Leaders need moral values to promote social justice

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 21: On December 17, the people of Bermuda spoke, no they shouted and those that didn’t speak… well, silence is loud. 

We are now in for a change, so we are told — but we must remember that all change is not good, just as all movement is not forward.  

We need God’s help and His continued mercy moving forward. We need leaders who really have the best interest of all the people at hand. 

We need leaders who will respect all the people all the time. We need leaders that will listen to the people and make the people feel respected and appreciated; make them feel they are worthy. 

We need to focus on the youth and the moral values that must be instilled in them to take Bermuda to a righteous and peaceful place. 

We need God to help us see that money does not make one happy, but having one’s needs met does. We too need to be humble and grateful as a people.

The world is suffering — from financial distress, natural disasters, human craziness and wickedness — look at what happened not far from our shores over there in Connecticut a week ago; innocent children, innocent people killed by a troubled and obsessed young man.

 President Obama said that this type of massacre is becoming far too routine — just like the shootings in Bermuda — far too routine.

We hardly blink an eye now when we hear of another shooting. Are we becoming immune to this type of behaviour? Are we becoming accepting of it?  

What is going on worldwide? What can be done to save humanity? Does the answer lay in our leaders?  What part do leaders play in the affairs of the people? 

I would say a heck of a lot — that is why leadership roles are not to be taken lightly. 

Leaders should be people of infallible credibility — trustworthy people — trusted to do the works of all classes of people in the most impartial way. 

The Quran says, “And We made them leaders guiding (men) by Our Command and We sent them inspiration to do good deeds, to establish regular prayers and to practice regular charity; and they constantly served Us (and Us only) (Qur’an Anbiyaa, 21: 73).

Around the world in the past two or three years, unsatisfactory leadership is being de-throned. Look at long-standing reigns of countries like Egypt for — the people are just not having it; they want fair leadership, a leadership that will protect and ensure a better life for them. 

The leadership paradigm is changing; and ethics are making a comeback. The voices of the people are demanding that leadership go hand-in-hand with sincerity and integrity.  

Leadership in Islam is a trust (amanah). It represents a psychological agreement between a leader and his followers that he will try his best to guide them, to protect them and to treat them fairly and with justice. The focus of leadership in Islam is on doing good. 

We pray that the leaders of this island will practice and establish moral values.

Make changes, not just for the sake of change, but change all that is negative and counter-productive so that we may arise as decent, self-respecting, happy individuals feeling love for ourselves, others, and above all love for God Almighty which will inevitably bring harmony, social justice and peace to Bermuda. Ameen.