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Quranic Research Study

By Ramin Vassighi posted April 19, 2010

Why Archangel Gabriel was selected to bring the revelations to Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)?

In Sura Takwir (81:19-21):

(19) Verily this is the word of a most honorable Messenger, (20) Endued with Power, with rank before the Lord of the Throne, (21) With authority there, (and) faithful to his trust.

Allah describes Archangel, Archangel Gabriel’s (or Jabraeel) (A.S.) features and attributes. These features are also a message to us in selecting leaders or managers. These Features are:

  1. Archangel Gabriel is an ambassador of Allah, represents the Creator and all there is.
  2. Archangel Gabriel is the top angel or the best one (the chosen one).
  3. Archangel Gabriel is capable, knowledgeable, and able to complete the task.
  4. Archangel Gabriel has special place in Allah’s system of governance and has the respect of all angels.
  5. Archangel Gabriel has authority over many angles and his words are respected and accepted.
  6. Archangel Gabriel has credibility and integrity and he is trustworthy and loyal.

By mentioning these features Allah is giving us a lesson in management. The capable managers and leaders that you select should have these attributes or features too:

  1.  Your ambassador. Someone who is sent by you on your behalf and have your interest at heart.
  2. The one that you would choose as the best of the best or above all other candidates
  3. Capable, knowledgeable, and able both physically and mentally to perform the task at hand to the best of his/her abilities.
  4. Having a very special place and respect with you and among his/her peers.
  5. Must have many subordinates (or people report to him/her) and have good track records. Their word should be well respected and accepted with high degree of confidence.
  6. Credible, trustworthy and loyal.
In here we learn that a good manager and leader must possess certain characteristics and abilities. In today’s modern world, we can evaluate management and leadership from two different point of views; first, style of leadership (or management), and second credibility.


Leadership Style 

Looking into these attributes closely and complementing them with the verses in the Holy Quran (Specifically when Archangel Gabriel appeared before Prophet Abraham), one cannot help noticing that a certain style of management is being stressed and preferred. This style of management is called “Servant Leadership”. By definition; “Servant leaders focus on providing increased services to others-meeting goals of both the community and organization-rather than themselves” (Robert K. Greenleaf: The servant as Leader-1970). These leaders pose certain characteristics. They are:

  • Listening – acknowledge what is being said and not said
  • Empathy – Accept and recognize others for their special and unique spirits
  • Healing – Help make “whole” those come in contact
  • Awareness – Don’t miss anything and don’t have anyone out
  • Persuasion – convince rather than coerce compliance; builder of consensus
  • Conceptualization – Think beyond today
  • Foresight – understand the lesson of the past, realities of today and consequences of future decisions
  • Stewardship – Holding trust for another
  • Commitment to the growth of people – Nurture the personal, and professional growth of employees
  • Building community – Individual servant leaders demonstrating their own unlimited liability for a community related group

Now lets us examine, what I believe, the most important characteristic of a leader /or manager. That is Credibility.

Credibility

When we look at the credibility we should view it in two different point of views; first the 4 cores of credibility and second the behaviors of highly trusted leaders. 

 

The 4 cores of credibility are:

  • Core 1: Integrity – Make and keep Commitments, Stand for something, and be open –Basically means honesty. But it is much more, that is; having courage to act in accordance with your values and beliefs. The attributes of integrity are: honest, truthful, and having good reputation. Most massive violation of trust is violation of integrity.
  • Core 2: Intent – Consider your motives, Open your Agenda, Choose Abundance (to believe in possible win/win situation). This has to do with our motives, agenda and our resulting behavior. Trust grows when our motives are straight forward and based on mutual benefit and respect. A good intent do not have hidden agenda and does not deceive others in order to protect one or group of individuals.
  • Core 3: Capabilities – Run with your Strengths (and with your purpose), Keep yourself Relevant, Know where you’re Going. Capabilities are abilities that we have to inspire confidence in others. These are our talents, attitude, skills, knowledge, and style. They are means to produce results that deals with ability to establish, grow, extend, and restore trust. As a leader or manager you should have expertise, knowledge, skills and capability in the area that you lead or manage.
  • Core 4: Results – Take responsibility for Results (not just activities), Expect to Win, Finish strong. This refers to our track record, our performance, and our getting the right things done. If we don’t accomplish what we expected to do it diminishes our credibility. On the other hand, positive reputation brings results and produces a favorable outcome.

Both capabilities and results are matter of competence. When you are labeled as a competent leader or manager that means that you demonstrated your capabilities effectively in the past, produced results, and there is a good chance that you will do so in the future.

The behaviors can be viewed based on either character or competency only, or combined character and competency. 

 

The character Behaviors are:

  1. Talk straight – communicate clearly so that you are not misunderstood.
  2. Demonstrate Respect – This behavior is based on the principles of respect, fairness, and kindness
  3. Create Transparency – Be real and genuine and tell the truth in a way that people can verify
  4. Right wrongs – make restitution instead of just apologizing
  5. Show Loyalty – Give credit to others and speak about people as though they are present


The competence behaviors are:

  1. Deliver results – establish a track record for making the right things happen
  2. Get Better – Continuously improve by learning, growing and renewing yourself
  3. Confront reality – take tough issues head on
  4. Clarify Expectations – Create shared vision and agreement up front
  5. Practice Accountability – Hold yourself and others accountable


The Character and Competency behaviors are:

  1. Listen First – Genuinely understand another person’s thoughts and feelings, before trying to diagnose or advice.
  2. Keep Commitments – make keeping all commitments the symbol of your honor.
  3. Extends Trust – Shift trust from noun to verb.

Servant leadership offers hope and guidance for human development and for creation of better, more caring, and nurturing institutions. 


As you can see the Holly Quran in these three short verses is teaching us; how to select a leader or to be one. What else can we find in Holly Quran? We know that it covers 1000 subjects. These subjects includes Science, Medicine, Psychology, Astronomy, Law, … etc. It is a roadmap to better living and following the straight path to Allah.