Spirit of Islamic administration and educational administration| Educational Leadership and Management (8605)

 

Q.1 Elaborate the spirit of Islamic administration and educational administration.

 

Islamic principles in administration provide a more comprehensive system as they incorporate both moral and spiritual dimensions. These principles are universally applicable and important for the success of Muslims’ organization. Since Islam is a comprehensive way of life, it treats the most minor and simple to detailed and major issues in various aspects of human life and activities including the administration of organization or institution. It addresses all mankind without distinction of race, region, language or time. The principles of Islamic administration are derived from the Quran, which is the most fundamental source in Islamic shari’ah, and the sunnah, which is the second important source in Islam. The most crucial principles are knowledge, commanding good and forbidding bad, amanah (trust), justice, shura (consultation), brotherhood, moral and ethical behaviours, responsibility (trustworthiness), muhasabah (accountability), and, motivation. Those are the values embody the administration in Islamic approach which should be implemented by those who employed in any organization.

The Implication of Basic Principles of Administration Toward Employment Practices

 

Selection of Employees

The Allah-fearing attribute is valued because it will ensure that he carries out his duty with amanah, devotion and perfection. It is also said that “Selecting staff with completely denies a man leadership should he requests it or contest for it (leadership)” (Muslim, Kitab al-Imarah, chap. 12:207). It is also narrated that a group of people came to the Prophet (s.a.w) and Technology, Science, Social Sciences and Humanities International Conference – TeSSHI 2012 Organizer: UniversitiTeknologi MARA Kedah. One Helang Hotel, Lankawi. 14 & 15 November 2012 2 requested leadership. The Prophet (s.a.w) said: “We, by Allah, would not charge any body who requests it, or is greedy for it (leadership)” (Muslim, Kitab al-Imarah, chap. 12:207). Further, it is also said that in selecting any prospective staffs, emphasis should be given to two (2) main elements namely; strength and trust. This is as what indicated in the following Quranic revelation: “One of the women said, “O my father, hire him. Indeed, the best one you can hire is the strong and the trustworthy”

From this verse, there are two pre-requisite in selecting employees set i.e. Strength and Trustworthiness. The first pre-requisite i.e. strength and power referred in the above verse depend according to the kind of the duty to be entrusted to the employee and this strength includes the capability in knowledge, field of specialization, experience, personal abilities, potentials and character. The second pre-requisite is trustworthiness (amanah). Trust in this context refers to the fear of Allah S.W.T and awareness of Allah’s presence at all time which should result in a person carrying out his duty with diligence, accountability, effective and in full obedience not only to the existing rules set forth by his employer but more importantly the laws and injunction by Allah S.W.T. Further, it is also said that there are several limits in the Islamic methodology of selecting staff which need to be observed by the employer stated as follows: · The leader should feel strongly that choosing appropriate staff is a great trust to be taken seriously; · The leader is duty bound to choose the best staff for each duty without inclinations, bias or cheating, and · The leader must display capability and amanah.

Specialization and Division of Labour

In the context of specialization and clear demarcation of duties, one can see the application of several Islamic principles of administration such as knowledge (ilm), justice (‘adalah) and brotherhood (ukhuwwah). It is a fact that job allocation should be done properly in ensuring effective performance amongst the employee for the task entrusted to them and in ensuring the target set by the management can be achieved accordingly towards the success of the organization. Arising from this, it is pertinent that in allocating the task amongst the employee, the employer should take into consideration the knowledge (‘ilm) that the employee possess in relation to the task to be entrusted to him. This indirectly gives some advantage to those having the necessary knowledge (needed for the performance of the task) over those without such knowledge. By doing so, this would allow the employee to practise their job perfectly as expected by the management of the said organization. In addition, justicei (‘adalah) is one concept that is synonym with Islam and Muslim is ordained to do justice in every aspect of their life and this includes in the task specialization and division of labour. The employer is required to assign proper tasks to the proper and qualified person regardless of their acquaintance, friendship or personal connection with such employee.