Bringing Muslims back to Islam

An organization should build its foundations upon the basic principles of human rights in its administration based on the concept of adab. Adab is based on the existence and recognition of Allah and recognition of his commands and laws (syar'iah). Within an organizational context, adab persuades a person to do good and avoid evil (al-fasad), in accordance with the nature of man (fitrah) and nature of his action (al-amal). Adab comprises four major responsibilities, 1. responsibility to God, 2. responsibility to oneself, 3. responsibility to society and other human beings, and 4. responsibility to the universe and other creatures.

Over the last few decades Western management ideas and ethics have moved closer to Islamic principles and ethics. Stephen Covey, a devout practicing member of The Church of Latter-Day Saints, evangelistically preaches personal development, fulfilment and spirituality within the context of the organisation.

There are similarities with Peter Drucker, Dale Carnegie, David Allen, andPeter Senge in the approach. Dale Carnegie's work is also on the rise again in popularity and consequently, corporations are taking notice of the importance of employee personal growth within the corporate environment.

Western management scientists have taken the initiative on similar principles that were laid down in the Al Qu'ran and Hadiths, more than 1500 years ago.

Islam somehow lost the intellectual initiative and needs to regain its place and dignity in the world.

There are three main reasons for the need to develop this ethical framework to bring Muslims back to Islam;

Firstly, is the nature of man himself: Man has both the potential to rise to great spiritual heights and also disintegrate into total immorality. Man's ability to act rightly or wrongly is a matter of moral choice. Under the Islamic viewpoint, man's purpose on earth to carry out ibadah (relates man to Allah through spiritual acts) and follow God's will with total devotion, according to his natural disposition (fitrah); where everything fits into the divine pattern under the laws of Allah. Submission to the laws of Allah brings harmony to man, however man was created with many weaknesses, forgetfulness, greed for material comforts and power, is capable of oppressiveness and ignorance, is rash and impatient, stringy and miserably, ungrateful, quarrelsome, ruthless, and full of self-interest, which can easily lead him astray.

Secondly is the amoral society we live in today: General society has become amoral and lapsed in faith, believing that truth and reality is based on what can be touched, smelled, seen, heard and tasted. This has led to a society that has become materialistic and less spiritual. This absence of spirituality is leading business into immoral activities such as stealing, lying, fraud and deceit, making people believe that they cannot succeed without pursuing the same practices.

Finally and most importantly, the underdevelopment of Islamic societies: Approximately 80% of the World's Muslins live in poverty, as cultural minorities in other countries, with high incidences of unemployment and low productivity. Countries with majority Muslin populations, are declining in their knowledge generation, research, innovation and educational standards, have a generally a lower life expectancy, higher illiteracy rates, lower GDP per capita rates with the majority of people living in fragile and non-arable lands, poorer infrastructure and water supplies and a larger number of dependents than the non-Islamic World. Islamic GDP as a percentage of total World GDP is estimated to be only 45% of what it should be, in order to be on par with the rest of the world.