As the season of blooming Kash flowers (Kans grass) – Shorot (Autumn in English and Fall in North America) — is in full swing, a significant portion of the world’s population (2.01 billion as of 2023) turns its attention to the birth of a man over fourteen centuries ago who would irrevocably change the course of human history. The occasion of the Prophet Muhammad’s (Peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) birthday (Eid e Miladun Nabi) is often celebrated with public festivities, devotional poetry, and charitable acts. Yet, beyond the spiritual fervor and the exchange of blessings, this moment calls for a much deeper and urgent reflection—one that mirrors our fractured modern world and its most crippling ailment: a global leadership crisis.

Our planet, a lifeless sphere of rock and water, is given life by its leadership. It acts as the driver of either civilizational growth or decline. Today, that leadership is plagued by unhealthy greed for power, widespread corruption, blatant injustice, and a cynical disregard for the very people it claims to serve. From the revered chambers of Western parliaments to the emerging democracies of the developing world, a clear vacuum exists—one not just of skill, but of character, vision, and moral integrity.

It is within this bleak panorama that the figure of the Prophet of Islam emerges not just as a religious icon, but as a timeless archetype of transformative leadership. His life offers a startlingly relevant blueprint, a subject not only of theological reverence but also of intense secular study. The contemporary upheavals we face—the erosion of trust, the weaponization of truth, the exploitation of the vulnerable—find a powerful antidote in the Madinah of the 7th century.

An Enduring Echo from the Past: Western Intellectuals Acknow

ledge a Paradox

The perception of the Prophet Muhammad in the West has been historically fraught, often shaped more by polemic than by objective inquiry. This makes the testimony of confident Western thinkers, who approached his life free from religious bias, all the more compelling.

The renowned Irish playwright and Nobel laureate, George Bernard Shaw (GBS), is often quoted (The Genuine Islam) for his surprising admiration. He once said, “I have always held the religion of Muhammad in high regard because of its remarkable vitality. It is the only religion that seems to me to have the capacity to adapt to the changing phases of life, which can appeal to every generation... If anyone had the right to claim to be the Messenger of God, it was Muhammad.” GBS went further, wisely noting the modern world’s need for such a leader: “He must be called the Saviour of Humanity. I believe that if someone like him took leadership of the modern world, he would succeed in solving its problems in a way that would bring the much-needed peace and happiness.”

This was not just a lone opinion. A century earlier, the Scottish historian and philosopher Thomas Carlyle, in his influential work On Heroes, Hero-Worship, and The Heroic in History (1840), challenged the mainstream European view of Muhammad as an imposter. Carlyle depicted him as a sincere, earnest, and authentic figure, a true “Hero-Prophet” who rose from humble beginnings to unite a divided people through his conviction and character. He argued that a false man could not establish lasting institutions or inspire such unwavering faith. This re-evaluation marked a significant departure from the Orientalist standards of his time.

In today's world, astrophysicist Michael H. Hart’s famous 1978 book, The 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Persons in History, ranked Prophet Muhammad at the very top, above figures like Jesus, Shakespeare, and Einstein. Hart’s reasoning was not religious but based on evidence: “My choice of Muhammad to lead the list of the world’s most influential persons may surprise some readers and may be questioned by others, but he was the only man in history who was extraordinarily successful on both the religious and secular levels.” He argued that it was Muhammad’s unmatched success in both founding a major world religion and building a powerful socio-political empire that secured his unique influence.

The Living Qur’an: Leadership as Embodied Ethics

What, then, was the essence of this leadership? The answer lies not in a list of commandments but in a life lived. It is best summarized in the testimony of his wife, Aisha, the Mother of the Believers. When asked about his character, she replied, “His character was the Qur’an” (Sahih Muslim: 746). This powerful statement goes beyond theory and into action. He didn’t just preach; he embodied his message. He was the living, breathing example of the values he promoted—compassion, justice, patience, and humility.

This is very different from today’s leaders, whose public images are often carefully managed through focus groups and are very separate from their private lives. The Prophet’s authority did not come from wealth — he died nearly without possessions. A security force did not guard him — he was approachable to everyone, often sitting on the bare ground. His power was not solely based on tribal lineage because he emphasized piety over ancestry or wealth or anything else, as stated in the holy Qur’an: Verily, the most honourable of you with Allah is that (believer) who has At-Taqwa [i.e., he is one of the Muttaqoon (the pious)]. (Qur’an: 49:13).

Timeless Pillars of Leadership in a Changing World

Radical Accountability: He established a society where the leader was not above the law but its foremost adherent. In a famous incident, a woman from a powerful tribe was convicted of theft. Some interceded on her behalf, hoping to avoid the prescribed punishment. The Prophet’s response was one of anger. He stated, “The people before you were destroyed because when a noble among them stole, they would leave him, but when a weak person among them stole, they would execute the punishment. By Allah, if Fatimah, the daughter of Muhammad, were to steal, I would cut off her hand.” (Sahih al-Bukhari: 6788). The message was unequivocal: justice is blind.

Empathetic Governance: He felt the pains of his community as his own. He was described as a “mercy to the worlds” (Qur’an 21:107), and this mercy was practical. He visited the sick, comforted the bereaved, and shared in the hardships of his people. During the gruelling excavation of the trench before the Battle of the Trench, he was seen alongside his companions, covered in dust, hunger pangs gripping his stomach, as he helped move rocks. This shared sacrifice forged an unbreakable bond of loyalty.

Consultative Decision-Making (Shura): Despite receiving divine revelation, he consistently consulted his companions on worldly matters. The Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, which appeared unfavorable to the Muslims, was only accepted after lengthy and complex consultation. The lessons from the Battle of Badr and Uhud were learned through collective debate. This practice institutionalized a form of consultative governance that foreshadowed modern democratic principles.

The Sanctity of Covenants: His life served as a testament to honesty in dealings. He was known, even before his Prophethood, as Al-Amin—the Trustworthy. This trust extended even to enemies. Treaties were honored carefully, even when their terms became unfavorable. This fostered a currency of trust that was more valuable than any army.

A Beacon for Seekers: The Contemporary Appeal

This holistic model of leadership continues to resonate with truth-seekers today. A growing number of contemporary scholars and writers, through sincere academic and spiritual inquiry, have found profound wisdom in the Prophet’s life.

Authors like Karen Armstrong, a former nun, have penned sympathetic and meticulously researched biographies like Muhammad: A Prophet for Our Time, arguing for his relevance in addressing modern conflicts. A British-American author and journalist, Lesley Hazleton, in The First Muslim: The Story of Muhammad, has explored his journey with psychological depth and narrative brilliance. The spiritual biography by Martin Lings, Muhammad: His Life Based on the Earliest Sources, is revered for its beauty and authenticity.

Furthermore, voices like Yusuf Estes (Joseph Estes), Hamza Yusuf (Mark Hanson), and Abdul Hakim Murad (Timothy J. Winter) represent a generation of Western thinkers who, upon studying the Qur’an and the Seerah (Prophetic biography), embraced Islam. Their journey was often less about a search for ritual and more about discovering a complete and coherent worldview centered on a believable, emulatable moral role model. For them, the Prophet’s life answered a deep, civilizational hunger for leadership that combines the spiritual and the worldly, the just and the merciful, the powerful and the humble.

Beyond Celebration: The Challenge of Emulation

As the Prophet’s birthday approaches, the right way to observe it isn’t just through celebration, which his immediate companions and family didn’t formalize. Instead, it’s about the much more challenging task of emulation.

The challenge is not for Muslims alone. It is a challenge for humanity. In a world groaning under the weight of cynical, self-serving leadership, the example of Muhammad presents a radical alternative. It calls for leaders who lead from the front in hardship, not from the rear in comfort. It demands a system where justice is not a commodity for the wealthy but a right for the most vulnerable. It yearns for a public discourse grounded in integrity and compassion, not in division and deceit.

The world is indeed an inanimate thing. It awaits the breath of righteous, courageous, and compassionate leadership to bring it to life once more. The blueprint for such a revival exists. It is found in the life of an orphan from Mecca who changed the world not by the sword of tyranny, but by the power of an impeccable character, (“And you are [O Muhammad!] Surely one exalted quality of character;” Qur’an: 68:4). The question is not whether the world needs such a leader, but whether we, in our pursuit of power, have the humility to learn from one.

 

Writer: Commodore Syed Misbah Uddin Ahmad, (C), NUP, ndc, afwc, psc, BN (retd), Director General, Bangladesh Institute of Maritime Research and Development (BIMRAD). Email: misbah28686@gmail.com