration will be smooth and efficient if every staff who is working in a particular office works sincerely and is not involved in any form of corruption. Implementing a clean administration means avoiding a corrupt administration.
Discipline (Nizam) and United Effort
Discipline is very important in Islam. The success of any system is very much dependent on the ability of every person who is involved in implementing a system to sustain discipline and order. As the Qur’an says:
“Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the alteration of the night and the day, and the ships which sail through the sea with that which benefits people, and what Allah (SWT) has sent down from the heavens of rain, giving life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and dispersing therein every [kind of] moving creature, and [His] directing of the winds and the clouds controlled between the heaven earth are signs for a people who use reason.”
Every creation in this universe is obeying discipline willingly or unwillingly. And this system helps to continue this universe righteously. As the Qur’an says,
“Then He [Allah] directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, ‘come [into being] willingly or by compulsion.’ They said, ‘we have come willingly’.”
“Do you not see [i.e., know] that Allah causes the night to enter the day and causes the day to enter the night and has subjected the sun and the moon, each running [its course] for a specified term, and that Allah, with whatever you do, is Acquainted?”
The like verses are mentioned in Surah Al-Fatir (35:13), Ya-Seen (36:40), Az-Zumar (39: 5), and so on.
Not only to be disciplined is enough to be successful but work unitedly. As Allah says,
“Truly Allah loves those who fight in His cause in battle array, as if they were a solid cemented structure.”
Cooperation (Muawanah)
Islam encourages people to work together and to be ready to help one another as the Qur’an says: “Help ye one another in righteousness and piety. But help ye not one another in sin and rancor. Fear Allah, for Allah is strict in punishment.”
Justice (Adl)
Islamic administration is based on the concept and principles of justice. It is proven that the administration led by Muslims is fair to all. In the Qur’an Allah has commanded several times to maintain justice each and everywhere.
In Surah Nisa, to ensure justice deliberately it has been said, “When you will settle on justice among people at that time you certainly will put forth justice.”
It has been further said, “O ye who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witness to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich and poor.”
Conscientiousness and Knowledgeable in all Endeavor (Itquan)
The Islamic term itqan, which means conscientiousness and knowledge in all endeavors, is almost an obligatory feature of Islamic work ethics. Indeed, Islam unambiguously encourages all its adherents to acquire the necessary knowledge of things he or she wants to do before he attempts to do it.
The Holy Qur’an declares that Hazrat Yousuf (AS) says “Set me over the storehouses of the land: I am a good keeper, knowledgeable.”
Knowledge here implies not only the what, but also the skill required to perform the task. After acquiring the knowledge, he or she must be conscientious in his or her undertakings.
Conscientiousness also implies the presence of perseverance, passion, and commitment to perform. It is only through this means that one can almost surely achieve success.
Proficiency and Efficiency (Ihsan)
Ihsan is commonly understood as doing marginally more than the minimal requirement. For example, Islam teaches us to pay slightly more than the loan we have obtained as a gift and a sign of gratitude to the person whose loan has benefited us.
In this case, it is not interest because one is not obliged to pay that extra. However, it is only an act of benevolence. But Ihsan also means proficiency and efficiency. This particular meaning obviously will enhance productivity. It is in the hadith, “Allah loves dexterous and efficient worker.”
Passion for Excellence (Fakhmah)
The most essential ingredient for excellent performance is the existence of inherent passion within the individuals. Excellence is not achievable through an impressive organizational chart, lofty positions, or even handsome perks alone.
They may be necessary prerequisites for excellent performance but are not sufficient. It is the individuals with inherent passion for excellence that constitute the most important. Islam not only admits excellence as a virtue but also encourages its adherents to excel in everything that they do.
In order to direct a better way of action, prophet (SAAS) said: “Allah has ordered to complete every action in a better way. When you slaughter (animal) do it in a better way. Slaughter properly the animal meant for sacrifice. So every one should sharpen the knife and let the animal meant for sacrifice to die comfortably.”
Continuous Self-Evaluation (Tasmen-al-nafs)
Islam strongly encourages continuous self-evaluation in order to improve oneself all the time. One must not command anything or anyone to do something that he or she does not do him/herself.
In the Qur’an, Allah says, “O those who believe, why do you say what do you do not act upon? To Allah, it is a great sin that you say something that you do not practice.”
If for any moment one realizes that he has done more bad than good, he is expected to take immediate corrective and remedial action.
He has to correct the wrongs and improve on the good actions. This practice is in line with the principle of continuous efforts for improvement, which is the same as the Japanese principle of kaizen.
Pride (Kibr)
This is one of the greatest vices; pride can happen only in the absence of two elements. First is a person towards whom it is directed, and second is a quality of perfection in which pride is taken.
Pride comes to mind when a man believes that he has worth, that another man also has worth but his own worth is greater than that of the other. These beliefs will make him feel a sense of joy, a trust in what he believes a sense of his greatness, and contempt for the other.