CENTRE FOR FOUNDATION STUDIES IIUM GAMBANG

DEPARTMENT OF ISLAMIC REVEALED KNOWLEDGE

SEMESTER 2, 2020/2021

UNDERSTANDING ISLAM II (RKF0423)

GROUP ASSIGNMENT

TOPIC: THE ROLE OF YOUTH LEADERSHIP IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF

SOCIETY

BIL. NAMES MATRIC PROGRAMME

NO.

1. ALIFAH ILYANA BINTI AZMAN 200357 LAWS

2. HUDA WAHIDAH BINTI IZANEE 200901 LAWS

3. ALYA AFIQAH BINTI NOORISMADI 200373 LAWS

4. BADRINA SYAFIAH BINTI AHMAD SHUKRI 200602 LAWS

5. AIMAN ATIRAH BINTI KADRASMAN 200235 LAWS

SECTION: 305

LECTURER’S NAME: MADAM EZNY BINTI YAHYA

INTRODUCTION
 Leadership is extremely important in today’s society. Leaders can have a vision of what
will be accomplished and then communicate this to others and develop strategies for realizing the
vision. However, other traits, behavior such as humbleness, and skills are also needed in
leadership. As today’s world and society are lacking ideas and efficient leaders, we're going to
need a new generation of leaders to survive in the twenty-first period. The youth are the
backbone of a society and hence they shape the future of any particular society. Since youth form
a significant part of society, they have an important and prominent role in supporting society's
progress and activating its development process. As we look to the future, it is evident that the
youth will be responsible for practically every part of society. Young people are a crucial
segment in the development of society. Their contributions, therefore, are highly needed. Youth
have a part to play in renewing and refreshing the current state of our society, particularly
leadership.

The objectives of this writing are:

1. To understand the importance of youth leadership in developing our society.
2. To identify and relate the current issue in our society with the topic.
3. To Identify the role of youth leadership in solving the current issue.

In this write-up, we will discuss the definition of youth leadership, the approach in
leadership according to conventional and Islamic perspectives. We will explore how the youth
leadership will play a role in the development of the society during the Covid-19 pandemic, for
example, Malaysian United Democratic Alliance’s (Muda) campaign to provide laptops for
students affected by the pandemic and the importance of youth leadership in such a catastrophe
as well as their impact on the society.

CONTENTS

According to the Webster dictionary, leadership is described as “a position as a leader of

a group, organization, or an institution. It is also defined as the authority or capability to lead
other people”. Additionally, leadership is the art of inspiring a group of people to act towards
achieving a common goal. Generally, the best leaders are those who pursue every chance to
communicate and mentor others in an attempt to articulate the goals of the team while the youth
is any person aged between 15 to 40 years old according to The National Youth Development
Policy of Malaysia. Youth leadership is “the ability to analyze one's own strengths and
weaknesses, set personal and vocational objectives, and have the confidence to carry them out. It
involves the ability to identify community resources and utilize them, not only to live
independently but also to establish support networks to engage in community life and to bring
about positive social change”.

The knowledge of leadership in both Islamic and Conventional perspectives is crucial in

order to understand what a country needs in order to develop every sector particularly for the
improvements of political philosophies, socio-economic organizations, and social issues. To
begin with, the conventional approach in leadership is to find the solution of a problem by
groups,

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 formally or informally, with no relation to divine efforts. According to Brian W.
Fitzpatrick, leadership requires a dynamic relationship focused on the mutual influence and
common objective between leaders and collaborators in which both are driven to higher levels of
enthusiasm and morale growth as they aim to implement change.

On the other hand, the Islamic perspective of leadership emphasizes the spiritual and
material aspects of man as a vicegerent in which the world’s resources, including human
resources, are utilized according to the will of Allah SWT, to seek His pleasure. An Islamic
scholar, Al-Imam al-Mawardi had expressed his opinion on Islamic leadership, said, “Leadership
is to replace the Prophets’ task of preserving religion and managing worldly life”. The Almighty
God, Allah SWT has laid out the evergreen foundation of good leaders and followers in the Holy
Book, Al-Quran, for His believers to obey. Prophet Muhammad PBUH (peace be upon him) has
also been named by Allah SWT as the last and the greatest of all prophets, as a guide for forming
the means for Muslim leaders and followers at all times.

Moreover, Allah SWT has clearly stated the purpose of men being created which is to
carry the responsibility as a vicegerent or khalifah. This fact can be seen in Surah Al-Baqarah
verse 30, “And [mention, O Muhammad], when your Lord said to the angels: “I will create a
vicegerent on earth." According to Islamic scholar Ibn Khaldun, vicegerency is to bring all
human beings on the path of syara’ for the sake of the hereafter and worldly affairs that are
beneficial to the hereafter. Every individual human being regardless of gender, race, religion,
color or age is a vicegerent of Allah. The future of this ummah is none other than the youth, they
are the flag bearers of Islam who deliver the ideology of Islam to the next generation. The youth
are brought out to introduce the divine message of Islam to different parts of the world. The
Muslim youth of today will be tomorrow's pioneers of the ummah. This is a position that their
families, educational institutions, and society at large should prepare them for. The world today
is in dire need of young minds to solve the world's various problems. And today's youth have
what it takes to be the leader in all areas of life.

Allah says in Surah al-Maidah (5:2);

Sahih International: And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and
aggression. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.

In this Quranic verse, Allah instructs His obedient servants to encourage each other in
doing goodness (i.e. obedience) and taqwa (i.e. abandoning evil). In addition, Allah also forbids
one another from falsehood, from sin, and from everything that is haram. In the sense of

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leadership, it has been their central duty to support people in whatever way they can and to
inspire them to do good by setting a good example to be adopted by people.

The importance of youth in a catastrophe

Youth are incredibly resilient and may be able to contribute ideas and actions during a
disaster and help in the development of society. This can be proved after observing the
movements of youth as individuals and organizations throughout the global pandemic of
COVID-19. We can see that as everyone is suffering in their everyday lives during the pandemic,
some could be fired from work which means they have no money to provide for their family
needs. Students could not go to school or university anymore, and they have to switch to online
classes during the Movement Control Order (MCO) imposed by the government. Those that
come from low-income households suffer a tremendous loss when this pandemic occurred.
Additionally, some may not have the luxuries of gadgets and internet access and since remote
learning requires the students to own at least a laptop, it would make the learning process
difficult for students to attend classes, do assignments, and conduct research. Not to forget, those
who have several siblings may need to share the computer and it may cause confusion and
problems among family members as they are really lacking in devices.

Subsequently, in order to overcome this problem, a youth political party, under a Member
of Parliament for Muar, Syed Saddiq bin Syed Abdul Rahman, called Parti MUDA, tried to reach
students who are facing hardships during the pandemic. He then successfully raised funds in his
“1 Keluarga, 1 Laptop” campaign, where the fund will be used to buy laptops for needy students
in Muar, Johor. This help will definitely lift the students’ burden and make their learning more
efficient, as they do not have to worry about using their family’s money, who are already
struggling financially, to buy a laptop for their education. It is important for youth to immerse
themselves in brotherhood and sisterhood sense among Muslims. Hence, it is crucial for youth to
feel a sense of belonging to the Muslim community and to be motivated to support those who
suffer and need their care and assistance. This is in line with Allah’s commands in the Quranic
verse given above that talks about helping one another out in times of difficulty.

The same event happened during the reign of Khalifa Umar bin al-Khattab when the
catastrophic famine took place. Umar took care to ensure that all people got sufficient relief and
that there were no persons who went to the bed starving in the area. However, when he did a
night routine, he encountered one lady who did not feed her children for the past 3 days because
they had nobody to support the family. Sayyidina Umar quickly gathered all the needs and
carried them by himself because he felt the responsibilities of a leader. He thought no one was
starving yet there was still a family that starved for 3 days. We can see how responsible and
dignified Sayyidina Umar was as a leader by taking matters into his own hands to make sure that
all of the well-being of his people was taken care of.

As a youth, we should certainly look up to Sayyidina Umar and his distinguished

leadership skills to become a good leader who cared about his people, particularly when the
nation is suffering the consequences of a disaster like the famine and this life-threatening virus.
Leaders should serve the followers, not the followers who need to serve the leaders. This is

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because leaders hold a big responsibility and amanah that should be fulfilled in order to make an
institution or organization under them successful. This is in accordance with a hadith reported by
Abdullah ibn Umar: The Prophet Muhammad said, “Every one of you is a shepherd and is
responsible for his flock” (Muslim).

Today, young people have been highlighted in the public eye for all sorts of contributions
they bring through our nation in an effort to develop society. We believe that youth should be
perceived as audacious leaders who, for the country's sake, are eager to bring in further growth.
Let's take Usamah bin Zaid RA as an example. At the age of 15, he participated in the Battle of
Khandaq and persisted on the battlefield throughout the Hunayn campaign while many Muslims
escaped from the scene.

This event precisely exhibited the bravery of Usamah, even though he was still a “young
child”, to fight in the way of Allah. When he reached the age of 19, Prophet Muhammad PBUH
believed in his ability so much that he appointed Usamah as the commander of the Muslim army
in the Battle of Tabuk. He was chosen over the great companions such as Umar and Abu Bakar,
due to his intellect, loyalty, and courage. Many were opposed to the idea as they found it was too
much for youth such as Usamah to command such a large number of warriors. However, Prophet
Muhammad SAW had appointed young people as leaders to be the backbone and successor of
the Islamic ijtihad. Another remarkable history that showed acts of bravery during Prophet
Muhammad’s time was when the Prophet Muhammad PBUH came with his Companions to
Madinah, except for Abu Bakr, who had dyed his beard with henna and saffron, there was not a
single man with white hair on his head. Those who were involved in the first battle between
Islam and Kufr were all young people.

Furthermore, being young does not inherently mean that they are “immature” and “not
wise” as long as one could gain people’s trust by proving that they are worthy of the leadership
role. The role of youth is essential in the development of society as they could bring fresh and
new ideas in enhancing every sector in the government of Malaysia. Islam also has given youth a
high status due to the role they play in the development of civilizations and the future of nations.
In Surah Al-Kahf 18:13, Allah says: “Indeed, they were youths who believed in their Lord, and
We increased them in guidance.”

In a nutshell, youth plays a very vital role because they are extremely resilient and willing
to contribute ideas and behavior to society's growth. They will concentrate on the young
generation in this country because they know how important young people are for the nation's
better future. All the grumbling or dissatisfaction faced by young people, especially students,
will be treated with care. In addition, youth leaders are exposed to new technologies and it makes
it easier for them to look up to developed nations and take them as role models to emulate.

The impact of youth leadership on society

Strong and effective leadership will likely bring goodness into society. Youth is an
illustration of good management. This is because, unlike the old leaders, they are well-known as
individuals who are more open-minded. It is easier to communicate with them about issues that

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have arisen in society. Also, since they are more familiar and advanced when it comes to
technology and know how it works, they are more aware and conscious of what is going on
around the world. On top of that, youth will surely strive to bring significant changes and
civilized developments into society and nation.

Having and engaging the youth in the community will create a sense of belonging and
purpose for youth in society. Once they realize their opinions and voices are being heard, they
will feel that they are now a true part of the community. The society then becomes a place where
youth and adults share a common interest in developing a better place for their shared space.
Youth will become progressively more comfortable in expressing their ideas and suggestions
because they now see themselves as valuable members of society.

It is worthy to note that Muslim youth have a greater role to play in upholding the glory of
the Ummah. The challenge ahead of Muslim youth is a daunting one, one that ensures that they
should always work extremely hard. The youth of this country must rise to the obstacles and
embrace their duties with sincerity and honesty, and use all the resources available to address the
struggles before ummah. Youth are not only the future, they can, today, be the endowment of
our contribution and their own, benefiting and improving their own lives and that of their
families, but also that of their communities, the ummah, and society. The youth have all the great
potential to lead society and their contribution to every segment of social development is very
essential. Therefore, all efforts of helping the youth can be taken as an opportunity to develop
youth leadership as well as to gain the trust of the youth which will make them be motivated and
inspired to work together for a better society.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, it is clear that youth, whether present or future, plays a major role in the
development of society. This is because youths represent the most dynamic segment of the
population and are the future of the nation. They are problem solvers, have a positive influence
on other young people and the nation, and are extremely ambitious. Helping youth in transition
build leadership skills is a critical element of preparing them for entry into adulthood. Therefore,
young people are advised to take good lessons from the tale of Caliph Umar al-Khattab, and in
order to become a respectful and good leader, they are required to implement Islamic principles.

A good leader would eradicate his greed and self-conceived arrogance. The best leader in
all aspects would ensure peace and happiness to society. We must know that youth has the power
to help the society with good leadership skills as the Quranic verse (Ali-Imran 3:110) which
means “You are the best nation [ever] brought forth for mankind: you bid what is right and
forbid what is wrong, and have faith in Allah. And if the People of the Book had believed, it
would have been better for them. Among them [some] are faithful, but most of them are
transgressors “.

It clearly shows that youth must take action for the good of society in the actions of Muar
MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman in supporting those who suffer mentally and financially

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during the Covid-19 pandemic. Indubitably, the future of the nation will be assured by a leader
applying the elements of Islam.

REFERENCES

● Ahmad, K., & Fontaine, R. (2011). ISLAMIC LEADERSHIP AT THE

INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA. International Journal of
Economics, Management and Accounting, 19(2), 121–156. Retrieved from
https://journals.iium.edu.my/enmjournal/index.php/enmj/article/download/179/148

● Hossain, M. (2016). Leadership Pattern: A Comparative Study Between Conventional

and Islamic Perspective. International Journal of Ethics in Social Sciences, 4(1), 2308–
5096. http://www.crimbbd.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/07.-Mobarak-Hossain.pdf

● Managing from Islamic Perspective from Malaysian Muslim Managed Organizations.

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European_Journal_of_Business_Management.pdf

● Edelman, A. (2004). Youth Development & Youth Leadership. Workforce, June.

http://www.ncwd-youth.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Youth-Development-
Leadership-2004.pdf

● Fitzpatrick, B. W., & Collins-Sussman, B. (2012). Team Geek: A Software Developer’s

Guide to Working Well with Others. O’Reilly.

● The Quranic Arabic Corpus - Translation. (2017). Retrieved January 12, 2021, from
Quran.com website: https://corpus.quran.com/translation.jsp?chapter=5&verse=2

● The Positive Effects of Youth Community Engagement | Texas School Safety Center.
(2013). Retrieved January 12, 2021, from Txstate.edu website:
https://txssc.txstate.edu/topics/youth-leadership/articles/positive-effects-of-youth-
engagement

● Ahmad, J. (2019, October 3). Learning From Past Envisioning Future: The Role of
Muslim Youth - The Companion. The Companion. https://thecompanion.in/learning-from-
past-envisioning-future-the-role-of-muslim-youth/

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