Prophetic Leadership
Masterclass Series on the Life of Prophet
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)

The Prophetic Leadership Institute (PLI), a subsidiary of the Centre for Executive Education (CEE) and the
Madinah Institute of Leadership and Entrepreneurship (MILE) is pleased to announce the launch of the
“Prophetic Leadership” Masterclass Series on the Life of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

About the Prophetic Leadership Institute (PLI)

In today’s ever-changing and highly disruptive world, effective leadership matters. Whether you’re looking to improve your core leadership skills or need the insights and tools to implement change in your organization, our Prophetic Leadership programs are explicitly designed to foster a culture of collaboration, trust, and growth across your whole organization.

The Prophetic Leadership Institute (PLI) was born out of research conducted by the Centre for Executive Education (CEE) which revealed the importance of the prophetic leadership models and their impact on leadership development and best practices on contemporary leadership roles in implementing effective change in their organizations.

PLI offers transformational, human-centered leadership programs, both face-to-face and virtual tailored to the challenges faced and skills needed by leaders at all levels at each leader level. These programs explore a leader’s skills, attributes, and experiences as well as the unique settings and demands of the leader in today’s hypercompetitive global business context.

Introduction

Assalāmu’alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh (May the peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be with you)

The two major sources of the religion of Islam are the Quran and Hadith. These two are where most of the teachings come from. When looking for guidance, Muslims often refer back to one of these two to educate themselves on a topic.

The Quran is the central religious text of Islam. It represents the fountainhead of Divine guidance for every Muslim. The Islamic sacred book is the words of God and was dictated to Muhammad, the prophet of Islam, by the Archangel Gabriel and was written down in Arabic. The chapters in this book touch upon all aspects of human existence, including matters of doctrine, social organization, and legislation.

The Quran confirms the revelations given to earlier Prophets, though these might not be accessible to us, in the form they were originally revealed. The most sublime language and a rational message that directly appeals to the human heart have caused this Divine book to move nations and civilizations. It will continue to guide those who turn to God with a sincere heart, always.

The details of the Quranic Text which includes the Chapters and Verses in each Chapter could be found at https://quran.com/.

Hadiths are a collection of traditions containing sayings/actions of the Prophet Muhammad that, with accounts of his daily practice (the Sunnah), constitute the major source of guidance for Muslims apart from the Quran. During the first few decades after the Prophet Muhammad’s death, those who directly knew him (known as the Companions) shared and collected quotations and stories related to the Prophet’s life.

Within the first two centuries after the Prophet’s death, scholars conducted a thorough review of the stories, tracing the origins of each quotation along with the chain of narrators through whom the quotation was passed. Those which were not verifiable were deemed “weak” or even “fabricated,” while others were deemed “authentic” (sahih) and collected into volumes. The most authentic collections of hadith include Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and Sunan Abu Dawud.

The details of the said collection of Authentic Hadiths could be found at https://sunnah.com/.

In the Quran, Allah, the exalted one, described Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as:

“And indeed, you are of a great moral character.”

Reference: Saheeh International, Surah Al-Qalam (68:4) https://quran.com/68/4.

Abū Hurayrah relates that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:

“I have only been sent to perfect good moral character.”

Reference: Musnad Ahmad (8595) https://sunnah.com/urn/2302710

About the “Prophetic Leadership” Masterclass Series Program

Management is more than a century-old discipline that has evolved in the form of organizational theories and management thoughts. The management and leadership principles found in each Module of the “Prophetic Leadership” program are based on the teachings of Islam and the history of ‘seerah‘ of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and pious caliphs.

The program will be delivered by 2 Master Facilitators where one is a subject matter expert in Islamic Studies Al-Quran and Al-Sunnah (Revealed Knowledge) and the other is an expert in contemporary leadership principles and business practices in today’s context.

Apart from the leadership lessons based on the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), the Masterclass Series on the “Prophetic Leadership” will also include how these leadership skills are practiced now in today’s context and successfully demonstrated by leaders in best-in-class businesses and organizations.

This segment of the program will be delivered by the Co-Master Facilitator, Prof Sattar Bawany, our award-winning Chief Executive Officer, and C-Suite Master Executive Coach, Prof Bawany has over 30 years of extensive business (with global P & L responsibility) as well as consulting experience with organizations worldwide and executive coaching of Board Members, CEOs and C-Suite Leaders globally. He has published a series of books and articles on leadership including the latest book, “Leadership in Disruptive Times: Negotiating the New Balance” (2023) by Business Expert Press, New York, NY.

The content is structured to be specifically designed and aligned to the client organization’s corporate strategy and the desired leadership competencies to drive the implementation of the strategy and the achievement of desired organizational results.

The strategic aim of the program is to provide practical knowledge, skills, and tools required for the organization’s leaders to be holistically & spiritually well-versed, transformational, and critical-thinking leaders, who can confidently guide and lead their teams and create long-lasting impact across the organization and achieve the organization’s specific vision, mission, and values as well as the strategic goals and objectives.

Research-based Content Development

The program will be primarily based on the text “The Sealed Nectar: Biography of the Noble Prophet (PBUH): Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum” which is a complete authoritative ‘seerah’ book that is the biography of the life of Prophet Muhammad ((peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), which was written by a prominent scholar at contemporary time Sheikh Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri.

A complete authoritative book on the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) by Sheikh Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarkpuri. It was honored by the World Muslim League as a first-prize winner book.

Whoever wants to know the whole lifestyle of the Prophet in detail must read this book. Muhammad (PBUH) is the Messenger of Allah, and those who are with him, are severe against the disbelievers and merciful among themselves. You see them bowing and falling down prostrate (in prayer), seeking bounty from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure. The mark of them (i.e., of their Faith) is on their faces (foreheads) from the traces of prostration (during prayers). This is their description of the Taurah (Torah). But their description in the Injeel (Gospel) is like a (sown) seed which sends forth its shoot, then makes it strong, and becomes thick and it stands straight on its stem, delighting the sown seeders, that He may enrage the disbelievers with them. Allah has promised those among them who believe and do righteous good deeds, forgiveness, and a mighty reward (Paradise). (Reference: Qu’ran Chapter 48 (Al-Fath) Verse 29 https://quran.com/48/29)

The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “The example of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth. Some of which was fertile soil that absorbed rainwater and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance. (And) another portion of it was hard and held the rainwater and Allah benefited the people with it and they utilized it for drinking (making their animals drink from it) and to irrigate the land for cultivation. (And) a portion of it was barren which could neither hold the water nor bring forth vegetation (then that land gave no benefits). The first is the example of the person who comprehends Allah’s Religion (Islam) and gets a benefit (from the knowledge) that Allah (Azawajal) has revealed through me (the Prophet) and learns and then teaches it to others. The (last example is that of a) person who does not care for it and does not take Allah’s Guidance revealed through me (he is like that barren land).” (Al-Mukarramah). (Reference: Hadith on Knowledge: Chapter: The superiority of a person who learns (Islam, becomes a religious scholar) and then teaches it to others https://sunnah.com/bukhari:79)

In Islam, leadership is a process of impacting, influencing, and inspiring followers, of their own free will, to fulfill a clear as well as a shared vision. The ultimate objective of Islamic leadership is to act according to Islam which is to be Syariah compliant.

From a contemporary perspective, leadership is a prime function of management; every organization needs a leadership model which may meet the values of work floor culture. A leadership model which is aligned with the organizational values can resolve the dilemmas and can motivate the rest of the functions of the organization (Bawany 2019).

Leadership theories have been evolving in different epochs of time. Servant leadership appears as a fresh model which is people-centered and most effective with the contemporary designs of the organization. In today’s leadership crises within organizations (including businesses and government institutions) across the globe, the underlying factor is the inability to identify, assess, select and develop leaders who can manage the near-insurmountable challenges operating in a highly disruptive and ever-changing business environment (Bawany 2020).

Research has shown one of the main reasons good employees leave a workplace is their dissatisfaction with leadership. So what can you do to be that inspirational leader we all want and deserve? We’ve compiled a list of positive traits that employees love to see in their leadership.  People want leaders who listen to them and empower them rather than those who practice power over them. Such a responsibility would create a sense of anxiety for any leader especially in trying to adopt an appropriate leadership style to produce the required change. It is believed that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) embraced the leadership approach that focused on people and their needs as a priority.

Participants will also be able to draw from case studies and leadership lessons of C-Suite leaders globally that have been published in a series of books and articles on leadership including the latest book, including the latest book, “Leadership in Disruptive Times: Negotiating the New Balance” (2023) by Business Expert Press, New York, NY.

Course Description

The program is designed to provide leaders with the knowledge, skills, values, spiritual insight, and understanding of how to effect change for the betterment of their teams and organization irrespective of their functional roles or area of work.

The participants would have the opportunity to embrace, enhance and develop their change-making and leadership capacity through the power of self-leadership, team effectiveness, and organizational excellence.

They will be able to explore fundamental principles of servant leadership, coaching, and understanding new and innovative ways of critical and cultural understanding of leadership as a socially constructed and ethical practice from the prophetic leadership perspectives.

The Master Facilitators will teach and train the participants on several extremely important theories and a few skills which will combine Islamic values and important lessons from the Qur’an and Sunnah and couple them with some of the most fundamental leadership skill sets.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Develop an appreciation of the Islamic perspective on good leadership.
  2. Enhance the understanding of historical relevance, concepts, issues, and challenges that leaders faced.
  3. Critically explored Muslim leadership identity with a greater focus on its relationship with spirituality, socio-economic, social justice, and status quo within the context of leading teams and organizations.
  4. Understand the theoretical approaches to organizing and communications skills to effectively lead and be a more influential leader.
  5. Offering opportunities to learn from experienced thought-leaders, crafting ways to deal with challenges, and applying Islamic values, and principles following the Quran and Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
  6. Learning from the acts of devotion and the beautiful personality of Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) who is truly a source of mercy and an excellent model to learn from both the participant’s personal lives as Muslims and that of leading people in organizations.

Course Duration

2 – 3 Full Days (In-Class) or 6 x 0.5 Days (Virtual) Workshop depending on the client’s specific requirements and the no. of competencies or values to be covered in the program.

Course Preparation

Review of Relevant Pre-Readings based on the theme of the Workshop.

Course Methodology

From our experience, participants highly value learning directly from experienced senior leaders they respect. We believe senior leaders such as the Chairman and/or CEO of the organization can dramatically enhance the impact they can have in a leadership development workshop by kicking off the session and participating in ongoing dialogue sessions with the participants by sharing their leadership journey. The senior leaders could also encourage the participants to authentically share why they believe in the benefits of living the corporate values.

The facilitators will adopt a critical thinking approach in delivering the content of the workshop by challenging and encouraging the participants to embark on continuous self-reflection on the key prophetic leadership lessons in each module and how these prophetic leadership principles could assist in resolving workplace challenges.

Participants will be able to look at problems comprehensively and make well-thought-out decisions that get implemented effectively by leveraging both contemporary leadership principles and that prophetic leadership to live the corporate values and achieve their organization’s corporate mission and objectives.

SAMPLE MODULE

Module 1 on Introduction:

The basis of this program on Prophetic Leadership is the Holy Quran and the Sacred Sunnah.

Allah the Exalted says:

لَّقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِى رَسُولِ ٱللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌۭ لِّمَن كَانَ يَرْجُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱلْيَوْمَ ٱلْءَاخِرَ وَذَكَرَ ٱللَّهَ كَثِيرًۭا

Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.

Reference: Surah Al-Ahzab Verse 21 https://quran.com/33/21

The Definition of Sunnah according to the Scholars of Hadeeth:

كل ما أثر عن النبي ﷺ من قول، أو فعل، أو تقرير، أو صفة خَلقية أو خُلقية، أو سيرة سواء أكان ذلك قبل البعثة كتحنثه في غار حراء، أم بعدها.

Everything which is narrated concerning the Prophetﷺ (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), whether it is his saying, action, or silent approval as well as his attributes concerning both characteristics and behavior, or his life story, before his Prophethood and after it (whole life).

For example, the actual title of Sahih al-Bukhari:

“الجامع المسند الصحيح المختصر من أُمور رسول الله و سننه وأيامه”

  1. The Compilation of concise authentic authorized descriptions of the Messenger of Allah, his traditions, and his life story.
  2. Hence, the core values of this “Prophetic Leadership” are derived from the Holy Quran, the Sacred Sunnah, and the biography of our beloved Prophet Muhammadﷺ (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) based solely on reliable narrations.
  3. Yet, all the examples cited in this program, are about the Prophet’s personal decisions and initiatives not exactly or directly from Allah’s Divine Inspiration and Instruction (al-Wahyu) to him, which he used to discuss with the Companions in making crucial decisions.

Intrinsic Main Attributes of All Prophets:

The main attributes or traits which all Prophets must possess are:

 – al-Ṣidqu (الصدق – Truthfulness),

– al-Amānah (الأمانة – Trustworthiness) and

– al-Fiṭanah/al-Faṭānah (الفَطانة/الفِطَنة – eloquence/shrewdness and foresight)

The above are the 3 attributes or traits that every Prophet (Nabiy) should possess according to most scholars.

As for al-Tablīgh (التبليغ – conveyance), it is regarded as the 4th trait that is specifically for a Rasūl (Messenger) to have, according to most of the scholars of ‘Aqā’id (Matters of Belief).

However, the basis for this is much related to their definition or classification of a Nabi and that of a Rasul and the difference between these two, which is a matter of dispute among scholars.

In conclusion, according to most scholars, almost consensus, all Prophets and Messengers should bear these 4 qualities as their most essential attributes to fulfill their role as Allah’s Apostles and convey Allah’s message. There is no clear explicit ‘daleel’ or textual proof for the specification of these traits and some scholars refrained from specifying these 4 qualities they mentioned among others, sanity, piety and righteousness, clarity in speech, good-looking and no physical imperfection, and all other qualities mentioned in the Qur’an and the Sunnah.

Primary Text:

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri (b. 1361/1942). Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtûm (The Sealed Nectar): Biography of the Noble Prophet. 1st edition. Riyadh: Maktaba Dar-us-Salam, 1416/1996. 503 pp.

Supplementary Texts:

Sattar Bawany. Leadership in Disruptive Times: Negotiating the New Balance. Business Expert Press (BEP) Inc. New York, NY, 2023

Sattar Bawany Leadership in Disruptive Times. Business Expert Press (BEP) Inc. New York, NY, 2020

Sattar Bawany. Transforming the Next Generation Leaders: Developing Future Leaders for a Disruptive, Digital-Driven Era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0).  Business Expert Press (BEP) Inc. New York, NY, 2019

John Adair. The Leadership of Muhammad. Kogan Page, 2010. 148 pp ISBN 9780749460761

Abu al-Fiḍā ‘Imād Ad-Din Ismā‘īl ibn ‘Umar ibn Kathīr al-Qurashī Al-Damishqī (701-774/1302-1373). The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: Al-Sîrah alNabawiyya. Translated by Trevor Le Gassick. Reviewed by Ahmad Fareed and Muneer Fareed. Reading, UK: Garnet Publishing Limited, 1998-1999. 4 vols. 1960 pp.

Abū Ghuddah, ʻAbd al-Fattāḥ. Prophet Muhammad the Teacher and His Teaching Methodologies. Karachi: Zam Zam Publishers, 2003

Muhammad Ibn Ishâq, (d. 151/768). Ibn Ishaq’s The Life of Muhammad. Translated by Alfred Guillaume. London: Oxford University Press, 1955. Reprinted Karachi, 1967, 1978. 815 pp.

Muhammad Sa‘id Ramadan al-Buti, Jurisprudence in Muhammad’s Biography: Scientific and Systematic Studies of Lessons, Principles, and Constitution. Translated and abridged by Ali Rustum. 1st ed. Damascus: Dar al-Ma’arifah, 1988. 165 pp.

Muhammad al-Ghazali (1335-1416/1917-1996). Fiqh-us-Seerah: Understanding the Life of Prophet Muhammad. 2nd ed. Saudi Arabia: International Islamic Publishing House (IIPH). 514 pp.

Conclusion: Supplication (Dua) on Seeking Knowledge

In Surah Al-Baqarah, verse no 32, Allah says in the Quran,

They said,

“Exalted are You; we have no knowledge except what You have taught us. Indeed, it is You who is the Knowing, the Wise.”

Reference: Saheeh International, Surah Al-Baqarah (2:32 https://quran.com/2/32

‘O Allah, I seek refuge in you from the kind of knowledge which does not give benefit, from the heart in which there is no fear, from the soul which does not become satisfied and Dua which is not accepted.’ Aamiin Aamiin Aamiin Ya Rabbal Al-Aamiin.

CONTACT DETAILS

For a detailed Course Outline and/or a no-obligation preliminary discussion on this program, please submit your online inquiry here. Alternatively, email us at [email protected].