Presidential leadership extends far beyond honesty alone. All societies, in fact, expect their leaders to embody certain virtues like honesty, courage, justice, compassion, and wisdom.
As an American, I look to our rich history of virtuous leadership: George Washington, Susan B. Anthony, Woodrow Wilson, and Martin Luther King Jr., just to name a few. Within the Muslim tradition, we define the virtue of leaders – and humans in general – according to a code of honorable conduct of chivalry known as the futuwwah, which includes such characteristics as mercy, generosity, fairness, knowledge, humility, loyalty, and bravery.
The futuwwah code molds individuals to certain esteemed qualities, generating leaders who then build societies fixed on these same ideals: justice and societal harmony, love of God and fellow men, kindness, and spiritual and material prosperity. We believe that our prophets, saints, and leaders exemplified the futuwwah, though Muslim leaders have largely ignored this legacy.
As we stand at a critical juncture in our nation’s history. The next President will undoubtedly define our future direction in a number of areas: Iraq, mitigating the effects of a poor economy, protecting our civil liberties and borders, and restoring our moral authority around the globe. While this requires a foundation of trust between the President and American people, Americans must consider the enormity of the task ahead and expect far more.
We cannot be dazzled by impressive sound bites or superficial greatness. Rather, we need a man or woman abounding in moral character, rich in wisdom and compassion, full of integrity and courage, a President truly capable of leading the most powerful nation in the world.
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