Friday Sermon: Petrol price increase: Tinubu should be a merciful leader, By Murtadha Gusau

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds. May His blessings and benedictions be upon the Messenger, his household and companions.

Dear brothers and sisters! The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) on Tuesday, 03/09/2024 raised the pump price of petrol to N897 per litre from the official price of N617.

This is coming days after the national oil company said it was heavily constrained by the huge debt it owes international suppliers. The debt is estimated to be $6.8 billion.

NNPC filling stations in Nigeria had already effected the prices, with its downstream facilities selling for N897.

However, independent filling stations were selling for between N930 and N950.

Truely, Nigerians feels betrayed and unhappy by the federal government following the increase in the pump price of petrol at NNPC Ltd’s fuel stations.

Respected brothers and sisters! Indeed, showing mercy to others is essential for one to receive mercy from Allah the Almighty.

Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) kissed his grandson Hasan Bin Ali in the presence of Aqra’ Bin Habis. Thereupon Aqra’ remarked: “I have ten children and I have never kissed any one of them.” The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) cast a glance upon him and said, “He who does not show mercy to others, will not be shown mercy.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

Therefore, if we want peace, unity and progress we must show mercy, compassion and kindness towards those around us.

And this Prophetic Hadith, narrated by Abu Hurairah, speaks about the importance of showing mercy and kindness towards others.

This Hadith teaches us that it is important for us to show compassion and kindness towards those around us if we want to receive the same from Allah. We should strive to treat people with respect and love so that we can earn His blessings in return. Furthermore, this Hadith also serves as a reminder for us to be grateful for all the blessings we have been given by Allah and use them wisely in order to gain His pleasure.

Jarir Ibn Abdullah reported: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said:

“Allah will not be merciful to those who are not merciful to people.” [Bukhari and Muslim]

Abdullah Ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said:

“The merciful will be shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Be merciful to those on the earth, and the One in the heavens will have mercy upon you.” [Sunan al-Tirmithi]

Abdullah Ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said:

“Whoever does not show mercy to our young ones, or acknowledge the rights of our elders, is not one of us.” [Musnad Ahmad]

Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said:

“He is not one of us who is not merciful to our young, nor respects the rights of our elders, nor enjoins good, nor forbids evil.” [Sunan al-Tirmithi]

Respected brothers and sisters! For all of the attributes ascribed to leaders how high on the list would you place being merciful? After all, leaders are tough, decisive, driven, and are no-nonsense type of people. But drill down to the finer qualities of what makes a leader inspiring and worth following is a sense of mercy that embodies their leadership style. They don’t overlook the obvious and are not afraid to act when times are tough. Leaders lead with a clear set of goals and outcome expectations. But they also understand that life happens and a merciful leader will make allowances. Don’t be so rigid with rules, regulations, policies, and procedures that you fail to see the human equation. Mercy is not weakness. The merciful leader is strong enough to care, gracious enough to show it, and confident enough to live it.

Allah the Almighty told the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him), the greatest leader on earth:

“Owing to Mercy from Allah, 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 [Allah’s] forgiveness for them, and consult them in the affair. Once you have resolved on a course of action [be decisive] and trust in Allah. Surely, Allah loves those who trust in Him.” [Qur’an, 3:159]

This Qur’anic verse contains a wealth of instruction to guide those who are leaders, and as Muslims we should all be leaders. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) mentioned:

“All of you are shepherds, and each of you will be asked concerning his flock.” [Bukhari]

Let us examine some of the implications of the Qur’anic verse relevant to leadership.

Allah the Almighty says:

“Owing to Mercy from Allah…”

Here Allah is reminding His Prophet (Peace be upon him) that the mercy he displays, in fact all of the virtues or favours that he enjoys are all from Allah. This is a critical point for any leader to realise, 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 Allah.

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 Allah. The Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) mentioned in that regard:

“No one humbles themselves for the sake of Allah except that Allah elevates him.” [At-Tirmithi]

Those who doubt the efficacy of such an approach-forgetting this was the way of our Prophet Muhammad (Peace be 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. 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 Qur’anic verse is presenting to us, as we shall see.

Recognising that everything comes from Allah is also one of the keys to gaining an increase in good things, for we can not give thanks for a blessing we do not recognise. In recognising Allah 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…” [Qu’ran, 14:7]

Recognising that everything comes from Allah also helps us to realise 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.

Allah the Most High says:

“…you were gentle in dealing with them [your companions].”

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said:

“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]

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.

Allah the Almighty says:

“Were you harsh [and crude], hard of heart; they would have fled from you.”

Here Allah is telling His Prophet (Peace be 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 and policies 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, merciful 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 be upon him) mentioned that:

“When Allah desires good for a leader He gives him a good circle of advisers. The opposite is also true.” [Bukhari]

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.

Allah the Most High says:

“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 Allah’s alone. Recognising 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 realise that perfection is simply not our lot in life. When our parents, spouses, children, employees, coworkers, 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 Allah’s mercy and forgiveness into our life. Allah 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 Allah is Oft Forgiving and Most Merciful [to you].” [Qur’an, 64:14]

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) reminded us:

“The merciful people are those Allah will show mercy to…” [At-Tirmithi]

This Prophetic Hadith 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 Allah, nor by those they oppress if they ever gain the upper hand over them. One rare exception is the mercy our Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) showed to the members of his tribe, Quraish, once he was given authority over them.

Allah the Most High says:

“Seek Allah’s forgiveness for them…”

When we seek Allah’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 Allah, 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 Allah who we can help along on the road to salvation.

Allah the Almighty says:

“And consult them in the affair.”

Mutual consultation (Shura) 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 Muhammad (Peace be 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 Abubakar, may Allah be pleased with him, upon assuming the Caliphate, was:

“If I do well help me to do better.”

Abubakar, may Allah 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.

Allah the Almighty says:

“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, Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, Isa and Muhammad are described as Ulul Azm 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 his book, 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. Allah 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 Allah, [you should know] that is a manifestation of resolve.” [Qur’an, 3:186]

As we listen to the defamation of our religion and the slander of our Prophet (Peace be 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 realise 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.

Allah the Most High says:

“And trust in Allah…”

Allah 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 Allah we remove this great cause of our frustrations.

When we trust in Allah, 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 willful 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.

Allah loves those who trust in Him. If Allah is for us no one can be against us. As leaders we want Allah on our side. This is one of the keys in moving from good to great, for when we ally ourselves with Allah we ally ourselves with the source of all strength and power. Trusting in Allah is just one of the things we can do to invite His love. He the Almighty mentions in the Qur’an:

“Verily, Allah loves those who do good.” [Qur’an, 2:195]

“Surely, Allah loves those who turn to Him in repentance.” [Qur’an, 2:222]

“…and Allah loves those who purify themselves.” [Qur’an, 2:222] [Qur’an, 2:222]

“Allah loves those conscious of him.” [Qur’an, 3:76]

“Allah loves those who manifest excellence in their faith.” [Qur’an, 3:134]

“Allah love those who are patient.” [Qur’an, 3:146]

“Verily, Allah loves those who rely on him.” [Qur’an, 3:159]

“Allah loves those who are just.” [Qur’an, 5:42]

Hence, trusting in Allah, 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 Allah’s love into our lives.

When we are beloved to Allah then, as He mentions in a sacred Hadith (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.” [Bukhari]

This does not mean that Allah 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, Subhanahu wa Ta’ala.

My beloved people! What could be better or more beneficial for us than this?

Dear brothers and sisters! Here are some of the leadership qualities of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him):

1. Leading with Compassion and Mercy

The very first leadership quality of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) that the Qur’an mentions is that he led with compassion and mercy.

2. Selflessness

The second quality of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) is that he put others first before himself. Some people think once they become a leader, it means they get the best parking and the high end office, and it means they get this many benefits. But the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him)’s leadership was not that of being a king, but rather he was someone who was in service of others. He put others first before himself, and told his people:

“Whatever I leave behind, give it away.”

There were many times during his own life where he would give things away to those who were hungry, those who were poor, those who needed it.

There’s the story of how Abubakar went to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) and showed him that there was a stone tied to his stomach because of the hunger that he was feeling. It was a time of drought and the Prophet (Peace be upon him) raised his shirt and there were two stones tied to him. So the Prophet (Peace be upon him) was always putting others first before himself. That was his way of leadership.

So if we are in any position of leadership, how are we putting others first? Are we able to have that genuine concern for others? Not to the point where we are being taking advantage of of course, but at least to the point where people can feel that there’s a leadership that’s taking place.

3. Trustworthiness

The third quality of the Prophet (Peace be upon him)’s leadership is that of being trustworthy for 40 years. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) had this reputation before he was even a Prophet that he was the trustworthy, the truthful, and that anyone could leave their belongings with him.

There were no banks that time. There was no safety deposit box. There was nowhere that you could keep your belongings. There was no locks on doors. The windows in every home were open windows. So you could not really secure your precious belongings if you were to go somewhere. Many of the people of Makkah were merchants. So it was very common to leave Makkah and go somewhere else for business and for trade, but when they would go, they would sing to someone, “Hey, can you take care of my belongings?” And it was also a common thing that if you left your belongings with the wrong person, you came back and they would say, “Oh, it’s stolen,” when in fact that person had taken it for themselves.

But the Prophet (Peace be upon him) had this reputation of being so trustworthy that even after he became a Prophet and he proclaimed his message, many of the non-Muslims in Makkah would continue to leave their belongings with him. Even though they knew that there was persecution, even though they knew that all of this was going on, they trusted him no matter what. That’s how great his reputation is.

What about us? Are we able to actually fulfil those promises? Are we able to actually fulfil what we are saying? Then if and when we make a mistake, are we able to apologise for those mistakes?

4. Consultation (Shura)

The fourth quality of the Prophet (Peace be upon him) in terms of leadership – and of course, these are just a few qualities as we don’t have the time to go over all of his qualities – is that he would take Shura. That is even something that is mentioned in the Qur’an.

5. A True Leader Creates Other Leaders

I’ll end off with this last qualify of the Prophet (Peace be upon him)’s leadership. If you read any list of leadership qualities – for example, The 21 Laws of Leadership by Don Maxwell – you will find this is an essential core principle of a true leader: A true leader creates other leaders.

A true leader gives other people time to shine. A true leader creates other leaders and the Prophet (Peace be upon him) was the best example of that.

When Mu’az was a young man, he saw his potential, and he said:

“Mu’az go to Yemen. The people of Yemen want to accept Islam. You go to Yemen and lead there.”

So the Prophet (Peace be upon him) would give people that opportunity. He would look for potential and he would create and nurture more leadership – so much so that, after he passed, there were many who could have taken leadership. There was Abubakar, Umar, Uthman, Ali. There were many who could have taken that leadership. Even beyond those four, there were many others that were in that consideration. Each time one passed, there were many others who were in consideration for those places of leadership and positions of leaders. So that was a crucial thing.

That brings me back to what I said about Prophet Ibrahim. When Allah told Prophet Ibrahim that he would be a leader, what did he reply? He said, “What about my descendants? Who will be the leaders after me?”

Dear servants of Allah! There are so many things in life, and leadership, that are much easier to say than do. Mercy is one of those. The definition of mercy that I’m thinking of includes synonyms like empathy, understanding, and forbearance (which means patience, self-control, restraint, and tolerance).

This is not the first time I’ve written about the hard work of first seeking to understand if leaders truly want to be understood. In fact, as I’m writing this I feel somewhat like a broken record. But I’ll keep repeating this same chorus over and over because it seems to be one of the most difficult and most necessary aspects of effective leadership. Understanding doesn’t mean you have to “agree.” Understanding means you’ve truly listened. It means that you’re aware of other’s feelings and thinking. It doesn’t mean you have to agree with their point of view, but it means that you’re willing to understand and appreciate it. Adapt your own behaviour style and lead with mercy.

Grace and mercy are very close cousins. Showing mercy is an example of leading with bold grace.

Dear brothers and sisters! Please before I conclude, read the following quotes on the importance of showing mercy to the people:

“A little bit of mercy makes the world less cold and more just.” – Pope Francis

“Teach me to feel another’s woe, to hide the fault I see, that mercy I to others show, that mercy show to me.” – Alexander Pope

“God tolerates even our stammering, and pardons our ignorance whenever something inadvertently escapes us – as, indeed, without this mercy there would be no freedom to pray.” – John Calvin

“I believe in peace. I believe in mercy.” – Malala Yousafzai

“I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

“Sweet mercy is nobility’s true badge.” – William Shakespeare

“Charity is a supreme virtue, and the great channel through which the mercy of God is passed onto mankind.” ~ Conrad Hilton

“Where mercy is shown, mercy is given.” – Duane Dog Chapman

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

Lastly, and sincerely speaking, Let the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all around him know that, Nigerians are not happy and are very sad and disturbed by the policies and leadership styles of his government. Therefore we are calling on the President to please lead the country with mercy.

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. May the peace, blessings and salutations of Allah be upon our noble Messenger, Muhammad (Peace be upon him), and upon his family, his Companions and his true followers.

Murtadha Muhammad Gusau is the Chief Imam of: Nagazi-Uvete Jumu’ah Mosque; and Late Alhaji Abdur-Rahman Okene Mosque, Okene, Kogi State, Nigeria. He can be reached via: gusauimam@gmail.com; or +2348038289761.

This Friday sermon (Jumu’ah Khutbah) was prepared for delivery today Friday, 03 Rabi’ul Awwal, 1446 AH (September 06, 2024).