Crisis of Religious Leadership

Leadership is an issue the world has been lacking in the new millennium. It should be studied abstractly then applied to our religion. It a very important issue if we ever want to lead the world (as we used to till 1924 officially/ a century before that technically).

I would like to contribute to this subject in phases since I see the issue important and complex.

This will be "contribution 001":
We first must define "abstract leadership", from 2 points of view:
1. the person leading
2. the people being led

1. the person leading:
must be an influencer, must lead for certain clear objectives; for himself and for the people. If his reasons are too much to leaders own benefit, this frustrates people causing them to look less to the leader. The leader must express interest in the peoples interest.

2. the people being led
must be led by whom achieves their needs, or else one of three things will occur; people will overthrow the leader (as the Catholic owner did), another leader will outshine the previous, or the people will live an anesthetic life having a leader that does not achieve objectives, and somehow achieve there own objectives and sometimes they don't, resulting in unfairness.

Till the next contribution, I wish you the best leadership, for you if you're a leader, or a people.

Daisy,

You seek religious leadership for a faith whose founder was a violent barbaric warlord of 7th century arabia. The muslim leadership in the past can only cover up the deeds of the prophet by playing let's pretend games and accepting without thinking the lame excuses offered by the followers for the deeds of muhammad. When you have a book like the Quran that teaches hate for the non-muslim with a passion, when you have an allah that hates the non-muslims with vengence, and when you have a prophet that burned peoples eyes, cut off their limbs, and let them bleed to death all to please a blood thirsty deity like Allah, what can you possibly expect from Muslim leadership except lies and let's pretend.

The result are absolutely fictitious claims that can be exposed within a few minutes. Islam does not need muslim leaders but an honest and fearless dialog by the muslims. And that they are unwilling to have.

Here is a challenge to you Daisy, look up Muhammad's marriage to Saffiyah and Juwariyah and try not to buy into the idiotic lame excuses offered to explain Muhammad's behavior but examine it as a mother, wife, and a daughter in the 21st century, and see whether you can honor that long dead 7th century savage. He kills the husband or father after torturing them and then rapes the sixteen year olds the same night, and you want a muslim leader to tell you that atrocity and evil was a blessing for all creation? Islam will have to face the examination on the internet. Honest questions and honest answers. Killing the apostates, killing the questioners will not and does not work for islam anymore. Modern technology has put that to rest.

Religion is personal and must be left at that. Using religion to legislate man’s well on others is not only unnatural, but contradictory to what religions teach.

The West must insist on introducing their laws to Muslims’ legal systems to accommodate the needs of non-Muslims residing in Muslim countries, just like the introduction of Sharia law where Muslims live.

This way Muslims will have a taste of freedom, consequently defy the absolute regimes that hold them back and humiliate in the name of Islam. Is this acceptable to Muslims? Please respond so the world would know where to go from here.

This is to let you know all that leaders are not the same indeed ,not complete they have to be always on the right way, Must assess both the leadership of the Muslim mixing the Islamic values of moderation parallel ballots with american, which are consistent with the age to be inclusive of all what is an American with all its components. no need to look some where else, Islam is very simple do not take it hard very easy to understand it, all what human needs on this earth is there so do not look some where else just be on the path.
there is so much to say on this issue, actulay we are a peacefull people we just need some direction.

Thanks a lot Daisy for this post. More than during the last decade, We Muslims in Europe feel this problem of leadership. In France were I am living, the government made CFCM (French Council of Muslim Cult ) is supposed to represent Muslims in national affairs. The initiative is good. But due to the quality of our leadership nothing has been done during five good years. The CFCM is rather mentioned in politic affairs than about Allah or Islamic and moral values. And the French Muslim community looks more like an amazing political party than a group of people promoting love, peace and faith. In the months to come, the main issue they are all focused on, is the next election of THE PRESIDENT OF CFCM !!!

It is so refreshing to finally have the right leadership and voice for the muslim community, starting right here with you!

In agreement with the above-referenced article, the dearth of leadership is both in religion and in public policy. One agenda feeds the other in division and polarization in the current times

The good news is there are emerging leaders in our contemporary societies that have to be given voice. They exist, they don't have outlets. This is where the void is not in the leadership per se. Work must be done to create highly visible media access for voices of reason. As America prepares for what I hope is a new visionary and wise Head of State, his rhetoric will resonate a new agenda for all that is reasonable and sane. People will have to remain united on the common ground established during this campaign period and be prepared to work outside of the dated established guard. A huge task for all leaders, but doable.

Continued success to Daisy Khan and the Asma Society and all those who work for the good of humanity.

It is certainly important to have good religious leaders. the example of the pope described by Ms. Khan is a good one, where bad leadership can set the stage for more problems.

however, the lack of leadership in the Muslim community is a symptom of a larger problem. Leaving aside North American Muslims as a special case, given the community's resources and wealth, the larger Muslim world lacks leadership because civic institutions have been almost completely wiped out. Outside of the political arena, there is simply no chance for anyone's voice to be heard because everything is ultimately controlled by the state. this is the problem, and it has nothing to do with religion. religion is a scapegoat used by politicians both here and abroad to make people afraid.

until these realities are addressed, and until average people are empowered nothing will change. the issue is not about religion, it is about creating a strong middle class that has some ability to control its own leadership. this is something only a few muslim countries have acheived.

I agree that authentic and effective leaders are virtually extinct in many Muslim Communities. Religious leaders, if they are indeed religious, should restrain themselves from psycologically coercing their followers in the name of God. Mobilizing people towards change for political ends without employing peaceful means negates a leader's "religious" qualification.

I agree with Ms. Khan that Leaders should model a higher standard of behavior. And should not attempt to win favor by serving to venilate the political frustrations of their adherents. They should instead, act as functional reminders of the religious protocols towards achieving peace.